Learn About Kauai, Hawaii

Kauai, Hawaii - many refer to it as "The Garden Isle" and for good reason. Few islands in the world can match the lush tropical beauty of Kauai. In my opinion, it’s quite simply one of God’s finest works of art. This wondrous tropical Eden even smells great, thanks to the frequent rain showers.

Where Is Kauai?

Kauai is located in the tropics at 22° lattitude and is seventy miles northwest of Oahu, making it the northern most Hawaiian Island. The islands of Hawaii lie in the Pacific Ocean.

Kauai’s Beautiful Landscape

On Kauai you’ll find a wide variety of landscapes with spectacular cliffs, rolling hills and valleys full of tropical greenery, and beautiful white sand beaches.

Originally a smooth volcanic mountain, Kauai has been masterfully carved by Mother Nature, resulting in some of the world’s most beautiful cliffs, peaks and valleys.

It’s on Kauai’s northwest shore that you’ll find Na Pali Coast, with awe inspiring cliffs that reach nearly 3000 feet into the sky and 14 miles of sparkling coastline. The sheer cliffs and narrow valleys of Na Pali are so rugged that to this day no road has ever been built that completely circles the island. In fact, much of the rugged terrain remains as it did when Kauai’s orginal people first made it their home.

To the east you’ll find beaches with soft, fine-grained sand just perfect for taking a walk or hunting for sea shells.

On the south side the island is more flat and offers more protected beaches excellent for swimming. It’s on Kauai’s south shore that you’ll find the famous Poipu Beach with white sand beaches and water that sparkles like an emerald jewel.

Go to the west side and you’ll find more beaches great for taking a walk as well as more exotic, towering cliffs.

A Brief Look At The Early History Of Kauai

Kauai is the oldest of all the Hawaiian Islands. And like the other islands, it came into this world as hot magma spewing up from the Pacific Ocean floor.

How Life Took Root On The Islands

Many people wonder how life first came to these islands when they were once just volcanic rock. Well I can assure you it didn’t happen over night.

Over many thousands of years, seeds were carried by the wind onto the islands. In time these seeds managed to break down the lava rock. Storms carried in lost birds and other animals were occasionally washed ashore as well. All of this of course took a very, very long time. In fact, it’s said that only once every 20,000 years (on average) a new species successfully took hold on the island.

The Original Settlers

The first people came to the Hawaiian Islands from the Marquesas Islands sometime around the fourth or fifth century A.D. They had to travel about 2,500 miles in large double-hulled canoes built for long voyages to get there.

When they arrived there was virtually no edible plant life. Fortunately these people weren’t stupid; they brought with them taro, pigs, fowl and breadfuit. The one food source the Islands did have plenty of was fish, which made up most of their diet until their crops matured.

The Ethnic Diversity Of Kauai

Kauai has a very small but diverse population. Unlike most U.S. states, caucasians (or haole as their known in Hawaii) are a minority and account for only about thirty percent of Kauai’s population. Here is the ethnic make-up of Kauai’s over 58,000 people.

36%	- Asian
30%	- White
9%	- Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
0.8%	- Other
0.4%	- American Indian
0.3%	- Black
24%	- Mixed or unknown

*Note: these are approximate percentages.

Related Articles:

• Kauai Flora – Flowers, Trees and Fruits of the Garden Isle
• Kauai Weather – How It Will Affect Your Vacation