42 Most Instagrammable Places in Kauai in 2024 (With Map & Photos!)

Looking for the best photo spots in Kauai? I’ve got you covered with this list of 42 instagrammable places in Kauai! From the prettiest beaches and most epic views to photo-worthy roads and instagrammable cafes, you’ll find them all here on this list!

I’ve organized them from the northernmost part of Kauai, going clockwise all the way around the island until you reach the southwesternmost part of the island.

You’ll find a map of these Kauai photo spots at the end of this post.

Also, I should mention that I’m 27 weeks pregnant in these photos! In case you were wondering!! (And if you’re considering Hawaii for a babymoon, check out this post!)

Let’s get to it! Here are the 42 most instagrammable places in Kauai!

And here’s a video highlighting some of these places!

(If you can’t see a video below, you may need to disable your ad blocker!)

1. NaPali Coast

The rugged NaPali Coastline is what you probably have in mind when you think of Kauai. There are three main ways to see it: hiking, a boat tour, and a helicopter tour. I’ll include more details on the NaPali Coast throughout this post!

2. Limahuli Garden & Preserve

This instagrammable Kauai photo spot gives me Bali rice paddy vibes! The way this garden has designed its labyrinth is stunning! You’ll find the best view of it at the top of the self-guided walking tour. Online reservations are recommended as the tours can sell out.

Also, note that this is literally right before the entrance to Haena State Park (the next spot on this list) and is not part of the park.

3. Haena State Park

Haena State Park in Kauai

Located at the northwestern end of the island at the very end of the road is Haena State Park. It can be tricky to get to; you must have a reservation to enter, and parking passes sell out very quickly. But there’s also the option to ride the shuttle to get here- that’s what we did! (I include more information on Haena State Park in my Kauai Itinerary.)

There are a few reasons why people make it a point to visit Haena State Park- the primary reason being the Kalalau Trail.

But keep reading for more photo spots in and around Haena State Park!

4. Ke’e Beach

The Kalalau Trail starts at Ke’e Beach, a great Kauai photo spot in its own right. If you’re lucky, you’ll see some wildlife here! We got to watch a little monk seal make his way onto the beach- it was so special to watch!

Outfit details: I’m wearing this top, these bottoms, and this hat.

5. Kalalau Trail

Within Haena State Park, the Kalalau Trail gives you the option to hike to a waterfall or some epic viewpoints of the NaPali Coast. We started the hike but ended up turning back (since I was very pregnant and very hungry and we realized that if we continued, we wouldn’t have enough time to make the shuttle back for lunch!). So instead of an epic waterfall or NaPali Coast shot, we only got a photo of me walking on the trail!

On a day pass, there are two trail options you can do. Either hike to Hanakapi’ai Beach (4 miles out-and-back) or continue on to Hanakapi’ai Falls (about 8-9 miles total out-and-back from Ke’e Beach).

Get official information about the Kalalau trail here!

6. Tunnels Beach

This beach gives you a rugged mountain backdrop to your beach photos. Definitely one of the most instagrammable places in Kauai! It’s especially remarkable at sunset (though a morning visit was the only thing that fit into our schedule).

Outfit details: wearing this swimsuit (it’s not maternity, just rouched so it still worked with my belly!) and this hat.

7. Hanalei Bay

Here’s my favorite beach in Kauai because it is just so dang beautiful. Definitely one of the most instagrammable places in Kauai, with its mountain backdrop and crystal clear water.

8. Hanalei Pier

While you’re getting photos at Hanalei Bay, be sure to grab some photos at the pier! Whether you take a pic from straight on while on the pier or have it in your background, you’re in for some great photos!

9. Waiʻoli Huiʻia Church

This is simply the cutest church with the prettiest background! Whether you take a photo from the front or fly your drone like we did, you’ll get some cool shots here.

10. Holey Grail

Where my foodstagrammers at? You’ll love photographing these donuts- and then devouring them right after! Holey Grail is a must when in Hanalei!

11. Wishing Well Shave Ice

Here’s another great food stop for food photographers! Acai bowls and shave ice are especially photo-worthy when you add in the fun storefront in the background. (I got the natural coconut shave ice with vanilla ice cream and it was heaven in my mouth!)

12. Taro Fields View

The taro fields are a Hanalei staple- and they’re gorgeous, too! To get to this Kauai photo spot, after crossing the bridge into Hanalei, go left instead of continuing on the main road into Hanalei.

Outfit details: wearing this dress and this hat.

13. Hanalei Valley Lookout

This lookout offers a great view over Hanalei Valley- but if you’re looking for a shot with you in it, this probably isn’t it since there are a lot of trees/shrubs in front of the view. But if you’re into landscape photography, this is a great lookout!

14. Nourish Hanalei

Combine insta-worthy acai bowls, an adorable orange shack, and an epic view over Hanalei, and what do you get? The perfect Kauai photo spot- what more could you want? (Well, actually, I could want this to be open on the weekends!! It was closed when we visited!)

15. Queens Bath

Here’s one of the coolest Kauai photo spots in my opinion! A roughly 30-minute hike brings you to the clearest pool with remarkable views.

BUT make sure you check the waves before visiting! If waves are above 4 feet, you should not attempt this hike, as the pool won’t even be swimmable and the whole thing turns dangerous, instead!

Even if waves are under 4 feet, you never quite know what they’re going to do, so just be sure to use caution before swimming!

16. Queens Bath Waterfall

While you might just be hiking to Queens Bath for the pool, don’t miss this gem along your way! There’s a gorgeous waterfall that will be on your right as you hike to Queens Bath. 

17. Anini Beach

This beach is great for snorkeling if you’re into underwater photography! But we loved it for its off-the-beaten-path feel. These palm trees are especially photo-worthy if you ask me- their location on Google Maps is 22.2241820, -159.4601158.

18. Kilauea Lighthouse

This spot was closed when we visited, so we just got some drone shots, but you can also walk right up to this pretty lighthouse!

19. Moloa’a Beach

This beach gives you gorgeous little pools of water to incorporate into your photos. It’s also very child-friendly if you’re traveling with little ones!

Outfit details: wearing this swimsuit and this hat.

20. Bonus: Moloa’a Beach Hammock

While at Moloa’a Beach, you’ll find this fun hammock towards the right end of the crescent-shaped beach. There also used to be a swing here, but we looked when we visited in January 2022 and couldn’t find it. Who knows, though, it might come back, so keep an eye out!

21. ‘Aliomanu Beach

If you’re up for sunrise, ‘Aliomanu Beach gives you great sunrise photos! When we went in the morning, we were basically the only ones here- just the way I like it for photos 🙂

22. Kalalea View

couple on a scenic road in kauai

Another reason to hit up ‘Aliomanu Beach is this dramatic road view! You’ll have the Kalalea mountains in your photo- beyond stunning. Another plus- this road is not highly trafficked since it pretty much dead-ends into the small dirt parking lot for the beach.

It’s truly one of the most instagrammable places in Kauai in my book!

23. Hokualele Road

For another low-traffic road with incredible views, try this one! I love a road with a view- it always seems to make for a cool photo spot! This one in Kauai is no exception!

24. Opaekaa Falls View

Pull into the parking lot for Opaekaa Falls View, walk a few steps, and bam! You’re at a super easy lookout for these gorgeous falls. Here’s the catch: you’ll want a camera that zooms if you want a close-up shot of these falls. I got this photo with my 24-120mm lens at full zoom (check out what’s in my camera bag here!).

25. Wailua Falls

There’s parking along the side of the road right at Wailua Falls. The only legal way to see the falls is from the designated lookout for the falls. BUT you can hike to the bottom if you’re willing to risk an illegal hike. It’s a short but steep hike- we opted to not do it since my pregnant self was feeling very risk-averse.

But turns out we unknowingly did something illegal here anyway- we flew our drone and afterward, as we were driving away, we saw a sign that said no drones allowed. Oops!

26. Helicopter Tour

Though I mentioned this earlier in regards to seeing the NaPali Coast, this deserves its own spot on this list of Kauai photo spots.

We did the Jurassic Falls Adventure Landing tour with Island Helicopters, so our tour departed right by Lihue Airport. A great thing about getting photos with Island Helicopters is that they require everyone to wear dark colors, decreasing the amount of reflection on the glass.

If it’s a particularly sunny day, at certain angles you’ll most likely still have some reflections in the windows. But this is exactly when a polaroid filter (here’s the one we have) is AMAZING for DSLR cameras. Simply rotate the filter while looking through your camera to see which angle decreases the glare. It’s magical! (But actually, it’s just science.)

27. Shipwreck Beach

This spot makes for a cool early morning photo with the rocky bluffs in the background!

28. Makawehi Bluff on the Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail

Here you’ll find terrain that is pretty unique to this part of Kauai- rocky bluffs and cliffs! It’s quite different from other areas of Kauai, so of course I had to add it to this list of instagrammable places in Kauai!

The Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail starts from Shipwreck Beach. It’s pretty easy and you can go as far as you want on it. We stopped at Makawehi Bluffs and turned back around, though could’ve kept going further. It’s a relatively short hike. It’s easy, too, though you’ll want to keep an eye on your footing as there are some rocky areas!

29. Poipu Beach

Poipu Beach is especially photo-worthy in the late afternoon because that’s when sea turtles come out! Stay until sunset for those famous Hawaiian colors.

30. Little Fish Coffee

This is the cutest coffee shop with the most delicious bagels and smoothies! The bright colors and flowers here make Little Fish Coffee especially instagrammable!

31. Spouting Horn

From the Spouting Horn lookout, you’ll see a blowhole that shoots water out. Since you’re viewing from a platform, I can’t imagine a shot that would have you in it besides a selfie-type shot. But if you’re into landscape photography, this is worth it- especially at sunset!

32. Allerton Beach

It’s time for a *partially* prohibited walk to reach a public beach. You technically have to follow a path that’s on private land that belongs to the National Tropical Botanical Garden.

Here’s what you’ll see:

First, park at the end of the road. You’ll know it’s the end of the road because there’s a big ‘ol closed gate that says “private property” on it. From there, there is ample room to park on the side of the road. Park, gather everything you’ll need for your beach time, and then take the walking path to the left of the gate.

You’ll follow the road until you see a fork; take the left fork.

Follow that narrow path down until you reach the beach (you’ll have to duck at points since there are low-hanging branches and tree tunnels).

33. Whale watching

Wildlife makes for epic Instagram photos and videos- especially giant wildlife! If you visit Kauai in the winter, you’ll be there for prime whale-watching season!

Book a tour (most leave from Port Allen Marine Center) or bring a telephoto lens so you can capture some whales from the beach! Poipu Beach is supposed to have great whale watching (though we didn’t see any while we were there).

34. Waimea Canyon State Park

Other than the NaPali Coast, this is another incredibly photographed part of Kauai. Reddish orange canyons will add pops of color to your feed!

There are quite a few instagrammable Kauai photo spots within Waimea Canyon State Park that you won’t want to miss:

35. Nihau Lookout

You might not expect tall grass in Waimea Canyon State Park, but it’s what you’ll drive past for quite a while before entering. Nihau Lookout is a good place to stop if you want this aesthetic for your Instagram!

Bonus: you can also see Nihau (an island off Kauai’s coast) on a clear day!

36. Red Dirt Waterfall

Heading into Waimea Canyon State Park, you’ll also notice the terrain turn into some bright red dirt. But even cooler: there’ll be a waterfall on your left that you won’t want to miss! I put on my swimsuit for some Gray Malin vibes, but you can’t actually swim here.

Outfit details: bikini top, bikini bottom (non-maternity but they worked with my bump!), hat.

37. Waimea Canyon State Park Lookout

This gives you easy and incredible views of Waimea Canyon. Whether you incorporate the stairs, take a selfie at the bottom, or focus on landscape photography, this is one of the best photo spots in Kauai!

38. Bonus: Roadside Waimea Canyon View

There’s a small pull-off you can park by to see this view of Waimea Canyon without any fences in the way! The exact location is 22.089089, -159.671529 in Google Maps!

39. Kokee State Park

As you continue north on the road from Waimea Canyon State Park, you’ll enter a second state park: Kokee State Park! (Entry fees for Waimea Canyon also cover Kokee State Park, so you don’t have to pay twice).

It’s well worth it to go all the way to the end of Kokee State Park. In fact, it has what I’d consider to be one of the most instagrammable photo spots in all of Kauai!

Here are some of my favorite Kauai photo spots you’ll find here:

40. Kalalau Lookout

This lookout gives you a great view over a portion of what I believe qualifies at the NaPali Coast- with no hiking required. But for an even better angle of the ridges and valleys, keep going until you reach the next spot.

Outfit details: wearing this hat.

41. Pu’u O Kila Lookout

pu'u o'kila lookout

This is another of the best photo spots in Kauai in my opinion! Here’s the catch: you’ll really only get this view if you visit on a clear day.

Tip: instead of taking a photo from the designated lookout spot, walk slightly past it along the path and you’ll find the spot above! I prefer it as I think ditching the rails makes for a better photo.

42. Kalepa Ridge Trail

From the lookout before Pu’u O Kila, there’s a hole in a fence (you’ll see it on your left-hand side) that leads to an illegal hike with epic views. It may be illegal, but that definitely doesn’t stop people from doing it!

I believe that the reason why it’s illegal is that there are portions that require you to hike on a narrow path adjacent to a cliff- so if it’s muddy or if you have questionable weather, I’d say skip this! Safety first!

We didn’t do this hike because I was 27 weeks pregnant, but I’ve seen photos from this hike with remarkable views of the NaPali Coast- if you dare!

Map of instagrammable Kauai photo spots

Here’s a map of all of these Kauai photo spots! If you open the legend, the spots are in order going clockwise from the northwest to southwest.

You can actually open and save this map to the Google Maps app on your phone if you want to!

In conclusion…

I hope you’ve fallen in love with these Kauai photo spots because they sure made us love Kauai! It’s simply one of the most beautiful islands I’ve ever visited!

Know of more great instagrammable places in Kauai? Drop them in the comments!

Heading there soon? Let me know which of these spots you’re most excited to visit!

And if you’re planning a trip to the Hawaiian islands, here are some more posts you might enjoy:

Safe travels!

Jasmine

Sick of ads?

I get it! 

Pay $5 and sign up below to never seen an ad on my website again!

Plus, you’ll get access to my email vault of past issues containing my best travel and life hacks I don’t share anywhere else! 

You will also get all my digital printables including itineraries, checklists, and more!

Jasmine Alley

Jasmine Alley

I'm a Dallas-based, full-time travel blogger with a serious case of wanderlust! Through my website and Instagram, I hope to help others plan picture-perfect trips to the most beautiful places in the world! When I travel, I like to emphasize nature, hidden gems, and unique places.
Jasmine Alley

Jasmine Alley

I'm a Dallas-based, full-time travel blogger with a serious case of wanderlust! Through my website and Instagram, I hope to help others plan picture-perfect trips to the most beautiful places in the world! When I travel, I like to emphasize nature, hidden gems, and unique places.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search

Hi, I’m Jasmine! I’m a nature-obsessed, beauty-finding, Jesus-loving dreamer with a serious case of wanderlust. I love to create photo-worthy travel content and hope to fill your travel plans with incredible beauty and breathtaking views! Thanks for following along on my adventures!

Sign up for my email list to get my best life and travel hacks that I don't share anywhere else!

What's In My Camera Bag

Start Your Own Blog

Instagram

Affiliate Disclosure

Hello friends! FYI, most product links on my site are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a commission from advertising or affiliate programs. This doesn’t raise prices- it sometimes may actually lower them! Thanks for supporting my blog by purchasing through these links!