First Timers Guide to Hiking the Nā Pali Coast (Kalalau & Beyond)

Hiking along the Nā Pali Coast’s verdant 4,000-foot ridged sea cliffs must, I repeat MUST, be at the top of your Kaua’i to-do-list. After visiting all four of Hawaii’s main islands 10+ times, the Nā Pali Coast is still single-handedly the most breathtaking, awe-inspiring place I’ve ever stepped foot.

Depending on which trail you choose, you could be trekking along a rugged 5-foot-wide ridgeline with 3,000-foot drops on each side (gasp!!), journeying up a historic ahupua`a (traditional ocean to mountain farm system) to a stunning 400-foot waterfall, or enjoying leisurely (but incredibly beautiful) coastline and ocean views on an easier trail.

Some of these trails require online reservations, and some are more challenging (and genuinely dangerous) than others. In this article I’m sharing my practical tips to prepare for hiking, plus my honest, firsthand reflections from each of these beautiful trails!

✨ Double the magic: I always recommend going on this EXCEPTIONAL Nā Pali Coast sunset cruise to see the towering ridges from a different perspective—plus a hike, too! Trust me, you can’t get enough—after going on this boat tour 2x and hiking the Nā Pali Coast 3x, I’d do both over and over again all on the same trip!!

Sitting on a ridgeline on a hike along Kauai's Napali Coast

Hanakapiai Falls hike, me and my husband standing at the base of the falls

☀️🌺🌿 Article Outline (Jump Ahead)

Introduction to the Nā Pali Coast

Ask anyone who has experienced it and they’ll tell you the #1 place you have to visit on Kauai is the Nā Pali Coast. With 4000-foot verdant cliffs rising above the waves, hidden sea caves, and lush valleys, this undeveloped 17-mile long coastline looks almost just as it did before colonization (though native Hawaiians no longer live amongst and steward the dramatic landscapes as they once did).

There are two main starting points for Nā Pali Coast hikes—almost three hours apart! That’s because there are no roads that loop around the island of Kauai—to get from one side of Nā Pali to the other you’d either have to hike, kayak, or drive all the way around the island.

The well-known Kalalau Trail begins at Hā’ena State Park on the eastern edge of the coastline. You need a reservation to begin a hike here (to park or take a shuttle bus from Hanalei/Princeville). Other Napali hikes begin from on the western side, which is accessed by driving to the west side of the island, through Waimea Canyon and to Kōkeʻe State Park.

🌺 Essentials for Hiking in Hawaii 🌊

🥾 Solid hiking shoes: Comfortable hiking shoes with good traction are a MUST. I love my Altra Lone Peak trail runners because they’re smaller than a hiking boot, have a wide toe box (no blisters!!), and genuinely the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn! (ps: I just wore these while hiking 500-miles on the Camino de Santiago and never got a single blister—best shoes ever!!)
☀️ 50 SPF sun shirt: Even if I’m not wearing it for the whole hike, I always have this UPF sun shirt in my bag to protect my skin! It’s breathable in the heat, but also blocks wind chill at the same time! Meanwhile, my husband loves a merino wool sun hoodie!
💧 Hydration pack: Never go hiking in Hawaii without water! I recently bought my first hydration pack (this one specifically), which is a small backpack with a water bladder. It’s so much easier than carrying a water bottle. It made all the difference on more challenging hikes!
🧢 Hat: It doesn’t need to be a special hiking hat, I usually hike with a baseball cap!
🩹 Mini first aid kit: I always carry a travel size first aid kit like this one when traveling, especially on hikes. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve ended up needing it for myself or others!

Best Nā Pali Coast Hikes

Kauai's Nā Pali, one of the most beautiful places to hike in Hawaii

1. Kalalau Trail to Hanakapiai Falls

📍 30 minutes from Hanalei / parking or shuttle reservations required / 8-miles roundtrip / 2,700 feet of elevation gain / challenging

Kauai’s Kalalau Trail is the classic Napali Coast hike that follows the rugged coastline 11-miles east to west, with nearly 7,000-feet of elevation gain in the roundtrip 22-mile trek. This is not a day hike, but rather an overnight backpacking trip that requires a permit. Instead, day visitors like us can hike the first two miles to Hanakapiai Beach, which is a challenging and stunning hike in and of itself!

If you’re up for a longer, more challenging (and muddy) hike, journey inland at Hanakapiai Beach, following a historic ahupua`a (traditional ocean to mountain farm system) to 400-foot Hanakapiai Falls. The roundtrip hike ends up being about 8 miles and 2,700-feet of elevation gain, with several river crossings and very slippery, muddy terrain most of the year.

Essential Safety Tips & Practical Advice

Whatever you do, please be careful at beautiful Hanakapiai Beach, which has been sadly known to take quite a few lives in unexpected, massive swells that sweep up to the driftwood. I’ll also warn that this truly is a challenging hike, even if you only hike the 4-mile loop to the beach. No matter your fitness level, you’ll need to bring plenty of water (we had 2-3 liters each in our hydration packs), snacks, lunch, and sun protection.

For any Kalalau hike you’ll need to make an online reservation. Parking reservations are extremely limited, and its easier to get a reservation to take the convenient shuttle bus that runs from the park and ride in Hanalei or Princeville. We chose the 6:20 shuttle reservation to get hiking early since we were going all the way to the falls. I can’t imagine starting much later because all that elevation becomes even more exhausting as the day heats up.

For the many river crossings on the way to the waterfall, you’ll have to “choose your own adventure”. Many folks online say its best to just walk through the water in your hiking shoes. I prefer not to get my shoes and socks wet on such a long hike, so I’d either take my shoes off and walk through or journey along the slippery rocks, depending on the crossing. Having hiking poles was really helpful for balancing and safety!

Awa’awapuhi Trail ridge hike at Kokee State Park on the Napali Coast

2. Awa’awapuhi Trail

📍 1 hour 15 minutes from Poipu / inside Kōkeʻe State Park / 6.4-miles roundtrip / 2,000 feet of elevation gain / challenging

The Awa’awapuhi Trail is a downward jaunt through ever-changing forests (with lots of shade) that ends at a terrifyingly beautiful thin ridge that stretches out toward the Pacific Ocean, towering above lush valleys on each side. Between the two, I prefer Awa’awapuhi over the more popular Kalalau Trail, but they’re quite different as this one takes you along a ridgeline, whereas the Kalalau hike to Hanakapiai Falls takes up a valley

The views at the end of the Awa’awapuhi hike are indescribable as you carefully traverse an increasingly thin grassy ridge-line, with 2,500-foot drops into the lush valleys on either side, and the sparkling Pacific Ocean below. There are almost no other views on the trail until you reach the end, so it’s not worth it to attempt this hike unless you’re completing it!

That said, you do not have to venture out on the ridge, the views from above are also exceptional (see photo below):

Hiking the Awa’awapuhi trail along Kauai's Napali Coast

Essential Safety Tips & Practical Advice

It goes without saying that a trail that leads onto a 5-foot-wide ridge line is dangerous. This hike is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but I’d only recommend it to competent, experienced hikers.

In 6.4 miles roundtrip, you gain nearly 2,000 feet of elevation—but keep in mind, the elevation gain is on the way back! Make sure to save plenty of water for the upward journey on the way back.

We completed the hike in about 3 hours on a somewhat cooler day, with plenty of time to eat lunch at the end. We both carried 2-3 liters of water in the reservoirs of our Gregory hydration packs. We didn’t use hiking poles on this hike like we did on the Kalalau Trail, but that’s personal preference.

3. Pihea Vista Trail

For an easier, safer, and more leisurely Napali coast hike, I’d reccomend the lovely Pihea Vista Trail that starts in Kōkeʻe State Park. You can walk as little or as long as you’d like along a red-dirt trail with views of the Napali Coast’s iconic Kalalau Valley.

To make the most of your time on this side of the island, follow my Waimea Canyon & Kōkeʻe State Park Itinerary, which also includes optional hikes through the otherwordly red-dirt Waimea Canyon (choose between an easy hike along the rim and a hike to the base of the canyon!)

🌊 Napali Coast Sunset Dinner Cruise: In addition to hiking, I love seeing the coastline from a different perspective (mai tai in hand) on a sunset cruise. I loved this Napali Coast dinner sunset cruise so much that I did it TWICE (trust me, worth the splurge!) It’s a small local Hawaiian business, dinner is delicious, and golden hour is the best time to cruise to see the towering sea cliffs!