Sporting Activities in Kauai
Kauai is an island known for its friendly people, sunny beaches, and tropical lushness. However, few people, except those who stay for long, will ever get to know the island's rich sporting heritage, which, like its cuisine, is unique because of the influence of various cultures and because of the island's terrain.
The island is the best place to experience ultimate sports, with most water activities a favorite of local and visiting adrenaline junkies. With the island's steep waterfalls, hills, mountains, and flat roads, ziplining, hiking, and biking are also popular outdoor activities.
Surfing
When one thinks of Hawaiian Islands, surfing is the first sport that comes to mind. There is no shortage of perfect waves in any of the Hawaiian islands, and the same can be said for the Garden Isle. The island is full of expert local surfers although beginners are also always welcome. There are great surfing spots from all sides of the island but favorite surfing spots include Salt Pond, Kekaha, Pakalas, Poipu Beach, Lawai Beach, Nawiliwili Harbor, Hanalei Bay, Tunnels Beach, Allerton's, and the Cannons. Even those who cannot surf can enjoy the spectacular view of expert local surfers playing in the waves. Those who are interested in surfing themselves are advised to check local weather reports and tide conditions before heading out to the beach. There are also a number of surf schools on the islands that offer lessons for those who have never surfed a day in their lives but would like to try.
Scuba diving and snorkeling
Although not an official sport, scuba diving and snorkeling are still very physical activities that are commonly enjoyed in the Garden Isle. Scuba diving and snorkeling outfits dot the beaches and provide equipment as well as dive training for those who want to experience the unique underwater world of Kauai.
Mountain climbing and biking
Those who want an unforgettable Kauai experience should not miss an afternoon of biking on the island. With its terrain of hills, mountains, valleys, and long coastlines, Kauai is an island made for biking excursions. Kauai is the fourth largest island in Hawaii, with only a small percentage of paved roads. This makes mopeds, scooters, and bikes a must for hard-to-reach terrain. Families can go on leisurely biking tours along the coast on the island's flat roads, while those who are looking for more challenge can choose biking tours that go inland. The Poipu area is one of the best places to go biking, as well as the Kealia Beach and Anahola. Mountain bikers have the option of easy, moderate, and steep biking levels, with all different kinds of biking trails that crisscross the island. Most biking trails go past landmarks such as the Wailua Falls, Mahaulepu Beach, Moloaa Beach, and the Spalding Monument. Mountain bikers can also contact local outfitters to arrange a mountain biking trip for them. Outfitters Kauai is one of the most popular biking outfitters on the island and they provide biking tours, one of them the famous 12 mile canyon to coast downward ride. This famous ride starts from the famed rim of the Waimea Canyon, known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, and spans 12 miles of smooth blacktop that ends in the shores of the Pacific. The tour usually lasts for about four hours or so and includes small educational stops along the way to learn about the history, legends, and culture of the area.
The island also has its version of the downhill run that made Maui's Haleakala famous among adventurous mountain bikers. A downward slope coasting down the scenic Waimea valley is slowly gathering a reputation among mountain bikers as one of the best mountain biking trails on the island with its gravity driven coast that leads to the sea.
Horseback riding
While most tourists will surely not have sports in mind as they soak up the scenery while sitting on the saddle, horseback riding is the one of the most enjoyable activities guests can try. A trip to the Kalihiwi Ridge on a saddle or viewing the grandeur of the spectacular bluffs off Princeville will surely be one excursion to remember. Kauai has outfits that offer horseback riding services for both beginners and experienced horseback riders.
Golf
Golf is a popular pastime of most tourists because most resorts have their very own golf courses. The Garden Isle's curvy terrain and lush greenery combine to make the perfect golf course which is created by the sport's finest architects, adding up to make a golfing paradise that amateurs and professionals can enjoy. Popular golf courses in the island include the Poipu Bay Golf Course, the Kiahuna Golf Club, the Puakea Golf Club, the Kauai Lagoons Golf Club, and the Prince Course at the Princeville Resort.
The Poipu Bay Golf Course was included by Golf Magazine among the top 18 golf courses in America and has been the home of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf since 1994. It is here that the winners of the major events in golf, the Masters, the US Open, the British Open, and the PGA championship meet and compete with each other for the Grand Slam title. Making its way down the scenic lushness of the Poipu Bay, the Poipu Bay Golf Course is deceptively calm with its soft mounds and lazy green fairways. The golf course is actually famous for its signature hole, the 501- yard par-4 16th, one of the most challenging holes in all of the golf courses on the island. The course also has a small lake and two fairway bunkers on the right, with a sheer drop to the ocean on the left.
The Kiahuna Course is another popular golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. This golf course is famous for its abundant water hazards and the ubiquitous presence of trade winds that always make any game on this course a challenge.
The Puakea Golf Course is another golf course that doubles as a scenic tropical getaway as well. Built in 2003 and designed by Robin Nelson, the Puakea Golf Course offers a sweeping view of the ocean with the historic Mt. Haupu as a stunning backdrop.
The Prince Golf Course offers two world-class championship golf courses that were also designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and sits on the famous North Shore. This golf course offers the best golf players of all skill levels with a sweeping view of the ocean. This has also been voted as one of the top courses in Hawaii by Golf Digest.
Ziplining
Although not as extreme as most adrenaline junkies would want to admit, zip lining is already enough to drop the pants of normal everyday tourists. Zip lining is one of the most popular activities for the adventurous. The Garden isle, with its rugged hills and craggy cliffs, makes for the perfect geographical conditions for this kind of sport and gives tourists a bird's eye view of Kauai while they soar above the lush forest canopies and waterfalls. Most zipline tours also come with guides who provide information on the interesting flora and fauna encountered along the way.
Princeville Land Ranch Adventures, Kauai Backcountry Adventures, and Outfitters Kauai are only some of the tour agencies that provide zipline tours for tourists with their own zipline courses.
Sportsfishing
Because of the rich and diverse marine life in the island, sportsfishing is yet another favorite sporting activity enjoyed by locals and tourists. The island has many sportsfishing outfits that provide services for those who want to fish from the shore, from the pier, from boats, and even while snorkeling or scuba diving. Trout, catfish, ono, ahi, marlin, and bass are some of the popular gaming fish on the island. Tourists looking to experience deep sea fishing can contact local fishing charters based on Nawiliwili Harbor, or charters based in the North Shore or Kekaha. Those who want to try freshwater fishing will need to obtain a fishing license.
Deep Sea Fishing Kauai is one of the more successful fishing charters on the island that offers daily departures off Hanapepe and offers bottom fishing and skindiving options. They will also take visitors to the FADs (Fish Agregation Devices) for the best in big game fishing. They also offer sunset trips and trips to the Napali Coast which is not accessible by car or on foot.
ATV tours
ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) tours are the perfect option for the island's rugged natural environment. Because most of the island's attractions are not accessible by car, an ATV is the perfect option for a vehicle that will take tourists to some of the most famous but often inaccessible locations such as the settings of some big Hollywood movies. Going around using an ATV is not for the faint of heart, however. Riders can expect a muddy ride especially when riding in Waimea or during the rainy seasons. ATVs are easy to handle though, so anyone who has been successful with riding a bike as a kid can surely handle an ATV.