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Here, six unexpected (and exhilarating!) ways to experience the lush wonders of Kauai, Hawaii's greenest island.

For an adventure-packed honeymoon, Kauai is tough to beat. Its moss-green mountains, plunging valleys, ubiquitous waterfalls and tropical jungle will have you eager to explore as many of these magnificent sights as you can. Lucky for you, there’s no shortage of activities that let you do just that. The best part: Kauai’s average year-round daytime temperature ranges from the mid-70s to mid-80s, with refreshing breezes from northeast tradewinds—ideal for all your explorations.

Kalalau the largest valley on Napali

An ATV rdies past miles of unspoiled terrain.

Off the coast of Napali

A zip-liner flashes a "shaka" sign—a popular Hawaiian greeting.

A secluded pool on the island's North Shore

The majestic Wailua Falls

Riverboat Cruise

Of all the Hawaiian islands, only Kauai has navigable rivers, so jump right in and take advantage of them. On the eastern side of the island, Smith’s Tropical Paradise offers an 80-minute riverboat tour that takes you two miles up the Wailua River to the Fern Grotto, a leafy natural amphitheater. On your way you’ll hear songs and stories about the Hawaiian royalty who once lived here, and a hula dancer will provide a free dance lesson. At the grotto you’ll have just enough time for a short walk through the rain forest (smithskauai.com). While you’re on this side of the island, which is also called the Coconut Coast for its abundance of coconut trees, consider staying at the 311-room ResortQuest Kauai Beach at Makaiwa in the town of Kapaa. The resort features a Polynesian luau six nights a week, complete with live Hawaiian music and hula performances (resortquesthawaii.com).

Plantation Tours

Near the city of Lihue, about 10 miles south of the Coconut Coast, you’ll find Kilohana, a 100-acre plantation estate built in 1935 at a time when sugarcane farming was a booming business here. You can board the Kauai Plantation Railway (modeled after the wooden trains that transported raw cane to the sugar mills) for a 30-minute ride around working fields of sugarcane, pineapple, banana, papaya and coffee. Along the way you get a chance to feed some goats, pigs and sheep. After your tour, be sure to browse the shops for antiques, jewelry and
Hawaiian crafts (kilohanakauai.com). Then treat yourselves to an alfresco lunch at the estate’s Gaylord’s Courtyard Restaurant, which serves venison, lamb, seafood and pastas. Or complete your trip into the past with a romantic Clydesdale-drawn carriage ride. Plantation Carriages offers a 20-minute tour that covers 35 acres within the plantation (theweddingcarriage.com).

ATV Excursion

If you’re up for an exciting off-road adventure, you’ll want to try an all-terrain vehicle (ATV). Sign on for the four-hour waterfall tour offered by Kauai ATV, located in Old Koloa Town on the South Shore (aka Kauai’s sunnier side). Choose from four-wheel, single-person ATVs or fully automatic, two-person “mud bugs.” At a speed of 25 to 30 miles per hour, you’ll trace the paths of old sugarcane trails, past Kauai’s gorgeous landscape—so awe-inspiring, in fact, that several scenes from Jurassic Park were filmed within these 22,000 acres. A highlight is the breathtaking half-mile tunnel that takes you straight through the center of the Haupu Mountains. You’ll also appreciate a refreshing break at a small waterfall, where you can wash off the red dirt (or mud, depending on the rainfall) you’ll be covered with by then. Hint: Borrow a T-shirt and fatigues from the company beforehand; after all, getting dirty is half the fun (kauaiatv.com).

Nearby accommodations include the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa, a top-rated 602-room property in Koloa, with a massive spa, meandering pools, some with hidden caves and waterfalls, and a saltwater lagoon (kauai.hyatt.com). For a homier experience, stay at the Kiahuna Plantation & The Beach Bungalows, a condo resort in the beach town of Poipu. Each of the 333 suites and bungalows offers a private lanai or garden terrace and a full kitchen. Its Plantation Gardens restaurant serves delicious Polynesian and Asian-influenced pupus (appetizers) and cocktails (castleresorts.com). You can also walk across the street to the Poipu Shopping Village for dinner at local favorite Keoki’s Paradise. Order the fresh fish of the day—which might be ono, a lean white game fish, or opah, also known as Hawaiian moon fish (keokisparadise.com).

Zip-lining Expedition

You’ll really get your heart pumping with a zip-line tour. Are you ready? First, you’ll be strapped into a harness that’s hooked onto a pulley. Then you’ll jump off a platform some 150 feet above
a lush ravine and swing—or zip—along a steel cable to the ravine’s far side. Invigorating, to say the least. For a bigger thrill, try jumping off the platform backward. On the North Shore, Princeville Ranch Adventures is the go-to spot for zip-lining. Its four-and-a-half-hour-long Zip N’ Dip Expedition features eight different lines, the longest of which is 770 feet across. Your lunch break is at a small swimming hole, where you can dive into the deep end or grab an inner tube and paddle toward the waterfall for an excellent photo op (adventureskauai.com).

While you’re in the area, make your way to Tunnels Beach, one of the best spots on the island for swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving, and take some time to explore nearby Hanalei Town. The Hanalei Lookout is a must-see. A patchwork of emerald green and brown, the lush valley is where most of the taro (used to make poi, a Hawaiian food staple) in the state is grown. As for an ideal honeymoon retreat, the 252-room Princeville Resort, noted for its two picturesque golf courses, has long been the popular choice. Rooms have enormous windows that provide unbeatable views of Hanalei Bay, which can even be enjoyed from your whirlpool bath; the liquid-crystal panes of the bathroom windows turn opaque at the flip of a switch (princevillehotelhawaii.com).

Helicopter Ride

For the ultimate way to experience Kauai, you’ll want to take to the skies in a helicopter that hovers high above its mountains, deep valleys, cascading waterfalls and spectacular coastline. And since only three percent of the island is developed, it’s really the only way to see the interior, especially landmarks like the Waimea Canyon, a stunning 3,567-foot-deep gorge, and the Waialeale Crater, which is surrounded by a three-sided wall of waterfalls 3,000 feet high. Another amazing natural wonder: the southeastern side’s Wailua Falls, which has a 170-foot drop—actually higher than Niagara Falls. Island Helicopters offers a 50-minute
pilot-narrated (and personalized) tour that departs from the Lihue Airport. Be sure to bring a light jacket—and, of course, your camera (slandhelicopters.com).

Photography: (from top) Kauai Visitors Bureau; Andre Cottrim; Kauai Visitors Bureau; Princeville Resort; Princeville Resort; Kauai Visitors Bureau.