The oldest of the major Hawaiian Islands, Kaua'i is best known for its nickname of "The Garden Isle". It's a title that's well deserved when you consider the island's abundant tropical foliage, year round sunshine, emerald green cliffs and legendary rainbows. It's easy to see why Kaua`i offers its visitors a virtual garden of delights. Two popular attractions for garden lovers are the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Lawa`i, and Smith's Tropical Paradise on the banks of the Wailua River.
Since only about ten percent of Kaua`i's amazing scenery can be seen from the road, exploring the island on foot, or from the sea or air, can be extremely rewarding. No trip to Kaua`i would be complete without viewing the spectacular Na Pali cliffs rising a majestic 3,000 feet from the island's North Shore. Hikers can get an awe-inspiring view of the cliffs by traveling part, or all of the challenging 10.8 mile Kalalau Trail. For a more relaxing tour of the area, visitors can book a charter on a Zodiac raft or catamaran. Another popular way to experience Kaua`i's incomparable beauty is by taking a "flightseeing" helicopter tour. It's an excellent way to take in some of the island's breathtaking scenery that would otherwise be inaccessible. Once visitors get an overview of this paradise, they're not surprised to discover that it has been the setting for many major motion pictures such as South Pacific, Jurassic Park and Raiders of the Lost Ark. In fact, guided tours are available to many of the sites where movies have been filmed.