Nā Pali Coast

Nā Pali Coast is a Dream Destination for so many travelers and adventure seekers!! This place is a tropical paradise tucked away on the sides of Kauai Island in Hawaii. 

The Hawaiian Islands are famous for their natural ecosystems, beautiful beaches and of course the Luau Parties!! I have been to all the four major islands and without a doubt Kauai has a special place for me. This is the smallest and one of the most beautiful island. It’s dotted with small to medium sized hills which help capture the rain making the island green. The constant rain has carved out canyons that make this place even more gorgeous!! The most famous attraction on the island is without a doubt the Nā Pali Coast!

Nā Pali Coast is one of the most recognizable and beautiful coastlines in the world. The word “Pali” literally means cliffs, providing a rugged grandeur of deep, narrow valleys ending abruptly at the sea. There are several waterfalls and swift flowing streams which continue to cut these narrow valleys while the sea carves the cliffs at their mouths. Extensive stone walled terraces can still be found on the valley bottoms where Hawaiians once lived and cultivated Taro.

The coastline is covered with range of hills making the coast/trail along the ocean inaccessible from inside the island. There are only a handful of entry points to the cost and for tourists there is only 1 entry point called the Hāʻena State Park. You have to make reservations well in advance. The slots are almost booked for next 6 months, so plan in advance. From Hāʻena State Park. the Kalalau Trail is a 11 mile trek across hills, rivers and valleys to the final point

If you want to access the Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park as well as the Kalalau Trail, we have to go through Hāʻena State Park.  It now requires advanced reservations for entry except for those with valid camping permits for the Nā Pali Coast SWP and for Hawaii residents. Those with Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park (SWP) Camping Permits do not need to make a Hāʻena State Park Entry Reservation. 

There are other options also to explore the Coastline. Several Boat tours are available which will cover the entire cost and also drop anchor at some interesting spots. You could go on a speed boat and or just take a relaxing cruise. Then there is also the option of a Helicopter ride which will take you across the multiple valleys and gorgeous giving you a bird’s eye view of the beautiful coastline.

We took the Na Pali Raft Day Expedition with Captain Andy’s. This was an exciting expedition down Na Pali Coast on a rigid hull raft. The tour begins with the exhilarating experience of the speed boat. The Captain and the crew member are friendly and they put on a good show. Once near the coastline, they stop at every beautiful location for photos and viewing. We also got an up close encounter with one of the many deep caves carved out by the ocean. This is was then followed by Dolphin viewing. The coastline has a large population of Dolphins who are not shy to do a back slip to impress the tourists. After that we headed to the Nualolo Kai for a hike to the ruins of an ancient Hawaiian village. Then it was Picnic Lunch at the village along with Snorkel gear to do some fish spotting in the remote beach. Then it was a long speed drifting way back to the harbor with some exhilarating moves put in by the Captain. Had a really good time and would highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to get a great feeling of the Na Pali Coastline!! 

The next day we drove to the Kalalau Lookout located in the Kokee State Park. This Lookout has incredible views of Na Pali Coast and the Kalalau Valley. The view is one of the most featured scenes on Kauai, and is often seen on book covers, advertisements and promotional materials for the island. From the lookout, you can look down onto Kauai’s magnificent Kalalau Valley from high above, from an elevation of almost 4,000 feet! The lookout is one of the top star attractions on an island filled with star attractions.

This amazing place is second to none. If you ever plan a visit to Kauai Hawaii, make sure to visit the Na Pali coast to soak in the amazing natural beauty of the this place!!