April Kauai Trip Report
May 7th, 2005, 10:16 PM
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April Kauai Trip Report
My wife and I returned to Kauai for our 2nd trip. We were there in November of 2003 for our 30th anniversary and returned this time in celebration of us both hitting the Big Five-0. I appropriately named this trip….Hawaii Five-O! We hadn’t planned on returning so soon since we blew quite a bit on our last trip. We decided to try to hold the cost down this time and were able to get Air, rental car and condo just over $3000 for our 15 day stay. In this report I’ll try to give any information I can especially the things I see that often get asked on this forum. Thanks to all of those who have posted their reports over the past several months whose information I used to make this a fantastic trip we will remember forever. I’ll post a link to my pictures in a few days.
Timeframe – 15 days April 15 through April 30
Airfare – Booked in December with United for $765, Wilkes-Barre, PA to Lihue changed planes in Chicago and San Francisco. Left at 7:45 AM and arrived Lihue at 3:30 PM All connections were perfect and no delays in either direction. Return trip left Lihue at 9:45 PM Saturday night (taking the redeye gives you a whole extra day in paradise) and we got into Wilkes-Barre at 3:30 Sunday afternoon.
Warning: The night we left Lihue there was an amazing mob of people trying to check in at the United desk. There were people in line for a 9:00 LAX flight and people in another line for the 9:45 San Francisco flight. Everyone in both lines had to drag their checked baggage back to the security screening area and the place was an absolute madhouse!! We got in line at 7:15 for our 9:45 flight and were over an hour getting through security. When we were heading to the gate the line was even longer. Get there early!
Rental Car – On our first trip we just had to go with a convertible, this time we rented a compact from National for 16 days for a total of $397.08.
Time Zones – Hawaii is 6 hours difference from Eastern Standard time. (they don’t do daylight saving)
Cell service – We have Cingular and it worked great in all places there is cell service on the island. North Shore there is no service much past Hanalei and South you lose service shortly after starting up Waimea Canyon road.
Weather – We had 15 days of the best weather you could ask for! We had 10 minutes of rain one afternoon and the rest was blue skys with occasional scattered clouds. Highs during the day were 80-84 and nights were 66-68. This is why they call it paradise!!
Bugs – Not one mosquito or any other type of bug! (I think the chickens might be the secret)
Chickens – Yes it’s true….there are quite a few chickens. But other than the early wake-up calls you get some mornings, these birds are no bother and are actually kind of fun to watch. The roosters have no clue what time it actually is and apparently crow whenever they wake up from a nap just in case anyone’s looking.
Gas
We paid $2.71 in Princeville and $2.65 in Kapa’a
Groceries
For the most part things were all that much more expensive than most vacation destinations except for a few items. Milk and eggs were ridiculous! (how can eggs be so expensive in a place that has so many chickens???)
Pineapples
We brought home three pineapples that we bought at the yellow building about a mile north of the airport. (can’t remember the name) They package them on a handled box and they are pre-approved and sealed by the agriculture inspection service. You can carry them on the plane or check them with your baggage. We checked them and they were perfect when we got home. The cost was around $24 for 3 pineapples. You need to call them ahead of time so they can prepare your order.
Farmer’s Markets
The Saturday morning market in Hanalei was fantastic! Every type of fresh fruit and vegetable you can imagine. Large bundles of beautiful tropical cut flowers were $5.00 and they lasted through our entire 2 week stay. Pineapples were $5 - $9 each and were worth every penny! The Saturday market opens at 9:30 AM parking in the field just before the Wai'oli Hui'ia church. There is another market at Waipa a little further up the road which is held at 2:00- 4:00 PM on Tuesdays. We went there once but everything looked picked over compared to the Saturday market.
Condo – We stayed at Sealodge in Princeville in Unit B-3. This unit is a ground floor 1 bedroom, 1 bath and rents for $85 per night. Very quiet and comfortable and everything we needed and more was furnished. Building B sets back a little from the edge of the bluff compared to most Sealodge units which gives it an oceanview rating rather than oceanfront. We saw whales almost every day right from the lani. The owner has this unit listed on vrbo.com and was excellent to deal with. Web site is www.kauaiholidays.com
North Shore Beaches – We hit a lot of beaches.
Hideaways – My all time favorite beach!!! It’s a 5 minute hike down a steep trail but it’s worth the effort! We went there 2 days and I snuck back 2 times on my own on days my wife decided she needed an afternoon nap. I’ve never seen more than 10-15 people at Hideaways. One day a monk seal crawled up for his morning nap and spent about two hours there. Great snorkeling and views of Bali Hai to the west and waves crashing on Queens Bath to the east. Also beautiful soft sand and easy to just walk out and swim. There’s a public parking area for about 10 cars just before the Princeville Hotel entrance or if that’s full you can find an open spot behind the Princeville’s valet parking.
Anini – We went here twice. Very long stretch of beach that is easily accessed from the road. Lot’s of shade available for when you’ve had a bit too much sun but aren’t ready to leave the beach. For less people go beyond the soccer field and camping area. A little further down the beach is just a few feet off the road.
Ke’e – Very beautiful but too many people and limited parking. Everybody has read about this popular beach and I don’t have much more to add.
Tunnel’s – (see Ke’e beach) + Great snorkeling.
Wyllie – This beach is across a small stream that marks the very west end of Anini. At low tide you can easily wade across the stream. Or you can access it from Princeville via a trail at the very end of Wyllie road. We hiked from our condo down the trail one morning and it was a nice place to spend some time beachcombing and just splashing around.
Lumaha’I – DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!!! The waves at this beach were massive the day we were there! There were a few “brave” souls surfing on the west end but everyone else was staying clear. The sandy beach shore is bowl shaped and it was cool to see the waves spray water and white foam high into the air as the water rushed up the sides of the bowl. Be sure to stop by and check this beach out but keep your snorkel in the car.
Waikoko – The western most beach of Hanalei Bay. Very easy access from the road and plenty of parking.
Wai’oli – Another of four Hanalei Bay beaches. This one is located at about the center of the crescent and is easily accessed from a parking area at the end of Weke road. Nice place to swim or sit and watch surfers.
Hanalei Beach Park – Worth going just to watch all the wannabe surfers and to take a walk on the famous pier. Quite crowded when the waves are good enough for surfing and boogie boarding.
Hanakapi’ai – Located 2 miles west of Ke’e along the Kalalua trail. The sign (death scoreboard) on the trail should be enough warning for you. Quote: “Hanakapi’ai Beach Warning - Do not go near the water - Unseen currents have killed 82 visitors”
Sealodge – It’s about 10 minute hike from the top of the bluff just in front of the Sealodge building A. At the very end you have to climb down off the rocks to access the beach. We just went here once and didn’t really care all that much for this beach. Although it is VERY private and you’ll likely be the only ones there. Good for sitting in the sun but not that great for swimming or snorkeling.
Ha’ ena – I was pleasantly surprised at the beauty of this beach. The road up to Ke’e was closed for paving the first day we went so we stopped at Ha’ena instead. What a beautiful backdrop of mountains! No snorkeling here but it was a beautiful place to spend a few hours.
Queen’s Bath – Surf was too high to enter the bath but it was fun to watch the big waves crash on the rocks. Even though we couldn’t go in it was worth the short hike down there. Cool little waterfall towards the bottom of the trail. You’ll want decent footwear as you’ll need to do some rock hopping to get out to the bath.
HikingTrails
Kalalau Trail – We did the first two miles out to Hanakapi’ai Beach but our hike had to be cut short due to a medical emergency. A girl was having heart trouble and we had to hike back to call 911. See http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34508517.
Last time we made it to the falls. This is a fabulous hike and should not be missed. We WILL return!
Nounou East Trail (Sleeping Giant) - This was an enjoyable trail with great views of the Coconut coast and Kapa’a. It gets a little hot and so start early. Gains about 1000 feet over the 2 miles but it’s pretty gradual and not bad if you take your time. Trail conditions are good if you stay on the main trail but stay off the shortcuts that people have made between the switchbacks.
Pihea Trail to Alaka’I Swamp – For clear views of the Kalalau valley be sure to start this hike by 9:00 AM. From the lookout at the end of the of Waimea road it’s a mile walk out the closed road that leads to Pu’u o Kila lookout. A trail then goes on to Pihea Vista with amazing views of Kalalau Valley. We took this trail on out to the intersection with Alaka’I Swamp trail and it was perfectly clear the entire way out. On the way back the valley was completely fogged in and visibility was zero. This is a fairly flat trail and very good when dry. It could be a bit of a challenge when wet.
Shopping
If you’ve seen one ceramic rooster you’ve seen them all!!! My wife did buy some nice things at Tropical Tantrum and Bill the owner and his wife were great! Other than that we bought a few t-shirts and some trinkets. We hit most of the shops and all seemed to have pretty much the same stuff. Hilo Hatties was a pretty cool place and my wife was able to spend a few hours there while I sampled the free coffee.
Activities
Kayaking - We rented a Kayak one morning at Kayak Kauai in Hanalei. It was $52 for a tandem for 24 hours. (that’s the least amount of time they rent for) We put in at their dock located on the Hanalei river right behind their building. We paddle a couple of mile upriver to the point where it gets shallow and moves very fast. This is a nice relaxing trip and up and back took us about three hours. By the time we got back to the point we started our shoulders were hurting and we were hungry so we decided we had had enough. It was fun but three hours was enough. You can also go about a mile downstream from the dock to Hanalei Bay and if it is calm enough paddle out on the bay.
Boat Tour – We took the morning tour (6:45 check-in) with Na Pali Catamaran out of Hanalei. It was $120 per person. They’re located at the west end of the Hanalei Center. Being the only NA Pali coast boat tour to leave from the North Shore they apparently don’t have to advertise like all the ones that leave from the Port Allen area. The tour was very nice and the snorkeling was great! (they supply the gear and a wet bag) Don’t get too excited about the “deli lunch” they mention in the Ultimate Guidebook. It amounted to a cookie, a bag of chips, an apple, and a soda. We were back to our car by 11:30. This was a very good way to see the amazing Na Pali coast but the helicopter tour we took last time was better.
Now to the most important part………FOOD!!! Overall we had no real bad experiences with restaurants and enjoyed every meal. I’ll give a reason any stood out above or below the others.
Treats and Sweets
Shaved Ice
Wishing Well in Hanalei – Very good…probably as good as Jojo’s which we enjoyed last time.
Shave Ice Paradise – Located in Hanalei Center just past Bubba Burgers. They have an interesting Almond Joy shaved ice with coconut ice covering chocolate ice cream. If the girl that waited on me would have gotten off the phone while I was there I would have told her how good it was.
Java Kai – Quaint little place in Hanalei Center. Sort of like a tropical Starbucks. Another place where the girl behind the counter was too busy talking to a friend to know I didn’t want whipped cream on my Caffè Mocha. Oh well…what’s a few hundred more calories at this point???
Banana Joe’s
Good fruit smoothie….no complaints.
Mango Mama’s
Another good fruit smoothie….no complaints.
Restaurants
Bali Hai Restaurant – Located at the Hanalei Bay Resort and has what we consider the BEST views of Bali Hai overlooking Hanalei Bay (sorry Princeville but take 2nd place) This was our favorite restaurant last trip and it didn’t disappoint this time. We did two breakfasts. (our first and last mornings) and one evening dinner. (our most expensive meal of the trip @ $106 for two with dessert but it was worth every penny) I had the Jamaican jerk pork special with coconut rice and my wife had the peppercorn sirloin which was incredible.
Hukilau Lani – I had read a lot about this restaurant and was anxious to try it. Located in Kapa’a directly behind the coconut marketplace. This place has been said to be the best kept secret on Kauai and I totally agree!! FANTASTIC! The first night we went we were blown away for the meal we got for $60. The coconut custard dessert may have been the best dessert I have ever tasted. (I’m drooling as I write this) The Hukilau has ocean views and the service was amazing. While there the first time we found out about the 6 course sampler they offer every night from 5-6 PM. It costs $40 with wine or $28 for just the food. We came back another night for this and were equally impressed. Hands down this was the our favorite restaurant and one you shouldn’t miss.
Shrimp Station – Great place to catch a lunch after a morning at the canyon. A paper plate full of large shrimp with rice and a soda all for $11! You choice of Thai, Cajun or coconut shrimp. Outdoor picnic tables and a sink to wash your hands.
Tropical Taco – The best fish taco I had! Very good food and reasonable. Large portions and great lemonade. You sit on stools outside on a porch along the railing. Great place for a quick lunch in Hanalei.
Hanalei Dolphin – Had lunch at the outdoor tables along the river. Very nice setting and good food and service.
Duke’s Canoe Club – Located at the Marriot in Lihue. I should have listed this in the hike section! The parking lot is an amazingly long way from the entrance to the Marriot and then it’s still quite a ways from there to Duke’s. We had lunch downstairs one day and dinner upstairs on our final night. (it’s only 1 mile to the airport and we had time to kill) My wife had a strange experience as she found broken bits of glass in her drink. The manager came over and apologized and ended up delivering a free Hula Pie to our table. Nice gesture but at that point we were too full from our meal and would have appreciated a reduction in our bill more than the Hula pie. (we were however able to devour it since it would be a sin to waste a perfectly good Hula Pie)
Zelo’s Beach House – Had a great lunch here and really enjoyed it. The menu didn’t seem to offer quite the selection it did on our last trip but we were still able to find something we both enjoyed.
Kauai Pasta – Great little pasta place in Kapa’a. Huge salad and great pasta at VERY reasonable prices. Service was excellent…..we’ll be back!!!
Hanalei Gormet – Located in the old schoolhouse in the Hanalei Center. Very noisy atmosphere. A few tables located outside by the railing but there’s a lot of people walking through. The food was good but the service was very slow. It looked like they had just one young man waiting all the tables and he seemed overwhelmed and confused. There was another girl there but she spent the entire time writing the nights specials on the chalkboard. Good food but I doubt we return.
Lighthouse Bistro – Excellent food and good service. Very charming open air restaurant located in Kilauea. Look in the advertisements for a coupon for their free one trip pasta bar with any entrée. We were here last trip and will be back again next trip!
Café Hanalei – Located in the Princeville Resort. We went here for breakfast and weren’t impressed. Their big calling is their breakfast buffet for $28 and we just aren’t buffet people. We ordered from the menu and it was ok but the service was poor. Birds took over adjacent tables as soon as people left. Nice views of Bali Hai and Hanalei Bay but not as good as Bali Hai Restaurant. We won’t be back.
Neides Salsa & Samba – Located in Hanalei Center behind Bamboo Bamboo (tried that last trip and didn’t return) Good service, fair Mexican food. I wasn’t too impressed and probably won’t try them again.
Well that’s all I can think of. I hope this information is useful as you prepare for your own vacation in paradise. I’ll post an update to this thread when I get my pictures online.
Aloha!!!
Timeframe – 15 days April 15 through April 30
Airfare – Booked in December with United for $765, Wilkes-Barre, PA to Lihue changed planes in Chicago and San Francisco. Left at 7:45 AM and arrived Lihue at 3:30 PM All connections were perfect and no delays in either direction. Return trip left Lihue at 9:45 PM Saturday night (taking the redeye gives you a whole extra day in paradise) and we got into Wilkes-Barre at 3:30 Sunday afternoon.
Warning: The night we left Lihue there was an amazing mob of people trying to check in at the United desk. There were people in line for a 9:00 LAX flight and people in another line for the 9:45 San Francisco flight. Everyone in both lines had to drag their checked baggage back to the security screening area and the place was an absolute madhouse!! We got in line at 7:15 for our 9:45 flight and were over an hour getting through security. When we were heading to the gate the line was even longer. Get there early!
Rental Car – On our first trip we just had to go with a convertible, this time we rented a compact from National for 16 days for a total of $397.08.
Time Zones – Hawaii is 6 hours difference from Eastern Standard time. (they don’t do daylight saving)
Cell service – We have Cingular and it worked great in all places there is cell service on the island. North Shore there is no service much past Hanalei and South you lose service shortly after starting up Waimea Canyon road.
Weather – We had 15 days of the best weather you could ask for! We had 10 minutes of rain one afternoon and the rest was blue skys with occasional scattered clouds. Highs during the day were 80-84 and nights were 66-68. This is why they call it paradise!!
Bugs – Not one mosquito or any other type of bug! (I think the chickens might be the secret)
Chickens – Yes it’s true….there are quite a few chickens. But other than the early wake-up calls you get some mornings, these birds are no bother and are actually kind of fun to watch. The roosters have no clue what time it actually is and apparently crow whenever they wake up from a nap just in case anyone’s looking.
Gas
We paid $2.71 in Princeville and $2.65 in Kapa’a
Groceries
For the most part things were all that much more expensive than most vacation destinations except for a few items. Milk and eggs were ridiculous! (how can eggs be so expensive in a place that has so many chickens???)
Pineapples
We brought home three pineapples that we bought at the yellow building about a mile north of the airport. (can’t remember the name) They package them on a handled box and they are pre-approved and sealed by the agriculture inspection service. You can carry them on the plane or check them with your baggage. We checked them and they were perfect when we got home. The cost was around $24 for 3 pineapples. You need to call them ahead of time so they can prepare your order.
Farmer’s Markets
The Saturday morning market in Hanalei was fantastic! Every type of fresh fruit and vegetable you can imagine. Large bundles of beautiful tropical cut flowers were $5.00 and they lasted through our entire 2 week stay. Pineapples were $5 - $9 each and were worth every penny! The Saturday market opens at 9:30 AM parking in the field just before the Wai'oli Hui'ia church. There is another market at Waipa a little further up the road which is held at 2:00- 4:00 PM on Tuesdays. We went there once but everything looked picked over compared to the Saturday market.
Condo – We stayed at Sealodge in Princeville in Unit B-3. This unit is a ground floor 1 bedroom, 1 bath and rents for $85 per night. Very quiet and comfortable and everything we needed and more was furnished. Building B sets back a little from the edge of the bluff compared to most Sealodge units which gives it an oceanview rating rather than oceanfront. We saw whales almost every day right from the lani. The owner has this unit listed on vrbo.com and was excellent to deal with. Web site is www.kauaiholidays.com
North Shore Beaches – We hit a lot of beaches.
Hideaways – My all time favorite beach!!! It’s a 5 minute hike down a steep trail but it’s worth the effort! We went there 2 days and I snuck back 2 times on my own on days my wife decided she needed an afternoon nap. I’ve never seen more than 10-15 people at Hideaways. One day a monk seal crawled up for his morning nap and spent about two hours there. Great snorkeling and views of Bali Hai to the west and waves crashing on Queens Bath to the east. Also beautiful soft sand and easy to just walk out and swim. There’s a public parking area for about 10 cars just before the Princeville Hotel entrance or if that’s full you can find an open spot behind the Princeville’s valet parking.
Anini – We went here twice. Very long stretch of beach that is easily accessed from the road. Lot’s of shade available for when you’ve had a bit too much sun but aren’t ready to leave the beach. For less people go beyond the soccer field and camping area. A little further down the beach is just a few feet off the road.
Ke’e – Very beautiful but too many people and limited parking. Everybody has read about this popular beach and I don’t have much more to add.
Tunnel’s – (see Ke’e beach) + Great snorkeling.
Wyllie – This beach is across a small stream that marks the very west end of Anini. At low tide you can easily wade across the stream. Or you can access it from Princeville via a trail at the very end of Wyllie road. We hiked from our condo down the trail one morning and it was a nice place to spend some time beachcombing and just splashing around.
Lumaha’I – DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!!! The waves at this beach were massive the day we were there! There were a few “brave” souls surfing on the west end but everyone else was staying clear. The sandy beach shore is bowl shaped and it was cool to see the waves spray water and white foam high into the air as the water rushed up the sides of the bowl. Be sure to stop by and check this beach out but keep your snorkel in the car.
Waikoko – The western most beach of Hanalei Bay. Very easy access from the road and plenty of parking.
Wai’oli – Another of four Hanalei Bay beaches. This one is located at about the center of the crescent and is easily accessed from a parking area at the end of Weke road. Nice place to swim or sit and watch surfers.
Hanalei Beach Park – Worth going just to watch all the wannabe surfers and to take a walk on the famous pier. Quite crowded when the waves are good enough for surfing and boogie boarding.
Hanakapi’ai – Located 2 miles west of Ke’e along the Kalalua trail. The sign (death scoreboard) on the trail should be enough warning for you. Quote: “Hanakapi’ai Beach Warning - Do not go near the water - Unseen currents have killed 82 visitors”
Sealodge – It’s about 10 minute hike from the top of the bluff just in front of the Sealodge building A. At the very end you have to climb down off the rocks to access the beach. We just went here once and didn’t really care all that much for this beach. Although it is VERY private and you’ll likely be the only ones there. Good for sitting in the sun but not that great for swimming or snorkeling.
Ha’ ena – I was pleasantly surprised at the beauty of this beach. The road up to Ke’e was closed for paving the first day we went so we stopped at Ha’ena instead. What a beautiful backdrop of mountains! No snorkeling here but it was a beautiful place to spend a few hours.
Queen’s Bath – Surf was too high to enter the bath but it was fun to watch the big waves crash on the rocks. Even though we couldn’t go in it was worth the short hike down there. Cool little waterfall towards the bottom of the trail. You’ll want decent footwear as you’ll need to do some rock hopping to get out to the bath.
HikingTrails
Kalalau Trail – We did the first two miles out to Hanakapi’ai Beach but our hike had to be cut short due to a medical emergency. A girl was having heart trouble and we had to hike back to call 911. See http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34508517.
Last time we made it to the falls. This is a fabulous hike and should not be missed. We WILL return!
Nounou East Trail (Sleeping Giant) - This was an enjoyable trail with great views of the Coconut coast and Kapa’a. It gets a little hot and so start early. Gains about 1000 feet over the 2 miles but it’s pretty gradual and not bad if you take your time. Trail conditions are good if you stay on the main trail but stay off the shortcuts that people have made between the switchbacks.
Pihea Trail to Alaka’I Swamp – For clear views of the Kalalau valley be sure to start this hike by 9:00 AM. From the lookout at the end of the of Waimea road it’s a mile walk out the closed road that leads to Pu’u o Kila lookout. A trail then goes on to Pihea Vista with amazing views of Kalalau Valley. We took this trail on out to the intersection with Alaka’I Swamp trail and it was perfectly clear the entire way out. On the way back the valley was completely fogged in and visibility was zero. This is a fairly flat trail and very good when dry. It could be a bit of a challenge when wet.
Shopping
If you’ve seen one ceramic rooster you’ve seen them all!!! My wife did buy some nice things at Tropical Tantrum and Bill the owner and his wife were great! Other than that we bought a few t-shirts and some trinkets. We hit most of the shops and all seemed to have pretty much the same stuff. Hilo Hatties was a pretty cool place and my wife was able to spend a few hours there while I sampled the free coffee.
Activities
Kayaking - We rented a Kayak one morning at Kayak Kauai in Hanalei. It was $52 for a tandem for 24 hours. (that’s the least amount of time they rent for) We put in at their dock located on the Hanalei river right behind their building. We paddle a couple of mile upriver to the point where it gets shallow and moves very fast. This is a nice relaxing trip and up and back took us about three hours. By the time we got back to the point we started our shoulders were hurting and we were hungry so we decided we had had enough. It was fun but three hours was enough. You can also go about a mile downstream from the dock to Hanalei Bay and if it is calm enough paddle out on the bay.
Boat Tour – We took the morning tour (6:45 check-in) with Na Pali Catamaran out of Hanalei. It was $120 per person. They’re located at the west end of the Hanalei Center. Being the only NA Pali coast boat tour to leave from the North Shore they apparently don’t have to advertise like all the ones that leave from the Port Allen area. The tour was very nice and the snorkeling was great! (they supply the gear and a wet bag) Don’t get too excited about the “deli lunch” they mention in the Ultimate Guidebook. It amounted to a cookie, a bag of chips, an apple, and a soda. We were back to our car by 11:30. This was a very good way to see the amazing Na Pali coast but the helicopter tour we took last time was better.
Now to the most important part………FOOD!!! Overall we had no real bad experiences with restaurants and enjoyed every meal. I’ll give a reason any stood out above or below the others.
Treats and Sweets
Shaved Ice
Wishing Well in Hanalei – Very good…probably as good as Jojo’s which we enjoyed last time.
Shave Ice Paradise – Located in Hanalei Center just past Bubba Burgers. They have an interesting Almond Joy shaved ice with coconut ice covering chocolate ice cream. If the girl that waited on me would have gotten off the phone while I was there I would have told her how good it was.
Java Kai – Quaint little place in Hanalei Center. Sort of like a tropical Starbucks. Another place where the girl behind the counter was too busy talking to a friend to know I didn’t want whipped cream on my Caffè Mocha. Oh well…what’s a few hundred more calories at this point???
Banana Joe’s
Good fruit smoothie….no complaints.
Mango Mama’s
Another good fruit smoothie….no complaints.
Restaurants
Bali Hai Restaurant – Located at the Hanalei Bay Resort and has what we consider the BEST views of Bali Hai overlooking Hanalei Bay (sorry Princeville but take 2nd place) This was our favorite restaurant last trip and it didn’t disappoint this time. We did two breakfasts. (our first and last mornings) and one evening dinner. (our most expensive meal of the trip @ $106 for two with dessert but it was worth every penny) I had the Jamaican jerk pork special with coconut rice and my wife had the peppercorn sirloin which was incredible.
Hukilau Lani – I had read a lot about this restaurant and was anxious to try it. Located in Kapa’a directly behind the coconut marketplace. This place has been said to be the best kept secret on Kauai and I totally agree!! FANTASTIC! The first night we went we were blown away for the meal we got for $60. The coconut custard dessert may have been the best dessert I have ever tasted. (I’m drooling as I write this) The Hukilau has ocean views and the service was amazing. While there the first time we found out about the 6 course sampler they offer every night from 5-6 PM. It costs $40 with wine or $28 for just the food. We came back another night for this and were equally impressed. Hands down this was the our favorite restaurant and one you shouldn’t miss.
Shrimp Station – Great place to catch a lunch after a morning at the canyon. A paper plate full of large shrimp with rice and a soda all for $11! You choice of Thai, Cajun or coconut shrimp. Outdoor picnic tables and a sink to wash your hands.
Tropical Taco – The best fish taco I had! Very good food and reasonable. Large portions and great lemonade. You sit on stools outside on a porch along the railing. Great place for a quick lunch in Hanalei.
Hanalei Dolphin – Had lunch at the outdoor tables along the river. Very nice setting and good food and service.
Duke’s Canoe Club – Located at the Marriot in Lihue. I should have listed this in the hike section! The parking lot is an amazingly long way from the entrance to the Marriot and then it’s still quite a ways from there to Duke’s. We had lunch downstairs one day and dinner upstairs on our final night. (it’s only 1 mile to the airport and we had time to kill) My wife had a strange experience as she found broken bits of glass in her drink. The manager came over and apologized and ended up delivering a free Hula Pie to our table. Nice gesture but at that point we were too full from our meal and would have appreciated a reduction in our bill more than the Hula pie. (we were however able to devour it since it would be a sin to waste a perfectly good Hula Pie)
Zelo’s Beach House – Had a great lunch here and really enjoyed it. The menu didn’t seem to offer quite the selection it did on our last trip but we were still able to find something we both enjoyed.
Kauai Pasta – Great little pasta place in Kapa’a. Huge salad and great pasta at VERY reasonable prices. Service was excellent…..we’ll be back!!!
Hanalei Gormet – Located in the old schoolhouse in the Hanalei Center. Very noisy atmosphere. A few tables located outside by the railing but there’s a lot of people walking through. The food was good but the service was very slow. It looked like they had just one young man waiting all the tables and he seemed overwhelmed and confused. There was another girl there but she spent the entire time writing the nights specials on the chalkboard. Good food but I doubt we return.
Lighthouse Bistro – Excellent food and good service. Very charming open air restaurant located in Kilauea. Look in the advertisements for a coupon for their free one trip pasta bar with any entrée. We were here last trip and will be back again next trip!
Café Hanalei – Located in the Princeville Resort. We went here for breakfast and weren’t impressed. Their big calling is their breakfast buffet for $28 and we just aren’t buffet people. We ordered from the menu and it was ok but the service was poor. Birds took over adjacent tables as soon as people left. Nice views of Bali Hai and Hanalei Bay but not as good as Bali Hai Restaurant. We won’t be back.
Neides Salsa & Samba – Located in Hanalei Center behind Bamboo Bamboo (tried that last trip and didn’t return) Good service, fair Mexican food. I wasn’t too impressed and probably won’t try them again.
Well that’s all I can think of. I hope this information is useful as you prepare for your own vacation in paradise. I’ll post an update to this thread when I get my pictures online.
Aloha!!!
May 7th, 2005, 11:01 PM
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Wow dfarr, what a great trip report. I am going to email this to some family members that have never been to any of the islands and have been trying to figure out which one they would like to go to. Your report will certainly help them know about Kauai. I have been there a couple of times but I have never taken notes unfortunatly. Thanks for sharing your Hawaii Five-O!
May 8th, 2005, 04:12 AM
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Thanks for sharing your experiences with us dfarr..great report.
I especially appreciate the heads up about Hukilau Lanai for the 5-6 p.m. sampler deal!
Can't wait to see your photos. I looked at ours yesterday in prep for our upcoming vacation in only 6 more days.
Mahalo
i2
I especially appreciate the heads up about Hukilau Lanai for the 5-6 p.m. sampler deal!
Can't wait to see your photos. I looked at ours yesterday in prep for our upcoming vacation in only 6 more days.
Mahalo
i2
May 8th, 2005, 07:36 AM
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"Duke’s Canoe Club – Located at the Marriot in Lihue. I should have listed this in the hike section! The parking lot is an amazingly long way from the entrance to the Marriot..."
FYI for future visitors -- Duke's has free valet parking at dinner time -- accessed not from the hotel's main entrance, but from the next driveway just down the hill from there (near the old gas station). Look for small sign, and follow the arrows. We usually tip $1 when we arrive; $1 when we leave (more, if we've been drinkin' their yummy Mai Tai's!).
FYI for future visitors -- Duke's has free valet parking at dinner time -- accessed not from the hotel's main entrance, but from the next driveway just down the hill from there (near the old gas station). Look for small sign, and follow the arrows. We usually tip $1 when we arrive; $1 when we leave (more, if we've been drinkin' their yummy Mai Tai's!).
and your report has me salivating and wishing I could be there right now!
May 9th, 2005, 08:16 PM
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Ok....I hope this works. It's my first attempt at using Webshots. I set up six albums here. I hope everyone can access them.
http://community.webshots.com/user/dfarr01
Enjoy!
http://community.webshots.com/user/dfarr01
Enjoy!
May 10th, 2005, 07:54 AM
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dfarr - your photos are AWESOME! I loved, loved, loved looking at them.
I noticed that at Hanakapiai (spelling?) Beach the water level was pretty high. I can't remember when I was there on my trip but the water was so low that you could walk on the sand all the way into that cave.
I also noticed that you got a shot of the beach on the Napali coast that was shown in the movie Six Days, Seven Nights (Harrison Ford). I happened to watch this movie over the weekend and was thinking that was where it was done so it was cool to see your photo.
Thanks for sharing!
I noticed that at Hanakapiai (spelling?) Beach the water level was pretty high. I can't remember when I was there on my trip but the water was so low that you could walk on the sand all the way into that cave.
I also noticed that you got a shot of the beach on the Napali coast that was shown in the movie Six Days, Seven Nights (Harrison Ford). I happened to watch this movie over the weekend and was thinking that was where it was done so it was cool to see your photo.
Thanks for sharing!
May 31st, 2005, 02:30 PM
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iamq...No we didn't get a chance to hear the McMaster's. That was one thing on my to-do list that we just didn't find time for. One evening we stopped by the Hanalei pavilion to watch the sun set over the bay but unfortunately they weren't there that night.
