Nawiliwili Beach Park

You're not going to find anything resembling a city on the island of Kauai. The westernmost accessible island in Hawaii, Kauai is happy to keep it “Kauai-it.” The local government has even gone so far as to outlaw the construction of any building taller than a palm tree. Kauai is the kind of island that wakes up with the sunrise call of wild roosters and then falls asleep soon after the sun goes down.

But that doesn't mean Kauai doesn't have a “city” and a little bit of industry. You'll find Nawiliwili Beach Park inside a deep protected harbor next to the island's main port. In fact, the tallest building on Kauai just might be the cruise ship docked right next to this popular beach.

The docked cruise ship usually means that the beach is packed with very temporary tourists. To cater to the ship's crowds, the beach is lined with souvenir shops, scooter rental offices, bars, and restaurants. You'll even find an entrance to Duke's Restaurant near the beach in Nawiliwili Harbor.

Duke Kahanamoku was raised on Oahu long before Hawaii became a state. He fought for the U.S. Military and then represented America in the Olympics. The Duke then when on a worldwide tour to show off his Olympic swimming prowess, and he took that opportunity to show the world the sport of surfing.

You won't find any surfers in the calm waters off Nawiliwili Beach Park, but the sport was invented in Hawaii. The Duke showed the world, and you can pay homage to the famous Hawaiian by eating at his harbor-side restaurant after spending some time on the sand.

There are plenty of trees on the flat gold sand beach, so you won't have any trouble finding shade. The water is clear and calm as it is protected inside a dramatic cove. In fact, you can see houses built on the cliffs that pinch off the harbor.

You should stay out of the water at this beach after a heavy rain. A river pours into the harbor which can send red dirt and other sediment into the ocean when it rains. Sharks like to congregate in the murky water to eat fish that have been swept out to sea, and these sharks can give you a little exploratory nibble during their murky water hunts. Shark bites in Hawaii are extremely rare, even in murky water, but you should reduce your chances even further by staying out of dirty ocean water.

You may notice stand up paddle boarders out near the edge of the harbor who are peering down at the hammerhead sharks that like to lurk in that area. The hammerhead has a specially designed head, snout and mouth that allows them to pick their prey out of the ocean floor. Hammerheads are harmless to humans, and people have been diving with large hammerheads for centuries with no issues. Feel free to rent a board and head out to see the curious creatures.

It's easy to make a day of it down in Nawiliwili Harbor. You'll have access to restaurants and bars, and you can even rent a scooter. You can rent a 50cc scooter in Hawaii without a motorcycle license. These low-power scooters get a max speed of about 30 miles per hour, but the top speed limit on Kauai is only 50. You can circle the entire island by riding off to the side of the road to let traffic by.

And renting a scooter is economical on Kauai. Gas is more expensive on the islands, and scooters can get 80 to 100 miles per gallon. And you can rent a scooter with insurance for as low as $25 per day. Just make sure lather up in sunscreen, especially on the wrists, before you head out. The rear view mirrors of the scooter can amplify and focus the sunlight to scorch your forearms.