Kaua’i Weather and Island Info
Making Your Kaua’i Adventure Stress-Free
Planning a trip can feel overwhelming…
so I’ve put together some island tips to help you kickstart your planning and make booking your dream vacation a breeze! Scroll down for some helpful info and to get familiar with the weather, getting around, where to stay and what to do and eat. This page gives you a starting point, but I highly recommend checking out my Kaua’i Elopement Guide for more info – even if you are not getting married here, it contains tons of help with everything from rental cars to shave ice to hiking to what not to do and you can click straight to the sections that interest you and skip the wedding stuff.
Kaua’i Weather and Island Info
Making Your Kaua’i Adventure Stress-Free
Planning a trip can feel overwhelming…
so I’ve put together some island tips to help you kickstart your planning and make booking your dream vacation a breeze! Scroll down for some helpful info and to get familiar with the weather, getting around, where to stay and what to do and eat. This page gives you a starting point, but I highly recommend checking out my Kaua’i Elopement Guide for more info – even if you are not getting married here, it contains tons of help with everything from rental cars to shave ice to hiking to what not to do and you can click straight to the sections that interest you and skip the wedding stuff.
weather and Island guide table of contents
kaua’i weather
Of all the questions people have about the island, concerns over the weather are by far the most common.
I get countless emails, messages and phone calls about weather concerns after someone looks at the Kaua’i weather forecast and sees rain listed every day so I will start here and give you the scoop on the weather situation here.
My #1 piece of advice is DON’T LOOK AT THE WEATHER FORECAST – trust me on this one 🙂
Here’s the deal… it rains on Kaua’i
That may not have been the news you were looking for, but I am always honest and I do have good news!
THE WEATHER IS RARELY AS BAD AS YOU ARE IMAGINING
Kaua’i is blessed with warm weather, and warm water year round, and even on rainy days it is warm here.
kaua’i temperatures
We don’t have huge temperature swings throughout the year here. Summer is certainly warmer than winter but it’s pleasant here year round and especially those visiting from cold areas will find it feels amazing here in the winter.
January is generally the coolest month with highs in the mid 70’s and lows of 55 degrees to the low 60’s.
August is the warmest month with highs around 85 and lows in the high 70’s.
Water temperatures vary from 73 to 81 degrees.
the wettest spot on earth
Kaua’i is home to Mount Wai‘ale‘ale, one of the wettest spots on earth, averaging 500 inches of rain a year.
This is the reason Kaua’i is referred to as “The Garden Isle” and why it is so lush and green and gorgeous here.
Having said this, all of this rain rarely creates a disruption for your time here on island and for your wedding or photoshoot.
3 Tips About Kaua’i Rain
It’s common for folks to see rain in the forecast every day and assume that means it will rain all day, every day, but that is rarely the case for us.
Yes, it will rain every day here… but it may not rain on you at all.
What is much more common is for the rain to fall into these patterns:
- OVERNIGHT RAIN
Is quite common and there may be much more overnight rain than day time rain during your time here - INTERMITTENT RAIN:
Is much more common than steady rain all day long. Our showers tend to pass over and then change quickly. I can be dumping rain and then 15 minutes later the sun is blazing down on you - ISOLATED RAIN:
Is more common than island wide showers so it is usually possible to chase the sun to another part of the island
rainy season on kaua’i
Winter is the rainy season on Kaua’i but don’t panic if you have a winter trip planned
I engage in my fave outdoor activities all year and photograph weddings year round and winter has created some of my absolute fave wedding portraits ever.
It’s impossible to predict the weather here, Kaua’i is unpredictable but on average here are some rain statistics –
The heaviest rain months are typically November, December and March
The lowest average rainfall happens in June and July
The past few years our winters have been very mild and Spring has been a bit rainier than winter was.
Some of the biggest floods I have experienced here have been in April so while averages help us understand the island’s weather, sometimes she just does what she wants to do and we get to love her in all her moods because that is true love!
the kaua’i map
Kaua’i is a small island and there is only one road around the island, which ends on the North shore at Ke’e Beach and on the West side at Polihale Beach. Driving time from one end to the other is about 3 hours. The famous Na Pali Coast lies between these two points and is the reason you cannot drive all the way around the island.
The 4 main areas of the island
North Shore
Lush, green and mountainous, the North shore is absolutely gorgeous and is home to Princeville, Hanalei Bay and the famous Kalalau Trail
east side
Kapaa on the Coconut Coast and Lihue are centrally located and get gorgeous sun rises, is home to the Wailua River, some great waterfalls and a beautiful coastal bike path.
south side
Poipu is the sunny side of the island and has some stunning sea cliffs and turquoise blue waters and great beaches, dining and shopping.
west side
Drier and more arid, the West side is home to Waimea Canyon, Kokee State Park and Polihale Beach.
driving distances
from princeville
Kapaa 22 miles (35 min)
Lihue 30 miles (50 min)
Poipu 43 miles (1 hr 15 min)
Kokee State Park 69 miles
(2 hr 10 min)
Haena 12 miles (30 min)
from lihue
Kapaa 11 miles (20 min)
Princeville 28 miles (45 min)
Hanalei 32 miles (50 min)
Poipu 13 miles (25 min)
Kokee State Park 40 miles
(1 hr 30 min)
from Kapaa
Princeville 22 miles (35 min)
Hanalei 26 miles (1 hr)
Lihue 11 miles (20 min)
Poipu 23 miles (45 min)
Kokee State Park 50 miles (1hr 45 min)
from poipu
Lihue 13 miles (25 min)
Kapaa 23 miles (45 min)
Princevillle 43 miles (1 hr 15 min)
Hanalei 45 miles (1 hr 20 min)
Kokee State Park 36 miles
(1 hr 20 min)
Drive times are approximate and can be longer in traffic which is a bigger factor headed South and going through Kapaa to Lihue.
Where to Stay
Most visitors stay on the North, East or South sides of the island.
Repeat visitors tend to fall in love with either the North shore or the Poipu side and they are both amazing, the preference really is simply personal.
Some couples love splitting their stay between the North shore for half their stay and the South side for the rest which can limit the driving you do to enjoy the activities and sites and be a really nice mix.
Staying on the East side in Kapaa or Lihue puts you in the middle of the island and means you don’t have long drives to any of your activities since you are centrally located.
Resort Recommendations
North Shore
The best North Shore splurge is the 1Hanalei
More mid range best bets are:
• Hanalei Colony Resort
• Hanalei Bay Resort
• The Westin
East Side
The best East Side splurge is Timbers
Mid range best bets are:
• Sheraton Coconut Beach
• Aston Islander
• Waipouli Beach Resort
• Kaua’i Coast Resort at the Beach Boy
• ISO
South Side
The best South Side splurges are The Grand Hyatt, Koa Kea and Koloa Landing
Mid range best bets are:
• Sheraton Kaua’i
• Kiahuna Plantation
looking for more places to stay?
The Facebook group Kaua’i Vacation Rentals by Owner is a great resource to look for condo bookings and direct bookings can save on some of the Airbnb and VRBO booking fees.
Kaua’i wedding photoshoot locations
Choosing from all the epic kaua’i locations for your dream photos is by far the hardest part of the planning process. Many of my couples choose multiple locations because narrowing it down is just too hard!
I have a ton of info and options for wedding and elopement locations listed here – button link to the location section of the elopement guide.
I have a super in-depth location guide I send to my couples after they book me with lots of other options and hidden gems, but here are some of the most popular options to get you dreaming of what’s possible. I would love to show you and help you choose the perfect spot!
a few epic kaua’i locations
hanalei bay – north shore
Hanalei Bay is absolutely iconic and can be a great choice. Ceremonies are not allowed to the right hand or South side of the pier or on the pier but with additional permits couples photos can be done here. For the ceremony the best bet is to go to one of my quiet spots away from the crowds near the pier and then get those epic couples photos by the pier before or after the ceremony.
anini beach – northeast side
With one of the longest fringing reefs in Hawai’i just off shore the water here can be beautifully calm and although its a narrow beach there are places to spread out along the coast line so it’s a popular and easy access area.
shipwrecks beach – south side
The best beach ceremony spot on the popular Poipu side of the island is a large beach so it does not feel crowded if you know how to do it right, which I do ;)! Close to some of the best resorts and restaurants and on the drier, sunnier side of the island makes it a convenient and safe choice.
I would love to show you more epic location options too, email me for all the inside scoop and options!
Kaua’i Things To Do And See
Kaua’i truly does have it all and there is something for everyone here, from the most relaxing stay to non stop adventure!
Here are a few of my faves to get you started:
Fave Hike – Awa’awa’puhi (it is a workout!) My fave easy hike is Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail
Fave Surf Spot – Hanalei Bay (I am not good at surfing, give me all the baby waves, lol)
Fave Beach for serene salt water therapy – Anini
Fave Zipline – Outfitters Kauai’s Superman flyline (4,000 feet and up to 50 mph! Their water zip is super fun too)
Fave Scuba Dive – Sheraton Caverns
Fave Scenic Drive – Waimea Canyon and the North Shore
Fave Swimming Hole – By Hanakapi’ai Falls (reservations are required at gohaena.com)
Fave Botanical Garden – Limahuli
Fave Luau – Smiths
Fave View – The Na Pali Coast (I highly recommend a boat tour!)
Fave Thrill – Doors off helicopter with Mauna Loa
Fave Kayaking – Wailua River
Check out my elopement guide for even more in depth info on all the things to do and see – you can jump right to the sections that you need and skip those you don’t, it’s got a ton of info to help you plan your trip!
Kaua’i best eats
Kaua’i has so many ono gridnz and I will share a few of my faves below, I tend to go for the super local little spots and don’t tend to do a lot of fine dining but I will list something for every taste :)!
Fave Breakfast – Kountry Kitchen in Kapaa
Fave Tacos – Tiki Tacos in Kapaa and Waimea
Fave Saimin – Waipouli Cafe in Kapaa
Fave Fish Plate Lunch – Fish Express in Lihue, Koloa Fish Market
Fave Poke – Whalers in Anahola
Fave Burger – Bubba Burger in Kapaa and Poipu
Fave BBQ – Chicken in a Barrel in Kapaa and Waimea
Fave Quinoa Bowl – Nourish Hanalei in Princeville
Fave Burrito Bowl – Da Crack in Koloa
Fave Splurge Dinner – Red Salt in Poipu
Fave Ambiance for Drinks and Pupus – Lava Lava in Kapaa
Fave Treat – White Sugar Loaf Pineapple Phrosty – Lihue Saturday Farm Market
Fave Smoothie – Moloaa Sunrise Juice Bar
Fave Shave Ice – Wishing Well in Hanalei (the organic flavors!)
Fave Malasada – Wailua Country Store on weekends (ube is da bomb!)
Fave Icecream – Lapperts in Princeville or Poipu
Fave Coffee – Java Kai in Kapaa, Kilauea or Koloa, Wishing Well in Hanalei, Swell in Haena
Hop over my elopement guide for lots more thoughts on all the delicious ways to eat your way across the island – you can jump right to the sections that interest you and skip the rest!
I hope this helps you get started
I am always here for support as you plan and live out this epic trip!
@sandyswiftphotography
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Sandy Swift Photography – Kaua’i Wedding / Elopement Photographer. The perfect combination of epic scenery and epic moments on Kaua’i Hawai’i – capturing intimate, fun and landscape driven small weddings, elopements, vow renewals, couples and maternity sessions.
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