What To Pack For Your Hawaiian Vacation To Kauai

We just traveled to Kauai, and out of the three islands I have have been to, it is definitely the most laid back, relaxed, and in my opinion, beautiful. You won't see fancy dresses, heavy makeup, high heels, or sequins there. Slippas, aka flip flops, swim suits, sunscreen and a sarong/cover-up, are all you really need on this island. In fact, that's pretty much what I live in while I am there. Snorkel gear, a few tank tops, a couple pairs of shorts and you're set. If you're planning on hiking, zip lining, atv riding, etc., make sure and bring enclosed, lace up shoes and a light waterproof jacket too, just in case you get caught in a little rainstorm. You are in fact traveling to Kauai, the place that gets the most rainfall on earth, so chances are highly likely that you'll see a little rain.

Of course I packed more than I really need, but I'm like a boy scout and I always like to be prepared :) Sometimes it's hard to find that balance between what you really need and the 'just in case I might want it' stuff...

Clothing:

• Sunglasses, polarized if you can, they really cut the glare so you can see even more of that beautiful clear water
• 2-3 Swimming Suits
• 1 Sarong/Cover-up
• 2 pairs of Flip Flops
• 3 pairs of Shorts
• 5-7 Shirts/Tank tops, and make sure one is black if you plan on taking a helicopter tour. Black is least reflective in the windows of the helicopter, and if you plan on taking pictures on the tour, it's important to not have reflection.
• 1 pair of Light Pants*
• 1 Comfy Dress, for a nice dinner out. But beware, don't wear anything too flowy or short or you'll be showing the island your buns! The trade winds are always blowing and I unfortunately know that from personal experience LOL sorry everyone at the shave ice stand!
• PJ's
• 2 pairs of Socks, more if your doing a lot of hiking.
• Tennis Shoes, sandals that strap on, or hiking boots*
• 7 pairs of Panties
• 1 Bra* like I said, I basically live in my swimming suits so I barely wear the one I bring, mostly needed for the plane rides and that occasional nice dinner out.
• Light Waterproof Jacket*
• Beach Towel** this is optional, if you're staying at a condo/resort most of the time they will provide towels for you to use.

Yes this is all my clothes that I packed, someday I'll figure out how to narrow it down :)

Bathroom Items:

• Sunscreen. Sunscreen. SUNSCREEN! Please make sure and apply it several times throughout the day. Nothing is fun about burning and being miserable on vacation.
• Anti-bacterial wipes, I like to keep these in the rental car
• Bug repellent
• Toothbrush/Paste
• Contact Solution/Case/Extra Contacts/Glasses
• Deodorant
• Hair Brush
• Hair Ties/Clips
• Shampoo/Conditioner
• Deep Conditioner, your hair will be in salt water and sun all day, it will be thirsty and tangly.
• Heat Protectant, use with your hot tools and mist it on your hair before going outside in the sun.
• Blow Dryer**
• Flat Iron, this is totally optional, but it's a must for me, otherwise I'd look like Chewbacca LOL the humidity is crazy!
• Feminine Products
• Body Lotion
• Soap/Body Wash/Shave Gel
• Razor
• Night Cream, if you get a little bit too much sun you will want to hydrate your skin extra good
• Nail File/Clippers/Tweezers
• Band Aids
• Face Wash
• Tinted Moisturizer with SPF, this is my favorite one by Garnier.
• Chap Stick with SPF*
• Small Compact with eyeshadow, blush and bronzer
• Waterproof Mascara, I don't go too crazy with makeup while on the island, it will get washed off by the water or sweat off by the humidity almost immediately, plus ain't nobody got time for that! LOL I am on vacation :)

Electronics:

• *Camera/Chargers
• *Cellphone/Charger
• *Go Pro/Charger
• *Laptop/Charger
• *Ear buds
• *Extra Memory Card
• *Extra Battery for Camera

Laundry & Kitchen:

• We stayed in a pretty well stocked condo and had a washer & dryer which was so nice and really I wouldn't have needed to pack so many clothes, but I like my options :) And the more I can bring with me, the cheaper my grocery bill will be once I get there when it comes to food. Groceries are a lot more expensive in Hawaii. Where we stayed they give you a starter amount of toilet paper, tissue, paper towels, laundry detergent, dish soap and dishwasher detergent.
• Laundry detergent, my husband has allergies so I bring our fragrance and dye free detergent in a small bottle, enough for about 2 loads.
• Ziplocks, I use a lot of these, I pack lunches for beach picnics daily.
• Mayo/Mustard/Ketchup Packets, these just make my life way easier and saves money.

Snacks for the plane:

• *Jerky
• *Granola bars
• *Pretzels
• *Crackers
• *Fruit
• *Gum

Misc:

• *Neck Pillow, if you have a red-eye flight, this is a lifesaver 
• *Beach bag, I use this as my personal item/purse while on the plane. You are allowed one carry on and one personal item per person. I stuff my bag with snacks, my small purse, camera, pillow, magazines etc.
• Reusable shopping bags, they do not have plastic grocery bags on the islands and if you want your items bagged you either need to bring bags or buy them for $1 each at the store, I have 4 that I bring with me, plus they can be used on the beach or in the car while you're there. They lay flat and are light weight.
• *Wallet/Purse
• *Identification 
• *Credit Cards
• *Cash
• *Boarding passes

Things to get once you're on the island:

• Rental car, to really be able to see and appreciate the island, you first need to be able to get around. Shop around and make sure you are getting the best deal. My favorite place to book through is discounthawaiicarrental.com. Prices change daily so keep looking! Plus through this website you don't have to have a credit card to reserve online. I reserved a car and then checked back a couple days later and it was cheaper so I reserved again and cancelled my first reservation without any problems, fee's or penalties :) Canceling is easy and just takes seconds!
• Snorkel gear. There are so many places to snorkel, and it's fun to have the gear with you when you decide to check out new beaches. We rented ours for the week from Snorkel Bob's.
• Groceries, I get basics like, milk, eggs, bread, butter, cereal, lunch meat, cheese, peanut butter, chips, snacks, POG-Passion Orange Guava juice mmm, etc.
• Bottled water, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
• Fresh fruit from the Sunshine Markets, farmers markets, the best, freshest fruit around!! One of my favorite things about Hawaii is the fruit! I can't believe I haven't come back home yellow because of all the fresh pineapple I eat over there LOL! 
• Beach Chair & Umbrella. These were available to rent for the week from our resort.

That's it! It's just my husband and I traveling, so I am sure you will need more if you have kids. Just remember, while you're there, you are living the island life, so hang loose, and relax. And if you really need something you forgot, there's a Walmart, Safeway, Longs Drug Store, Kmart, and a Costco there, as well as many other stores and markets. Safe travels! Aloha!

* indicates that I wear these items or bring them with me on the plane so I save room in my luggage.
** indicates that the condo we stayed in provided these items and I didn't pack them, but they are things you might need so they made the list.

Oh and you know I'm going to leave you with something pretty to drool over look at :) We had an absolutely wonderful vacation!