Looking to book an amazing Hawaii vacation?! If the answer is yes I am sure the first thing you googled was, “What are the best Hawaii islands to visit?”. Every single list that pops up includes Kauai, which in my opinion is the best! Obviously you made a good choice to add Kauai on to your vacation since you are here on this 10 Day Kauai Hawaii Itinerary blog! Kauai is an amazing vacation spot for all types of people including adventure seekers, nature lovers, and beach goers!
Since you have decided on Kauai you will need a full 10 Day Kauai Hawaii Itinerary and I have got you covered with best spots of the island! Do note we rented a camper van for 7 out of the 9 nights in order to save some cash. I have listed some highly recommended hotels as an alternative if the van life is just not for you!
Check out our other Hawaii blogs to see how we only spent $1400 each on our own 10 Day Kauai Hawaii Trip (including flights, accommodations, etc!) and how we lived in a camper van for 7 nights!
10 Day Kauai Hawaii Itinerary
- Night 1 – Lihue, Kauai Palms Hotel $120*
- Night 2-3 – Polihale Beach Camp (state camp – camper van) $18 x 2 nights = $36;
- Hotel Alternative: Wamiea Plantation Cottages $224 X 2 = $448*
- Night 4-5 – Kokee Camping (state camp – camper van) $18 x 2 nights = $36
- Hotel Alternative: The Cabins at Kokee Park $80 x 2 nights = $160*
- Night 6 – Kumu Camp Beach Retreat (private camp – camper van) $40
- Hotel Alternative: Pono Kai Resort $330*
- Night 7 Hiking Option: hike along Napali Coast and sleep on Kalalau Beach $20/person.
- If hiking is not your thing stay 2 nights at Hanalei Beach. See next bullet
- Night 7-8 – Hanalei Beach Park (county camp – camper van) $3 X 2 nights = $6
- Hotel Alternative: Hanalei Colony Resort $288/night
- Night 9 – Wailua, Kauai Shores Hotel $150
**Prices listed are during off season and could change during the peak season.
Accommodations
Hotels in Hawaii can be very expensive but there are some cheaper options. Kauai accommodations include camping, motels, hotels, and resorts which range from $100 to thousands a night. We decided to stay our first and last nights in hotels and nights 2-8 in a camper van to save some cash!
We rented a camper van for nights 2-8 and stayed at the popular campsites on the island. If camper vans and campsites are not your thing I have listed highly recommended hotels in the same area that are reasonably priced.
See our How to Travel Kauai Hawaii in Camper Van Blog for all the details you need to book your own camper van and campsite reservations! Also check out our Kauai Hawaii Cheap Budget Travel Blog to see how we only spent $1,400 per person (including flight!) for an entire 10 Day Kauai Trip and how you can do it too!
Night 1 – Lihue
Lihue is the main city of Kauai, this is the city you will fly into. It’s also where you will find the most restaurants and grocery stores. Two of our favorite restaurants here are Aloha ‘Aina Juice Cafe for acai bowls and The Fish Express for poke bowls!
We recommend only staying one night here to stock up on groceries, try out some restaurants, pickup your camper van, and get situated before you start exploring the amazing island of Kauai.
Kauai Palms Hotel
Kauai Palms Hotel, located near the airport in Lihue, is the cheapest spot we could find that still has good reviews. It seems more like a motel but the room served its purpose. It’s small yet clean and provides a hot shower. The cost per night was $100 during the off season. You will see higher prices during peak season
Night 2-3 – Polihale Beach
Polihale beach is one of the most breathtaking beaches on the island. The beauty is due to its remoteness on the western side of the island and the 17 mile stretch of white sand surrounded by sand dunes and cliffs. People typically camp right on the beach in order to wake up and go to sleep to the best sunrises and sunsets. The waves here are quite large and not much swimming goes on in this area because of this. Most people just hang out, grill out, and sun bathe. I would bring some games or a volleyball if relaxing for hours isn’t your thing
You definitely need to add Polihale on to your own itinerary, its known as one of the most stunning places on the island! Also, the western side is known to have better weather and gets the most sun. Plan for a night or two here if you’re traveling to Kauai in the rainy season. Just note, you have to drive miles down an unpaved, bumpy, and pot hole road which is not the most pleasant. It takes a good 30 minutes on this road but I promise its worth it!
Polihale State Camping
Kauai has three state campsites which cost $18-$20 a night: Polihale, Kokee, and Kalalau. All three have facilities, room for tent camping, or camper van parking. You can read all about the campsites of Kauai in our How to Travel Kauai Hawaii in a Camper Van.
The polihale campsite borders the beach. Once you get through the unpaved road you will enter the park and drive towards the end of the road. You will see campsite numbers along the road. You just pull up to your favorite spot and set up your campsite!
Waimea Plantation Cottages
If camping is not for you we recommend staying at the Waimea Plantation Cottages. Waimea Plantation cottages are located 35 minutes outside of the Polihale State Park and are quite beautiful. They are exactly what you think of when you hear Hawaiian Cottages. They do come at a cost of $224 a night during the off season.
The only downfall is that you are not staying right on Polihale beach. The only way to stay on the beach is to camp therefore Waimea is the next closet city that has hotels. But this way you can take a day trip to the beach and come back and relax at the cottages.
Night 4-5 – Kokee
Kokee is located in Northwestern Kauai and its elevation ranges from 3,200-4,200 feet above sea level. Kokee is covered in forests, wildflowers, and hiking trails. It’s also home to some of the most beautiful native plants and Hawaiian birds! This is the perfect spot to hike the trails and explore Kauai’s natural beauty!
Faris and I loved Kokee for multiple reasons. Number 1 the air is a little cooler which is a nice break from the hot Hawaiian sun. Second, the nature here is just unreal and beautiful to see! Number 3 the amount of hikes is unlimited!
Our two favorite hikes were Kalepa Ridge Trail and the Awa’awaphui Trail. The Kalepa Ridge Trail is only 1.9 miles but it it currently unmaintained and it’s only recommended for experienced hikers. It’s not a very difficult hike there are just some steep ledges to watch out for. Kalepa Ridge Trail: What You Need to Know by Makana Charters describes the hike very well if you are looking for more info!
The Awa’awaphui Trail is only 6.5 miles roundtrip and it takes you through the forests but then leads you to a unreal lookout on the edges of the cliffs! This is a great hike for all kinds of people. The terrain is pretty easy so almost anyone could hike this trail!
Other hikes in Kokee include:
- Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls
- Waipo’o Falls via Pu’u Hinahina and Canyon Trail
- Pihea Trail to Alakai Swamp
- Honopu Ridge
- Canyon Trail
Kokee State Camping
Kokee State Camping is located 15 miles north of Kekaha on Koke‘e Road (Highway 550) at 3600 feet elevation; adjoins Waimea Canyon State Park. Kokee is a state campsite and can be reserved online. It costs $18 a night to reserve a campsite. You can read more about reserving state campsites on our How to Travel Kauai Hawaii in a Camper Van Blog.
Kokee State Campsite offers tent camping, camper van parking, bathrooms, showers, and has a lodge onsite with a restaurant.
The Cabins at Kokee
If camping is not for you check out the Cabins at Kokee Park. They have 5 different cabins available for rent. You can pick the best one based on your group size and what you are looking for. You’ll be able to stay right on the State Park so you can still enjoy all the nature and the parks! One night will cost you around $215 during off season.
Night 6 Anahola
Anahola is located on the North Eastern side of the island and is a more chill spot. This spot isn’t known for much other than the beaches and it also gets you to the other side of the island and closer to the Napali Coast.
Anahola is beautiful but it’s not 100% necessary on your itinerary. We chose to stay here because of Kumu Camp and it got us on our way to the Napali Coast.
Kumu Camp Beach Retreat
Kumu Camp Beach Retreat is a privately owned beach camp. It costs $40 a night and is a step up from any of the state and county campsites in that it has hot showers, a cooking area, private beach, and beach games!
After 3 nights of roughing it with cold showers at the state and county campsites we just needed a hot shower. That’s the main reason why we went to Anahola.
Pono Kai Resort
Pono Kai Resort is located just south of Anahola in Kapa’a and is right on the beach making it the perfect place to relax with its great views and pool! The rooms are large and almost look like condominiums, perfect for a family or a group! Pono Kai will cost you $330 a night!
Night 7 – Kalalua Beach Hiking/Camping Option; Proceed To Next Section for Non-Hiking Option
The main reason Faris and I booked our Kauai Trip was to hike one of the worlds top rated most beautiful hikes along the Napali Coast. The hike is a challenging 11 miles there and another 11 miles back. Many people bring their tents and sleeping bags and camp at the remote Kalalua Beach that can only be reached by hiking or boat.
I only recommend this option if you are into hiking and in physical good shape. This hike is so famous that you have to reserve permits months in advance – you can reserve them here for $20 a person.
We reserved our permits well in advance! Unfortunately, we only got 4 miles in to the Hanakapiai Falls before we got completely rained out. The rain was a complete downfall and we just could not make it all the way to the Kalalua Beach. We were absolutely devastated but there’s not much you can do about mother nature! Instead we turned around and booked an extra night at Hanalei Beach.
If Kalalua Beach Hiking/Camping Option is Not For You
Hiking is not for everyone and that is totally ok! So instead of hiking 11 miles to Kalalau Beach, camping, and then hiking 11 miles back we recommend booking Nights 6-7 at Hanalei Beach.
You can actually still hike along the Napali Coast for the first 2 miles to Hanakāpīʻai Valley, Visit Ke’e Beach, and hike to Hanakāpīʻai Beach and then 2-miles up to Hanakāpīʻai Falls and back (8 miles) without a permit, but you will still have to make a reservation, which you can do here.
This way can still enjoy the famous Napali Coast and return to your accommodations in Hanalei.
Night 7-8 – Hanalei Beach
Like I said in the Night 7 – Kalalua Beach (Hiking Option) portion of this blog, we reserved permits to hike the 22 miles along the Napali Coast and stay on the remote Kalalua Beach but unfortunately we got completely rained out. Therefore, we had to turn around and book an extra night at Hanalei Beach.
We totally recommend planning to hike the Napali Coast and camp along the beach if you are into hiking! If 22 miles just is not appealing to you then definitely book two nights at Hanalei Beach. See section “If Kalalua Beach Hiking/Camping Option is Not For You” Under Night 6 for more details.
Hanalei Beach is a fantastic spot to check out because it has this up-north, cottage feel. The beaches are phenomenal especially for surfing, there are also many different restaurants and shops, along with hikes.
We really enjoyed Hanalei Bay where Faris learned how to surf and our muddy hike to queens bath.
Hanalei Beach Camping
Hanalei Beach Camp is a county campsite that costs $3 a night and has to be reserved in person at the civic or neighborhood centers. I wrote all about in in my How to Travel Kauai Hawaii in Camper Van Blog.
Hanalei was my favorite county campsite because of its location and cleanliness. The campsite is located right on the beach and there are plenty of picnic tables and grills for eating!
Hanalei Colony Resort
Hanalei Colony Resort has a luxurious feel and it is located right on the beach near the main town. This place screams relaxation. The rooms are large with living rooms, kitchens, which is perfect for groups! You can get this place for $288 a night during the off season!
Night 9- Wailua
Wailua is a popular area with many different hotels, restaurants, and communal areas. Many tourists flock to Wailua because of all the options provided, the beautiful beaches, and the famous Wailua Falls. We came to Wailua to stay at the Kauai Shores Hotel, which is a highly rated hotel which is very reasonably priced for the area at $150 a night.
Kauai Shores Hotel
Kauai Shores Hotel is located in Wailua, Kauai. You will see this place pop up on almost all Kauai Budget Travel Blogs. It has a resort vibe with a cool restaurant, pools, and a great beach lounge area. The restaurant is called Lava Lava Beach Club, and it is known to have one of the best Happy Hours in the area. I’d love to stay here more nights if it were in our budget! Note the $150 cost is during off season, you will see a higher price during peak season.
10 Day Kauai Hawaii Itinerary Conclusion
A Hawaii vacation is truly a dream come true especially if you will be spending your time in Kauai. The island of Kauai is quite small but it has so many unique spots to explore. This 10 Day Kauai Hawaii Itinerary Blog goes over every spot you should add to your own itinerary! With this itinerary you will get to see the best beaches on the island, visit some incredible waterfalls, be one with nature, and hike the best trails!
If you enjoyed this 10 Day Kauai Hawaii Itinerary make sure to check out our other Blogs.
