Kauai 's Hindu Monastery occupies 458 acres at the foot of an extinct volcano and is an embodiment of supreme peace and tranquility. It is worth visiting just to immerse yourself in the beauty of the land: a waterfall that leads to a lake where monks take an afternoon swim; a botanical garden that consists of many rare plants and a gorgeous mountain backdrop. It is a Hindu monastery, but people from different religions visit it just to learn what Hinduism is all about, and have an experience that makes you feel like you can attain inner peace, if only you try hard enough.

The lake is amazing and there is green everywhere you look.

The monastery has two temples, both dedicated to the Hindu God Siva. The Kadavul Temple which was the first temple constructed in the monastery, houses a 6 foot tall bronze statue of Lord Siva in his Nataraja pose (Lord of the Dance).

A very interesting aspect of this monastery is that it is fully Wi-Fi enabled. You'll see monks walking around with digital cameras or working on their magazine ‘Hinduism Today' on their Macs. They have embraced technology and use it to put forward their message. They even assemble their own computers and set up the internet connections that allow them to keep visitors and devotees updated on what is happening in the monastery.

The monastery houses one of the world’s largest quartz crystals and there are exotic trees that grow bright blue seed pods that, when cleaned, are made into brown prayer beads. Even if you are not a religious person, this is a very educational place to visit.

The Kauai Hindu Monastery has tours every month and if you do go to the island of Kauai, definitely consider visiting it!