The main airport on the island of Kauai is Lihue Airport. Transportation options from the airport to your hotel include rental car, taxi, Kauai County bus service and shuttles.

Distances from the airport to certain destinations are as follows: Hanapepe - 30 minutes, Kalalau Lookout - 1 hour, 40 minutes, Koloa - 25 minutes, Poipu - 30 minutes, Princeville - 1 hour, Wailua - 15 minutes, Waimea Canyon - 1 hour, 15 minutes.

If you have not booked a private transfer through us, there are a few options for transportation from the Lihue airport to your hotel.

Rental cars are available and a great way to see the island at your own pace, the rental car booths can be found outside of the baggage claim area across the street from the terminal. Several companies are available for rental car options.

Taxis are available at the airport to take you to your hotel; taxis are located at the curbside outside of the baggage claim areas. There are only a few authorized airport taxi companies that are allowed to do pre-arranged airport pickups. Taxis are metered and rates start at $3, then $3 per mile, plus $0.40 per item of luggage and $4.00 for bulky items, the following prices are an estimate of costs from the airport to the areas listed: Poipu $42 - $55, Wailua-Waipouli $22 - $28, Kauai Hilton $12, Lihue-Kukui Grove $10 - $13, Princeville-Haena $90 - $120.

The County of Kauai provides a bus service through Kauai Bus with two bus routes stopping at the airport daily, you can catch the bus on the median outside of the terminal, make a left outside the building and walk to the far end. Bus fares are approximately $2.00 per adult passenger, $1 for seniors and children ages 7 - 18. Please note: Suite cases and large backpacks or surfboards are not allowed on the bus.

We highly recommend renting a car on the island of Kauai, this gives you the flexibility and freedom to see the areas at your own pace. Travel time around the island can take a while sometimes more than an hour at a time to get to certain destinations. There is one major road that runs in almost a complete circle around the island, Route 50 to the south and Route 56 to the north; it is a one lane highway with many one-lane bridges in the northern part of the island.

Taxis are an option on the island but can be expensive due to the distance between towns. If you are looking for a taxi from your hotel, the best option would be to contact the receptionist or concierge for information on local taxi companies in the area; they can call and order a taxi for you. There are certain companies designated to certain areas, for example, the north shore uses North Shore cab and the south shore uses Southshore Taxi. Taxis are metered and start at $3.00 with a charge of $3.00 per mile.

There is no main bus station on the island of Kauai, bus stops can be found in different towns and make stops all around the main highway. It runs on a fixed route that covers the island from Kekaha to Hanalei Monday through Friday from 5:27 am until around 10:40 pm, Saturday, Sunday and Holidays 6:21 am - 5:50 pm. Each bus shows a destination sign and the route number and fares are approximately $2.00 per adult and $1.00 for seniors and children. www.kauai.gov or call 808-246-8110 for more information.

Taxis are more common at the airport; waving or hailing a taxi in Hawaii is frowned upon. If you need to order a taxi the best thing to do is ask your hotel to call one for you. It is not best to rely on a cab for long distance travel as the rates on the island can run about $3 a mile so this can become expensive.

The Garden Island provides flat roads without steep hills, making it perfect for a leisurely bike ride along a scenic route. The Ke Ala Hele Makalae meaning `The Path that goes by the Coast` in Hawaiian, is a shared path that stretches along the east coast. It is 4 miles long and runs between the Lihi boat ramp in Kapaa and the Ahihi Point in Kealia, with an additional 2.5 miles leading through Lydgate Park. The Kaui path stretches for miles along the coastline where you can stop for a swim at some of Kauai`s beautiful beaches or pack a lunch and enjoy a picnic along the way. The west side of the island offers a downhill bike tour, cruising down 3,600 feet of road along the Waimea Canyon.

Moped, Scooters, and Motorcycles can be rented on the island. Scooters cost approximately $75 a day and mopeds cost around $65 a day.

The Garden Isle offers many scenic and charming walking paths perfect for a stroll. You can walk for miles along the coastline stopping at beaches for a swim or picnic spots along the way.

If you are a hiker then this is the place for you! Kauai is definitely a hiker`s paradise offering a wide variety of hiking spots throughout the island, taking you through hundreds of miles of tropical trails. Hike the rainforest of Kokee and the spectacular valley of the Napali Coast, Kauai is really a hiker`s paradise.

Taking a helicopter tour is one of the best ways to see the magnificent beauty and diversity of the garden island. Over 70% of the island is not accessible by land so getting a glimpse of them by air is a once in a lifetime experience. You will experience landmarks such as Jurassic Park Falls, Hanapepe Valley, Waimea Canyon and the spectacular sights of the Napali Coast as well as Mount Waialeale.

Kauai is a safe place to visit, tourist areas are safe but always be aware of your surroundings and stay alert. Try to avoid deserted areas after dark and don`t wander into city parks at night, don`t carry valuables with you and keep your purse secured in case of pickpockets and don`t leave valuables in your car at any time.

The main things to remember on the island to stay safe are related to outdoor activities, rainstorms on the island can cause flash floods, rip tides and currents can be dangerous, take caution when hiking as the trails can be rocky and uneven with drop offs and use caution around waterfalls, diving is not recommended and can be deadly.

There are shopping areas offered throughout the island with over a dozen open-air shopping centers and small towns with unique shops and retail malls. Look for Hawaiian made items, labeled with a purple Kauai logo to take home as souvenirs including aloha wear, jewelry, and art made in Kauai. The North shore features the small town of Hanalei and Princeville for shopping and the South shore has Poipu Shopping village and Kukuiula village. The Coconut marketplace and Old Koloa town are some other areas with great shops.

The weather in Kauai is wonderful all year round with average temperatures that range between 84 and 69 degrees, winter highs average around 75 degrees while the summer average is around 85 degrees. Kauai tends to be wetter than any of the other islands and is home to Waialeale the second wettest place on earth. The wettest winter months are late November through March which is also humpback whale migrating season, whales can be spotted in the water all around the island during these months.

The currency in Hawaii is the US dollar. US standards apply when tipping, restaurants 15 - 20%, bartenders $0.50 - $1 per drink, housekeeping $1 per bed, per night, luggage porters $1 per bag, room service 10 - 15% of the total bill, taxis 15% of the fare. For more detailed information, consult our guide to tipping in Hawaii by clicking Hawaii

Kauai offers a wide variety of unique dishes with an impressive selection of local cuisine and delicacies along with Japanese, Thai, Filipino and Western gourmet influences based on the rich mix of cultures from many ethnicities that make up the Garden Islands` population. The plate lunch is a popular Kauai staple and lilikoi pie (lemon meringue pie) unique to Kauai. Food is grown locally as Kauai is a self-sustaining island and these ingredients are used to create local dishes.

Some local dishes to try would be Po`I which is a traditional Hawaiian pudding made from taro root. Poke which is raw fish marinated in soy sauce, onions and lemons. Spam Musubi a `sushi` hybrid made with SPAM, Hawaii is the biggest consumer of SPAM in the country. Lomi Lomi Salmon is a fresh salad made with salmon and tomatoes. Laulau si a fish and pork dish cooked underground in an imu oven. Loco Moco a local favorite made with hamburger meat, steamed rice, fried egg and brown gravy. Malassadas Portuguese fried balls of dough with powdered sugar on top.

Nightlife on the Garden Isle begins after the spectacular sun has set, head to one of the restaurants, bars, hotels or resorts and grab a tropical drink and pupu (appetizers), sit back relax and enjoy some live Hawaiian music. Upscale lounges, dance clubs, and bars offer live music, entertainment, dancing, and drinks. Some popular hangouts can be found along the oceanfront, at some hotels and resorts that are open to the public. For example, at the St. Regis Hotel in the Princeville Resort on the North shore is a great place to watch a sunset and enjoy a cocktail hour or from The Point at the Sheraton Poipu.

The official language in Maui is English and Hawaiian, the Hawaii pidgin language originates from Polynesian languages, part of the Austronesian language family which is widely dispersed throughout Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Although Hawaiian is not commonly spoken it is good to know a few common phrases such as; Aloha - Hello and Goodbye, Mahalo - Thank you, Kokua - Help and Lua - Bathroom.

In the case of medical emergency, Police, Fire or Ambulance call 911.

Island Hospital information is as follows:

Wilcox Memorial Hospital 808-245-1100

Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital 808-338-9431

Kauai Medical Clinic Urgent Care 808-245-1532