Kauai is the greenest and most lush Hawaiian island. With its breathtaking landscapes, tropical rainforests, sparkling waterfalls, jagged peaks and colossal volcanoes, “The Garden Isle” it's no wonder thousands of travellers book flights to Kauai every year for a holiday on one of the most spectacular islands in the world. Don't let the island's reputation of being the wettest place on earth deter you from finding cheap flights to Kauai -- the vast amount of rainfall is precisely why it’s so green, and on any given day you’re guaranteed to see at least one rainbow.
Kauai is less developed than its neighbouring islands but still offers visitors the same level of service and exclusive resorts. It’s less crowded than the other islands so you’re bound to find miles of empty sandy beaches and jungles to explore. If you're after a more active trip you can spend your days hiking the Kalalau Trail on the Na Pali coastline or diving among the sea turtles.
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Year-round temperatures typically range from the low 20s to high 20s (Celsius).There are two seasons, dry and rainy. The rainy season runs from November to March, and the dry season is the rest of the year, although there is some rain, especially in the rain forests. June to November is the time for hurricanes. The islands’ valleys, coastal plains, and mountain peaks create microclimates. For example, Hilo gets 450cm of rainfall a year, but Puako, 60 miles from Hilo, gets less than 15cm a year.
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Peak Season:
Prices are high and the resorts are fully booked from mid-December through March and sometimes into April. The last two weeks of December are particularly busy in Hawaii. The summer school holidays brings a lot of families to Hawaii, but you can get better deals on packages and airline and hotel rates than in winter.
Off Season:
Cheap flights to Kauai are available in the spring and autumn, mid-April to mid-June and September to mid-December, which is also the best weather. However, if you’re coming the last weekend of April, book your reservations early as that is Japan’s Golden Week (four national holidays in one week), and the islands are very busy with Japanese visitors.
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- Hiking is a great way to see Kauai, off the highways. Popular trails include the Kukui Trail, a five-mile hike that drops into Waimea Canyon (Hawaii’s Grand Canyon - ten miles long, a mile wide and 3,000 feet deep); the Kuilau Ridge Trail, a four-mile round-trip; and the Kalalau Trail, which boasts gorgeous views of Na Pali Coast and Kee Beach (a great snorkelling spot).
- Kauai has 50 miles of white sand beaches and all of them are free. The most beautiful beaches are Ke'e and Makua (surfers know it as Tunnels) on the north shore; Poipu in the south, a regular in various “Top 5” beach awards; Salt Pond Beach Park, also in the south of the island, and a great place to see Monk Seals and Kakaha Beach, which snakes along the west coast. Polihale stretches - all gold sand - for seven miles and is a heart-stopping beautiful place to watch the sun set over Ni‘ihau island. Finally, Na Pali (which translates to “the cliffs”) on the west coast is remote, rugged and dramatic.
- Kauai plays backdrop to several Hollywood movies. Take a tour around the film locations such as Moanaowaiopuna Falls, which appeared in JurassicPark. Elvis lived it up on the grounds of the Coco Palms for Blue Hawaii. Raiders of the Lost Ark made use of the island for its exterior shots. Anne Heche and Harrison Ford crashed down from the cliff around Shipwrecks Beach (Keoneloa Bay) in Six Days Seven Nights.
- Spouting Horn on Lawa'i Road regularly shoots water up into the air. When a wave rushes under a lava shelf and bursts through a small surface hole, Spouting Horn expels. Evening is the time to witness it, that’s when the rush of water takes on the colours of the sunset.
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