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GuidebookKauai
"Hawaii's Island of Discovery"
Land Mass: 533
square miles (1380 square km)
Population: 58,303 (2000)
Principal City: Lihue
Flower: Mokihana
Color: Purple
Wailua River photo: HVCB/Robert Coello
Geography: Northernmost, first populated and
geographically oldest Kauai is the fourth largest of the Hawaiian
Islands. It was built by a massive volcano, of which Mt. Wai'ale'ale, at
5,148 feet (1,569 m), is the eastern rim.
The island has 90 miles (145 km) of coastline and is
remarkable for its spectacular and widely varied landscape, from
desert-like Waimea Canyon, "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific," to the
velvety green Napali Coast, with cliffs rising 2,700 feet.
Climate: Average temperature ranges from 71° F
(22° C) in February and March to 79° F (26° C) in August and September.
Cooler temperatures in the mountain areas offer a pleasant contrast to
warmer coastal areas. Rainfall varies in different sections of the
island, with a comfortable average of 20 inches a year in the most
populated sections.
Major Industries: Sugarcane, fruit, vegetables,
taro, beef, and tourism.
Brief History: The first settlers came to Kauai
around 200 A.D./ about 500 years before the rest of the Islands were
settled. The Islanders enjoyed a balanced environment and followed the
social codes of the day, sometimes rigid, sometimes quite liberal.
Through a succession of kings, the island prospered.
Captain James Cook landed on Kauai first, coming ashore at Waimea in
1778, forever changing the status of this isolated group of islands.
Kauai is distinguished as being the only island that
resisted takeover attempts by King Kamehameha during his quest to unify
the islands under one rule. King Kaumuali'i on Kauai finally
conceded that upon his death, the island would fall under Kamehameha's
rule. The island remained an independent kingdom until 1810.
Fascinating Facts:
Kauai has more miles of beach per coastline than
any other island.
Kauai has more hiking trails than any other
island.
Today, no building is permitted to be built over
4 stories (roughly the height of a palm tree).
Kauai is home to four of the top-ranked 12 golf
courses in the state.
Kauai has the only navigable rivers in the state.
Top-Rated Attraction:
Waimea Canyon State Park
Koke'e State Park
National Tropical Botanical Gardens
Napali Coast State Park
Spouting Horn
Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge
Po'ipu Beach
Hanapepe Town
Information and photos submitted
by:
Hawaii Visitors and Convention
Bureau 2270 Kalakaua Avenue, Suite 801
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815 808-923-1811 |
Website |
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