03-23-2026
Lihue Town
Located within the Lihue Region on Kauai
Founder & certified Hawaii travel expert with 20+ years of experience in Hawaii tourism.
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Lihue Town
Kauai, Hawaii
Lihu'e is the second largest town on the Hawaiian Island of Kaua'i in Hawai'i. Lihu'e means literally "cold chill" in Hawaiian. With a population of 8,004, it's a pretty laid back place. There are plenty of shopping and dining possibilities including Walmart, Home Depot, and Target. When you fly into Kauai, you will arrive at the small Lihu'e Airport. In ancient times, Lihu'e was a minor village. The name is of recent origin and means "goose flesh", referring to the cold winds that blew across the land. The ancient name of the area was Ka-laʻ-i-a-mea, meaning calm reddish brown place.
Lihu'e is located in the ancient district of Puna. With the emergence of the sugar industry in the 1800's, Lihu'e became the central city of the island with the construction of a large sugar mill. Many Germans emigrated to Lihu'e, even building in 1881 the first Lutheran church in Hawaii that stands to this day. Services were delivered in German well into the 1960s. George Wilcox was one of the largest sugar plantation owners. The family home, Kilohana, can be visited by tourists. Lihu'e also houses the Kaua'i Museum, which details the rich history of the island.
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Published by: John C. Derrick
Founder & certified Hawaii travel expert with 20+ years of experience in Hawaii tourism.
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Lihue, Kauai
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