P_M

bookmarking, thanks.

Songdoc

I "liked" the Big Island and Oahu--but I LOVE Kauai. But I go for nature and long walks in gorgeous surroundings. For me, Kauai is light years beyond the other islands for that.

I've copied in my most recent trip report (below). You'll find descriptions of incredible hikes/walks -- that don't require you to be a "serious" hiker -- or to risk your life.

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Since falling under Kauai's spell four or five years ago, I’ve spent a total of at least 7 months there. I typically spend most of my time there on a lanai, overlooking the ocean, writing—but this time, I had more time to explore the Garden Isle, and I found even more beauty than ever before.

I spent two blissful weeks alone. DP (who is insane and doesn’t love Kauai) stayed behind and my sister met me for the last two weeks. OK, to be honest, we're leaving in two weeks for a month in Scandinavia, and he felt that was too much travel in too short a span. But I still think he's certifiable.

My trip concluded with my teaching at the Kauai Music Festival, which was wonderful as always. The final nights (Fri. & Sat.) feature fantastic concerts that are open to the public. The Hawaiian artists are such a treat. I especially loved the elderly “Auntie” who strummed a Stevie Wonder song (!!!) between her traditional Hawaiian language melees! Makana’s slack key guitar; Aldrine Guerrero’s blazing ukelele solos; John Cruz, Kohala, Kenneth Makuakane, and more made it a highlight of the trip for me. Mainland artist BC Jean (she wrote Beyonce’s “If I Were A Boy”) was also exceptional.

Accomodation:

As always, Sealodge condo in Princeville. It’s an amazing value with unbeatable views. I rented a 2-bedroom unit this time because of my sister visiting for part of the time. Rented from Ahh-Kauai (www.kauai-vacations-ahh.com) for $125/night and was pleased with unit D-4. It included EVERYTHING I could possibly need in my home-away-from-home.

The views and breezes from the lanai are so mesmerizing that I’d be perfectly happy spending the next 100 years sitting outside and staring at the Anini reef with the Kilauea Lighthouse in the distance, with chickens, Nene geese, Java sparrows, and red-crested cardinals to keep me company. The sunrises and sunsets were spectacular, and it was lovely to join the others on the lawn, photographing and enjoying the beauty.

The final week of the trip was spent at the Kauai Beach Resort where I was on staff for the Kauai Music Festival. The hotel was very nice—not on par with the St. Regis or Grand Hyatt – but perfectly fine. The pool is beautiful, and the beach has fantastic views – but is not a swimmable beach. The breakfast buffet was excellent ($15 for the cold selections plus oatmeal; or $20 including the omelet station and hot choices) and was a very nice setting overlooking the pools. I didn’t have any other meals there.

The negative to the KBR location is that it is isolated, mid-way between Lihue and Kapa’a. Anywhere you’d want to go is at least a 10-15 minute drive. But the positive side is that it’s approximately halfway between the North and South shores—providing easy access to all locations on the island.

Weather:

On the notoriously rainy North Shore it did indeed rain every day, but most of that rain fell during the night. Daytime showers lasted anywhere from a five minute drizzle to a twenty minute downpour, and never disrupted a day. There was never what I’d call a “rainy day,” despite the online weater forecasts giving he impression that every day would be “rain.” There were a couple of days on the East coast with not a drop of rain.

The condo was not air-conditioned. The only time I would have wanted it was during a couple of afternoons when it was quite warm when I wanted an after-lunch nap. Most of the time, the highs in the lo- to mid-80s felt more like upper 70s due to the cooling breezes. Mornings and evenings were delightfully cool.

Walks and Hikes:

I’m a nature lover, so for me, Kauai is paradise. I can’t imagine a place with more beauty—and with so much variety in such a relatively small area. You don’t need to risk your life or be an experienced hiker in order to be rewarded with breathtaking views in Kauai. I’ve previously done four miles on the Kalalau Trail (to the beach—and then on to the waterfall), and I preferred the views that I saw on this trip’s less-strenuous hikes—that required less effort than climbing over jagged boulders and tree roots, and having to navigate dangerous, slippery trails.

Most days, I walked the length of Hanalei Bay with my feet in the water—either early morning, or at sunset. Gorgeous!

Several mornings, I walked the beautiful path beside the Princeville golf course to the St. Regis Hotel. Gorgeous views of the mist-draped mountains—and at the end, I was rewarded with great beach, and Bali Hai views. That beach is one of my “magic” places

My favorite walking path is the one that runs 4.1 miles from Kapa’a past Kealia Beach. The concrete path is shared by bikes, joggers, and walkers, and is a non-stop photo opp. It has a restroom and drinking fountain. There were almost always surfers to watch, and in the winter I’ve spotted lots of whales from the path. The views are so beautiful I walked that path more times than I can count. It was a good way to walk off my Kountry Kitchen pancakes, although looking back on those massive macadamia/banana treats, I probably would have had to walk to Tahiti to burn off those calories

Another fantastic walk was along the surf from the Kauai Beach Resort toward Lydgate Park. The rugged surf, the views of Sleeping Giant, and the ocean splashing my feet made it perfect.

My first big hike was the Kuilau Ridge Trail. This East side trail was accessed from Kuamoo Rd. past Opeakaa Falls, just before the stream and arboretum. It was a little bit slippery in spots due to the previous night’s rain—drier on the way down, after the sun had baked it—but not nearly as demanding or treacherous as some of Kauai’s better-known trails. I loved it. It’s 2.1 miles each way and is categorized as “moderate.”

Hike #2 was the Okolehao Trail—accessed (heading North) by turning left immediately after the first one-lane bridge (just before Hanalei). It starts with beautiful views of taro fields. This 2.3 mile trail, also categorized as “moderate,” is quite demanding because it’s very steep—but was well worth the effort. In addition to the “wow” vistas there were beautiful wild orchids along the trail. At the top, there were phenomenal views looking down on Hanalei Bay.

The highlight of my hiking was the Canyon Trail at Waimea Canyon/Koke’e State Park. I’ve done this trail several times before, and once again, I could barely believe anything could be so beautiful. It’s even harder to believe that this scenery is in Kauai—and not somewhere like Arizona or Australia’s Blue Mountains. After a few stops to look at the views of the canyon, we headed to the Kalalau Lookout. What a wonderful surprise to find that the road has been repaired. In the past the potholes were horrid.

At the end of the road was what must surely be the most beautiful view on earth—the Kalalau Lookout. I stood in awe of the beauty and photographed it from every angle. I had to tear myself away to hike the Canyon Trail. 3.6 miles, the trail is classified as “moderate,” and has some challenging spots. I’d done this trail several times before but was still overwhelmed by the beauty. (Don’t take my word for it. Look at the pictures. The link is at the end of this report.)

Hindu Monastery (Da Love-Ananda Mahal):

In a word: “WOW!” The setting is absolutely stunning; the views are spectacular; and the gardens include pools, exotic flowers, bonsai, and sculpture. The temple is still under construction so you can’t go inside, but it looks finished from the outside. It’s being built precisely as it would have been constructed 1,000 years – hand-chisled with tiny picks that have to be sharpened after three minutes of use! Amazing. FYI, we were permitted to enter the older temple where worship was taking place. It’s incredibly beautiful and houses a massive crystal that will eventually be moved to the new temple.

FYI, you have to reserve in advance—and tours are offered only approximately once a week. There is no fee for the tour, but a well deserved “love offering” is appreciated. One can view parts of the grounds on weekedays from 9 AM till noon, but the only way to see the new temple is with a guided tour. Highly recommended.
The tour was very interesting, in addition to the exceptional sights. FYI, there’s no proselytising, but basic info about Hinduism is offered. I’d place this on my “must-see” list for both the beauty and the educational/interest factor.

Allerton Gardens:

I didn’t realize the gardens had been developed to spotlight foliage—not flowers—but they are still very peaceful and beautiful. I admit to being a wee bit bored by some of the initial sights and info, but it really picked up around mid-way through. There were some lovely sculptures and water features, and the massive fig trees were phenomenal. The tram ride from the visitor center to the gardens was a highlight of the tour with exquisite views of the South Shore beaches below. Admission was $45 per person; a bit steep, but it helps them keep up their conservation and scientific work. Not exactly on my “must-see” list if you have limited time, but we did enjoy it.

The garden’s entrance is across from Spouting Horn, so after the gardens, we enjoyed the vistas and the blow hole. Also enjoyed the chickens in the parking area. Of course there are chickens everywhere—but there were even more here than usual – and the babies were soooo cute My sister especially liked the souvenir shopping in the booths beside Spouting Horn.

Polynesian canoes:

This was a one-time experience. Seven “canoes” from each of the major Polynesian islands arrived at Hanalei Bay and moored there for five days. The boats (which were more like catamarans than canoes) were beautifully painted with indigenous art, but the amazing thing is that they had carried approximately 120 people who re-enacted the 2,500 mile journey across the sea that their ancient ancestors would have embarked on to reach Hawaii: no compasses or modern navigational equipment. They’d sailed from New Zealand and had been at sea for two months! It was fascinating to hear their stories. Coincidentally, a friend of mine in NZ had seen them in the harbor there before they left for Hawaii.

When the boats sailed at sunset for their next destination (San Francisco) a large crowd gathered, including conch players, to send them off. One at a time, the boats approached the shore, and the sailors serenaded us with traditional chants and songs of thanks for Kauai’s hospitality. It was a very special experience.

Hula Show:

There’s a free hula show every other Sunday at 4PM at the Princeville shopping center. It was lovely. The live music feels like the real deal – not the slick “touristy” variety heard in some of the hotels. It’s simple entertainment; not as elaborate as the show one sees at a luau, but we really enjoyed the thirty minute show—and the price was right ☺

Beaches:

Lumahai Beach is my new favorite beach. It’s where Mitzi Gaynor washed that man right out of her hair in the movie “South Pacific.” Mitzi picked quite a spot! Absolutely exquisite. The water was calm, and the most stunning shades of aqua and turquoise that I’ve ever seen in Hawaii. The views of the jagged peak at Makua (Tunnels) in the distance; the pale, sugary sand; and the rock outcroppings added up to comprise my picture perfect fantasy of Hawaii. There were plenty of shady spots and it was never crowded—not even on the 4th of July. The only negative: no restrooms ☹. But there are facilities less than a mile away at the 6 mile marker.

Anini Beach:

Beautiful, as always. More shells and chunks of coral than at most other beaches, but great lighthouse views and a lovely place to walk – with flip-flops or water shoes. Enjoyed watching the windsurfers and the large family gatherings.

Hanalei Bay:

What can I say? “Perfection.”

Sealodge Beach:

Accessible only from the Sealodge condo complex, down a semi-challenging path (that gets very slippery when it’s rained) this beach is relatively small, but exceptionally pretty. At high tide, I’m told the snorkeling was good, and those who went quite far out got to swim with turtles. I enjoyed strolling the beach and gazing in the tidepools. Some beautiful photo ops here.

Ke’e Beach:

With its views of the misty Napali cliffs. Ke’e will always be near the top my list. Parking is usually tough, but arriving around 3 PM, I found a perfect space. It’s not a great place to swim at that time of day because it was shallow, and there’s lots of coral (which you shouldn’t step on) and rocks. Late in the day, it was almost impossible to find a shady spot because of the direction of the sun. But I’m not complaining. This is a beautiful place to sit and stroll. On a previous visit I walked along the surf to Tunnels. Beautiful—and not to be missed!

St. Regis Hotel Beach:

Like all beaches in Hawaii, this is open to the public. Exquisite views of Bali Hai and beautiful sunsets. Small swimmable area. As I said previously, this beach is one of my “magic” places. I spent one perfect sunset, and many early mornings there soaking in the views, and in awe of the beauty.

FYI, for a mere $1,000-plus, you can be served a candlelit, champagne dinner in a private cabana watching the sun set beside Bali Hai. When we were there, we watched a couple indulging in that experience. I fear I would choke on my food at that price, but as my grandmother would have said, “Rich or poor—it’s nice to have money.”

Kealia Beach:

A great place to watch surfers. I attempted boogie boarding here, but the surf was too rough for a beginner. Still, a beautiful beach to walk, and at the furthest section (near the rocks) generally gentler for swimming.

Restaurants:

Most of my meals were enjoyed on the condo’s lanai overlooking that unbeatable view. Roast chickens and meatloaf from Foodland’s deli were reheated and tasted as good to me as any gourmet meal. I guess the setting helped ☺

But no visit to the Garden Isle could be complete for me without multiple visits to my two favorite restaurants: Kountry Kitchen (in Kapa’a – for breakfast) and Hamura’s Saimin for amazing saimin and BBQ teriyaki chicken sticks. My sister is very fussy about trying new and unusual foods, but she was quickly addicted.

Loved Neide’s Brazilian panquecas stuffed with vegetables, chicken and cheese. For a couple of extra dollars you can get them to do a combo of all the ingredients. Well worth it. The deck is a beautiful setting and the prices are quite reasonable. Also had an excellent dinner at Kauai Pasta (in Lihue, but there’s also one in Kapa’a), and a delicious burrito ar Federico’s in the Princeville shopping center. And I always enjoy the Beef w/broccoli at Waipouli Family Restaurant.

Summary:

Kauai feels like home to me. I’ve seen many beautiful places but no place in the world casts the spell on me that this magical island does. At times I feel a spiritual connection and a sense of peace I have never experienced elsewhere. I don’t understand it, but I know it’s addictive.

The “aloha” spirit; the astounding variety of the splendor – from the majestic Grand Canyon-esque Waimea Canyon and Koke’e State Park, to the lushly covered peaks and turquoise surf of the North Shore; the rugged beauty of the East shore beaches with Sleeping Giant looming in the distance; the waterfalls and hiking trails; the vivid, exotic flowers and foliage; the sunsets … add up to sensory overload—and paradise.

Here’s a link to a video show of my photos. (This is the first time I’ve ever done anything like this – and I thought I was a techno-moron!) Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymV7oHlm8OQ

I hope this report will help those planning a trip – and those in need of a Kauai fix .

P_M

songdoc, I enjoyed your report and your video was breathtaking!! This really makes me want to go. Thanks for sharing.