This beach is a very popular and family-friendly beach located along the South Shore of Kauai. With a big open park area and gentle waters, Poipu is an excellent location for a picnic as well as snorkeling and swimming. 

Pull over for a quick look at this park that’s named after a revered Hawaiian prince: Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole. We’ll tell you all about this historic Hawaiian figure who is considered a hero to the Hawaiian people.

Time to hit the beach! Start the day with a quick dip in the ocean. The beach is small, but it’s a great spot for snorkeling and swimming. While you’re there, look out for Hawaiian sea turtles! If you see them, keep your distance - these are protected animals, and getting to close will result in a large fine.

At Spouting Horn, watch as the waves roll in, and a blowhole shoots water up to 50 feet in the air! This is more than a natural wonder, the site also has a mythical backstory that we’ll tell you along the way. Note, this spot has plenty of parking and public restrooms.

We’ll guide you to another pullover spot to learn about a former Kauai shipping port. Koloa Landing doesn’t look like much now, but in the mid-1800’s this was the main port for the entire island. Back in the day when ocean voyages across the Pacific easily took months to complete, this spot was used to replenish supplies and provisions because of its ideal position between the Americas and Asia.

A Heiau is an ancient Hawaiian temple, and although this site may not look like more than a pile of rocks, it was once an ancient community. While you’re here, please be respectful of this spot of great meaning to Hawaiians.

Go for a leisurely stroll through a well-kept garden where you’ll find cascading pools, Koi ponds, rare cacti, bromeliads, orchids and many other plant species. If you have time, meander to the end of the garden, and cross the street to Kiahuna Beach. It’s a white sand beach, good for beginning surfers, snorkeling and boogie boarding.

This tour packs a lot of culture in a small radius. At Kāneiolouma Cultural Complex, you’ll visit another cultural site. This ancient fishing village dates back to the 1400s, and spans 13 acres. Here you can find remains of houses, fishponds, religious shrines and altars with carved idols that have lain undisturbed for centuries.

Start your visit to Shipwrecks with a hike up the Shipwrecks Beach Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail for some panoramic views of the bay. We’ll tell you how to find it on the tour. From there, spend some time enjoying this breathtaking beach with expansive white sand and pristine water.

Alltrails

Just a few miles from Shipwrecks Beach is a Makauwahi Cave, which is a sinkhole inside a large limestone cave. Geologists believe that the cave began its formation up to 400,000 years ago as a sand dune. Take a hike down into the cave, and at the end, there’s occasionally a volunteer with turtles to tell you about the caves and these animals.

Alltrails

Due to COVID-19, the cave is open daily 10am - 4pm. Check their website for updates.

Here we will pull over to see a cinder cone, which you can think of as a mini-volcano. This cinder cone, along with lava rocks on the beach and other volcanic features that dot these islands, tell the story of how Hawaii came to be.

There’s loads of history on this tour, and the Koloa Jodo Mission Buddhist Temple is no exception. It’s a little temple that was built back in 1910 by Japanese immigrants who came to work in the sugarcane fields.

Jodo Mission Buddhist Temple closes at 5pm Monday-Saturday and at 3pm on Sundays.

End your day visiting the unique shops and boutiques in Koloa Town. While you’re there, stop by the free history center with pictures from the town’s old plantation days. Take your time to walk around the town here and absorb its unique heritage. There’s also some great spots to grab dinner. We recommend Koloa Fish Market which has phenomenal poke bowls and other great local food plates.

This seaside town is home to beautiful beaches, great local eateries, and cute shops. Stop by for a walk around the town or a bite to eat (we’ll visit Poipu Beach later in the tour). 

After Jodo Mission you can take a drive a couple miles out of town to see a beautiful valley with a historically significant fishpond. This ancient fishpond was said to have been created by the legendary Menehune, who are believed to be the first people to inhabit Hawaii. This fishpond is a masterpiece of engineering invented in ancient Hawaii, and the scenery that surrounds it is beautiful.