What to see and do at the Na Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii
The cliffs of the Na Pali Coast rise as much as 4,000 feet above the shoreline in Kauai, Hawaii
The Na Pali Coast is a rugged 17 mile stretch of coastline located on the northwest side of the island of Kauai in Hawaii. The word Na Pali means high cliffs in Hawaiian. The Na Pali Coast is inaccessible to vehicles and can only be visited by hiking or in a helicopter, and from the ocean by boat, kayak or paddleboard.
On 12/21/2023, we took a helicopter tour of the island with Safari Helicopters. The tour took us to Jurassic Falls, Waimea Canyon, the Na Pali Coast, and then along the North Shore to the Halelea Forest Reserve and the Lihue-
Koloa Forest Reserve and Kawaikini peak.
The first known settlers on the Na Pali Coast were Polynesian navigators around 1200 AD. Soon after, many Tahitian migrants followed, shaping the culture of Kauai. After Kauai was visited by Captain Cook in 1778, many Westerners began traveling to the island. Today, parks and forest reserves were formed to protect the Kalalau Valley from development.
Kalalau Valley
Mouth of the Kalalau Valley
The Na Pali Coast
View of the Na Pali Coast from the helicopter
The Na Pali Coast shoreline
Some of the cliffs on the Na Pali Coast
Kalalau Valley
A small beach on the Na Pali Coast
The Na Pali Coast shoreline