Kauai has a vast range of activities to do; lots in the ocean, more in the rivers and even more on land. But which ones are the most fun? For kids and adults alike? Here’s the scoop on the Most Fun activities on Kauai!
Paddle Boarding
I suppose Paddle Boarding would still be considered fairly new in the overall activity sector thought it’s been a few years. I feel as though it’s particularly fun on Kauai because even small kids can do it as we have perfect places for them to paddle board – like Anini beach, where you are in a foot and a half of water and enclosed by the reef so no danger of toddlers being swept away or the like.
It’s wonderful at Anini because even though the water is not deep, you can still find fish and sea creatures to marvel at. Gentle. The folks at Anini Paddle boarding have you covered.
Then of course for the more adventurous you can paddle board on the rivers and have a bit of a work out paddling upstream and back. Or you can take your board out into the ocean, but that’s a real challenge, depending on the waves.
Kauai girls & dogs paddle boarding ~ one of Kauai’s most fun activities!
The great thing about paddle boarding is that you don’t need any real skill to do it, it’s not a big learning curve so anyone can have a go. Even me! Definitely one of the most fun activities on Kauai!
Water Tubing
Water tubing is fun! And again, something even little kids can do. The one on Kauai takes you along old sugar plantation aquaducts as well as the river….. quite safe and definitely one of the most fun activities on Kauai! Sitting in big round tubes and being in the water…. what could be better?
The only people who do this are Kauai Backcountry Adventures and here’s a snippet from their site:
The historic Lihue Plantation ditch and tunnel system that once irrigated vast sugar crops had been unused since sugar was taken out of production in 2000. In January 2003, Kaua’i Backcountry opened a section for exclusive tubing tours. This water system runs through some of the most beautiful and remote lands on the island. It includes spectacular views of the ocean, coastline, mountains, and valleys. The waters that originate near the top of Mount Waialeale, one of the wettest spots in the world, are channeled through ditches and tunnels hand-dug by plantation workers over a century ago!
Moving through the land, at times with some speed, watching the amazing landscape change as you go through jungle, then what appears to be long grass and stunning mountains in the distance. Thanks to Kauai Backcrountry for the photos.
And you laugh a lot. At least I did. Have fun!
Snuba
If you are not familiar with snuba, it’s a sort of combination of snorkeling and diving. You have a snorkel type mask but the length of your line is over 20 feet, so you can swim down deeper and see the much cooler fish at the bottom of the ocean!
Totally safe too and so much fun! The only folks who do it on Kauai are Kauai Snuba down at Lawai beach on the South shore.
Again, even young kids can do this so fun for the whole family which makes it on this list for being one of the most fun activities on Kauai!
Surfing
Well of course surfing has to be on the list because it is so much fun. Except for the part waiting for the wave… but even then, hey you are floating about in Hanalei bay with those amazing views and being peaceful in the water!
Even for beginnings and certainly kids of all ages, surfing as to be one of the most fun activities on Kauai. Learning to stand up on the board, catching that first wave! The exhilaration of it. Fuuunnnn! If you are on the North shore, give Hanalei Surf School a call. Evan Valiere is a pro surfer and a terrific teacher. On the south side, you can check out who to call in the activities posts here.
Evan Valiere – World class Pro Surfer and great Surf Teacher
Snorkeling
Is snorkeling fun? I think so. It’s so amazing when you see shoals of brightly colored fish swimming n by underneath you or even see a peek of a moray eel poking out of that hole! We get to be voyeurs on the fish that inhabit the vast ocean around Kauai. Sometimes you can even meet a turtle… now that’s awe inspiring.
Splashing about in River pools
Yeesss! This is a good one and definitely something all the kids can do too. On some of the kayak trips to pools, you get to swing over a pool on a tire swing or rope. Cool. Probably for the older kids but the younger kids can still have fun.
In the smaller pools, that’s where it’s so much fun for the younger ones….. they can splash about and let the rushing water pass over them without any danger. Best on a sunny day of course. Maybe cold pond in Haena? Just on the side of the road past Haena beach Park but there are others all over the island. A most fun activity on Kauai!
Swimming with the Dolphins
Dolphin near Kauai
Or if you don’t get in the water or the dolphins don’t come too close, at least lying on a catamarran at the front and having them swim under you, right in front of you, left and right…. that’s one of the most fun activities on Kauai.
You do have to be out on a boat though…. the dolphins don’t really come close in enough to any bay on Kauai that you can just swim out from the beach. If you take a catamarran or zodiac you are more likely to have dolphins really close to you. It’s exhilarating, even if you are not in the water with them!
Most of the tours stop and allow for snorkeling and swimming along the Na Pali coast. Dolphins don’t generally come close then…. but you may see a turtle or two.
Mucking about looking at sea creatures in rock pools
This is one for the little kids… and me actually. I love doing this! I used to do it as a child in Cornwall and Wales in the UK (not the greatest of weather) and I suppose it reminds me of being a kid. Still love it!
I personally feel it’s one of the most fun activities on Kauai : it costs nothing and you can do it anytime… for 30 minutes, for an hour or longer. The rock pools near the Hanalei Colony Resort in Haena can provide endless hours of seeing amazing sea cucumbers, little fish, shells that move because the sea creatures are still inhabiting them…..and more.
Most Fun Activities on Kauai!
Interested in the most extreme activities on Kauai? Read about that here. For a list of my top 10 Kauai activities, that’s here. Have fun!