Kauaihistory

Kauai History

Kauai is the oldest island of the Hawaiian Island chain. The “Garden Isle”, as it has come to be known, is the fourth largest Hawaiian Island, behind the Big Island, Oahu, and Maui. It is also known as one of the wettest places on Earth, averaging approximately 460 inches of rainfall each year. All of this rain has helped to carve and shape the unique and verdant topography of the island, which features mountains, canyons, valleys, rainforests, and hugely dramatic waterfalls.

Kauai and its sister island Ni’ihau were the last of the Hawaiian Islands to join King Kamehameha’s Kingdom of Hawaii. It was only after 2 failed attempts to invade the islands that the leader Kaumuali’I decided to peaceably join Kamehameha’s’s empire, to avoid any further conflict. He relinquished his land to the Hawaiian King upon his death in 1810.

Today, Lihu’e is the island’s largest city, as well as the seat of Kauai County.

There are some very notable tidbits about the island of Kauai:


• In 1992, powerful Category 4 Hurricane Iniki destroyed a chicken farm located on the island, setting free all of the chickens that lived there. Today, thousands of wild hens and roosters populate Kauai, virtually safe from any predators.
• The 2002 Disney film “Lilo & Stitch” was set on the island of Kauai.
• The 1993 film “Jurassic Park” was filmed on the island.
• In 1778, Captain James Cook made Waimea, the former capital city of Kauai, his first stop in the Hawaiian Islands.
• Kauai is home to the United States Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility.

Today, Kauai is a “best kept secret” of Hawaii. It is world-renowned for its amazing scuba diving and snorkeling, as well as the other excellent outdoor adventure opportunities there, thanks to the incredible geography of the countryside. The people of Kauai are known for their warmth and hospitable nature, and a trip to Kauai will be an unforgettable experience.