Hawaii Wrap Up, Part 2: Kauai



Kauai's north side, Hanalei Bay in background

Allison and I visited the Hawaiian Islands from late January through early February.  After a week on the Big Island of Hawaii, we finished our trip with five days on Kauai.

Opaekaa Falls

Flowers on Kauai's north side

Kauai is sometimes known as the Garden Island because it is verdant and densely grown with flowers, crops and jungle foliage.  Its landscape is mountainous, with many rocky pinnacles, steep valleys and waterfalls, although the mountains are not nearly as high as the Big Island’s Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.

Hibiscus

Hanalei River and Taro Paddies

The atmosphere on Kauai is very laid back.  Tourism is an important industry, of course, but the resorts tend to be smaller and lower key than those on some of the other Hawaiian Islands.  Agriculture is also important; fruits, vegetables and other crops are widely planted on the island, and feral chickens and roosters seem to be running loose everywhere! 

Feral Rooster

Horse pasture and mountain pinnacles north of Kapaa

We stayed at the Marriott Courtyard at Coconut Beach in Kapaa, on Kauai’s east side.  Kapaa was a convenient base for us, with plenty of restaurants and stores and ready access to attractions like Kauai’s beautiful north shore and dive sites on the island’s south side.

Marriott Courtyard at Coconut Beach



Wainiha Bay on Kauai's north side

The north shore has the appearance of a quintessential south sea island.  This is particularly true of Hanalei Beach, a perfect crescent of white sand with surf constantly breaking offshore.

Hanalei Beach

While walking on Hanalei Beach, we happened upon a youth surfing contest featuring teenage boys and girls demonstrating their skill in riding the rough surf.

Surfing Contest at Hanalei Bay
(click here for video)

At Hanalei Bay, Allison and I indulged in Hawaii’s ubiquitous and popular frozen treat: shaved ice.

Shaved Ice

Near Hanalei Bay is Kilauea Point Lighthouse, perched dramatically on Kauai’s northernmost point of land.

Kilauea Point Lighthouse

Our longtime friend Fred visits Kauai’s north shore every year, and we met and spent some time with him while we were on the island.  We visited the Kilohana Plantation with him, sampling the Koloa Rum distilled at this old sugar cane plantation.

Allison and Fred sampling Koloa Rum at the Kilohana Plantation



Tiki carvers at the Kilohana Plantation
(click here for video)

We also admired the handiwork of two tiki carvers who were displaying their craft at the plantation.  I had been seeking a tiki statuette for my small collection of indigenous figures, and this was the perfect place to get it!

The Wailua River

Allison and I took a boat tour up the Wailua River to see the lush Fern Grotto, a traditional location for island weddings.  On the boat and at the grotto we were treated to a lovely show of Hawaiian music and dance, including (appropriately) the Hawaiian Wedding Song.

The Fern Grotto



The Hawaiian Wedding Song performed at the Fern Grotto

I spent two mornings diving with Seasport Divers, at dive sites off Poipu on Kauai’s south side.  While Kauai’s reefs are not as colorful as those on the Big Island of Hawaii, they have dramatic bottom structure and are populated by a wide variety of sea creatures both large and small.  As on the Big Island, I saw numerous humpback whales from the dive boat.

Sea turtle off Poipu

One morning while I was diving, Allison and Fred visited several points of interest on Kauai’s southwest side.  These included an unusual beach comprised of tiny fragments of sea glass from bottles disposed of in the sea by a defunct glass factory, and also an old overgrown Japanese cemetery.

Sea Glass Beach

Japanese cemetery

For our final day on Kauai, we took an extended driving tour of the island’s west side.  First we drove to the top of the Waimea Canyon Road where a trail leads to Waialeale, one of the wettest spots on earth.  Predictably, it was raining when we got there!

The Waialeale Trail



Kalalau Valley from the Waimea Canyon Road

As we drove back down the Waimea Canyon Road, the weather became drier and clearer and we stopped at a series of viewpoints overlooking the Kalalau Valley and Waimea Canyon.  These land features are so spectacular and unusual that they have served as the locations for many films, including King Kong (the 1976 version) and Jurassic Park.

Waimea Canyon

Waimea Canyon

After returning to the coastline, we drove past the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility and down a long, rutted dirt road to Polihale State Park.  The beautiful, remote beach at the end of the road is the westernmost publicly accessible area in Hawaii.

Polihale Beach

Sadly, our wonderful visit to Hawaii was drawing to a close.  But we were satisfied that we had seen and done so much, and know that our memories of the trip will last a lifetime.   

Sunset on the Napali Coast from End of the Road Beach