About Kauai
Kauaʻi, anglicised Kauai, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. In 1778, Captain James Cook arrived at Waimea Bay, the first European known to have reached the Hawaiian islands. He named the archipelago after his patron the 6th Earl of Sandwich, George Montagu. Kauaʻi was known for its distinct dialect of the Hawaiian language; this survives on Niʻihau. While the standard language today adopts the dialect of Hawaiʻi island, which has the sound [k], the Kauaʻi dialect was known for pronouncing this as [t]. Kauaʻi’s climate is tropical, with generally humid and stable conditions year round. Kaua'i is home to many shave ice shops, a tradition in the islands. Popular tourist shave ice shops are Wailua Shave Ice in Kapaʻa, and Uncleʻs Shave Ice in Lihuʻe and Koloa.