Kayaking on Kauai is a very popular water sport.

Whether you're interested in river kayaking, ocean kayaking, kayaking tours, kayak eco-tours, Na Pali Coast kayaking tours, kayaking Kauai through its rainforests and jungles or waterfall trips via the various kayak companies found on the island you will not be disappointed. Kayaking on Kauai is an experience you should not miss.

The island of Kauai is the oldest of the major islands in the Hawaiian chain and is the only Hawaiian island that has navigable rivers suitable for river kayaking, kayaking tours and other forms of Kauai kayaking. Its volcanoes have been extinct for about 5 million years. Being the northern most island in the chain also means that it is most often the first island that clouds from the northern and western Pacific basin are drawn to as they gather from thousands of miles in all directions.

Three of the most beautiful rivers are the Wailua River, the Hule'ia River and the Hanalei River:

• The Wailua River is probably the most traveled and winds kayakers deep into the islands interior. Its waters are very calm and beautiful. They are so calm in fact that the first portion of the river is actually used for water skiing as well.
• The Hule'ia River is located in the Lihue area and winds through the beautiful Kipu Ranch which has been the site of many Hollywood movies including Jurassic Park and Raiders of the Lost Arc.
• The beautiful Hanalei River is the least traveled and can be found in the unbelievably beautiful Hanalei Valley emptying into picturesque Hanalei Bay in Kauai's northern sector.

Most of Kauai's kayaking companies which feature river kayaking, eco-tours kayaking, and kayaking in rain forests, waterfalls and jungle can be found on the Wailua, Hule'ia or Hanalei rivers.

Kayaking on Kauai can also take the form of ocean kayaking as much of Kauai can only be seen from the vantage point of the ocean or the air. The ocean kayaking tours on the famous Na Pali coast are particularly spectacular but are generally reserved for the Winter months when the northern ocean swells and giant surf have subsided.

Helpful Tips from Tom Barefoot - Kauai Kayaking:

Kauai's 5000+ ft. peak is quite literally the wettest spot on earth and receives an annual rainfall in the vicinity of 420 inches a year. This tremendous rainfall over the years has eroded much of the soil from the higher levels and has deposited much of it on the leeward sides and created very flat areas called alluvial plains. These plains are very, very flat and the water which rushes from the top in giant cascading waterfalls calms to a gentle presence when it hits the flat plains below. Here the water meanders, winds and serpentines for miles in a very gentle and tranquil flow to its eventual destination in the ocean. These rivers are ideal for kayaking trips as the flowing waters ever so slowly wind their way through the ever present jungle. Kauai is the only Hawaiian Island that has such rivers and it is an incredible treat for those who choose to enjoy them.