No. 8 Kauai, Hawaii
It may be the most dramatic vista anywhere in Hawaii: from the bluffs above the eastern tip of Hanalei Bay, on the north shore of Kauai, you look out on a crescent-shaped beach. Tireless waterfalls spill from jagged cliffs in deep green valleys. A rain shower rolls across the far side of the bay while the sun blazes down on you. Though the island’s World’s Best ranking fell slightly this year, the recently renovated St. Regis Princeville Resort, 252 spacious rooms carved into a cliff, is a slice of paradise. Don’t miss the private Pali Ke Kua Beach, where the only other living creature might be a sea turtle laying her eggs.
