Kikahead's Killer Kauai Trip Report: 2005
Jan 17th, 2005, 10:21 AM
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Kikahead's Killer Kauai Trip Report: 2005
We flew direct from SFO-LIH via United Airlines. Nice flight, however it was full. Arrived late due to headwinds and once in Lihue we picked up our SUV from Alamo. We stopped at Safeway on the way in and picked up our groceries for the week. Although I always hear about the exorbitant prices in Hawaii, the grocery prices seemed the same as San Francisco.
LODGING:
This year we rented a house at Poipu through vrbo.com. House was fantastic and we were located two houses up from Poipu Beach Park. We had great partial views of the ocean!!! The owners lived next door and could not have been nicer.
FOOD:
We ate out only a few nights as most nights we grilled on our lanai. We went out to Beach House. The views were beautiful, the service was great, and the food was very average. Great seafood chowder, great Ahi sashimi, and everything else very uninspired. The drinks were also VERY weak.
We also had dinner one night at Shells (inside the Sheraton). This food was not good at all. Again we had fantastic service and amazing views but mediocre food. The drinks were quite strong.
We ate at Eggbert’s a couple of mornings and had very good eggs benedict and French toast. One morning we ordered a glass of milk with our meal and the server told us she sniffed four gallons and they were all sour—that was too much information.
Zelo’s was the biggest disappointment. I remembered it as fantastic—this time it was not at all. Again, very average.
BEACHES:
Apparently prior to our arrival, Kauai had some bad rains. Therefore, Lydgate was closed for the first few days due to debris in the pools as well as bat excrement (according to the lifeguard). He suggested we crash the pools at the Hyatt. Since we are all older than 16 (the age I feel that one should stop sneaking into pools) we went back to Poipu for swimming and snorkeling. Since this was the beach closest to us, this was the beach that we spent the most time at. There was AWESOME snorkeling on the right side of the little sand thing in the ocean. No sandbar this year. Still lots of cute chickens!! We saw monk seals sleeping on the beach and dolphins off of Poipu.
We went up to the North Shore and found both Tunnels and the beach right past it closed due to heavy surf. Instead we went to Hanalei Bay (at the pavilion) and had some great swimming there (too rough for snorkeling). I love, love, love Hanalei Bay.
Later in the week we went to Lydgate and it was open but still looking like a cesspool. My sister and I went in anyways and it was still too murky to see anything.
ACTIVITIES
This was the year that I did absolutely nothing. No botanical gardens, no boat trips, no hikes, trikes, or helicopters. The rest of my family did go with Holoholo Charters to snorkel and all seemed to enjoy it a lot. I did not go so I have no direct experience with the trip—they seemed happy when they got home.
WEATHER
We had great weather the whole time. One night there was a CRAZY lightning storm!! The sky would light up constantly and make the sky so light that you could see waves in the ocean. Very amazing to see—awesome experience. By the next morning it was back to sunshine!
The entire trip was very laidback with most of the time spent on the beach playing scrabble or cribbage and swimming. Good trip altogether!
LODGING:
This year we rented a house at Poipu through vrbo.com. House was fantastic and we were located two houses up from Poipu Beach Park. We had great partial views of the ocean!!! The owners lived next door and could not have been nicer.
FOOD:
We ate out only a few nights as most nights we grilled on our lanai. We went out to Beach House. The views were beautiful, the service was great, and the food was very average. Great seafood chowder, great Ahi sashimi, and everything else very uninspired. The drinks were also VERY weak.
We also had dinner one night at Shells (inside the Sheraton). This food was not good at all. Again we had fantastic service and amazing views but mediocre food. The drinks were quite strong.
We ate at Eggbert’s a couple of mornings and had very good eggs benedict and French toast. One morning we ordered a glass of milk with our meal and the server told us she sniffed four gallons and they were all sour—that was too much information.
Zelo’s was the biggest disappointment. I remembered it as fantastic—this time it was not at all. Again, very average.
BEACHES:
Apparently prior to our arrival, Kauai had some bad rains. Therefore, Lydgate was closed for the first few days due to debris in the pools as well as bat excrement (according to the lifeguard). He suggested we crash the pools at the Hyatt. Since we are all older than 16 (the age I feel that one should stop sneaking into pools) we went back to Poipu for swimming and snorkeling. Since this was the beach closest to us, this was the beach that we spent the most time at. There was AWESOME snorkeling on the right side of the little sand thing in the ocean. No sandbar this year. Still lots of cute chickens!! We saw monk seals sleeping on the beach and dolphins off of Poipu.
We went up to the North Shore and found both Tunnels and the beach right past it closed due to heavy surf. Instead we went to Hanalei Bay (at the pavilion) and had some great swimming there (too rough for snorkeling). I love, love, love Hanalei Bay.
Later in the week we went to Lydgate and it was open but still looking like a cesspool. My sister and I went in anyways and it was still too murky to see anything.
ACTIVITIES
This was the year that I did absolutely nothing. No botanical gardens, no boat trips, no hikes, trikes, or helicopters. The rest of my family did go with Holoholo Charters to snorkel and all seemed to enjoy it a lot. I did not go so I have no direct experience with the trip—they seemed happy when they got home.
WEATHER
We had great weather the whole time. One night there was a CRAZY lightning storm!! The sky would light up constantly and make the sky so light that you could see waves in the ocean. Very amazing to see—awesome experience. By the next morning it was back to sunshine!
The entire trip was very laidback with most of the time spent on the beach playing scrabble or cribbage and swimming. Good trip altogether!
Jan 17th, 2005, 12:20 PM
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Hi kikahead,
Cribbage and scrabble on the beach sounds SOOOOOOO good right now!
Too bad about Zelos. They must be in a slump. Plenty of bad reviews lately.
Thanks!
-Bill
p.s. 190 to go until
and 8-) !
Cribbage and scrabble on the beach sounds SOOOOOOO good right now!
Too bad about Zelos. They must be in a slump. Plenty of bad reviews lately.
Thanks!
-Bill
p.s. 190 to go until
and 8-) !
Jan 17th, 2005, 12:22 PM
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Kikahead: We are headed to Kauai this August, and I am still researching places to say. Would you mind telling me a little more about the house you rented on Poipu? Amenities, price, et cetra? What number was it on vrbo.com? Thanks so much!
Jan 17th, 2005, 01:32 PM
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Hi Beachgirl,
www.beachsidepoipu.com
She also has a listing on VRBO (where I originally found it--not sure of the number). We rented the surfrider & tidepools suites--they can be locked off but we rented both. The upstairs (surf rider) was awesome. The lanai was tiled which was nice. In the afternoon the tiles would warm up and feel awesome on bare feet.
iamq--we just seemed to have off food the whole time. The Bay Area will spoil you. We have such great food here!
www.beachsidepoipu.com
She also has a listing on VRBO (where I originally found it--not sure of the number). We rented the surfrider & tidepools suites--they can be locked off but we rented both. The upstairs (surf rider) was awesome. The lanai was tiled which was nice. In the afternoon the tiles would warm up and feel awesome on bare feet.
iamq--we just seemed to have off food the whole time. The Bay Area will spoil you. We have such great food here!
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