It comes as no surprise that Kauai, otherwise crowned The Garden Isle, was voted the second best island in the world by the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine and the best Hawaiian Island. There are two of many distinctions that Kauai holds that attributed to earning the esteemed awards. The first is that Kauai is the oldest of the Hawaiian Islands, so Mother Nature has had plenty of time to cut deep gorges into the valleys, shape dramatic sea cliffs and sculpt the majestic Waimea Canyon into the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Another primary distinction is that Kauai is also home to the rainiest spot on earth, Mount Wai‘ale‘ale (rippling water) with an average yearly rainfall of 450 inches. As you can see on our Kauai map that situated almost in the center of the island, this 5,148 ft. tall mountain provides Kauai with the nourishment it needs to earn its monicker as the Garden Isle, with lush rainforests, spectacular waterfalls and verdant tropical foliage. Check out our Kauai travel guide to find Kauai hotels, Kauai rentals, and find Kauai activities to make your trip complete.
