Ahukini Pier Hanama’ula Bay, Kauai Hawaii

Make the first right before leaving the Lihu’e Airport, watch for a heliport on the left, and keep going until you hit the ocean at Ahukini Pier. This is a great place to get your bearings and a feeling for the simple pleasures that dictate life on this island. From the pier, all Kauai’s major mountains are visible. Because Kauai is the oldest of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands, erosion has diminished the size of its mountains and at the same time created some of the most dramatic landscapes anywhere.

The waters off Ahukini Pier, located at the mouth of Hanama’ula Bay, are not only good for pole fishing but also for whale watching. Here the seafloor drops off sharply and whales are more likely to pass close to shore.