Lihue

With a population of about 6,000 residents, Lihue is the county seat of Kauai County in the state of Hawaii and is the second largest town on the island of Kauai. The town is served by the Lihue Airport and Nawiliwili Bay. The island’s largest shopping center, Kukui Grove Center, which is home to the island’s only big department store, Macy’s, as well as K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Costco, is also located there. However, Kauai has a history of being very strict when it comes to approving major developments and having large corporations and global chains trying to establish themselves on the island in order to preserve Kauai’s beauty, something that would be threatened by overdevelopment.

Although Lihue offers a variety of dining, shopping, and entertainment opportunities, the town of Kapa’a, located just north of Lihue, is the major tourist center due to its large concentration of hotels and tourist-oriented shops. Nevertheless, Kauai is most perhaps most popular for its outdoor activities such as snorkeling, diving, hiking, kayaking, and swimming. Some of the popular natural attractions in the area include the Alakai Wilderness Area, Hanalei Bay, Ke’e Beach, Na Aina Kai Botanical Gardens, Na Pali Coast Stae Park, Wailua River, Waimea Canyon, and Princeville North Shore.