Inland of West Kauai waits another world for you, one that’s quite different from the shorelines of the island: the Waimea Canyon. Mark Twain named it the ‘Grand Canyon of the Pacific’ and though he rumour has it he never saw the Waimea Canyon with his own eyes and though I probably haven’t seen all canyons in the Pacific – you kind of understand the need for some majestic comparison while there.
But – it has to be said – the canyon doesn’t necessarily look like the Grand. It’s way smaller, very lush and features a big Jurassic Park like waterfall. The colours of the Grand Canyon are dominated by reds and oranges, while this verdant canyon has hues of red, blue and green. Moreover, the Waimea Canyon offers a lot of different perspectives of the area along the way up.
If you have a car, visiting the canyon is very easy – you can do so in half a day, while even including a small hike. The long and winding road 505 will lead you to Koke’e State Park in some 19 miles. The very best thing about this activity – on top of how gorgeous it is – is that it’s FREE! As with many of Kauai’s highlights, you don’t have to pay any admission to admire the view. Now who doesn’t love that!
On your way up you’ll encounter the startpoint of several trails, vista points and campgrounds. Make sure you stop at least at the lookouts: the Waimea Canyon Lookout and Pu’u Hinahina Lookout – that both provide a beautiful panorama on the canyon – and the Kalalau Lookout and Pu’u O Kila Lookout that offer magnificent overviews of the Kalalau Valley. If you’re in luck with the weather, you might even spot the ‘secret’ Niihau Island offshore too!
Go early in the morning, for the best weather – fog usually dominates the hills in the afternoon – and the best temperatures. Bring along a picnic lunch with you or buy some (candied) fruit and pastries from the vendors at one of the lookouts (Waimea Canyon Lookout has a vendor over there for sure). We took a break at the Pu’u O Kila Lookout and that was a perfect spot for a lunch while gazing down at the immense and colourful Kalalau Valley.
If you’re in for some extra adventures, there are a couple of good hikes close to the lookouts that aren’t crazy long. We hiked the Pihea Vista Trail ourselves, which took us some 2 hours in total back and forth with a long break in between starting from the Pu’u O Kila Lookout. The trail is a bit difficult in the end, but due to the height it offers great views on the swamp area right behind the Kalalau ridge.
In case you’re up for a crazy adventure and a lot of jaw-dropping views, you can also opt to do the Awa’awapuhi Trail. But be aware for what you’re signing up to beforehand, since the 6,4 mile trail is quite difficult and you’ll need a lot of time to accomplish it. This video below shot at the very end of the hike gives me already goosebumps while watching it!
Whatever you do, the canyon is an absolute highlight of Kauai. Seeing the pictures in this article is nice, but you simply have to experience the canyon yourself to know what it’s like. In that perspective it is indeed the same as the Grand!
