Home to Kauai's largest shopping centre, the Kukui Grove
Lihue is in Kauai county, 107 miles north west of Honolulu. It's the county seat and has its own collection of gorgeous beaches to enjoy. There are several brilliant golf courses as well as a good choice of resturants serving a wide variety of food, in line with the island's famous multicultural personality. White sands await you, ringed by green palm trees and a glorious tropical paradise.
Swimming and sailing are both popular here, a perfect paradise for ocean-lovers.
Lihue actually means 'cold chill', hinting at the unusually chilly wind that can blow across the landscape. Before it acquired its current name, the ancient people called the land 'Ka-la-i-a-mea, which translates roughly as 'a calm, reddish brown place.'
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Lihue Shopping Center is your first stop for all the esesentials and a whole lot more
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Beautiful Kalapaki Beach awaits you, as does Isenberg Park
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The Anchor Cove Shopping Center and Kauai Museum are also popular spots with tourists
Beach parks galore blend with plenty of shopping centres and the truly stunning Ninini Beach is a jewel in the area's crown.
The remarkable Kauai Lagoons are close by, beautiful, natural fresh water havens for local plants, insects, birds and animals.
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Watch the big ships pass through Nawiliwili Harbour
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The Niumalu Beach Park offers safe swimming, handy picnic tables, showers and rest rooms
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Try out sail boarding on the beach, then have a go at kayaking
The wonderful Hanamaulu Beach Park has great facilities, with smart picnic spaces and public barbecue facilities on the beach. You can also take a ferry to the Fern Grotto to explore a fabulously lush fern-smothered cave, popular for weddings.
The majestic Wailua Falls are an amazing sight. And there's wildlife, flora and fauna everywhere, making a simple walk through the park into something seriously special, a natural voyage of discovery.
Lihue has plenty of lovely little shops where you can buy local handicrafts, jewellery and gifts. Perfect for unique souvenirs.
The Kauai Lagoons Golf Club is exceptional, an 18 hole wonder designed by Jack Nicklaus with something for every skill level. Visit the Grove Farm Homestead, the ex-sugar plantation that was once the island's main business. Explore the Hikina Akala Heiau temple plus many others lining Niumalu Harbour. Discover the amazing Pohaku Ho'ohanau, where the Hawaiian nobility traditionally gave birth. Visit the Kauai Museum, an interesting source of local history, recent and distant. Check out the Hauola Place of Refuge, a place where locals who broke taboos and otherwise misbehaved hid from their persecutors.
Visit the strange Menehune Fishpond and Alekoko Fishpond, both created by the ancient Menehune people, expert stoneworkers and highly skilled in the science of waterworks. As well as the usual US fast food chains you'll find all sorts of exotic cuisine to try in town, including Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Filipino. Head west for the glorious Napali coast, east for dolphin and whale sightings. If one golf course isn't enough, go north for the excellent Prince and Makai courses. Lihue is also home to the island's main airport, your gateway to the rest of the state with everything you'd expect from a modern transport hub.