Short answer: Kauai has almost no true hostels, so this guide covers the cheapest decent beds on the island. The Cottage at Ohia Kai is the best value of the three, Kauai Shores Hotel is the oceanfront one with two pools and a beach bar, and Hotel Coral Reef is the pick for couples. If you specifically want a dorm, skip to the two actual hostels further down. Compare your dates on Hostelz first, because Kauai prices move a lot.
Welcome to Kauai, where the scenery is so good that even the palm trees seem to pause and take it in.
Before we get into it, let’s address the elephant in the room. Kauai is not easy on the wallet. This is a place where even the coconuts have price tags.
But don’t panic, fellow budget-conscious adventurers. In this article we’re sharing how to sleep on this island without remortgaging anything.
We’ll start with the top three places that combine quality, affordability and good ratings, giving you a slice of paradise without breaking the bank. Relative to what everything else here costs, anyway.
And for those pinching pennies harder, stay with us. Further down we unveil more budget-friendly places in Kauai that are still decent quality, plus the island’s only genuine hostels if a dorm bed is what you’re actually after.
Our favorite hostels in Kauai are:
- The Cottage at Ohia Kai - best for backpackers
- Kauai Shores Hotel - best for social butterflies
- Hotel Coral Reef - best for Couples
- Extra: Kauai Palms Hotel - best for families
Money-saving tip: Compare hostel prices with Hostelz.com. They compare prices from Hostelworld, Booking.com and others with 1 click.
1. The Cottage at Ohia Kai
2. Kauai Shores Hotel
3. Hotel Coral Reef
Traveling around? We have a guide on the best hostels in Hawaii.
This guide is perfect for YOU, when you…
- are tired of crappy hostels!
- want a social Hostel to actually meet people
- are happy to spend $1 to $2 more for a much better experience
You can browse all 5 Star Hostels here, and every guide in the “Best Hostels In” series here.
Quick Introduction to Kauai
Are there actually hostels in Kauai? Barely. The island has one or two genuine hostels, both in Kapaa, and that’s it. Everything else in the budget bracket is a cottage, a small hotel or a condo. So this guide covers the cheapest decent beds on Kauai rather than pretending there’s a hostel scene here. If you want a dorm specifically, jump to that section.
Average price for a bed: Around $190 per night. That is a hotel rate, not a hostel rate, and it’s the honest number for Kauai. A dorm bed at one of the island’s two hostels comes in well under that, but availability is limited and they book out. This is a rough average, just to give you an idea.
Prices always depend on the season and holidays. Cheapest way to sanity-check a date: run Kauai through Hostelz, which pulls rates from the booking sites into one list, then book wherever it comes out cheapest. You can also check directly on Hostelworld.com.
Check-In and Check-Out: The average check-in time is from 15:00 (3 p.m.), while the Check-Out time is before 11:00 (11 a.m.). Hostels usually offer luggage storage in case you arrive earlier or leave later. Make sure you check if luggage storage is free or if there is an extra cost.
Must-Try Local Delights:
- Poke: Dive into poke, a Hawaiian staple. Ahi tuna or octopus marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil and spices. Delicious and genuinely budget-friendly, and the supermarket poke counters are better than they have any right to be.
- Loco Moco: A mountain of white rice, a hamburger patty, a fried egg and gravy. Comfort food that will get you through a day of hiking.
- Shave Ice: A step above a snow cone. Get it with fruit syrups and a scoop of vanilla ice cream underneath for the full experience.
Must-Try Liquid Delights:
- Kauai Coffee: Skip the Kona for once, that’s from the Big Island. Kauai has the largest coffee farm in the United States, down in Kalaheo, and they run free tastings.
- Lilikoi Juice: Passion fruit juice, sweet-tart and properly refreshing.
- Coconut Water: Stay hydrated the tropical way. You’ll find roadside vendors selling young coconuts, ready to drink.
Budget Bliss:
- Camping Permits: Camping is the genuine budget option on Kauai, and state park sites cost a fraction of any room. Permits must be booked in advance online, and the popular ones go fast.
- Food Trucks: The best value eating on the island, by a distance. Fish tacos, garlic shrimp plates, poke bowls. Kapaa and Hanalei both have good ones.
- Happy Hour: Discounted drinks and appetisers at local bars and restaurants. It’s how you eat at the nice oceanfront places without paying dinner prices.
- Cook your own: Most places on this list have a kitchen or kitchenette. On an island where a basic restaurant dinner runs $30 a head, that’s the single biggest saving available to you.
Island Insights
- Nā Pali Coast: The rugged north-west coastline and the reason a lot of people come. You can’t walk the whole thing. Take a boat tour, or hike part of the Kalalau Trail, which is serious and needs a permit beyond the first couple of miles.
- Book Hāʻena State Park ahead: Access to Kēʻē Beach and the Kalalau trailhead is capped, and non-residents need to reserve entry and parking in advance online. Turning up without one means being turned away. This catches out a lot of visitors.
- Kauai Weather: The weather varies enormously from one side of the island to the other. Expect sudden rain in the lush, mountainous north, and sun in the south. If it’s pouring in Hanalei, drive to Poipu.
- Respect Nature: Stick to marked trails, take your rubbish with you, and give the turtles and monk seals a wide berth. It’s law as well as manners.
🎁 New to Hostels? Read our guide to staying in a Hostel for the First Time here. We especially recommend reading:
- How to book hostels? (and websites to save $)
- 23 clever items: the hostel packing list to download
- How does the Hostelworld App work exactly? Our Advanced Guide
The 3 Best Hostels in Kauai are …
Let’s jump right into the coolest hostels in Kauai.
- The Cottage at Ohia Kai – best for backpackers
- Kauai Shores Hotel – best for social butterflies
- Hotel Coral Reef – best for Couples
- Extra: Kauai Palms Hotel - best for families
These are our favorite hostels in Kauai. We want to make your life even easier, so we put all accommodations on a map for you. We even added our own tips for favorite restaurants, things to see, and more.
1. The Cottage at Ohia Kai
2. Kauai Shores Hotel
3. Hotel Coral Reef
Best Hostels in Kauai Compared at a Glance
Everything on this page in one table:
| Hostel | Best for | Vibe | Area | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Cottage at Ohia Kai | Best overall value | Quiet, homely, hosted | Kapaa | Garden, BBQ and a kitchenette, 700m from the beach |
| Kauai Shores Hotel | Sociable beachfront days | Resort-lite, lively, island decor | Kapaa, by Coconut Marketplace | Two pools, a private beach and the Lava Lava Beach Club |
| Hotel Coral Reef | Couples | Small, relaxed, oceanfront | Historic Kapaa town | Lagoon-style pool 50 steps from the ocean |
| Kauai Palms Hotel | Late flights and early departures | Simple, friendly, no frills | Lihue, next to the airport | Cheapest of the hotel options and closest to the plane |
| The Cabins at Kokee | Hikers | Rustic, cool, properly remote | Kōkeʻe, up by Waimea Canyon | Full kitchen cabins with trails on the doorstep |
| The ISO | Self-catering by the sea | Laid-back, condo-style | Waipouli | Free bikes, free breakfast and 7am yoga |
| Plantation Hale Suites | Families and groups | Quiet, spacious, practical | Royal Coconut Coast | Three pools and a full kitchen in every suite |
| Kauai Beach House Hostel | Actual dorm beds | Old-school backpacker, oceanfront | Kapaa | The island’s best-known hostel, right on the water |
| Honu’ea International Hostel | The cheapest bed on Kauai | Basic, social, long-running | Kapaa | The other genuine hostel on the island |
How to Pick the Right Kauai Hostel
Kauai is a driving island, so the real question is which coast you want to wake up on. Most of these are in or near Kapaa on the east side, which is the sensible base for a first trip.
- Best value overall: The Cottage at Ohia Kai. A kitchenette, a garden and hosts who look after you, for less than the resorts.
- Couples: Hotel Coral Reef, for the oceanfront pool and the quieter setting in historic Kapaa.
- Families and groups: Plantation Hale Suites. A full kitchen in every suite is what makes a week here affordable.
- Solo travellers: Kauai Shores Hotel has the most people around it, thanks to the beach bar and the pools.
- Hikers: The Cabins at Kokee, up by Waimea Canyon. Cold at night, miles from a beach, and exactly right if your trip is about trails.
- Arriving late or flying out early: Kauai Palms Hotel, next door to Lihue Airport.
- You want to cook: The ISO, Plantation Hale or the Kokee cabins, all with proper kitchens.
- Cheapest bed on your dates: compare on Hostelz rather than picking from a list, because on Kauai the same room swings by a lot week to week.
Hostelgeeks Tip: Budget for the rental car before you budget for the room. Kauai’s bus is limited and most of the island’s best bits aren’t walkable from anywhere. A cheaper room 20 minutes further out is a false saving if you’re paying for a car either way, so pick on location and kitchen access instead.
3 Best Hostels in Kauai in Detail
Overview: Best Hostels by Traveler Type
| 👩❤️👨 Couple Hostel: | Hotel Coral Reef |
| 👨👩👦 Family Hostel: | Kauai Palms Hotel |
| 🎒 for Backpacker: | The Cottage at Ohia Kai. |
| 🧘 Cozy Hostel: | Kauai Palms Hotel |
| 👫 For Socializing: | Kauai Shores Hotel |
| 👯For Groups: | Plantation Hale Suites |
1. The Cottage at Ohia Kai
Located in Kapaa, The Cottage at Ohia Kai comes with a lovely garden, BBQ facilities and garden views. There’s a picnic area, sun terrace, free WiFi and free private parking.
The guest rooms are spacious, with comfortable seating areas and flat-screen TVs. It’s close to the beach, shops and restaurants, and it’s one of the best budget stays on the island.
Julie and Jim, the hosts, are the reason this one gets the reviews it does. They genuinely look after guests, which on Kauai is not a given at this price.
Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com |
Facilities & Amenities:
- Garden and barbecue facilities
- Air-conditioned guest rooms with seating area and kitchenette
- Dining area
- Coffee maker, large fridge freezer, microwave, and toaster
- Free WiFi and free private parking
- Sun terrace and picnic area
Location: Kapaa, 700 metres from Kapaa Beach and 700 metres from Fuji Beach. Quiet, with a good breeze and roosters nearby. You will hear the roosters. Everyone on Kauai hears the roosters.
The best choice in Kauai for
- Backpackers
Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com |
2. Kauai Shores Hotel
In the Kapaa area, Kauai Shores Hotel is an oceanfront property with a private beach, a beachfront restaurant and a big tropical courtyard with two outdoor pools.
The rooms are bright and island-styled, with private balconies and decent views.
You get fast WiFi, a flat-screen TV, a fridge and a Keurig coffee machine. The oceanfront restaurant, Lava Lava Beach Club, is the social centre, and it’s a genuinely good spot for a sunset drink whether or not you’re staying here.
There’s 24-hour reception and laundry on site.
It sits next to Coconut Marketplace, a short drive from central Kapaa, with easy access to snorkelling, fishing and helicopter tours.
Check prices at:
Booking.com |
Facilities & Amenities:
- Beachfront restaurant: Lava Lava Beach Club
- 6-acre tropical courtyard
- 2 outdoor pools
- Free fast WiFi
- Private balcony with garden, mountain, ocean, or pool views
- LCD flat-screen TV, refrigerator, Keurig coffee machine in rooms
- 24-hour reception
- Launderette on-site
- Free valet parking available with booking
Location: Next door to Coconut Marketplace, 10 minutes’ drive from Kapaa city centre. Close to restaurants, grocery stores, coffee shops and the coastal bike path. A central base for exploring the island.
A great choice for
- Social butterflies
Check prices at:
Booking.com |
3. Hotel Coral Reef
Near historic Kapaa town, Hotel Coral Reef has an oceanfront lagoon-style pool and proper ocean views.
The oceanfront rooms and lobby have free WiFi, and every room has a balcony, cable TV and an en suite. You’re within 50 steps of the ocean, and the poolside terrace looks straight out at it.
Snorkelling, helicopter tours and whale watching are all bookable nearby. Whale season runs roughly December to April, and you can often see them from the shore here.
Good staff, comfortable rooms, and useful extras like coolers and beach chairs, which saves you renting them. It’s one of the better affordable places to stay on Kauai.
Check prices at:
Booking.com |
Facilities & Amenities:
- Balcony with ocean view
- Poolside terrace with ocean views
- Free parking available
- Activities include snorkeling, helicopter tours, kayaking, whale watching, and dinner cruises
Location: Near historic Kapaa town, central for the east coast restaurants and shops. A 100m walk to the “TheBUS” stop, with the coastal path nearby.
This is one of the best hostels in Kauai for
- Couples
Check prices at:
Booking.com |
Affordable Hotels in Kauai:
4. Kauai Palms Hotel
Kauai Palms Hotel sits right next to Lihue Airport, one block from Kalena Park, with views of the Kipu mountains and island-style furnishings.
Friendly staff, clean rooms, and a warm atmosphere. It doesn’t have all the extras, but it has what you need.
The location is the real argument for it. If you land late or fly out at dawn, staying next to the airport on your first or last night is a genuinely smart move on an island this size.
Check prices at:
Booking.com | Hostelz.com
Facilities & Amenities:
- Free WiFi
- Some rooms offer air conditioning
- Some rooms feature kitchenettes or kitchens
- Free on-site parking
- Laundry facilities available
Location: Right next to Lihue Airport, one block from Kalena Park. Minutes from downtown Lihue, Harbor Mall and the Kauaʻi Museum.
Check prices at:
Booking.com | Hostelz.com
The Cabins at Kokee
The Cabins at Kokee sit up in Kōkeʻe State Park and offer something completely different from the rest of this list. Full kitchens, cosy interiors and mountain air.
A short drive from Waimea Canyon, with trails starting more or less at the door.
The staff are helpful and the nearby Kokee Lodge restaurant handles breakfast and lunch. If you’re here to hike rather than swim, this is the one.
Honest tradeoff: you’re at altitude in the middle of the island, it gets genuinely cold at night, and the nearest beach is a long drive. Bring a jumper, which is not advice you expect to need in Hawaii.
Check prices at: Booking.com | Hostelz.com
Facilities & Amenities:
- Each cabin has a full kitchen
- Dining area by the kitchen
- Kitchen equipped with refrigerator, microwave, stove and oven unit, coffee machine, and kitchenware
- Free toiletries included
- Breakfast and lunch available at Kokee restaurant
- Mini-market nearby
Location: In Kōkeʻe State Park, 9 km from Waimea Canyon, with trails right by the cabins.
Check prices at: Booking.com | Hostelz.com
The ISO
The ISO, across from Waipouli Town Center, is a beachfront property at prices that don’t match the setting. Free WiFi and an oceanfront pool.
Each studio has a private Hawaiian-style patio and coffee-making facilities. The Bullshed Restaurant on site does oceanfront dining, steak and seafood.
The free extras are what make this good value: bikes, breakfast and 7am yoga. Add the snorkelling beach, putting green, tennis and shuffleboard and you can fill days here without spending anything.
Check prices at: Booking.com
Facilities & Amenities:
- Oceanfront swimming pool
- On-site restaurant, The Bullshed Restaurant
- Private Hawaiian-style patio in each studio
- Free WiFi
- Coffee-making facilities in studios
- Free bikes for guests
- Free breakfast and 7 am morning yoga
- Snorkeling beach on-site
- Putting green, Tennis, and shuffleboard courts available
- Free parking provided
Location: Across from Waipouli Town Center. Kapaa Beach Park is 1 mile (1.6 km) away, and it’s right on the 7-mile coastal bike path, which is why the free bikes matter.
Check prices at: Booking.com
Plantation Hale Suites
Whether you want to spend your days on Kauai’s Royal Coconut Coast or by the pool, you won’t run out of things to do at Plantation Hale Suites.
Three outdoor pools with hot tubs, and a fully equipped kitchen in every suite. Spend the day out, then cook properly instead of paying Kauai restaurant prices twice a day.
There’s shuffleboard and BBQ facilities on site if you want to stay put.
This is the most affordable place to stay in Kauai for families and larger groups, and the kitchens are the reason.
Check prices at: Booking.com | Hostelz.com
Facilities & Amenities:
- 3 outdoor pools with hot tubs
- Guest suites with fully-equipped kitchens
- Terrace or balcony in each suite
- Shuffleboard available
- BBQ facilities on-site
- Reservations for water sports and activities can be arranged
Location: On the Royal Coconut Coast, steps from Waipouli Beach and a short walk to Coconut Plantation Marketplace.
Check prices at: Booking.com | Hostelz.com
More Hostels worth a mention
At the moment, we think you’re set with the places we just shared. We always try to keep our guides fresh and up to date, and we’ll add more here if something worth staying in opens up.
The Actual Hostels in Kauai
If you came here looking for a dorm bed and a common room, here’s the honest situation: Kauai has two hostels. Both are in Kapaa, on the east coast, and between them they’re the entire hostel scene on an island of 1,400 square kilometres.
Kauai Beach House Hostel is the better known of the two. It sits right on the water on Kuhio Highway in Kapaa, with dorms and private rooms, ocean-view decks, a communal kitchen and a laid-back, long-running backpacker feel. Guests consistently praise the staff and the location. It is not a polished modern hostel, and reviews are mixed on the rooms, so read recent ones before you book.
Honu’ea International Hostel Kauai, also in Kapaa on Lehua Street, is the other. Basic, cheap, and the lowest-cost bed on the island. Same advice applies: check current reviews.
Both are small and both fill up, particularly in winter. If a dorm is non-negotiable for your trip, book these first and build the rest of your itinerary around the dates you get.
Hostelgeeks Tip: Because supply is this thin, the usual hostel-booking advice is reversed on Kauai. Don’t wait for a deal. Book the bed the moment your flights are confirmed, then compare the rest of your nights on Hostelz.
Cheapest Hostels in Kauai
The cheapest roof on Kauai isn’t a hostel at all, it’s a tent. State park camping costs a fraction of any room here, the sites are in genuinely spectacular places, and permits are booked online in advance.
After that, it’s a dorm at one of the two hostels above, then the cheaper hotels in Lihue and Kapaa.
Run your dates through Hostelz to see what the same bed costs across the different booking sites before you commit. On an island where the average is around $190 a night, a good comparison is worth more here than almost anywhere else we cover.
Best Hostels in Kauai for Solo Travelers
Solo on Kauai is a different proposition from solo in a European city. There’s no hostel bar scene to fall into, and you’ll likely need a car.
If meeting people matters, book one of the two hostels in Kapaa. That’s where the other solo travellers are.
If you’d rather have your own room, Kauai Shores Hotel is the most sociable of the hotels, because the beach bar and pools give you somewhere to be among people.
The other route is activities. Group snorkel trips, boat tours along the Nā Pali coast and guided hikes are where solo travellers on this island actually meet each other.
Fun Party Hostels in Kauai
Not really, and we’d rather tell you that than pretend.
Kauai is the quietest of the main Hawaiian islands and it likes being that way. There are no party hostels, no clubs to speak of, and most places stop serving early.
What you get instead is sunset drinks at a beach bar, live music at places like Lava Lava Beach Club, and the occasional luau. That’s the ceiling.
If nightlife is the point of your trip, Waikiki on Oahu is where to go. Kauai is for the other kind of trip.
When to Visit Kauai
April to early June and September to early November are the sweet spot. Good weather, fewer people, and the lowest rates you’ll find here.
Winter, from mid-December through March, is peak. It’s also whale season, which is a genuine reason to come, but prices climb and the north shore gets a lot of rain. The surf on the north coast in winter is enormous and many beaches become unswimmable.
Summer is busy with families and the north shore is at its calmest for snorkelling.
Kauai is the wettest of the main islands, and Mount Waiʻaleʻale near the centre is one of the wettest places on earth. Rain isn’t a reason not to come. It’s the reason the island looks the way it does.
How Many Days Do You Need in Kauai?
Five to seven nights. Kauai is small but slow, with one main road that doesn’t go all the way round, and the good stuff is spread from Waimea Canyon in the west to Hanalei in the north.
A week gives you the canyon, the Nā Pali coast by boat or on foot, a couple of beach days, the Wailua river and a day doing nothing.
Three or four nights works if you accept you’re seeing half the island. Fewer than three and you’ll spend most of it driving.
Getting There and Around Kauai
Getting there: Lihue Airport (LIH) is the island’s airport, on the east side. Most visitors connect through Honolulu, though there are some direct mainland flights.
You will want a car. That’s the honest version. Kauai has a public bus, “TheBUS”, which is cheap and useful along the east coast between Lihue and Kapaa, but it doesn’t get you to the trailheads, the canyon or most beaches at useful times. Book the car early, because rental supply on Kauai is limited and prices spike.
One road, two ends. The highway runs from Haena in the north round to Polihale in the west, and it does not connect. You cannot drive around Kauai. Everything is an out-and-back, so factor that into your days.
The bike path: The Ke Ala Hele Makalae coastal path runs about 7 miles along the east coast, and several places on this list are on it. Free bikes at The ISO make this a genuinely useful way to get around Kapaa.
Is Kauai Safe?
Very safe in terms of crime. The risks here are natural, and they’re real.
- The ocean is the big one. Hawaii has strong currents, shore breaks and rip tides, and visitors get into trouble every year, often at unpatrolled beaches. Swim where there’s a lifeguard, check conditions before you get in, and if the beach is empty on a beautiful day, there’s usually a reason.
- Winter surf on the north shore is enormous and beaches that are calm in July are dangerous in January. Never turn your back on the water on a rocky shoreline.
- Flash flooding is a genuine hazard in the valleys and on river crossings, including on the Kalalau Trail. If it’s raining hard upstream, don’t cross.
- Hiking: the trails here are muddy, steep and slippery, and several well-known viewpoints have no railings. People fall. Stay back from cliff edges regardless of how good the photo would be.
- Car break-ins at trailhead and beach car parks are the one common crime. Leave nothing visible in the car, ever.
- Sun: you’re at 22 degrees north with a sea breeze that hides how hard the sun is working. Reef-safe sunscreen is legally required in Hawaii, and reapply it.
Any Discounts?
You can find all our hostel discounts worldwide here. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the freshest hostel discounts directly in your inbox. We even have special discount codes we only share in the newsletter.
It is completely free to join!
How to book?
The most popular booking platforms are Booking.com and Hostelworld.com. On both platforms, your credit card is 100% protected and the booking 100% confirmed.
We included some handy links to each of the recommended hostel. Just click on the hostel name. The link will lead you to check prices and availability.
Read: Step-by-Step guide on how to book with Hostelworld
We recommend booking your hostel as early as possible! All of Kauai best hostels are popular; especially in high-season. To make sure you end up in those stylish and good hostels, secure your room/bed as soon as you have your travel dates fix.
The coolest Hostel App you need comes as well from Hostelworld. It gives you super cool features like you can contact your hostel mates beforehand, ask questions, and make plans together. Find more details in our review of the app.
Scan the QR Code with your Smartphone to download the Hostelworld App from the App Store - like a real Hostel Geek!
Need an eSIM Card for Kauai?
Get your eSIM Card with Airalo.com instantly online. It is easy to set up and cheap! Read our review of Airalo here.
No more searching for mobile shops. Get your eSIM Card for now and enjoy it instantly after landing in your new destination.
Our Favorite Hostels in Kauai put on a map + sights
We’re listing the three best Kauai stays on a map to give you an idea of the locations and the distances between them.
Distances matter more here than in a city guide. Kapaa to Hanalei is about an hour, and Kapaa to Waimea Canyon closer to ninety minutes.
Any questions about hostels in Kauai? 🤔
Join our Facebook Group!
Ask all your questions and connect with like-minded wanderers 🔥
FAQs
Here we share the questions we get asked most about staying on Kauai.
Are there hostels in Kauai?
Barely. There are two, both in Kapaa: Kauai Beach House Hostel and Honu'ea International Hostel Kauai. Everything else in the budget bracket is a small hotel, cottage or condo.
What is the best cheap place to stay in Kauai?
The Cottage at Ohia Kai is our best-value pick overall. If you want an actual dorm bed, one of the two Kapaa hostels will be cheaper again.
How much does accommodation in Kauai cost?
Around $190 per night on average, which is a hotel rate rather than a hostel one. Dorm beds cost considerably less but availability is very limited. Compare your dates on Hostelz.
What is the best area to stay in Kauai?
Kapaa on the east coast, for a first trip. It's central, it has the most affordable options, and it's roughly equidistant from the north shore and Waimea Canyon.
Is Kauai safe?
Crime is low and the island is very safe to travel. The real risks are ocean currents, flash floods and cliff edges. Swim at lifeguarded beaches and take trail warnings seriously.
Do I need a car in Kauai?
Almost certainly yes. The bus is useful along the east coast but won't get you to most trailheads or beaches. Book the car early, because supply is tight.
Can you camp in Kauai?
Yes, and it's the cheapest way to sleep on the island by a distance. State park camping needs a permit booked in advance online, and the popular sites go quickly.
Do I need a reservation for Hāʻena State Park?
Yes, if you're not a Hawaii resident. Entry and parking for Kēʻē Beach and the Kalalau trailhead are capped and must be reserved in advance online.
Is there a party scene in Kauai?
No. Kauai is the quietest of the main Hawaiian islands, with no party hostels and very little nightlife. Sunset drinks and live music at a beach bar is about the extent of it.
How many days do you need in Kauai?
Five to seven nights to see the island properly. Three or four covers about half of it, and anything shorter is mostly driving.
When is the best time to visit Kauai?
April to early June and September to early November for good weather, fewer people and lower prices. Winter is peak and also whale season.
Which is the best hostel in Kauai for solo travelers?
One of the two Kapaa hostels, because that's where other solo travellers stay. Among the hotels, Kauai Shores Hotel is the most sociable thanks to the beach bar and pools.
How do I get from Lihue Airport to Kapaa?
It's about a 20-minute drive north. Most visitors pick up a rental car at the airport, and TheBUS also runs the Lihue to Kapaa route.
Flights to Kauai?
Lihue Airport (LIH) is Kauai’s airport, on the east side of the island and about 20 minutes from Kapaa.
Most flights route through Honolulu on Oahu, with short and frequent inter-island hops. There are some direct services from the US mainland west coast, and those are worth checking, because skipping the Honolulu connection can save you half a day.
If you’re island-hopping, book the inter-island legs early. They’re cheap, they’re short, and they fill up.
We use Skyscanner and Omio.com to find cheap flights and good connections all over the globe.
Skyscanner has a bunch of cool features like Multi-City Trip. Instead of doing this research step-by-step, Skyscanner offers this flight planning tool.
More handmade Guides for you
Here are all our US Hostel Guides:
- best hostels in the USA
- best hostels in New York City, Manhattan and Brooklyn
- best hostels in California
- best hostels in Washington DC
- best hostels in Hawaii, Maui, Honolulu and Oahu
- best hostels in Los Angeles
- best hostels in San Diego
- best hostels in San Francisco
- best hostels in Hollywood
- best hostels in Key West
- best hostels in Seattle
- best hostels in Boston
- best hostels in Chicago
- best hostels in New Orleans
- best hostels in Portland
- best hostels in Denver
- best hostels in Houston
- best hostels in Dallas
- best hostels in Miami
- best hostels in Las Vegas
- best hostels in Boulder
- best hostels in Anchorage
Party hostels in the US:
- coolest party hostels in the US
- coolest party hostels in Miami
- coolest party hostels in San Francisco
Over to you
Do you have any questions left, maybe doubts? Then please leave it in the comment below. We are very keen to help you - and actually you would even do us a favor!
Your question will help us to improve this Kauai guide.
Last note: Our commitment
This is a genuine article to help you travel a bit smarter, and find the best place on a budget! We will never recommend you any place we haven’t evaluated or are not convinced by. We are constantly updating all our guides to keep them as fresh and accurate as possible.
Safe travels,
The Hostelgeeks
