purduegrad

There are two basic scenic driving loops around Oahu: the big loop and the little loop. The big one loops from Honolulu north to Haleiwa then around and down the north/east coast on Highway 83, the Kamehameha Highway, and then back. The little one loops from Honolulu east on Highway 72 up to Kailua and then back on Highway 61, the Pali Highway, or on Highway 63, the Likelike Highway. We made it about a third of the way through the big loop, up to Halewia, but then were thwarted by the traffic, so mostly missed the east coast north of Kaneohe. But we were determined to at least drive the little loop before we left Oahu.

We started in Kailua and drive through neighboring Lanikai, admiring the lovely homes and the great beach. Then we headed south, stopping at Waimanalo Beach Park (water is just absolutely gorgeous there but we found the beach a little dicey -- several people camping in their cars there for what appeared to be a long time), Kalona Beach, Makapuu Head, and Sandy Beach. We were looking forward to the Halona Blowhole since we had been impressed with the Nakelele Blowhole on Maui, but Halona wasn't blowing much that day. We did enjoy the view of Halona Cove from the viewpoint parking lot -- for those of you old enough to remember From Here to Eternity, Halona Cove was Burt Lancaster's and Deborah Kerr's romping ground. We continued on Highway 72, the Kalanianaole Highway, to Hanauma Bay, which offered great snorkeling. It was $7.50/person to get in, but the clear water and the coral reef are stunning. We finally made our way to Diamondhead and while the trek to the top is steep and a little sweaty, you get great views of Honolulu, and Oahu in general, from up there. The Pali Highway became our favorite route between Honolulu and Kailua, and the Pali Lookout is worth a stop, with dramatic views of the cliffs ("pali") and Kailua and Kaneohe.

We by no means saw it all, but at least we got a good taste of Oahu before we flew off to Kauai on our second Hawaiian Air flight. The flight from Honolulu to Kauai is a bit longer than that from Maui to Honolulu, but not by much. We landed in Lihue about 2:30 and picked up our final Alamo rental car. For the first time we were pressured to purchase the CDW, with some dire stories about how if you have a fender bender or crack a windshield they have to craft it by hand in Japan and then freight it to Hawaii (via slow boat to China) and we'd be liable for the lost rental time ... but we resisted. No compact cars, so got a midsize. It had been raining a bit in Honolulu (a cold front was approaching and there were high surf warnings) but it was sunny in Lihue. And, we saw our first roosters at the airport! Just like in Key West, but more! Yippe! I had not heard nor read about the roosters before we arrived so it was a great surprise. (I just love roosters. OK, so I'm easily amused.)

We were staying in Hanalei, so we headed north from the airport on Highway 56, and after only a couple of miles the traffic ground to a halt. We crept along for what seemed to be a loooong time, all the way up to Kapa'a. After Kapa'a the road opened up like magic. We saw later that they use a Kauai version of reversible lanes during "rush hour" and we also learned to avoid that section of the island between 3 and 5 PM or so. Who knew? (I didn't clue into the Kapa'a Bypass Road until our last day). We stopped for a quick look at Kapa'a Beach park, but then just headed pretty much straight to Hanalei. We did stop at the grocery in Princeville to pick up our usual staples (saw a chicken with five chicks in the parking lot) and we started getting a feel for the personality of Kauai.

I had read that each Hawaiian island has its own personality, and that proved to be true. Maui -- elegant, I guess, with soaring peaks and lovely beaches and lots of exclusive enclaves and resorts. Oahu -- bigger, more rugged, more practical, more crowded, more workaday. Beautiful, also with soaring peaks and gorgeous beaches, but brawny somehow. Kauai -- is Kauai. Whimsical, funky, soaring, enchanting. The weather turned misty and rainy that first evening, which gave everything a mystical air. The waves on Hanalei Bay were wild and free. It felt like Peter Pan could live here. (I guess I'm giving myself away here...)

succulent

<It felt like Peter Pan could live here.>

He does.

purduegrad

We stayed at the Hanalei Surfboard House (http://www.hanaleisurfboardhouse.com/) an absolutely charming place a block from Hanalei Bay on Weke Road, a residential street lined with lovely homes. I can’t say enough good things about this place; the attention to detail, the quality of the service and the wonderful property made for a wonderful stay in Hanalei. Hanalei town is compact (easily walkable in about 30 minutes) and has good restaurants, nice shops, and real character. A good portion of the recent George Clooney film, The Descendants, was filmed in and around Hanalei, and you can get a bit of an idea of what it’s like from the movie. Tahiti Nui, the divey bar/restaurant where George meets up with cousin Beau Bridges, was fun to visit as a lot of locals (including the bartender) had bit parts in the film and tell stories about the actors. The mai tai’s there are pretty good, too. Hanalei Bay is beautiful, and the beach/pier there were used for not only The Descendants, but also in the 1958 film South Pacific, with Mitzi Gaynor and Rossano Brazzi. We learned that a lot of Kauai has been used in a number of film and television productions, including Raiders of the Lost Ark to Fantasy Island.

Our first full day on Kauai was rainy – the first rainy day we’d had thus far. We (and lots of other damp tourists) started the day with coffee at the Hanalei Coffee Roasters and then spooked around the shops. After it cleared up some we drove to neighboring Princeville and checked out the St. Regis, and we also trekked to the weekly Hanalei Farmer’s Market (about a mile west of town) and got some interesting fruit and flowers. And we drove west of Hanalei to the end of the road, passing Lumahai Beach (the “nurses beach” in South Pacific and ending up at Ke’e Beach, at the edge of the Na Pali Coast (Bali Hai). In the mist the cliffs were magical, and while the pounding surf made it dangerous for snorkeling and swimming, it made for a most dramatic vista. Ke’e Beach is at the northwest corner of the island, and the sunset there is incredible.

But even more incredible is Waimea Canyon, “the grand canyon of the Pacific.” It’s on the southeast side of Kauai, and we took a couple of hours getting there, with several stops along the way. Kaleheo town is a quaint, residential town with origins in coffee plantations. The Kailua Coffee Company has a nice visitor’s center, with coffee tastings and informative videos about coffee planting, growing, harvesting, and roasting. And, of course, you can buy coffee to take home. Hanapepe is a great little historic town, with a good restaurant and nice shops and this cool swinging bridge over the Hanapepe River. But, Waimea Canyon is truly grand. Something like a mile across at the top, 4000 feet deep and 12 miles long, it’s spectacular. There are many formal (with parking lots and bathrooms – and roosters) and informal (turnouts for a couple of cars) on the way up Highway 550, and the first one, the Waimea Canyon Overlook, is probably the most dramatic. The colors are wonderful, and the way the light plays over the rocks and valleys is ever-changing and magical. Plan to spend at least an hour (we spent two) just driving up and looking. There are also several trails (the Canyon Trail is a popular one that takes you to the pool atop a waterfall) that let you get even better views. This will be a highlight of any visit to Kauai.

We ended up on trip to Kauai (and Hawaii) with a bang with a plane ride over the island. We chose Wings Over Kauai (http://www.wingsoverkauai.com/) which uses an Australian “AirVan” (a small, six-seater plane) instead of a helicopter. The not only are less expensive than the helicopter choices, but they are also very generous, warm people and give you absolutely top-notch service. They usually only book four on any given flight so everyone can have a right-hand seat (they all fly clockwise around the island so they don’t smash into each other); one is the “co-pilot” and sits up in front. That way everyone gets a nice view. You not only get the air tour (with the stunning views of Waimea Canyon, the Na Pali Coast, Wailua Falls, Lihue) but they also take your photo in front of the plane (like when you go on a cruise or boat excursion) and they give you a copy of that, email it to you, and also make it the cover of a DVD they give to you as a souvenir. (The DVD is a short version of the hour-long flight, with professional photography of the island from the air.) It was a clear, sunny afternoon, and I think I took 125 photos during our hour in the air. They point out landmarks (“this was the land used in The Descendants as the family’s legacy; it’s actually owned by the Rice family…” “get ready, Wailua Falls is coming up and this would make a great screen saver…”) and make it a really memorable experience.

Guess you can tell I liked it.