Your tan misses you. Get it back in Kauai, Hawaii’s least developed (read: most charming) island. Fifty miles of sandy, public beaches means no signing up for beach chairs, no fighting for a spot in the sun. So pack your SPF and leave your watch behind. Island time awaits.

GPS
Kauai is shaped like an imperfect circle, and much of life lies around the edges. The South Shore (Poipu/Koloa) gets the best sun (and plenty of tourists who want it). The West Side (Waimea) is old Hawaii in its purist form. The North Shore (Hanalei/Princeville) beckons with a sexy, tropical climate.

South Side
The lobby at the Grand Hyatt is unforgettable, and the rooms live up to its introduction. It’s almost impossible not to relax here, but if you need help, book a Kauai Clay Ritual at newly renovated Anara Spa. Then grab dinner a minute’s drive down the road at Roy’s, for rocking Eurasian cuisine. If you’d rather stay on site, Tidepools — in the middle of the Hyatt’s famous koi ponds — serves a mighty steak. No, you didn’t come here to shop, but if you need souvenir sarongs, go to Old Koloa Town. And snag a coconut bar at Island Soap & Candle Works.

West Wing
Waimea Plantation Cottages, a neighborhood of restored sugar cane plantation workers’ homes, is Hawaii’s Mayberry. Nearby Polihale Beach — part of the sparkling white Barking Sands Beach — is shockingly beautiful, but you’ll need a four-wheel drive to get there. Stuck in a midsize? The views are just as breathtaking at Waimea Canyon.

When you’ve worked up an appetite, head to Waimea Brewing Company for Kalua pork and eight island-brewed beers on tap. Or walk down the street and quench your thirst with a coconut shaved ice from Jo Jo’s (mile marker 23, Highway 50, Waimea; 808-635-7615). For more authentic Hawaiian fare, hit Da Imu Hut Cafe (3771 Hanapepe Rd.; 808-335-0200) in charming Hanapepe. In your downtime, have a beachside lomilomi at A Hideaway Spa in Waimea.

North Pole
Princeville Resort has incomparable views of famed surfing spot Hanalei Bay, but at Hanalei Colony Resort, a hideaway closer to the end of the road, you’ll feel more like a local. Famously beautiful Kilauea Lighthouse is a few miles down the road. On your way there, stop for island pizza at Kilauea Bakery (Lighthouse Road, Kong Lung Center; 808-828-2020) and a shopping fix at Kong Lung Co. If you’re on the hunt for high fashion, don’t miss Cake (Kong Lung Center; 808-828-6412). Nearby Hanalei is home to the beloved Postcards, a favorite of fishatarians and vegetarians. At Bar Acuda, just down the street, half of the 50-plus impressive wines are available by the glass. In what’s left of your spare time, sign up for oceanfront yoga at Hanalei Day Spa.

Or just pitch a towel and finish up that tan.