The Garden Isle is steel beneath silk. Nick Atkins, born and raised on Kaua’i, has spent a lifetime watching visitors arrive rushed and leave transformed.
The northernmost of the Hawaiian Islands sits apart in ways that go beyond geography – the gala gloss of Waikīkī can’t be found here. But what is there instead? Cathedral cliffs of the Nāpali Coast dripping sheer into the Pacific, the rusted-ochre walls of Waimea Canyon unfurling inland, and glassy waterfalls threading through jungle so dense it looks sponge-painted.
As the owner of Kauai Safaris, Atkins knows how to create a Kauaʻi guide. He sends visitors to the island’s best corners. He’s something of a wanderer himself, yet ask him where home is and there’s no pause.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to travel all over the world," he says, “and there’s not one other place I’d rather live."
Kaua’i restaurants and bites
1. Farmer’s market
Wander the farmers’ market at Hanalei. (Credit: Getty/ EyeEm-MobileGmbH)
Kauaʻi’s food scene is, as Atkins puts it, a “Pacific melting pot", and he’d know. The edible heritage of the Hawaiian, Japanese, Filipino and Portuguese people runs deep on this green isle, giving rise to something distinct and, like Kaua’i, unfussy.
The farmers’ market at Hanalei is Atkins’s first stop with every new visitor, where that cultural mix shows in everything on offer; start there.
2. Wailua Shave Ice
Be sure to taste a local Hawaiian treat, shave ice. (Credit:Tommy Lundberg/ Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority)
Later, pull into kerbside shave ice kiosks, like Wailua Shave Ice. This local treat is quite literally shaved ice flavoured with syrup and other sweet ingredients. At Wailua, line up with the locals and enjoy the range of fresh fruit juice flavours.
3. Sueoka Snack Shop
Hawaiian plate lunches are iconic – a remnant of the plantation era when workers shared home-cooked meals. There are many great places to try some for yourself, but the mochiko chicken and fried mahi mahi at Sueoka Snack Shop can’t be missed.
Kauaʻi guide
Morning
Explore the stunning the Nāpali Coast. (Image: Getty/ Jim Kruger)
Nick’s best advice is to “slow it down, take in the views", and his opening moves with first-timers are Hanalei Bay and the Nāpali Coast.
On the not-to-be-missed list? Hike the first stretch of the Kalalau Trail to Hanakāpīʻai (be sure to reserve a spot beforehand). Then, cool off and beat the crowds to the water holes of Waimea Canyon and Kōkeʻe State Park, the ‘Grand Canyon of the Pacific’.
Afternoon
Meet the locals at Baby Beach. (Credit Getty/ Overboard-Dad Photography)
Everyone chases sunset, so cosy up to sunrise at Keʻe Beach before driving to Polihale State Park at the far west end. It’s like being on the edge of the world. Prioritise Baby Beach near Poʻipū, where protected lagoons shelter resting sea turtles in late afternoon. Look, don’t touch.
Evening
Nights here are spent on island time, so move with the rythym of the locals. Attend an authentic lūʻau and listen to live local bands at venues like Tahiti Nui in Hanalei. To find dinner and the local night life, explore Kukui’ula.
Weekly travel news, experiences insider tips, offers, and more.
Kaua’i accommodation
1. Hanalei Bay Resort
Dive into Kauaʻi’s resorts. (Credit: Tommy Lundberg/ Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority)
Where you stay depends on the kind of Kauaʻi you’re after. Active and outdoorsy? Base yourself on the North Shore. The Hanalei Bay Resort is hiking-trail-adjacent with a freeform lagoon pool.
2. Whaler’s Cove
After beaches and resort comforts? The south shore at Poʻipū calls. Whaler’s Cove is absolute oceanfront with everything from yoga to SUP to boutique shopping.
More ways to explore
Paddle along the Wailua River. (Credit Getty/ Wildroze)
As relaxed as life is here, there’s heart-pumping adventure for those who seek it. Go ziplining in Koloa, or hire a kayak and paddle along the Wailua River.
Tick the box next to "International Traveller". That's it.
Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days.
Discover North America’s epic adventures — from Route 66 and Alaska cruises to Hawai‘i road trips, NYC culture, Mexico trails and more.
1. Route 66, the Main Street of America
Travelling with: Ricky French
Hit the open road and trace America’s legendary highway. (Image: Getty/Der_Thomasa)
Dubbed the Main Street of America, Route 66 radiates serious main character energy, cemented into popular culture through everything from John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath to the Disney Pixar film Cars. Spanning nearly 4000 kilometres from Chicago to Los Angeles, the historic highway celebrates its centenary next year, a timely invitation to take the mother of all road trips along the Mother Road. Allow two to three weeks to tackle the full length, or bite off a smaller chunk at either end, cruising the dramatic deserts of California or the more pastoral landscapes of Illinois, lined with neon-lit diners, retro gas stations and quirky roadside attractions.
2. Mexico’s Día de los Muertos
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
Celebrate life and honour loved ones in vibrant style. (Image: Getty/Fabian Pacheco)
You might know Oaxaca as the birthplace of mole and mezcal. But the state in southern Mexico is also where the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) began. Time your visit to coincide with the colourful holiday, on 1–2 November, which honours and celebrates loved ones who have passed away. Oaxaca is also Mexico’s Michelin-starred culinary capital, with 18 restaurants and a humble taco stand listed in the 2025 guide.
3. Museum-hop in New York City
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
Step inside and marvel at bold, world-class art. (Image: Damiano Fiore)
Your map app will look like it’s been scattered with confetti after you’ve dropped pins on all the museums you want to visit in New York City. Must-sees are the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art aka the Met, and the Museum of Modern Art. The American Museum of Natural History is also a draw. It’s also worth venturing into the boroughs to browse institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum, which has a huge permanent collection categorised by culture.
4. The USA’s music scene
Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead
Soak up skyline views and dive into the city’s coffee culture. (Image: Abigail Boone)
If you’re a muso, chances are you’ve wanted to make a pilgrimage to the United States, the epicentre of so many beloved genres. Whether you’re head-banging your way around the Grunge Circuit in Seattle, chasing the twang of the pedal steel through Tennessee or bouncing between blues bars in the Mississippi Delta, the USA’s rich music culture has something that’ll strike a chord.
5. Road-tripping Hawai‘i
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
Catch the waves and ride Hawaii’s iconic swells. (Image: Ben Ono)
Hawai‘i is one of the most diverse US states to road trip around. Of the six major islands to visit, the Island of Hawai‘i packs in everything from the snowy summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa to black-sand beaches and lava fields frozen in the act of flowing forward. Change down a few gears on the island of O‘ahu, too, where you can find your own patch of sand on Waimanalo Beach. Visit poi and pineapple plantations. And hang ten on beginner-friendly waves on the North Shore.
6. Cruising Alaska
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
Sail past glaciers and spot whales in pristine waters.
Seeing Alaska from the sea allows you to cover a lot of distance quickly. This immersive frontier now beckons more than ever before with Explora Journeys adding the American state to its global destination portfolio. Best of all are the pre-and post-journey immersions that connect the luxury of a cruise onboard Explora III with the rugged grandeur of the Alaskan interior. UnCruise Adventures also weaves in access to remote national parks, legendary wildlife corridors and authentic cultural experiences on its Alaskan itineraries.
7. The Wixárika Route in Mexico
Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead
Journey deep into sacred Huichol traditions and art.
For generations, the Indigenous Wixárika People of Mexico have walked a sacred path known as Tatehuarí Huajuyé, or ‘The Path of Our Grandfather Fire’. The annual pilgrimage route spans 500 kilometres, taking in significant sites in Wixárika spirituality and cosmology. The route passes through the deserts, mountains and forests of northern Mexico before reaching Wirikuta, believed to be the place the sun first emerged. The route is a living cultural landscape of Indigenous culture pre-Columbian influence and, in July this year, was formally inscribed into UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
8. Drive the Iceberg Coast in Canada
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
Chase icebergs along Expedition 51 on Canada’s east coast. (Image: Canadian Tourism Commission/ Chris Hendrickson)
Download the icebergfinder.com map to better plan your road trip along Canada’s Iceberg Coast. The new highway, which has been nearly 25 years and CAD$1.1 billion in the making, threads through the country’s pleated coastlines around Quebec, Newfoundland, Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick before looping in the French islands of St Pierre and Miquelon. As well as chasing icebergs along Expedition 51, travellers will have the opportunity to engage with cultures that have thrived in the pristine provinces for thousands of years.
9. A foodie tour of Nova Scotia
Travelling with: Katie Carlin
Try lobster rolls in Lunenburg on the east coast of Canada in Nova Scotia. (Image: Natalia Kvitovska/ Unsplash)
World-famous for its lobster, Nova Scotia is a Canadian province best savoured through its culinary clout shaped by sea and terroir. Bite into lobster rolls at historic Lunenburg’s Salt Shaker Deli & Inn and sip maple rum at Ironworks Distillery. Winery-hop around Wolfville’s rising vineyards (don’t miss Lightfoot & Wolfville). Take a maple syrup tour at Sugar Moon Farm near Earltown. And pull up a seat at waterfront Bar Sofia in Halifax, where Nova Scotia oysters aguachile arrive bright with cucumber, lime and pickled onion.
10. Soak up the sun in the Caribbean
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
Experience the white-sand beaches and cerulean seas of the Caribbean on board a cruise.
The Caribbean is on the radar for seasoned cruisers. And it’s easy to see why, with white-sand beaches, cerulean seas and swaying palms so picture-perfect they look AI-generated. Cruise with Windstar, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity on its inaugural Xcel season to the Caribbean to enjoy action-packed excursions such as snorkelling coral reefs and shopping for local trinkets. And those sea days? Spectacular.
11. Red Chair Hikes of Canada
Travelling with: Kassia Byrnes
Take a seat at Lake Minnewanka, one of more than 400 red Adirondack chairs scattered across Canada’s hiking routes. (Image: Getty Images/ Autumn Sky Photography)
No one appreciates the great outdoors more than Canadians, emerging from snow-covered winters to tread glacial rivers and snowshoe through forests, or to hike mighty mountains and wildflower-strewn valleys come spring. Along popular hikes around the country, more than 400 red Adirondack chairs have been placed in peaceful, breathtaking locations. What started as a social media contest now sees hikers soaking in classic Canadian lake and mountain vistas, overlooking historic sites or gazing down on the mountainous path they just travelled.
12. Ride the Rocky Mountaineer from Denver to Moab, USA
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
The Rocky Mountaineer will continue as the Canyon Spirit in 2026, seen here carving through Ruby Canyon.
Sighting wild animals is one of many incredible thrills along the two-day luxury Rockies to the Red Rocks route onboard the Rocky Mountaineer across America’s Southwest between mid-April and mid-October. In addition to the lone bear, we spot bighorn sheep, elk, beavers, pronghorn antelope, bald eagles and ospreys. Riding the rails onboard the luxury train, which was founded in Canada in 1990 and has been awarded the prestigious World’s Leading Travel Experience by Train several times, has never been about just getting from A to B. Ride the train from Denver to Moab and you will see the scenery change from snow-capped peaks to meadows, red-rock canyons and soaring cliffs that resemble ornate Gaudí-esque cathedrals. But it’s not until you get off the train that you can produce the ultimate Venn diagram, with nature and adventure in the intersecting spheres.
