Kauai Bound - Advice Please
 

Hello to all of you Kauai Lovers.

My wife and I will be spending out next anniversary in Kauai next April, 2004. We have been to Kauai once before and made the touristy rounds (Waimea Canyon, Fern Grotto, Helicopter Ride, etc...). For the coming trip we are looking for some advice on pure rest and relaxtion ideas around the island.

We will be staying again at the Islander on the Beach on the East side (I prefer the Pina Colada's at the poolside bar Kal!). We plan on spending time at Ke'e Beach & Tunnels, but were looking to find other beautiful beaches with good snorkeling.

Also, we will likely take a Na Pali Boat trip and are not sure which tour operator to choose. The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook tells us to go with Kauai Catamaran as they run out of Hanalei Bay. Any advice for great Na Pali tour operators?

Any advice on the above issues as well as other ideas for a purely relaxing vacation would be appreciated!

As I recall "The Ultimate Guide to Kauai" recommends "Napali Catamaran"out of Hanalei Bay. They use a small boat to take you out to the larger sight-seeing vessel. 808-826-6853

Hi - we're just back from Kauai and loved Poi Pu Beach and BeachHouse Beach. We also took the Kipu Ranch Adventure ATV tour and loved it.

I urge you to read the Ultimate Guide to Kauai-it is fantastic. I used it in its entirety on my trip and it was invaluable. Even when I got run over by a wave at Polihale State Park while reading the book it survived (as did I)and still was helpful! It will tell you what is the best of the best. I did not do a boat trip as I get seasick but Polihale State Park, while kind of a pain to get to, was beautiful and at the base of the Na Pali Coast. I sat on the beach (pre tidal wave) with no one around gazing at the view. Have a great trip-LOVE KAUAI!!

44,
I thought this was about something kinky in Kauai?!?!!? ;-)

Try the "blond colada" at the Sand Bar...or the Gloria Martini. I'm still cut off from Wiki Waki Woos...long and embarrasing story.
You see the Sand Bar's website?

Another thumbs up on the ATV tour. We did the other one, ATVKauai and it was also nice. We did the Sunset Tour and saw a gorgeous sunset from over Poipu.

Golf? No wait...you said relaxing!
I have to get up the nerve to try the "Red Plane" or take an ultra light flight.

Someone here also did a "shoot the flume" ride on Kauai??? vivi?

Try out Huki Lau next door to the Islander in the Coconut Beachboy.
Service kinks were still being ironed out but the grub and the wine list was pretty decent.

228!
Kal

Try taking some scuba lessons, if need be, and try a scuba adventure.

Walk over to the Hula Girl Restaurant and try a Lava Flow... mmmmmm!

Also, boycott Safeway and their stupid club card crud, go to the Food Mart just down the road.

OK, DB. What's the story?
Don't want to boycott my favorite hoagy!
Kal

Nothing against a Hoagy Kal, be my guest.

But for regular shopping, or stocking the old vacation frig, I despise these supermarkets that have gone "club card" on their regular/normally priced food while inflating their prices for everyone else; giving the false appearance of "saving" by becoming a member. Costco, Sam's, and even the old Gemco's are/were understandably "discount" membership stores where they don't let you in the door if you are not a member (basically you join and get discount prices, or you cannot buy at all). For such stores as Safeway, QFC, & Albertson's to jump into the "club" cabal and engage in a ridiculous double-pricing scam, for the sake of tracking their customers' buying habits, it's outrageous.

-hence, I humbly submit for one to patronize the Food Mart while in Kauai.

You do need a Club Card at Safeway for the discounts but it isn't a big deal. Fill it out on line, bring it with you, hand it to the clerk and get a card. Foodland also has a club card(Makai card) that they will give you in line without filling out a thing.

One note about the safeway card. It's not like you have to use real info. They don't cancel your card if they can't verufy your info. Make up a bunch of stuff and enjoy the savings.

DB, I'm there, baby!

I usually use a phone number of
555 1212 and an addy of 123 Main St, Anytown, Ca. 98765.
Or if you have to be semi-serious, spell my first name backwards so I can see who sells my name to whom.

I used "Bisquit" as a first name once and still get mailings to that name.

We usually do shop at Foodland for the great mac/nut-white choc chip cookies.
As DawnCt sez, they usually give you the makai discount.

A local TV station did some comparison shopping using "discount club cards" and Safeway was a good $20 more for the same items.
Kal

My boyfriend just uses (but did not set up) our local area code and 555-1212 as the telephone number to get the Safeway card discount. The name on the account shows up as Brown Snowman. I only noticed because the checkout clerk read from the receipt and thanked him as Mr. Snowman for visiting. :)

Okay, Foodland, sorry.

Well, there's always K-Mart in downtown Lihue near the shopping mall, they have discount food too.

BTW -- if you need those slip-on nylon shoes with rubber soles for snorkeling or walking around (especially in the water around coral, I definitely recommend them), K-mart has prices that are half those of the "tourist" stores at <$6/pair.

For Napali boat trip we took Holo Holo, they operate out of Ele Ele/Port Allen, but it's a fast catamaran, we did the so-called sunset trip, actually an approx 3hr trip that ends at sunset. The cat was fast enough that we got as far as Kalalau, could see Ke'e beach further along, before turning around. Excellent trip, have put up a few pics at http://members.aol.com/ourfoto

Photos don't do it justice, you have to see it all to believe it !

I used to live in Poipu and love that area. Go to the beach down the dirt road past the Hyatt. I forget the name. Often people are nude though. Have breakfast at the Hyatt as the swans swim by. And eat at the Dali Deli. Then there is a great beach as far as you can go at the west end of the island. It's a state park. On the road past the Marriott is a brewery with an awesome view.