Eagle Eye Loc: Huntington, NY

I'm going to Kuaui in April and would appreciate any suggestions for photo ops

Also I've never flown with my camera gear and plan to carry it in my backpack. Any tips about that?

Thanks!

Silver506 Loc: Colorado

Should be fine. I 've done it hundreds of times. Kauai is a wonderful destination and full of photo and other opportunites.

nascar27 Loc: Kansas City, MO

We loved Kauai!! There are many great photo opportunities. I flew with my camera & lenses using a Lowepro backpack which I kept under my aircraft seat with no problems. A few off the top of my head is the Napali coast which can only be accessed by boat or air which we did both. We took a sunset dinner sailing cruise up and back along the Napali coast and it was fantastic. The helicopter was great too....got close in some of the steep canyons. Another area you can drive too which is great is Waimea Canyon which is known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Hanalei Bay on the northern part of the island is a beautiful beach area as well. I am attaching some photos of these areas for you. Hope you have a great trip! 8-)

Waimea Canyon

(Download)

Napali Coastline

(Download)

Hanalei Bay

(Download)

waynpete Loc: Butte, MT

A helicopter tour was the highlight . The Fern Grotto is great. Wiamea Canyon is a must stop. The road which, almost,encircles the island is only thirty miles long. I also
enjoyed a boat tour.

waynpete Loc: Butte, MT

Thanks. Takes me back. Wiamea Canyon was fogged in so I returned to the north shore. When I saw an opening in the cloud cover, I hurried back to capture the stunning view.

harry adams

Kauai will offer you every available setting on your camera------------------------Kauai is beautiful----------------and it s occupants also.

JerryOSF Loc: Bristol, VA

We went there in 2011. The "movie adventure tour" was great, especially if you are a movie buff. It is a bus tour with onboard video scenes from movies shot on Kauai while you are taken to the site of each scene.

pecohen Loc: Central Maine

I was there only once - for only a couple hours - but I want to go back. There are some spectacular waterfalls on the coast but to see them you had to be in the air or on the water; I don't think there is any way to see them while actually on the island.

Bear2 Loc: Southeast,, MI

Went last year celebrating our 50th anniversary. Highlight was a private (just my wife ad I) helicopter flight with the "doors off" for better photography. Was an awesome adventure.The canyons, waterfalls, Spouting Horn are all great photo ops. If you rent a vehicle from National, you will get Impala, If you rent from Enterprise, you be driving a 4 door Jeep Wrangler. We had an oceanfront room overlooking Poipu Beach for ten days. Absolutely awesome place. We had previously visited the other popular islands. I took my D7000 and only a 18-200 VR ll and captured some great images.
Duane

brow3904 Loc: Upstate South Carolina

Have your camera ready when you deplane and keep shooting until you load for home. If you want a good hamburger stop at one of the Bubba Burgers (one in Hanalei and another in Lihu'e) , and if you're in/around Poipu Beach, there's a little hotdog place in a small strip mall that makes the famous "puka" dog. If you've ever seen the tv show about the top 10 places to have a hot dog, this place is one of them. I guarantee you will never have one like it anywhere else. Enjoy your trip and I look forward to seeing some of your photographs.

dleebrick Loc: Indian Land, South Carolina

You're exactly right. Take an empty SD card, 'cause you're going to need it!

Napali Coast


Grand Canyon from Island Helicopter tour


Beachside in the morning

foodie65

If you are able, don't limit yourself to Kauai (which is beautiful) but try to get to at least one other island. Plenty to see and photograph whichever island you are on.

windshoppe Loc: Arizona

Our last visit there was last February. Highlights were:
Doors off helicopter tour (waterfalls are spectacular as is the coast), Poipu Beach, Hanalei Beach, Wiamea Canyon. It's our favorite of the Hawaiian Islands by far. Have a wonderful trip and bring lots of photo storage.

Copfer Loc: Gillette, Wyoming

Definetly Doors off Helicopter tour. So worth it.
I took my 24-120 F4 lens/ Nikon D800 and it was perfect.
Also I took a photography tour. They took us to great photo op spots a little rushed, but showed you were you can go back to take some great shots.

bobk823 Loc: Portsmouth, Rhode Isand

Eagle,
All the suggestions have been spot on. I lived on Ohahu for 2 yrs and had business at the Paciific Missile & Underwater Tracking range at Barking Sands 5-6 times a year. And now go back to Maui ( Kaanapali ) every year for a month. The Na Pali coast IS magnificent and IMHO best seen from the water ...BUT ....water tours only run in the Summer months as Winter is too rough ( high sea state) ....April ,I think , may be too early :-( ....if not available hike the Kalalau trail from Ke 'e State Park ....you need to be in good shape ...no newbies on this hike ...very narrow and steep but the views are incredible. IF you have ( or can get) hiking/overnight gear , camp out a night or 2 and hike into one of the many waterfalls. The full 11 miles over to the Kalalau Valley Lookout ( Indiana Jones fame ) I believe , takes 3 days .....and don't forget you'll need to get a permit to do this !! Google Na Pali Coast State Park for all the details. Also , if boats of NaPali not running remember it's still Humback Whale season until the middle of May. The Whale tours will be running as they don't navigate around the Na Pali ...primarily out of Port Allen ,between Poipu and Barking Sands. I use a 70-300 or 80-400 lens and shoot at the fastest rep rate of the camera. Got lots of great breeches this past January out of Lahaina, Maui .....ALWAYS in a RHIB ( Rigid Hull InflatableBoat) or super Zodiac , since you're closer to the action and the Whales are very curious at times and often shadow the Zodiac for long periods with their calfs.
Hope this helps ...have a great trip !!
Bob K.