Top Ten Tips for Traveling Solo on Awesome Kauai
Traveling solo on Kauai is safe, easy, and convenient. The island is compact and very comfortable to drive around with nominal help from GPS. As a solo traveler, you’ll find plenty to see and do, good accommodation options, and friendly people.
Kauai is not a budget destination, so bear that in mind when planning to travel solo on Kauai. But if you have the funds, Kauai is an excellent choice. You’ll find a terrific opportunities to explore, with lots of options for sightseeing and relaxing.
I spent ten days on traveling solo on Kauai and had a marvelous time. So much variety. And the views! Kauai wins the Hawaii gorgeousness sweepstakes hands down. No wonder Kauai is known as the Garden Isle.
In this post, I share ten tips for traveling solo on Kauai. For more on Kauai, check out my other posts:
Ready for my ten tips on traveling solo on Kauai? Here goes!
Tip 1: Stay the First Night or Two Close to the Airport
I flew direct from Vancouver, BC, on WestJet. Its once-daily flight arrived at 9:30 PM. By that time, darkness had well and truly settled over Kauai. If I hadn’t have booked accommodation close to the airport, I’d have been driving on dark, unfamiliar roads—many without streetlights. No thank you!
When traveling solo, I suggest you make accommodation and transportation decisions based on how you answer three questions:
- Is it easy?
- Is it safe?
- Is it convenient?
For my solo trip to Kauai, my answers to these questions led me to book my first few nights at the Kauai Beach Villas. Located on a beach a seven-minute drive due north on the main road out of Lihue Airport, I couldn’t get lost if I tried.
Kauai Beach Villas Close to the Airport Perfect for Solo Travelers
Checking into the Kauai Beach Villas was easy. The front desk was still open when I arrived at 10:30 PM, the spacious one-bedroom condo felt very safe and secure, and the location steps from the beach could not have been more convenient.
Even if you arrive on Kauai during the day, I suggest you book a few nights at a place like the Kauai Beach Villas on Kauai’s East Shore. Otherwise known as the Coconut Coast, the area is home to most of Kauai’s population and includes several big box stores convenient for stocking up on essentials at slightly less than eye-popping prices.
The Kauai Beach Villas are on the grounds of another resort (the Kauai Beach Resort and Spa) that has a restaurant, convenience store, and swimming pools.
The area also boasts some of Kauai’s nicest and most accessible beaches. And, even more useful, its proximity to Lihue Airport means you don’t have to drive far to enjoy the first of my highly recommended activities on Kauai—taking a helicopter ride (more on this later!).
Other Accommodation Options on the East Shore
Several other East Shore accommodation options are close to Lihue Airport:
A Note about Big Box Stores
Normally, I’m not a fan of stores like Costco and Walmart. But on Kauai, I spent a few hours on my first afternoon traipsing through both stores in search of vacation essentials at reasonable prices. In Costco, I picked up a case of water, a large bag of macadamia nuts that lasted me the entire trip eating a good handful a day (gosh, they’re tasty!), a Hawaiian shirt for my husband (a bargain at $20 and good quality too), a few bags of snacks, and a hunk of cheese.
I considered a tub of poke for $10 and realized I’d never finish it before it started walking on its own. Messing with raw fish is not a good idea when traveling solo.
I also visited Walmart to buy a mask and snorkel, a pair of water shoes, and a nice big beach bag to carry towels and other beachie things. You can rent snorkel equipment at various places on Kauai, but it’s cheaper (and more hygienic) to pick up the gear at a place like Walmart. You’ll then have it for your next trip to a tropical paradise.
Since I live on an island (albeit not a tropical one), I look forward to using my new snorkel gear on summer swims at the beaches near my home.
Tip 2: Rent a Car
You pretty much have to rent a car when visiting Kauai. I had hoped to get around on public transit or take taxis, but nope, not on Kauai. There are busses, but apparently they are unreliable and likely won’t go to all the places you want to explore. Services such as Lyft and Uber are not prevalent on Kauai and taxis are scarce.
The biggest problem with renting a car is the cost, as in, ouch! I’ve never paid so much for a ten-day car rental in my life. But it was either that or spend my vacation stuck in one place, and what would be the point of that?
So, adjust your budget upward (waaaay upward), and book your car well in advance. In recent years, rental cars have sometimes been hard to come by. You don’t want to arrive on Kauai and find no cars available. That would suck…a lot.
Car Rental from Thrifty
As a solo traveler, I rented the cheapest car in the budget category from Thrifty. The friendly agent at the Thrifty counter upgraded me at no extra charge from a hatchback to a closed trunk model because she said that was safer. She knew I was traveling on my own (because I told her!). I joked that I’d left my husband at home so I could enjoy ten days of blissful solitude. She laughed.
Getting to the car rental counter is very easy on Kauai. Walk out of the small Lihue airport, hang a left and within seconds, you’re at the bus stop for the car rental shuttles. I hopped on the Thrifty shuttle, waited about ten minutes in a short line, and ten minutes after that I was loading my suitcase into my silver Kia.
Note that silver is a very popular color for rental cars in Kauai. In parking lots, I often saw dozens of silver and/or white cars. More than once, I tried getting into someone else’s car. Fortunately, they weren’t around to notice as I quickly realized my mistake and sheepishly moved on.
The smartest thing to do is to take a picture of your license plate and also memorize the number. You’ll avoid a lot of traipsing around parking lots dolefully clicking the remote and listening for the subtle beep above the whooshing of the trade winds.
Driving Solo on Kauai
I confess that I was a little bit worried about driving on unfamiliar roads. I’m not a nervous driver, but still! I usually rent cars with my husband and then I do the navigating rather than the driving. How would I manage on my own?
As it turned out, perfectly well. Driving is sooooooo easy on Kauai because the speed limits are generally very low. Limits of 40 mph, 35 mph, and even 15 mph are common. Even on the busiest roads near the airport, the speed limit never tops 50 mph. Also, I found that most Kauai drivers obey the speed limits and do not tailgate, even if you’re going slower than the posted speed.
Okay, once, a big black truck honked at me when I was going about 30 mph in a 40-mph zone for about three minutes. Sheesh!
I remember being terrified driving on Maui where the speed limits were much higher (at least they were a few years ago) and people drove like maniacs. Kauai is much more laid back. I loved driving there!
Tip 3: Download the Kauai Revealed Touring App
And speaking of driving, one of the smartest things you can do, whether traveling solo or not, is to download Andrew Doughty’s Kauai Revealed driving app. Andrew Doughty is the author of The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook, the definitive guide to Kauai and a must-buy. If you didn’t pick up a copy before coming to Kauai, no worries. I saw it in virtually every gift shop I visited and at Walmart.
The app and the guidebook together provide you with just about all the information you need to enjoy a wonderful Kauai vacation. I followed many of Andrew’s recommendations, particularly when it came to which helicopter and boat tour companies to choose, and I was very glad I had.
What’s on the Kauai Revealed App?
Regarding Andrew’s app, it’s a hoot! Download it to your phone, click Driving Mode, plug it into your car so you hear Andrew’s commentary through the car’s sound system, and then hit the open road.
Every so often, Andrew’s voice shares some snippet of interesting information about Hawaiian history and culture, tells you where to turn to visit a cool beach, and makes all sorts of useful recommendations. As a solo traveler, I felt like I’d made a new friend.
Over time, I began to chat with Andrew as I drove, which sounds a bit creepy, but it was kinda fun and perhaps an occupational risk of solo travel. I can’t say I was ever lonely on my trip, but I did begin to appreciate having Andrew along for the ride as the days flew by.
For solo travelers who don’t have a companion to navigate, the driving app is a must-have. I’m a firm convert to driving apps now and hope I can find them for other places I plan to travel. Andrew also has apps and books for Maui, The Big Island, and Oahu.
Tip 4: Stay in At Least Two Areas on Kauai
As a solo traveler, I like to move around and get a feel for different areas in the country or region I’m visiting. On Kauai, some travelers settle in either the north or the south (sometimes the east, but not as often) for the duration of their trip and then take day trips to see the other parts of the island.
I don’t think that’s the best strategy. The North Shore and South Shore of Kauai are so different that each warrants at least a few days of dedicated sightseeing. After staying a few days at Kauai Beach Villas on the East Shore to get acclimatized, I drove an hour to the North Shore where I stayed for four nights.
Staying on the North Shore
The North Shore is the wetter and more tropical area accessible by road on Kauai and the scenery is absolutely spectacular. Seriously, there are not enough superlatives in the thesaurus to describe the area’s pristine beaches, tropical greenery, and sheer mountains.
For more about the North Shore, check my post What to See and Do on Kauai.
I stayed in the SeaLodge condo development in Princeville, which stretches along a clifftop about fifteen minutes east of Hanalei Bay. One of my intentions in traveling solo to Kauai was to work on my current WIP (Work in Progress aka my fifth novel). When I wasn’t out sightseeing, I spent several very productive hours writing while overlooking a view of palms and ocean accompanied by the constant sound of waves crashing against the beach below the cliff.
Talk about inspiring!
Staying on the South Shore
The South Shore is “resort central” with plenty to see and do, lots of great accommodation and restaurant options, and consistently sunny weather. I stayed at the Point at Poipu which was located right on the water and next door to the uber-luxurious Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa.
You’ll find lots to do on the South Shore—from touring the Allerton and McBryde Gardens to driving up to ogle Waimea Canyon and beyond that the fabled Nāpali coast.
For more about the South Shore, check my posts Six Highlights of a Kauai Vacation and What to See and Do on Kauai.
Tip 5: Take a Helicopter Ride
Okay, so I’ve mentioned taking a helicopter ride twice already and now I’ll tell you why.
Because it’s awesome!
Over three-quarters of Kauai is inaccessible by road. So, if you want to see the island in its stunning entirety, shell out the big bucks for a helicopter ride.
And I’m not going to lie—it’s expensive. Like, forget-eating-for-a-week expensive. On my ride, the other five passengers were from one family. I shuddered as I did the math for what their trip cost!
Check out my detailed account of my helicopter ride with Blue Hawaiian in the post Six Highlights of a Kauai Vacation.
Tip 6: Take a Boat Ride that includes Snorkeling
I love snorkeling! But as a solo traveler, I was nervous about snorkeling on my own and leaving my stuff unattended on the beach (although the crime rate is reportedly low on Kauai). I also feared going too far out and being swept into the Pacific Ocean.
From past trips to tropical locales, I knew that taking a guided boat trip was the best and safest way for me to get my snorkeling hit.
My Kauai Revealed guidebook listed the many boat and snorkeling tour options and highly recommended Nāpali Sea Breeze Tours.
From a solo travel perspective, spending four hours on a small boat with everyone pretty much cheek by jowl provides lots of opportunities to chat with new friends. When we came to the snorkeling place, we were asked to pair up, so I snorkeled for about 40 minutes with a friendly woman from California whose husband, fortunately for me, decided to stay on the boat.
For a description of my boat trip and snorkeling adventure see my post Six Highlights of a Kauai Vacation.
For now, trust me when I say that the Nāpali Sea Breeze Tour from Anini Beach in the north of Kauai was fabulous and again, worth every penny.
Tip 7: Go on a Garden Tour
As a solo traveler, I find that taking the occasional guided tour is a smart way to see maximum territory with minimum effort. Before I left home, I booked the three-hour “Best of Both Worlds” tour of the Allerton and McBryde Gardens in the south of Kauai.
I was so glad I did. The tour was informative and beautiful. If you love plants (and even if you’re so-so about them), take the tour. You can choose from several tours (see the website), but I’m glad I chose the “Best of Both Worlds” tour to get an overview of these two fabulous gardens.
I also enjoyed a solo walking tour of Limahuli Gardens on the North Shore.
For a description of both garden tours, see my post Six Highlights of a Kauai Vacation.
Tip 8: Participate in a Local Fitness Class
One of my favorite things to do when I travel solo is to drop in to a Nia class. Nia is a dance-fitness practice that I’ve been involved with both as a teacher and a student for nearly 15 years. It’s a worldwide practice with teachers on all seven continents. Before I leave home, I always check the Nianow.com website to find the location of classes near where I’m staying.
On Kauai, I took two Nia classes at the Golden Lotus Studio in Kapa’a on the East Shore, about a ten-minute drive from the Kauai Beach Villas. The teacher and other students were so warm and welcoming. I loved the opportunity not only to dance with them but also to chat afterwards and learn something about their lives as locals living on Kauai (lucky them!).
Even if dancing Nia isn’t your thing, consider checking out a yoga or other type of fitness class at a facility on Kauai. The Golden Lotus Studio offers several kinds of classes each week (check the website) and I’m sure it’s not the only venue.
Attending a class with locals is a wonderful way to enrich your Kauai experience and take you off the beaten tourist path.
Tip 9: Choose Food Trucks and Take-Out
Restaurants are Kauai are expensive. Very expensive. And eating alone is not much fun, particularly in crowded tourist areas. When I’m at home, I often dine alone in restaurants. But for some reason when I’m in a vacation area, I feel a bit out of place when the vast majority of other patrons are couples or families.
So, for me, the best meal options while traveling in Kauai were food trucks and take-out.
Food Trucks
Kauai is famous—and justly so—for its food trucks. Stop and enjoy a scrumptious breakfast or lunch. However, many, if not most, of the food trucks close about 3 PM, so they are not an option for dinner.
I sampled the fare at a few food trucks during my trip, although not as many as I would have liked. Either they were closed when I was driving by, or I wasn’t hungry when they were open. But for a reliable and relatively inexpensive lunch, the food trucks of Kauai are definitely a good choice.
For a comprehensive look at Kauai food trucks, check out this post.
Here are two highlights:
Kalalea Juice Hale
This spot is located on the road going north toward Anahola. I sampled my first acai (ah-sigh-EE) bowl here and was captivated! Cool, smooth, very purple mashed acai berries are topped with granola, hemp seeds, chia seeds, banana, and a few other things I can’t remember and then drizzled with peanut butter. I know, it sounds like overkill but trust me, it was divine.
While I was eating it at a picnic table, the heavens opened. I ran to my car and drove to Anahola Beach to finish my bowl. Anahola Beach is a worthwhile stop for dreamy views, but not for swimming, at least not on the day I was there.
Indian Food
The prawn curry I enjoyed at the Indian food truck in a parking lot in Kapa’a contained a plethora of plump, meaty prawns swimming in a spicy, rich coconut-flavored sauce. A highlight was the chunky, flavorful mango lassi that accompanied my curry. Very refreshing!
Other Food Truck Favorites
So many of the food truck serve tacos of every description—pork, chicken, prawns, seafood and even tofu. Kauai seems to have more taco joints than Mexico!
Other food truck staples are shaved ice and puka dogs. Alas, I didn’t get the chance to sample either. However, I did try another Kauai specialty—a Hawaiian grilled cheese sandwich containing pulled Kalua pork, Muenster cheese, and sweet pineapple at Pink’s Creamery in Hanalei Bay. Yes, it sounds a bit odd, but it was amazing!
Take-out
In Kauai, every restaurant I poked my nose into was hopping busy. I didn’t like taking up a whole table when groups were waiting and so usually I ordered take-out and ate it it in solitary splendor back on my lanai.
Unfortunately, take-out was rather hit-or-miss. The food was usually quite flavorful, but by the time I got it home, it was also usually cold. Fortunately, every place I stayed in had a microwave, but it’s not the same, let’s face it! And don’t think you’ll save money by getting take-out. The prices are the same for take-out and dine-in so the only thing you might save on is drinks.
I bought wine from local grocery stores to accompany my take-out meals. Once, I went to the bar at the Kauai Beach Resort to have a Mai Tai. After sipping the over-sweet concoction that cost over $20, I decided to forgo the tropical drinks.
Overall, I can’t say that my culinary experiences on Kauai lived up to the island’s reputation as a place to get great food. I think staff shortages may be one culprit. Almost every place I went, from a food truck to a nice restaurant, I saw Help Wanted signs. The lack of staff coupled with the crowds did not make for relaxing dining options, particularly for a single.
Shout-out to Brennekes
However, I must give a shout-out to Brennekes, a justifiably famous eatery on the South Shore overlooking Poipu Beach Park. I splurged on a sit-down meal there (my only one of the trip) and enjoyed a swoon-worthy plate of seafood risotto. Creamy, rich, and chock-a-block with scallops, prawns, fish chunks, and mushrooms, the risotto will stand as one of my all-time great meals.
Tip 10: Choose the Safest Beaches
Kauai has some of the best beaches in the Hawaiian Islands—long sandy stretches, turquoise waters, swaying palm trees—the whole tropical nine yards. However, the beaches can also be death traps, particularly for the solo traveler.
People drown every year on Kauai as a result of being caught in rip tides or swept out to sea by rogue waves. If you’re on your own, who will be watching out for you if you get into trouble? Hopefully, there will be a lifeguard close by, but I wasn’t about to take any chances.
Almost every day I was on Kauai, the water at most beaches was too rough for swimming. I found only two places where I could consistently swim, and even they could get quite choppy.
Swimming on the North Shore
My favorite safe beach on the North Shore was Anini Beach. The lagoon is ringed by a reef and so safe enough even for children (and solo travelers like me!). I went there a few times to bob around.
Also on the North Shore is Tunnels Beach which, like Anini Beach, is reputed to be safe for swimming most of the time. The day I drove there, I couldn’t find parking so only got to see it the day I swam from the boat during the Nāpali Sea Breeze tour. Oh well!
Swimming on the South Shore
On the South Shore, Poipu Beach at Poipu Beach Park is ranked as one of the best beaches in the world. That is a bit of a stretch since the bottom is not very sandy (water shoes are a must!). However, the location is certainly delightful and the snorkeling good.
On the East Shore, Lydgate Beach Park is usually safe for swimming but the day I was there, the wind was whipping the waves into a white-capped frenzy so, um, no.
The safest way to swim on Kauai is to hop into the pool at your hotel or condo. Sure, it’s not as exciting as swimming in the ocean, but it’s refreshing, generally uncrowded, and your chances of waving goodbye to this life while being swept out to sea are pretty much nil.
Tours on Kauai
Here are some GetYourGuide tours on Kauai.
Conclusion
I loved traveling solo around Kauai. The pace was relaxed, the weather glorious (even if occasionally windy), the roads easy to drive, the service people uniformly helpful and friendly, and the scenery to die for.
If you’re craving a bit of “me time” away from your regular life, consider taking a solo trip to Kauai.
Aloha!
Have you traveled solo on Kauai? Share your recommendations in the Comments below.
Here are two more posts on Kauai: