Getting Around Kauai

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Back to KauaiGetting Around

Driving Around Kauai

You need a car to see and do everything on Kauai. Luckily, driving here is easy. There are only two major highways, each beginning in Lihue. From Lihue Airport, turn right, and you'll be on Kapule Highway (Hwy. 51), which eventually merges into Kuhio Highway (Hwy. 56) a mile down. This road will take you to the Coconut Coast and through the North Shore before it reaches a dead end at Kee Beach, where the Na Pali Coast begins.

If you turn left from Lihue Airport and follow Kapule Highway (Hwy. 51), you'll pass through Lihue and Nawiliwili. Turning on Nawiliwili Road (Hwy. 58) will bring you to its intersection with Kaumualii Highway (Hwy. 50), which will take you to the south and southwest sections of the island. This road doesn't follow the coast, however, so if you're heading to Poipu (and most people are), take Maluhia Road (Hwy. 520) south.

Kaumualii Highway (Hwy. 50) continues all the way to Waimea, where it then dwindles to a secondary road before reaching a dead end at the other end of the Na Pali Coast.

To get to Waimea Canyon, take either Waimea Canyon Road (Hwy. 550), which follows the western rim of the canyon and affords spectacular views, or Kokee Road (Hwy. 55), which goes up through Waimea Canyon to Kokee State Park (4,000 ft. above sea level); the roads join up about halfway.

Traffic Advisory -- Believe it or not Kauai has traffic problems. You do NOT want to be on the highways between 7 to 9am and 4 to 6pm, Monday through Friday. Your serene vacation will go out the car window as you sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic. A normal 10- to 15-minute trip from one town to the next can take up to an hour during these times. The problem is that there is only one road that circles the island and connects all the towns. Local people have to get to work, but you are on vacation so plan accordingly. Another traffic note: Buckle up your seat belt -- Hawaii has stiff fines for noncompliance.

Car Rentals

Hawaii has some of the lowest car-rental rates in the country. The average non-discounted, unlimited-mileage rate for a 1-day rental for an intermediate-size car in Kauai was $41 in 2005; that's one of the lowest rates in the country, compared with the national average of $54 per day. To rent a car in Hawaii, you must be at least 25 years of age and have a valid driver's license and credit card.

Most of the major car-rental agencies are represented on Kauai. The rental desks are just across the street from Lihue Airport, but you must go by van to collect your car.

The major rental-car agencies at Lihue Airport include: Avis (tel. 800/321-3712; www.avis.com), Budget (tel. 800/935-6878; www.budgetrentacar.com), Dollar (tel. 800/800-4000; www.dollarcar.com), Hertz (tel. 800/654-3011; www.hertz.com), National (tel. 800/227-7368; www.nationalcar.com), and Thrifty (tel. 800/367-2277; www.thrifty.com).

We do not recommend Alamo. Alamo apparently is not able to process (in a timely manner) the long line of people wanting to rent their cars. Waits of up to 2 hours are not uncommon. Imagine getting off a 5-hour plane ride and having to stand in line for a couple of hours. Save yourself the aggravation, and book another car-rental agency.

For deep discounts on weekly car-rental rates, call Hookipa Haven Vacation Services (tel. 800/398-6284; www.hookipa.com). Rates in low season (Jan, Apr 16-June, and Aug 21-Dec 18) are $148 a week; they jump to $160 in high season.

Rental cars are usually at a premium and may be sold out on holiday weekends, so be sure to book well ahead.

Insurance -- Hawaii is a no-fault state, which means that if you don't have collision-damage insurance, you are required to pay for all damages before you leave the state, whether or not the accident was your fault. Your personal car insurance may provide rental-car coverage; read your policy or call your insurer before you leave home. Bring your insurance identification card if you decline the optional insurance, which usually costs from $12 to $20 a day. Obtain the name of your company's local claim representative before you go. Some credit card companies also provide collision-damage insurance for their customers; check with yours before you rent.

Driving Rules -- Hawaii state law mandates that all car passengers must wear a seat belt, and all infants must be strapped into car seats. The fine is enforced with vigilance, so buckle up -- you'll pay a $50 fine if you don't. Pedestrians always have the right of way, even if they're not in the crosswalk. You can turn right on red from the right lane after a full and complete stop, unless there's a sign forbidding you to do so.

Road Maps -- The best and most detailed road maps are published by This Week Magazine, a free visitor publication. Another good source of maps is The Ready Mapbook of Kauai, published by Odyssey Publishing, P.O. Box 11173, Hilo, HI 96721 (tel. 808/935-0092; www.hawaiimapsource.com). The 67-page book not only has detailed maps of the island, but also lists points of interest, parks, beaches, golf courses, campgrounds, shopping centers, and trails. The book retails for $11.

For island maps, check out the University of Hawaii Press maps. Updated periodically, they include a detailed network of island roads, large-scale insets of towns, historical and contemporary points of interest, parks, beaches, and hiking trails. They cost about $3 each, or about $15 for a complete set. If you can't find them in a bookstore near you, contact University of Hawaii Press, 2840 Kolowalu St., Honolulu, HI 96822 (tel. 888/847-7737; www.uhpress.hawaii.edu). For topographic and other maps of the islands, go to the Hawaii Geographic Society, 49 S. Hotel St., Honolulu; or contact them at P.O. Box 1698, Honolulu, HI 96806 (tel. 800/538-3950 or 808/538-3952).

Motorcycle Rentals

The best place to find a customized, cherried-out Harley is Two Wheels Rentals, located near Nawiliwili Harbor in Lihue on Rice Street next to the Kauai Marriott, Anchor Cove shopping center, and Harbor Mall shopping center (tel. 808/246-9457; www.kauaimotorcycle.com), which has Harleys from $60 for 2 hours.

Other Transportation Options

Kauai Taxi Company (tel. 808/246-9554) offers taxi, limousine, and airport shuttle service. Kauai Bus (tel. 808/241-6417) operates a fleet of 15 buses that serve the entire island, but they do not go to the airport. Taking the bus may be practical for day trips if you know your way around the island, but you can't take anything larger than a shopping bag aboard, and the buses don't stop at any of the resort areas. However, they do serve more than a dozen coastal towns from Kekaha, on the southwest shore, all the way to Hanalei. Buses run more or less hourly from 5:30am to 6pm. The fare is $1, or 50¢ for seniors, students, and passengers with disabilities.