Makauwahi Cave Reserve — Attraction in Kauai

The reserve gets 5 stars easily, but there was so much conflicting information online. That you need to hike 2 miles, that you need a flashlight, that there are opening and closing hours, that you can only visit with a tour. I'm glad we decided to take the gamble and make the drive out here. You do not need a tour or flashlight, nor do you need to hike 2 miles.

When you pull onto the entry road, go left. Do not go straight to the stables. Take the dirt road on the left and you will eventually see a sign that says "ATVs only beyond this point." Park here, and it's only about a 15 to 20 minute hike to the caves. There IS crawling required to get inside, but they placed a rug, so you don't have to worry about scraping your knees. A $10 "donation" is "recommended", but the caves are technically free. The free tour is basically just information about the cave. After you're finished here, go back the direction you came, and cross the little footbridge, than climb the steps over the fence to get to the tortoise refuge. Some of the tortoises were enclosed, but there was one that was roaming around outside the enclosure and he was HUGE! If you're a nature lover, this place definitely should...

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Unfortunately, the road that Google Maps took us on was a disaster. It was a dirt road with numerous large potholes. We felt bad for our rental car.

The trail over to the caves is easy but sandy.

You'll walk across a path that overlooks the cave reserve opening. You then come to a T and can choose to walk across a bridge to see the ocean and turtle reserves or you can continue straight and head to the caves. We recommend doing both. If you continue straight, you'll see a sign for the cave. And then to enter the cave, unfortunately, you have to be small and/or able to crawl. It's a very small opening. The cave itself is pretty large and then walks out into a beautiful area with some native plants. You then reach a second cave that only has one way in so it's very dark. When we went, there was a local volunteer there to tell you the history...

Great spot! Three to four days a week, a local hosts tours of the cave and tells its story. Your best bet is to drive the dirt road to the stables and then walk to the cave - it's about a 10 minute walk on a clearly-marked (if uneven) trail.

The cave entrance has a low clearance, so you'll have to crawl if you're adult-sized, but they've got carpet down to protect knees and such. If you're worried about physically being able to get in and out of the entrance, our guide assured us that visitors in their 90's have made it, as well as one in a wheelchair and when a visitor with one leg. Additionally, there's only a low clearance for several feet, so claustrophobics shouldn't be overly worried.

The caves are also home to a rare cave spider that has only been found at this location, but they live far deeper in the cave than visitors are allowed, so fear not - the spiders have saved the cave, but you won't have...