Kauai Trip Report
Apr 13th, 2005 | 10:18 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 88
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Kauai Trip Report
My husband and I just returned from our trip 9 day trip to Kauai. It was one of the most relaxing vacations we’re had in a long time. It combined just the right amount of activities, and lazing around to feel like the trip wasn’t too long or too short! We love this Island, and it was our second time. The only bad part really was how long the flight was, but we just kept counting down the hours to paradise! Despite some clouds and rain, the weather was warm, not too humid, and had great breezes to keep you cool at night.
We stayed in Princeville on the North Shore at The Cliffs. Our condo unit #5301 was very clean, and had nice furnishings. We had a partial ocean view, and we were steps away from the pool and hot tub. Our unit – 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, and could easily fit two other couples. It was just my husband and I so we had tons of space. It was on the top floor of a 3 story complex, so bear that in mind because you have to lug your suitcases up and down the stairs yourself! There is a front desk or reception area, but we didn’t find them particularly helpful or friendly so we didn’t really enlist their help for anything. There was also no AC which honestly you don’t need at all. The ceiling fans, and keeping the windows open kept the indoors nice and cool. Belive me I love AC in the summer, so I was a skeptic at first!
The Princeville complex is a series of condos/private homes set amongst a golf course. It’s truly lovely, and safe, and upscale. There is a jogging path that runs right through it, and it provides scenic vistas of the ocean. At the end of the road is the resort which is one of the best hotels on the island.
Here are some of the highlights of our trip:
Food and shopping
North
• Hanalei Gourmet – we loved it! We ate there twice for lunch and dinner. Their fish taco special was delicious!
• Kileau bakery and pizza – we had the the Island stylin pizza was yummy. It has pineapples. Also, be sure to check out their baked goods. The oatmeal raisin cookies were great.
• Hanalei wake up café – Go here for breakfast. Their Mac-Nut cinnamon roll is deadly, and loved the papaya with yogurt and homemade granola. My husband had the spam and eggs breakfast here, and didn’t seem to thrilled about it.
• Bubba’s – Hanalei and Wailua – This is a must stop for a quick bite to eat. Their burgers are good, and their chili fries even better. No dieting at this place!
• Balai Hai– for a beautiful view of the bay at sunset this is the place to go. It’s all outdoors, and their seafood is very fresh. Make a reservation and try for an earlier seating at 6PM to get rail seating so you can view the sunset!
• Sushi Blues, Hanalei's best and only sushi bar/dance club - 808-826-9701. Hanalei Roll. The sushi is good here. Lots of food. It’s expensive though.
• Princeville Resort , library bar – we went for a drink at the lobby bar one evening. It’s very pretty and relaxing. You should stop by to see the inside of the resort. It’s elegantly decorated.
• Hanalei Mix Plate – We ordered from here twice, and really enjoyed the kalua prok with cabbage, and ginger chicken. You can opt for brown rice with your entrée which was a nice healthy alternative.
• Duane’s one Char Burger – Anahola – this might be my favorite burger place ever! A little shack off the highway, and no it’s no a fish burger, but beef. We had the old fashioned. It gets crowded, so be prepared to wait. There’s seating outside. They also close at 6PM.
• Tropical Taco – you have to come here after you hike the Napali Coast. Their fish tacos are delicious, and they make the tastiest nachos.
• Banana Joes – Great smoothie shack off the highway
• Mango Mama’s – also another fun smoothie shack off the highway. They have more of a selection on fruit choices, and they also serve food.
• Moloa’s Sunrise – coffee and fruit stand off the highway. We were floored by this coffee place, and this is coming from New Yorkers used to Starbucks.. Their iced coffee was great, and the best part – they give you ice cubes made from coffee! Brilliant!
• Island Soap & Candle Works – on the way to the lighthouse, and near Kileau bakery a very cute store for souvenirs to take back home.
• Lappert’s Ice Cream – delicious! Our favorite flavor was the Kauai pie which was kona coffee with macadamia nuts, coconut and fudge.
East
• Hamura Saimin, Lihue - this place is a local institution. We had a medium saimin, (although the wonton soup looked pretty good too), 2 bbq chicken sticks, 2 bbq beek sticks and for dessert try the Lilikoi (passion fruit) pie.
• PoPo's Cookies - local bakery and is superior to Kauai Cookie Company. These cookies are delicious. It’s hard to find but it’s in the Waipoli shopping complex. I nearly drove my husband crazy trying to find this shop! Just an fyi.. at the airport I saw them onsale at the gift shop. So if you don’t want to go on a scavenger hunt get them there!
• Hilo Hattie – we got most of our souvenirs here from tshirts to mac nuts to coffee it’s all here under one roof.
South
• Brenrecke’s – Poipu stopped here for lunch after our drice into Poipu. It was OK, the food wasn’t outstanding, but the view is nice. It’s right on the beach.
West:
• Waimea Brewing Co: Great beer, great pork sandwiches and hamburgers. A good stopping place before or after a trip to the canyon.
Activities
Working out
• Princeville Resort Fitness Center – gym pass - (808) 826-9644 $65 for a week long pass. My husband and I joined the gym, and we were glad we did. There’s a pool and hot tub. Although the exercise room is small, and limited it was good enough for our time there.
Camping/Sunsets
• Bidding the Sun Aloha. Polihale State Park hugs Kauai's western shore for some 17 miles. It's a great place to bring a picnic dinner, stretch out on the sand, and toast the sun as it sinks into the Pacific, illuminating the island of Niihau in the distance. Queen's Pond has facilities for camping as well as restrooms, showers, picnic tables, and pavilions.
Water Sports
• Kayak Wailua 808-822-3388 – we used them for a Wailua River kayak tour. This is a wonderful river to kayak, the current is mild, and the scenary is gorgeous. It’s about 4 miles roundtrip, but a stop in between to hike to a waterfall. The hiking part is about 2 miles roundtrip. I’d caution that this area is super muddy and you should wear surf shoes, not flip flops nor sneakers since you have to cross through part of the river.
Sights
• Hanalei lookout
• Kilauea Lighthouse – beautiful views
• Wailua Falls - From Lihue, take Kaunualii Hwy. (Hwy. 50) north, and turn left on Maalo Rd (Hwy. 583). After 4 miles, look for the parking area for Wailua Falls on the right. You’r e not really upclose to the falls at all, but I guess it’s worth a quick look.
Hikes
• Napali Coast Trail – 11 miles start at Kee beach trail head.
• Waimea canyon – Awaphui trail - great view of Napali coast. About 6 miles roundtrip.
Beaches
• Ke'e, Tunnels or Queen's Bath – arrive early for parking.
• Poipu beach – snorkel
• Princeville beach
• Tunnels- Snorkel
• Polihale State Park: This is a wonderful place to get away from it all, but don't forget your flip-flops -- the midday sand is hotter than a lava flow. The state park includes a view of the "forbidden" island of Niihau, and the famed Barking Sands Beach.
• Anini Beach County Park: Kauai's safest beach for swimming and windsurfing, Anini is also one of the island's most beautiful: It sits on a blue lagoon at the foot of emerald cliffs, looking more like Tahiti than almost any other strand in the islands.
• Hanalei Beach: Gentle waves roll across the face of half-moon Hanalei Bay, running up to the wide, golden sand. Sheer volcanic ridges laced by waterfalls rise to 4,000 feet on the other side, 3 miles inland. Is there any beach with a better location? Swimming is excellent year-round, The aquamarine water is also great for canoe paddling, kayaking, and boating. (There's a boat ramp on the west bank of the Hanalei River.)
• Haena Beach: Backed by verdant cliffs, this curvaceous North Shore beach has starred as paradise in many a movie. Summer months bring calm waters for swimming and snorkeling, while winter brings mighty waves for surfers. There are plenty of facilities on hand, including picnic tables, restrooms, and showers.
• Kee Beach: Where the road ends on the North Shore, It borders a reef-protected cove at the foot of fluted volcanic cliffs. Swimming and snorkeling are safe inside the reef
We stayed in Princeville on the North Shore at The Cliffs. Our condo unit #5301 was very clean, and had nice furnishings. We had a partial ocean view, and we were steps away from the pool and hot tub. Our unit – 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, and could easily fit two other couples. It was just my husband and I so we had tons of space. It was on the top floor of a 3 story complex, so bear that in mind because you have to lug your suitcases up and down the stairs yourself! There is a front desk or reception area, but we didn’t find them particularly helpful or friendly so we didn’t really enlist their help for anything. There was also no AC which honestly you don’t need at all. The ceiling fans, and keeping the windows open kept the indoors nice and cool. Belive me I love AC in the summer, so I was a skeptic at first!
The Princeville complex is a series of condos/private homes set amongst a golf course. It’s truly lovely, and safe, and upscale. There is a jogging path that runs right through it, and it provides scenic vistas of the ocean. At the end of the road is the resort which is one of the best hotels on the island.
Here are some of the highlights of our trip:
Food and shopping
North
• Hanalei Gourmet – we loved it! We ate there twice for lunch and dinner. Their fish taco special was delicious!
• Kileau bakery and pizza – we had the the Island stylin pizza was yummy. It has pineapples. Also, be sure to check out their baked goods. The oatmeal raisin cookies were great.
• Hanalei wake up café – Go here for breakfast. Their Mac-Nut cinnamon roll is deadly, and loved the papaya with yogurt and homemade granola. My husband had the spam and eggs breakfast here, and didn’t seem to thrilled about it.
• Bubba’s – Hanalei and Wailua – This is a must stop for a quick bite to eat. Their burgers are good, and their chili fries even better. No dieting at this place!
• Balai Hai– for a beautiful view of the bay at sunset this is the place to go. It’s all outdoors, and their seafood is very fresh. Make a reservation and try for an earlier seating at 6PM to get rail seating so you can view the sunset!
• Sushi Blues, Hanalei's best and only sushi bar/dance club - 808-826-9701. Hanalei Roll. The sushi is good here. Lots of food. It’s expensive though.
• Princeville Resort , library bar – we went for a drink at the lobby bar one evening. It’s very pretty and relaxing. You should stop by to see the inside of the resort. It’s elegantly decorated.
• Hanalei Mix Plate – We ordered from here twice, and really enjoyed the kalua prok with cabbage, and ginger chicken. You can opt for brown rice with your entrée which was a nice healthy alternative.
• Duane’s one Char Burger – Anahola – this might be my favorite burger place ever! A little shack off the highway, and no it’s no a fish burger, but beef. We had the old fashioned. It gets crowded, so be prepared to wait. There’s seating outside. They also close at 6PM.
• Tropical Taco – you have to come here after you hike the Napali Coast. Their fish tacos are delicious, and they make the tastiest nachos.
• Banana Joes – Great smoothie shack off the highway
• Mango Mama’s – also another fun smoothie shack off the highway. They have more of a selection on fruit choices, and they also serve food.
• Moloa’s Sunrise – coffee and fruit stand off the highway. We were floored by this coffee place, and this is coming from New Yorkers used to Starbucks.. Their iced coffee was great, and the best part – they give you ice cubes made from coffee! Brilliant!
• Island Soap & Candle Works – on the way to the lighthouse, and near Kileau bakery a very cute store for souvenirs to take back home.
• Lappert’s Ice Cream – delicious! Our favorite flavor was the Kauai pie which was kona coffee with macadamia nuts, coconut and fudge.
East
• Hamura Saimin, Lihue - this place is a local institution. We had a medium saimin, (although the wonton soup looked pretty good too), 2 bbq chicken sticks, 2 bbq beek sticks and for dessert try the Lilikoi (passion fruit) pie.
• PoPo's Cookies - local bakery and is superior to Kauai Cookie Company. These cookies are delicious. It’s hard to find but it’s in the Waipoli shopping complex. I nearly drove my husband crazy trying to find this shop! Just an fyi.. at the airport I saw them onsale at the gift shop. So if you don’t want to go on a scavenger hunt get them there!
• Hilo Hattie – we got most of our souvenirs here from tshirts to mac nuts to coffee it’s all here under one roof.
South
• Brenrecke’s – Poipu stopped here for lunch after our drice into Poipu. It was OK, the food wasn’t outstanding, but the view is nice. It’s right on the beach.
West:
• Waimea Brewing Co: Great beer, great pork sandwiches and hamburgers. A good stopping place before or after a trip to the canyon.
Activities
Working out
• Princeville Resort Fitness Center – gym pass - (808) 826-9644 $65 for a week long pass. My husband and I joined the gym, and we were glad we did. There’s a pool and hot tub. Although the exercise room is small, and limited it was good enough for our time there.
Camping/Sunsets
• Bidding the Sun Aloha. Polihale State Park hugs Kauai's western shore for some 17 miles. It's a great place to bring a picnic dinner, stretch out on the sand, and toast the sun as it sinks into the Pacific, illuminating the island of Niihau in the distance. Queen's Pond has facilities for camping as well as restrooms, showers, picnic tables, and pavilions.
Water Sports
• Kayak Wailua 808-822-3388 – we used them for a Wailua River kayak tour. This is a wonderful river to kayak, the current is mild, and the scenary is gorgeous. It’s about 4 miles roundtrip, but a stop in between to hike to a waterfall. The hiking part is about 2 miles roundtrip. I’d caution that this area is super muddy and you should wear surf shoes, not flip flops nor sneakers since you have to cross through part of the river.
Sights
• Hanalei lookout
• Kilauea Lighthouse – beautiful views
• Wailua Falls - From Lihue, take Kaunualii Hwy. (Hwy. 50) north, and turn left on Maalo Rd (Hwy. 583). After 4 miles, look for the parking area for Wailua Falls on the right. You’r e not really upclose to the falls at all, but I guess it’s worth a quick look.
Hikes
• Napali Coast Trail – 11 miles start at Kee beach trail head.
• Waimea canyon – Awaphui trail - great view of Napali coast. About 6 miles roundtrip.
Beaches
• Ke'e, Tunnels or Queen's Bath – arrive early for parking.
• Poipu beach – snorkel
• Princeville beach
• Tunnels- Snorkel
• Polihale State Park: This is a wonderful place to get away from it all, but don't forget your flip-flops -- the midday sand is hotter than a lava flow. The state park includes a view of the "forbidden" island of Niihau, and the famed Barking Sands Beach.
• Anini Beach County Park: Kauai's safest beach for swimming and windsurfing, Anini is also one of the island's most beautiful: It sits on a blue lagoon at the foot of emerald cliffs, looking more like Tahiti than almost any other strand in the islands.
• Hanalei Beach: Gentle waves roll across the face of half-moon Hanalei Bay, running up to the wide, golden sand. Sheer volcanic ridges laced by waterfalls rise to 4,000 feet on the other side, 3 miles inland. Is there any beach with a better location? Swimming is excellent year-round, The aquamarine water is also great for canoe paddling, kayaking, and boating. (There's a boat ramp on the west bank of the Hanalei River.)
• Haena Beach: Backed by verdant cliffs, this curvaceous North Shore beach has starred as paradise in many a movie. Summer months bring calm waters for swimming and snorkeling, while winter brings mighty waves for surfers. There are plenty of facilities on hand, including picnic tables, restrooms, and showers.
• Kee Beach: Where the road ends on the North Shore, It borders a reef-protected cove at the foot of fluted volcanic cliffs. Swimming and snorkeling are safe inside the reef
Apr 13th, 2005 | 03:27 PM
#4
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
We'll be there day after tomorrow for our second north shore Kauai vacation! Staying at Sealodge for two weeks and planning to enjoy all those things mentioned in your report again! Looking forward to those macnut waffles with coconut syrup at Bali Hai! Thanks for the post and glad you enjoyed your trip!
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Apr 14th, 2005 | 05:49 AM
#8
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
Hi again, glad you all found the info useful. Kauai is a remarkable place, and I almost feel like a trip report is not necessary as the Island will show you it's beauty on its own.
message to Ivk: we had awesome poke at Sushi Blues in Hanalei. It was an appetizer called a poke tower with layers of sushi white rice, and poke. Delicious! I wanted to also go to Roy's in Poipu, but we had no time. My friends who are from Hawaii swear by their poke!
message to Ivk: we had awesome poke at Sushi Blues in Hanalei. It was an appetizer called a poke tower with layers of sushi white rice, and poke. Delicious! I wanted to also go to Roy's in Poipu, but we had no time. My friends who are from Hawaii swear by their poke!
Apr 14th, 2005 | 06:23 AM
#9
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
Wow, you sure did a bunch of stuff in 9 days!! So much for laying on the beach. Now for those in the know, how much of this will be as good in the first week of November? Trying to figure out whether to switch to the North for three or four days after a week at Poipu? Good review, Thanks.
Apr 14th, 2005 | 12:13 PM
#10
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
jq: Our last trip was early through mid November and the weather was great on the north shore. Some days the surf was too rough for swimming or snorkling but overall November was very pleasant for us.
Leaving for Kauai in 15 hours and 56 minutes!!
Leaving for Kauai in 15 hours and 56 minutes!!
