Never tried kayaking before but it sounds great. Has anyone tried the trips up the river to the waterfall on the guided trips (or is it just as easy to do on your own). Or has anyone used the Princeville ranch trip (combo hike/kayak/waterfall/lunch)?

Our family kayaked the Wailua River on our own. None of us had ever kayaked before so we were kind of leary. It actually turned out to be a very fun day. We stopped and hiked to a waterfall and the Fern Grotto. There was also a small cliff that you could jump off of. The outfitters provided coolers so we could pack drinks and snacks. Best of all you could go at your own pace. I would say the only negative about going on your own is that you don't get the history of the area. We were given a map but its kind of hard to paddle and read at the same time.

Hi Lori,
This is exactly the trip we want to do in June. Were kayaks available at the river or did you have to transport? Are tandems available? Any paddling instruction? Was there any problem stopping at the Fern Grotto? (some of the guidebooks infer you can only stop if there is space at a designated kayak area) Any details you can provide would be appreciated.

Bill and Elizabeth, my husband and I did the same Wailua river trip a couple of years ago and had a great time. We booked the excusion through our hotel so we made our own way to the river and met the tour operator there (only holding a pre-paid reciept for identification). There are quite a few of them are operating at one general location at the river, so allow for extra time to find parking (if you're driving over) since parking is limited, and if you can't find your particular tour company right away, just ask around, they all know one another and will point you in the right direction. They have big signs so it shouldn't be too hard to locate yours. We had a two-person kayak and it was great. Do bring some snacks or lunch (sandwiches, fruit, etc.) and plenty of water because I don't recall there being anything on the river to purchase. The kayak containers do keep everything nicely dry so you can bring a camera too (put it in a plastic baggie and wrap it in a towel or something just in case). Also, do not wear slip-on type sandals if you're planning to get out of the kayak and hike to the falls, it is very tricky (stepping over tree roots and over rocks, etc.) and slippery since it's always shaded, and you can easily turn an ankle if you wear shoes with no support - wear tennis shoes or very sturdy sandals and prepare to get them dirty! Wear your bathing suits under your clothes so you can jump in the water at the falls or into the river during a break in the trip - alot of fun. The river is very smooth and not hard to paddle at all. We saw lots of families with young kids having a blast! They did give us quick instructions for managing the kayak, and a map which comes in very handy. At that point, they tell you what time to be back and you're on your own (Don't forget your water-proof watch)! You can travel up some areas of the river to explore, so be sure you stay aware of where you are. As far as access to the grotto, the only problem is that a lot of kayaks are trying to get there at the same time and there is a limited number of "tie ups" at the dock so you may have to hang back to wait for a space to tie up, you may also have to tie up outside of a kayak already there, so be prepared to have to balance and climb over one or two to get to the dock if necessary. You may get lucky and be able to cruise on in, but possibly not. "Tie up" at the bottom of the hike to the falls may be crowded too, so prepare to have to tie up some place close by and "find your way" over and around in slippery conditions. I'd suggest bringing a back pack to carry your stuff so your hands are free when hiking to the falls. The tie up at the hike was in mango-type grove so be sure you remember where you left your kayak, they all look the same! Have fun!

Elizabeth: I agree with the above response re: Wailea River, but want to caution you not to stay too late in the afternoon. The wind comes up off of the ocean and you may also be paddling against the current when going back down the river (we were). It took mucho arm strenghth to get in! It sounds like you are going without kids, so in a single (lighter kayak) or a double kayak and two adults paddling, it shouldn't be too difficult (also if you already have sufficient upper arm strength it helps). We found that the return trip back in was pretty strenuous with the kids on board (of course they were too tired to help at that point).It was really fun though and I would definitely do it again. The small ice chest for a picnic is a must! Have fun!

Sandy gave excellent advice. We had to
to transport our own kayaks. Very easy to do. When we booked we were told that the kayak companies were no longer able to transport the kayaks to the river. I'm assuming this was just for the self guided tours. We didn't receive any lessons. Once you're in the water it just comes naturally.