First timer to Kauai - could use some advice
May 20th, 2009, 05:09 PM
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First timer to Kauai - could use some advice
Aloha, Kauai fans. I need your help. Please??
My hubby & I are taking our first trip to Hawaii in August. It's my dream I thought I'd never realize. This year is our 25th anniversary so we wanted to do something special. Started by looking at cruises, but, on a whim, took a look at air prices to Hawaii & couldn't believe how affordable they are right now. I guess it's the one upside to the bad economy. Since our budget is limited, we can only stay one week, so we've decided to spend the entire vaca in Kauai.
I've been scouring the internet for weeks and now I have too much information rolling around my brain. Too many opinions out there, so I thought I'd go to the source. Looks like a lot of Kauai regulars visit the Fodors Forums. Can't think of a better place to ask my questions! Here we go:
1. Heli tour vs small plane? Never been on a heli before & my husband has vertigo, plus I'm a little leary of their safety record. Have read many positive reviews about Wings Over Kauai (plane), but also many positives about the heli tours. Thoughts?
2. Kayaking - better to go with a tour or solo? Any recommendations of where to go? (be nice - I know I left my self open with that question.)
3. Jeep, SUV or car? It's just the 2 of us (yipee!), so size doesn't matter so much.
4. On our last day, we fly out of Honolulu, but the flight isn't until 9:00pm. Is it worth it to take an early flight to Oahu & try to do some touring? Can much be done in just a few hours if we rent a car? Will our luggage be safe in the trunk?
5. What is your recommendation for snorkeling during August? Where should we go? Where should we avoid?
6. What's your favorite restaurant? We'd like to be a little adventurous at least once during our trip, so feel free to suggest unusual places as well. We're staying on the east coast and are willing to travel for good eats.
7. My husband is a bird-nerd. Any suggestions of good "birding" locations? He's not one of those cataloguers with a pith helmet, but he'll have his binoculars at the ready!
I'm sure I'll have more as time goes on, but this is a good start. If you have ANY advice on anything Kauai, I'd love to hear it. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Hope to hear from you.
Mahalo!
Karen
My hubby & I are taking our first trip to Hawaii in August. It's my dream I thought I'd never realize. This year is our 25th anniversary so we wanted to do something special. Started by looking at cruises, but, on a whim, took a look at air prices to Hawaii & couldn't believe how affordable they are right now. I guess it's the one upside to the bad economy. Since our budget is limited, we can only stay one week, so we've decided to spend the entire vaca in Kauai.
I've been scouring the internet for weeks and now I have too much information rolling around my brain. Too many opinions out there, so I thought I'd go to the source. Looks like a lot of Kauai regulars visit the Fodors Forums. Can't think of a better place to ask my questions! Here we go:
1. Heli tour vs small plane? Never been on a heli before & my husband has vertigo, plus I'm a little leary of their safety record. Have read many positive reviews about Wings Over Kauai (plane), but also many positives about the heli tours. Thoughts?
2. Kayaking - better to go with a tour or solo? Any recommendations of where to go? (be nice - I know I left my self open with that question.)
3. Jeep, SUV or car? It's just the 2 of us (yipee!), so size doesn't matter so much.
4. On our last day, we fly out of Honolulu, but the flight isn't until 9:00pm. Is it worth it to take an early flight to Oahu & try to do some touring? Can much be done in just a few hours if we rent a car? Will our luggage be safe in the trunk?
5. What is your recommendation for snorkeling during August? Where should we go? Where should we avoid?
6. What's your favorite restaurant? We'd like to be a little adventurous at least once during our trip, so feel free to suggest unusual places as well. We're staying on the east coast and are willing to travel for good eats.
7. My husband is a bird-nerd. Any suggestions of good "birding" locations? He's not one of those cataloguers with a pith helmet, but he'll have his binoculars at the ready!
I'm sure I'll have more as time goes on, but this is a good start. If you have ANY advice on anything Kauai, I'd love to hear it. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Hope to hear from you.
Mahalo!
Karen
May 20th, 2009, 06:21 PM
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I left awhile ago, so out of the loop on most of your questions. I can tell you, if you haven't done so alreaady, get the blue book - The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook, Kauai Revealed.
Happy Anniversary!!
PS I would give anything for dinner at Roy's ( assuming it's still up to standard).
Happy Anniversary!!
PS I would give anything for dinner at Roy's ( assuming it's still up to standard).
May 20th, 2009, 07:16 PM
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I don't know about the helicopter tours but we ultimately chose Wing Over Kauai because of my fear of heights and because it was less expensive. I also thought the heli would be too 'whooshy' and the plane more level. We loved it and since the plane only seats 4 max, we had it to ourselves. The couple that run it couldn't be nicer and we got about 15 extra minutes and a lot of useful information
We did a kayak tour which we found convenient because they provided all the equipment and had all the gear we wouldn't have to bother providing for ourselves. It included about 2 hours of kayaking, and 2 hours of hiking through a lush area filled which ended at a waterfall where we breaked for lunch. I see the prices for these trips have been slashed almost in half since our trip last Christmas.
As for a day in Honlulu, many will dissaude you from going for just a day but we just did this last week and it was totally worth it. Just make a compact plan for the day. We got into Honolulu at 8:30am, picked up a rental car for $36, left our stuff in the trunk, and by properly managing our time (it helped that it was a Sunday, I think) we were able to grab breakfast at the Original Pancake House (yum!), go snorkeling at Hanauma Bay for about 2 hours, pick up plate lunch (for dinner) and head back to the airport in plenty of time for our 10pm flight. Totally exhilerating day and we felt like we vactioned until the last minute.
Hope that helps.
Have a great time and Happy Anniversary!
www.bezlu.com
We did a kayak tour which we found convenient because they provided all the equipment and had all the gear we wouldn't have to bother providing for ourselves. It included about 2 hours of kayaking, and 2 hours of hiking through a lush area filled which ended at a waterfall where we breaked for lunch. I see the prices for these trips have been slashed almost in half since our trip last Christmas.
As for a day in Honlulu, many will dissaude you from going for just a day but we just did this last week and it was totally worth it. Just make a compact plan for the day. We got into Honolulu at 8:30am, picked up a rental car for $36, left our stuff in the trunk, and by properly managing our time (it helped that it was a Sunday, I think) we were able to grab breakfast at the Original Pancake House (yum!), go snorkeling at Hanauma Bay for about 2 hours, pick up plate lunch (for dinner) and head back to the airport in plenty of time for our 10pm flight. Totally exhilerating day and we felt like we vactioned until the last minute.
Hope that helps.
Have a great time and Happy Anniversary!
www.bezlu.com
May 20th, 2009, 07:56 PM
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I agree with the post that recommends The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook (author: Doughty). It will answer every possible question you have about Kauai and many more you haven't thought of. It is written by locals who live on the island and gives objective reviews of all heli and plane tours, kayaking adventures, restaurants, snorkeling spots, and all other adventures on the island. If you get this book well in advance of your trip, it will enhance your vacation tremendously.
You can't get the info in a few posts, that it takes an entire book to cover.
Have fun!!
You can't get the info in a few posts, that it takes an entire book to cover.
Have fun!!
May 22nd, 2009, 11:25 AM
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I don't have nearly the Kauai expertise that many on this forum do, but I've been to Kauai many times and I absolutely love it. Here's my take on a couple of your questions:
1. I've done one of the helicopter tours and I thought it was great (it's been many years, so I can't remember which company we used). After the initial takeoff (liftoff?) it feels very stable, so I don't think you'd have a problem from that standpoint. That said, it's expensive, and on a tightish budget I would think it would be something you could skip. One of the Napali coast boat trips (which include snorkeling) gives you a similarly great view of that part of the island (which is amazing, so don't miss it!) We did one of the tours that leaves from the north shore, which I highly recommend (rather than leaving from the west side).
2. Kayaking in Kauai is fun whether you do it on your own or on a tour. It may be a little easier on your first trip go the tour route (although kayaking on the Hanalei river is fun and is very easy to do on your own.)
3. I loved having a Jeep; however this depends on how much you like wind and sun. I see no reason for an SUV, other than possibly for the road to Polihale beach, which I'm not sure is open right now. (It's a wonderful place though, and if the road is open and you don't mind a long and bumpy drive, it's worth it. Despite what you may hear, you can usually do it in a regular car, but it depends on the road.)
4. Personally, I would stay on Kauai as long as possible, rather than heading to Honolulu early.
5. The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook has a whole section on snorkeling that's very informative, and has much better info. than I do. We usually rent a snorkel set for the week and throw it in the car, so we'll have it when we need it.
6. Favorite restaurants by far are The Beach House (Poipu), Keoki's Paradise (Poipu), and Hanalei Dolphin. The Beach House would be my top pick for an aniversary dinner. My dinner at Roy's was not impressive, but I've only been there once.
7. No real ideas about birding, but my best guess would be to some of the hikes in Kokee (sp?) State Park. It's a wonderful place and you shouldn't miss it. The hikes on the ridges above the Napali coast are amazing (but some are quite challenging).
Good luck on your trip and have a great anniversary!
1. I've done one of the helicopter tours and I thought it was great (it's been many years, so I can't remember which company we used). After the initial takeoff (liftoff?) it feels very stable, so I don't think you'd have a problem from that standpoint. That said, it's expensive, and on a tightish budget I would think it would be something you could skip. One of the Napali coast boat trips (which include snorkeling) gives you a similarly great view of that part of the island (which is amazing, so don't miss it!) We did one of the tours that leaves from the north shore, which I highly recommend (rather than leaving from the west side).
2. Kayaking in Kauai is fun whether you do it on your own or on a tour. It may be a little easier on your first trip go the tour route (although kayaking on the Hanalei river is fun and is very easy to do on your own.)
3. I loved having a Jeep; however this depends on how much you like wind and sun. I see no reason for an SUV, other than possibly for the road to Polihale beach, which I'm not sure is open right now. (It's a wonderful place though, and if the road is open and you don't mind a long and bumpy drive, it's worth it. Despite what you may hear, you can usually do it in a regular car, but it depends on the road.)
4. Personally, I would stay on Kauai as long as possible, rather than heading to Honolulu early.
5. The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook has a whole section on snorkeling that's very informative, and has much better info. than I do. We usually rent a snorkel set for the week and throw it in the car, so we'll have it when we need it.
6. Favorite restaurants by far are The Beach House (Poipu), Keoki's Paradise (Poipu), and Hanalei Dolphin. The Beach House would be my top pick for an aniversary dinner. My dinner at Roy's was not impressive, but I've only been there once.
7. No real ideas about birding, but my best guess would be to some of the hikes in Kokee (sp?) State Park. It's a wonderful place and you shouldn't miss it. The hikes on the ridges above the Napali coast are amazing (but some are quite challenging).
Good luck on your trip and have a great anniversary!
May 22nd, 2009, 06:21 PM
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Aloha Virgin,
Bring lots of bug spray.
Check you rental car for cockroaches before leaving the lot.
Makua (Tunnels) Beach for snorkeling.
Postcards in Hanalei for great fish.
Pihea Trail at Koke'e/Waimea Canyon.
Tahiti Nui for live music.
Pono Market in Kapa'a for fried chicken for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Kilauea Lighthouse for great birdwatching.
Limahuli Gardens in Haena for peace, native plants and intetesting gardeners.
Hukilau Lanai in Kapa'a for good grub.
KKCR for the best tunes while in the convertible.
Have a great time and happy anniversary
Bring lots of bug spray.
Check you rental car for cockroaches before leaving the lot.
Makua (Tunnels) Beach for snorkeling.
Postcards in Hanalei for great fish.
Pihea Trail at Koke'e/Waimea Canyon.
Tahiti Nui for live music.
Pono Market in Kapa'a for fried chicken for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Kilauea Lighthouse for great birdwatching.
Limahuli Gardens in Haena for peace, native plants and intetesting gardeners.
Hukilau Lanai in Kapa'a for good grub.
KKCR for the best tunes while in the convertible.
Have a great time and happy anniversary
May 22nd, 2009, 11:28 PM
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Ooooooooh, the bird nerd will love going up to the Kiluea Lighthouse. Sooooo many birds.....and, he doesn't have to take his binoculars up there. They have binoculars for loan that you just sign in and out on the honor system.
We're gonna try Plantation Gardens tomorrow night...will let you know how it is.
We're gonna try Plantation Gardens tomorrow night...will let you know how it is.
May 24th, 2009, 06:30 AM
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I KNEW this was the place to go! You guys are a wealth of information. The Ultimate Kauai Book was our very first purchase. Our most recent was the Kauai Trailblazer (also very good). But there is nothing like personal experiences.
I'm making a list to take with me, so please, keep the ideas coming.
Mahalo,
Karen
I'm making a list to take with me, so please, keep the ideas coming.
Mahalo,
Karen
May 24th, 2009, 09:32 AM
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Virgin, we drove up to the canyon yesterday and there was a professional photographer patiently waiting for just the right light to capture bird photos. I had seen him last weekend at the lighthouse shooting also. His work is beautiful and his name is Mike something with a T. Carpenter by day and photographer of birds and hula in his off time. They sell his work down at the museum at Kokee.
You are going to fall in love with this island.
You are going to fall in love with this island.
May 24th, 2009, 11:02 AM
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We did the helicopter tour and it was FANTASTIC. We felt so close to the scenery and saw a "pod" (hope that's correct) of whales. The sweeping plains which you'll recognize from Jurassic Park were impressive, as were the many waterfalls. We got the names of several vendors from the Marriott, where we stayed, and I called each of them the afternoon before our ride to see about last minute pricing. Saved us $100 each.
Two restaurants we most liked...Green Garden, just beautiful and with a very relaxed, family feeling. You really are in the middle of a garden. Also Brennecke's Beach Broiler. We had Australian lamb, best we ever had, we're still talking about it. You've made a great choice for a truly memorable trip. Hope you love it as much as we did! And Happy Anniversary.
Two restaurants we most liked...Green Garden, just beautiful and with a very relaxed, family feeling. You really are in the middle of a garden. Also Brennecke's Beach Broiler. We had Australian lamb, best we ever had, we're still talking about it. You've made a great choice for a truly memorable trip. Hope you love it as much as we did! And Happy Anniversary.
May 26th, 2009, 08:19 AM
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For all the answers to your questions my advice is to consult the best guidebooks. I LOVE the green Kauai Trailblazer and combine it with their No Worries Hawaii guide. Inside I get all the places to snorkel, to birdwatch and they even give you all the pros and cons on renting a SUV or regular car. My husband (bad back) finds jeeps to be very uncomfortable and easy to vandalize. We always have stayed at one of the hotels they like and for all the latest restaurant stuff I go to the internet. When I was there in February the Green Garden Restaurant was closed. I also would take a helicopter ride rather than a plane. That way you can squeeze through the valleys for a good look at the steep ridges, waterfalls and goats.
May 26th, 2009, 09:26 PM
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"go snorkeling at Hanauma Bay for about 2 hours"
I think you need to get to Hanauma Bay very early in the morning like around 7 am or you won't get in.
"Makua (Tunnels) Beach for snorkeling."
I agree! However, be sure to check the surf conditions because it can have dangerous rip currents. I don't think the beach has a lifeguard.
I think you need to get to Hanauma Bay very early in the morning like around 7 am or you won't get in.
"Makua (Tunnels) Beach for snorkeling."
I agree! However, be sure to check the surf conditions because it can have dangerous rip currents. I don't think the beach has a lifeguard.
May 30th, 2009, 09:11 PM
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agree about the 2 hours for snorkeling at HanaumaBay. It takes a long time to just get down to the beach as you have to view a "safety" video now and they only take so many people in at a time. You get a timed ticket so you might be in line for 30 minutes and if it is a weekend perhaps even longer. I'd spend the time in Kauai if you can and skip Honolulu because the traffic alone will eat up your time. And, It is quite a drive from the airport to the bay for snorkeling.
Jun 30th, 2009, 07:12 PM
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Thanks for all the help. I now have a whole library of Kauai guides: UKG,Trailblazer, Fodor's Kauai & Frommer's Hawaii, plus AAA Tourbook. FYI, there is such a thing as TOO MUCH information. LOL. I think I'm gonna need new reading glasses.
Jul 2nd, 2009, 10:31 AM
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Here are my restaurant picks:
Mediterranean Gourmet on route to Kee Beach
Baracuda in Hanalei
Princeville Golf Course Restaurant
King and I in Kapaa
Huikilau Lanai in Kapaa
Roys in Poipu
Olympic Cafe in Kapaa
Postcards (although it will be VERY HOT in August)
There is a new mexican restaurant that opened at the Princeville Shopping Center (Very Good)
Monicas Taqueria in Kapaa
Kintaros in Kapaa
CJ's in Princeville
Pau Hana bakery has the best Liloki Pastries
Lighthouse Bistro in Kilauea is hit or miss
Gaylords in Lihue
The Beach House (The best yet) in Poipui
Enjoy and Happy Anniversary
Jo
Mediterranean Gourmet on route to Kee Beach
Baracuda in Hanalei
Princeville Golf Course Restaurant
King and I in Kapaa
Huikilau Lanai in Kapaa
Roys in Poipu
Olympic Cafe in Kapaa
Postcards (although it will be VERY HOT in August)
There is a new mexican restaurant that opened at the Princeville Shopping Center (Very Good)
Monicas Taqueria in Kapaa
Kintaros in Kapaa
CJ's in Princeville
Pau Hana bakery has the best Liloki Pastries
Lighthouse Bistro in Kilauea is hit or miss
Gaylords in Lihue
The Beach House (The best yet) in Poipui
Enjoy and Happy Anniversary
Jo
Jul 2nd, 2009, 10:37 AM
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I forgot something. If you get the chance go to the Na Aina Gardens. Bring bug spray and take the earliest tour as it will be hot in August. The sculptures are something that you will never forget. Do Not forget to bring your camera. Enjoy the day.
Jo
Jo
Jul 2nd, 2009, 10:40 AM
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I forgot something. If you get the chance go to the Na Aina Gardens. Bring bug spray and take the earliest tour as it will be hot in August. The sculptures are something that you will never forget. Do Not forget to bring your camera. Enjoy the day.
Jo
Jo
