With all the beaches in Hawaii to choose from, Hanalei Bay is still a cut above the rest. A white sandy beach rims the bay, and lifeguards keep visitors safe from swells or and paradise-induced comas.

The rugged beauty of Kaua‘i's north coast interior is supplemented by the serene half-moon beaches that edge the shore. Kilauea is the closest thing to civilization inland from a handful of these sandy strips.

Lihu‘e is generally the first port of call in Kaua‘i, whether you arrive by air or sea. Once a plantation town revolving around sugar, it has grown since the closure of the mill to become a hub for traffic into and off of the island—though despite modern conveniences there is no forgetting that this island is a dramatic place of beauty and enchantment.

The soft sands that carpet the many half-moon beaches along Kaua‘i's southern tip are a wonderful island 'aloha', no matter whether you've just come or are just about to leave. Surf sifts up onto the sands here, washing snorkellers and swimmers with warm salty water while palm trees shift gently in the breeze.

Legend has it that the green ridge rising up between Wailua and Kapa‘a is a sleeping giant. Even if it looks like just another green Kaua‘i ridge to the casual observer, the vistas from the top are hard to dispute.

If you have yet to make it to the Grand Canyon, Kaua‘i's Waimea Canyon takes a close second. Some have in fact nicknamed this 3,600 foot deep slit in the island's volcanic soil the 'Grand Canyon of the Pacific'.