The Thrills And Spills Of Mountain Tubing Through Hawaii

Deep in the rainforests of Kauai, Hawaii, an artificial lazy river has been engineered through what was once the Lihue Plantation. Today, visitors can take an inflatable tube and float along the beautiful scenery and into the darkness of tunnels carved into the surrounding mountains.

What is a lazy river?

Lazy rivers are found in theme parks around the world and are the slow-running rivers that water rides run along, often opening out into pools and ravines.

The waterway in Kauai is slightly different. It was originally an irrigation channel that served over 17,000 acres (6,880 hectares) of plantation land. The river ran directly through the mountains, thanks to tunnels that were dug in the 1870s. The main produce here was sugar, but the industry was all but gone by 2000.

Mountain tubing is a leisurely way to explore Hawaii

In 2003, the tubing experience was opened to the public. Anyone over the age of five can take part (although there is a minimum height requirement) and the trip lasts for about three hours. You will be provided with everything you need, including a headlamp, which comes in handy when going through the caves beneath the mountains.

The water flows through the lush landscape, giving you unrivalled views of the ocean, coastline and mountains. The water itself comes from Mount Waialeale, which, thanks to almost constant rainfall at its summit, is one of the wettest places in the world.

Make sure you have waterproof footwear, bug repellent and appropriate clothing that you don’t mind getting wet. The experience ends at a secluded picnic spot, which also has its own natural swimming pool if you haven’t had your fill of getting soaked.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.