Hawaii's green garden

The Hawaiian island of Kauai is nicknamed "The Garden Isle" with good reason. This oldest and greenest spot in the island chain is an outdoor enthusiast's dream come true, offering the winning combination of top-notch scenery and an array of different ways to experience it.

Whether you're happiest exploring on foot, by boat or from the skies, Kauai has something for you...

Gardener's worlds

In many places around the globe, botanical gardens means a modest area of greenery and a glass-house or two. In Kauai, it means hundreds of acres of sky-scraping trees, exotic plants, lawns and valleys that you could comfortably spend a good couple of days exploring. There are several such facilities on the island. Most visited is the McBryde Garden on Kauai's south coast, a haven of native orchids, palms and much more in the stunning Lawa'i Valley. Guests are transported from the parking lot by tram, giving the feeling that you're being hauled deep into the tropical wilderness.

Next door to the McBryde is the Allerton Garden, a more manicured location complete with fountains and statues. It faces the ocean in an impossibly picturesque little bay that is, fortunately, a patch of private land that hotel developers can't get their mits on.

To the north, the layered terraces of Limahuli Garden look resemble Asian rice paddy fields. Framed by mountains and looking directly on to the clear Pacific waters, it's as highly-respected as it is scenic; the Garden was recently voted by experts as the best of its kind anywhere in the USA.

Take to the water

The wide, placid waters of the Wailua River are a big draw for kayakers and waterskiiers. All of Hawaii's five navigable rivers are found on Kauai and the Wailua is the most accessible.

Fed by a couple of dramatic waterfalls, the river eventually joins the sea just south of charming Kapa'a, one of the island's major towns. Paddle upstream from the coast and you'll find yourself on the sort of jungle-lined waterway that could easily be in deepest Africa or a humid corner of Asia. Green mountain peaks loom over the palm trees and dark waters but, this being Hawaii, there's no need to worry about any water-dwelling creatures; the only thing likely to bother you during the journey is the occasional mosquito.

On a bank just a short paddle upriver is a walking trail that leads off to Secret Falls, a delightful jungle-enclosed cascade of water that is well worth seeking out. The hike takes you along an atmospheric rainforest path and across a stream or two before opening out into the clearing where the falls thunder down in noisy fashion.

Further up the Wailua River is the Fern Grotto. This popular attraction is a small natural amphiteatre shape in a lava rock fact, draped with trees that give the feel of a secluded grotto.

The Wailua river isn't just a pretty place but has added pertinence for history buffs; it's thought that the river's mouth and adjoining beach are where Polynesian explorers first made landfall in Hawaii, after travelling thousands of miles across the Pacific.

Visitors wanting to take to Kauai's waters can join a tour of rent a canoe and do it themselves. Several operators in the Kapa'a area offer both trips and rentals. Another area worth exploring by boat is the Huleia Strean, which runs into the sea south of the island's capital, Lihue. This peaceful river takes canoeists past more glorious jungle scenery to the mystical Kipu Falls. Film buffs might recognise the Kipu region from Raiders Of The Lost Ark, in which it doubled for South America.