Posted 9/5/07

Kauai,  The Garden - Adventure Island

Story and photos By Tab Hauser  tab@tabhauser.com

While Kauai bills itself as the “Garden Isle” my family would be just as easy to say it is the “adventure isle”.  This western most island in the Hawaiian chain has 113 miles of shoreline of which one can laze about on 50 miles of beaches all week. One can also be very active on this island if sitting around a beach all week is not your idea of a vacation.  Our take on Kauai was mix beach and adventures.    To us the beauty of Kauai was there to discover.  To see the island we used different means to get about.  This included a fast inflatable boat, a smooth riding helicopter, an SUV to drive on the paved and unpaved roads, comfortable foot wear for light hiking,  mask and snorkel for exploring below the surface and even a tube to see a different part of the island.  While this may sound too active for many folks with a week away let me assure you that we had plenty of leisurely mornings or late afternoons to hang out at the beach and just relax.

We picked a week to be in Kauai because of its reputation for being less developed and less crowded than the other Hawaiian islands.  We also picked it because of its raw beauty in its diverse landscaped.  Here the flat south shore in the summer gets the surf on its beaches while the rugged and majestic north shore beaches are calm and almost lake like.  Reverse the seasons and you have huge waves in the north and calm seas in the south.  If one is into surfing or boogie boarding the season you go is an important fact to consider.

Half of Poipu Beach as Seen From Small Island                 Tidal Blow Hole Near West of Poipu Beach

The location I picked on the Kauai was Poipu Beach or the dry south shore    There are plenty of accommodations for one to choose from on the island. This includes several large hotels, as well as many time share resorts and condos for rent all over the island. I chose a 2 bedroom condo not just because of the price but also because it allowed our family to interact with each other better than had we had 2 hotel rooms. It was also nice to have a kitchen to keep snacks and have breakfast in every morning.  After much research I picked Poipu Shores for our stay.  Poipu Shores is built directly on the rocks over looking the ocean.  In fact the pool is right up against the ocean and if a large wave hits just right you can feel the spray.  From the pool and condo we were able to view sea turtles every day looking for food on the submerged rocks in betweens swells.  Our lanai (terrace as it is called in Hawaii) was less than 150 feet away from the waves. If you like to fall a sleep to the sounds of a crashing surf, this is your place.  Our condo was equipped with everything we needed.  The only thing we missed was air conditioning. We learned that very few rentals have A/C. Most condos we looked at in this area depended on the ocean breezes, cross ventilation and ceiling fans to keep the place comfortable.  This worked for us on most nights.  The condos in Poipu area are a 2 minute drive to Poipu Beach or a 10 minute walk. We were also few minutes from the Poipu Shopping Village and less than 10 minutes from the supermarkets in Koloa. 

Polihale State Park On Western Kauai

After a leisurely first morning of letting the teens sleep late we headed west in our SUV at their request to get acclimated to the island. Our first destination in Kauai was the remote and wide beaches on the west coast.  The teens also wanted to see where the beaches and mountains meet so we drove on Highway 50 to  the end..  At the end of the paved road we continued another 4 miles on a very bumpy road to Polihale State Park. Having a 4WD vehicle made this trip possible in about 12 minutes. We did see cars trying to make the trip. Using a rented car here could void any insurance you have and would add another 15 minutes due creeping around the ruts and bumps in the road.  Once at the end we were treated to views of the widest beach in Kauai with the beginnings of the Napali coast.  On this day we had strong winds and waves making our picnic visit here short.  After wading in just a few yards my son stated it was the strongest he had ever felt an ocean. The sand blew so hard it stuck on my daughters face due to the sun tan lotion on it.  (Later in the week we stopped just off shore on our inflatable boat tour and found the conditions much calmer with no wind.) If you head to the west we recommend stopping at Jo-Jo’s Shave Ice at mile marker 23 in Waimea the way back. Jo-Jo’s is a real Kauai institution here serving 40 different flavors over packed crush ice.     Dinner tonight was at the celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi’s place in the Poipu Shopping Center called Roy's Poipu Bar & Grill.  We found the service to be excellent and the food very good. They took care of my wife’s special food requests by cooking a chicken, mushroom and pasta dish that was not on the menu.  My son and I ordered “canoe for two” appetizer consisting of seared tuna, grilled shrimp, dumplings and a spring roll. I ordered a combo fish platter, while my daughter had the trio fish sampler with my son getting the steak. With the addition of a large salad and one mai-tai, Dinner came out to $180 for the 4 of us.

    Jo - Jo's Shaved Ice

2 Fish Combo at Roy's Grill in Poipu

On our second morning in paradise we hung out and relaxed at Poipu Beach for half a day.  This is a safe beach protected by outer reefs, a jetty and a small island that one can walk to.  Behind and to the right of the jetty were surfers catching 3 foot waves.  In front of the jetty you see kids and adults just floating around in the calm water.  Before heading out on today’s adventure we picked up lunch Puka Dog Hawaiian Hot Dogs in the Poipu Shopping Center.  Puka Dog is another Kauai institution spotlighted on the Travel Channel and guide books.  They are known for serving regular or veggie hot dogs in fresh baked buns with native made exotic relishes and sauces.   From here it was off to  Kauai Backcountry Adventures.  Kauai Back Country Adventures use a former sugar plantation now owned by Steve Case, founder of AOL for a high flying zip line tour and a pretty tubing trip.    The original owners of this plantation had built a series of irrigation canals by hand carrying water from the mountains and distributing it through out the plantation.  To get the water from the mountains not only were ditches built, but a series of 5 tunnels had to be dug  to ensure water went as needed. Being that we have done zip lining twice in Costa Rica years ago we went with the tubing tour.

View From All Terrain Truck On Way to Put In Spot

The End of the Canal That We Tubed                                            Floating Through The Canals and Ditches

Inside One of 5 Tunnels

This tubing tour sounded different because we were not in river with rapids and rocks as we were in  Grenada earlier this year.  This was on an actual irrigation canal more similar to a “lazy river” you see at water parks.   After checking in we were issued helmets with lights as well as gloves. We were then lead to a 14 passenger, 35 year old 6 wheel all terrain German vehicle that drove us through the plantation to the put in spot. This part of the trip was interesting and fun as well.  Along the way were told about the area and its history. We also saw the camps and staging area of a Ben Stiller movie being filmed on premises.  Once at the starting area we were given tubes to sit in and held in place until the group was ready.  Tubing here is a safe and interesting float trip.  The water rarely gets deep and the guides keep themselves in the front, back and middle of the group for safety. There are also commands shouted up the line when the tunnel changes directions.  The trick here is to sit in the tube with a pair of gloves supplied and enjoy the ride pushing off the walls if needed.  At the end of our 45 minute bump and float ride the group got out of the water and took a short stroll to a picnic area next to a natural pool where sandwiches and drinks were served.  My recommendation is that if you are between 5 and 85 and can climb a few stairs this is a great trip to take.  Make sure you book in advance of your trip during peak seasons and take a water proof camera.

Shared Tables at Hamura's Saimin in Kauai

For dinner we went on the recommendation of a few locals and ate at Hamura’s Saimin. Hamara’s an informal place in Luhie. It has been there for many years serving Asian style noodle soup dishes.  This is a good place if you want to mix with the locals, have good food and feed a family for 4 for $50 including tax. Seating is shared at large tables. When part of a table opened up a dark skinned Asian couple with two small children invited us to join them. I gave the customary Mahalo (thank you) thinking they were locals but it turned out their family lived about a mile from us back in Long Island.  They told us that they have been coming to Kauai for several years and eating here.  We live in small world when you travel one third across the world and pick a place just off the beaten path only to find a neighbor back home offering to share a table with you.

View From the Kalalua Trails First Scenic Rest Spot

Ke-e Beach from Kalalau Trail and From the Water Looking to Beach

On our third day we decided to see what the north shore looked like.  We left our condo at 9AM and drove around the island stopping at the Princeville Hotel on the north shore.  Here we took in the beautiful views from the lobby and parked by the tennis courts at our kids request.  The teens read in a guide book of a place called Hideaway Beach that was worth visiting. To get to this beach you need to take the steps and path from behind of the tennis courts.  Be extra careful if it has rained recently as the path will be slippery.   The steps and path are a bit steep but will only take 5 minutes to do and is worth the visit.   Hideaway is a pretty beach with fine sand. There is a reef just off the beach that offers snorkeling.  It is hear I spotted one of favorite fish to watch when in the Pacific. Its Hawaiian name is “Hu-mu hu-mu nu-ku nu-ku a pu-a-'a.”.  It is more commonly known as the Picasso Trigger for the way nature designed it.   After hanging out on this beach for an hour we stopped for lunch and made our way to Ke-e beach.  Ke-e Beach is literally at the end of Highway 560. After parking we hiked up the Kalalau Trail for about 25 minutes or about ¾ of a mile until we saw the view of the Napali cliffs going into the sea further to the west. This beautiful trail is rated by the Sierra Club as a 9 of 10 in difficulty and no attempt should be made to traverse it unless you are well supplied and in good shape as it is 10.8 miles long.  After hiking back we pulled out our chairs under the trees and relaxed and swam in the calm waters.   I would call Ke-e beach the quintessential Kauai north shore beach.  It is pretty; it has a reef to snorkel and has the back drop of the mountains going steeply down behind it.   It could not have been any nicer.  After leaving the beach and making a quick stop at the lighthouse for a picture we headed to Kaapa for an informal dinner at Mermaids. This place was recommended by several people on and off the island.  Here we each ordered the ahi wrap with a wasabi cream sauce and all agreed it was the best wrap any of us remembered having. Mermaids is as informal place where you order at the counter and eat at the tables on the side walk.  Dinner came out to $50 for the 4 of us including 2 ice chai teas with coconut milk.

Mermaid's Ahi Wrap With Wasabi Cream Sauce and Ginger on the Side

After lounging around our condo and beach for the day we decided to see the Waimea Canyon.  It is said Mark Twain was the first to call this area the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.  To get here you drive west on Hwy 50 and make a turn onto 550 which is Waimea Canyon Rd.  After turning up and heading north our first stop was the Waimea Canyon Overlook.  Here you get to see much of the canyon with 2 connecting waterfalls in the distance.   We made another stop at the park center and museum where we bought a small trail map and got information for our short hike.  At the end of the road our group hiked in past the parking lot on a mountain ridge for almost a mile to see the views and to walk on the wooden path near the highest swamp in the world. This path allows you to see the steep slopes into the ocean that gives Napali its signature look.  From the canyon road we returned back to Poipu and hung out the rest of the afternoon at the beach in front of Sheraton Hotel. Here we only waded in about 20 feet and enjoyed bobbing up and down on the swells.  That night we went had nice dinner at Duke’s Canoe Club.  Duke’s is named after Duke Kahanamoku.  He is said to be the founder of modern day surfing. We found the food and atmosphere very good and would recommend this place. Dinner for 4 came out to $150 with 2 drinks and one appetizer.  Duke’s is located at Kalapaki Beach in front of the Kauai Marriott Resort.  Reservations are recommended.

Views From Waimea Canyon Over Look

Below are Views From Trail at End of Waimea Canyon Rd

                                                                                                                  Hiking Ridge With Great Views

                                                                                             Chickens in Parking Lot (or anywhere else in Kauai for that Matter)

The next day we had a leisurely morning before driving west to Port Allen.  Today’s activity was with Captain Andy.  We were scheduled for 1PM “adventure” tour of the Napali coast.  Captain Andy offers both a mild and wild trip.  The mild trip is the catamaran sailings. The wild uses 24 foot inflatable boats with rigid hulls mated with two 140 hp outboard engines for a wet and fast ride.  At our briefing we were introduced to Captain Matt and mate Kala.  He advised us this ride was not for people with neck or back problems or were pregnant.  He called his trip the “yee-ha bronco bust-in  wet tour” of the Napali Coast.

If you elect to take this trip note that most of the 15 guests will sit on the actual rubber hull keeping one foot under a line on the floor and one hand on the line where you sit for balance. There are 3 seats in the stern that were pretty comfortable but it was made clear these seats were to be rotated and not reserved. I sat on the hull on the way out but did like the seat on the way back better. In our group only one person took the seat both ways as no one felt strongly to sit there.

Magnificent Napali CoastViews Only Available From a Boat

Inside a Collapsed Dome

As mentioned by the captain, this was indeed a wet ride with each guest given a dry bag to store anything you want. As a photographer I brought an extra bag for my camera equipment to keep safe.  It never came out of the bag while underway do to the sea spray and waves.  Fortunately I brought my underwater camera as this was protected from the waves and it is what I used for all my shots from the boat while underway.  If you plan on bringing a non-water proof camera keep in mind we were wet 2 minutes after leaving the dock.  We were not drenched during the entire trip but did get fair amounts of sea spray r with the occasional wave splashing over us.   Capt. Matt would throttle up or down the engines depending on the sea conditions making the ride as comfortable as possible and would stop now and then to stretch. Our voyage took us from the southwest area of Kauai, around the western beaches that we visited earlier in the week heading north and eventually northeast hugging the Napali coast.   We went as far as east to see Ke-e Beach that we visited a few days earlier only several miles to our east.   It was here that Matt pointed out the end of the Kalalau Trail.  We clearly saw why this trail is rated difficult from our vantage point on the boat.

Going in the Caves of the Napali Coast Was Cool

During the ride Matt would point out places of interest we were passing. This would include the geology and history of the place as well as showing us which beaches  were used for the dozens of movies filmed here. Highlights of the trip included taking the boat into different caves including one that had a collapsed roof so we can see the sky.  Another cave we entered had water falling from a hole. We were told the water hitting the ocean here started 3800 feet up in the mountains making it one of the tallest sea-falls of its kind.   After seeing this we stopped at a place for a delicious hot lunch and a quick snorkel.  At this stop Kala gave us a walking tour of long abandoned Hawaiian fishing village explaining how people lived and how the different piles of rock may have been used or lived in.  At the village we also saw a large heard of feral goats up the hill.    After lunch it was back to the boat for a much smoother ride back due to the wind at our back.  If you do this tour keep in mind that ocean conditions in the winter will may not allow entry into the caves. (It is always a good idea to check with any tour operator of any changes in itinerary before booking a tour). The cave entrances by boat were a highlight of trip. 

    The Tour Boat                                           Ferrell Goats Near Fishing Village

    Near the Ruins of the Fishing Village.  This is the largest X I have Ever Seen Formed Naturally

Inside a Cave Where 3800 foot Sea Water Falls Ends

Ending Our Capt Andy's Trip With A Rainbow

For our last day we decided our last hour in Kauai was actually going to be above it in a helicopter. Before our helicopter trip though we had time to relax on Poipu Beach and then drive to Wailua and Opaekaa Falls.  Regretting not being able to spend more time on the island and visit more waterfalls we picked these two because they were viewable from the road.  Wailua Falls is the one you see in the opening credits of the old TV show Fantasy Island. If time allowed I would have liked to have found the path to the base of the falls and swam there for an hour.  We also visited Opaekaa falls because it was a 10 minute ride from Wailua Falls and again easy to see from the road.   Local tourist magazines list at least half a dozen falls that one can get to with short hikes and we will see them on a future trip here.

Helicopter View of Wailua Falls. We Parked on Left When We Drove There

Our final adventure for the week would be to see the hard or impossible places for one to get to using Island Helicopters.  Island Helicopters use a comfortable Astar 6 passenger craft with floor to ceiling windows. (Other companies vary from 4 seats to 6 seats with one company removing its doors for a different feel to the flight)  Both our teens sat next to the pilot giving them a front and side view.  After a safety briefing we were put on board and introduced to Capt. Jim   He told us where the microphones were if we had any questions and advised us to put on our Bose noise canceling headsets before he slipped in a music CD that was perfect for the ride.  With barely the sensation of flying we were ever so gently lifted off the ground with the biggest grins from both our teens as we flew over the island clockwise hugging the mountain walls and going into the canyons.  From our comfortable seats were able to get close views of dozens of waterfalls on the island that would have been impossible for our group to climb to.

                        We Saw Dozens of Beautiful Waterfalls and Their Inviting Pools

  Who would not want to Spend A Day At This Spot If It Was Possible         Water Cutting Deep In Canyon

After viewing the Waimea canyon we soared over the ridge that we hiked on 4 days earlier to see the majestic beauty of the Napali coast from the ocean side.  Here we flew in and out of the many nooks and crannies of the coast line hidden from the ocean or from any roads.   The pilot also kept us close to the sides of the mountains usually keeping the tops or peaks above us as we went in and out of these areas.  While the day before we were able to see the insides of the caves and the very end of a 3800 foot sea waterfall via inflatable, today we had a bird’s eye view of the entire 3800 feet of this sea- falls.

              Waimea Canyon

 Hidden Narrow Canyons With Waterfalls Inaccessible To Anyone Except the Most Experienced Mountaineer  

   Bring A Fresh Battery and A Clean Memory Card Because Every is Taking Pictures On Board

 Flying at 700 feet we went over to Hanalei bay and the rainbow forming near it. After leaving the coast we headed inland to the Mt Waialeale Crater. This is an eroded dome that is over 5000 high. This is officially the wettest spot on earth with an average of over 460 inches. (Its record was 666 inches in 1982)  Flying into and being inside this crater was very exciting as were surrounded by tall vertical walls.

The Coast Line                                                                                                 Part of the Magnificent 3800 Foot Sea Falls

I remember looking up and seeing perhaps 3000 feet of cliff while seeing another 2000 feet below us when looking down.  It felt a little eerie inside the dome with clouds over head and mist everywhere as we hovered in place doing a 360 degree turn so everyone can see everything. 

                                                             Flying  Inside Waialeale Crater, The Wettest Spot On Earth

Our final destination was a Wailua Falls fly over for a better view than what we saw from road earlier today and then on to airport where we ever so softly landed.  What I will tell you is that the smiles and wows made the $179 per person price worth the splurge.  From the helicopter pad we were driven 2 minutes to main terminal of the airport  where we boarded our jet 30 minutes later to Honolulu for our 2 night stay at Waikiki before heading home.

Kauai Facts:

Kauai is geologically the oldest and most western island in the Hawaiian chain.  The island was believed to be settled around 4AD with Captain James Cook being credited as the first westerner to discover the island.  (The first European to actually set foot in Hawaii was Lieutenant William Bligh, then in charge of the shore landing with the marines.)   Kauai has 113 miles of shoreline with 50 of them having sandy beaches. Two other interesting things to note are that 70% of the island is inaccessible by anything other than helicopter or boat. The average high day time temperatures range from 78 in the winter to 85 degrees in the summer.  While Mt Waialeale peak is the wettest spot on earth with an average rainfall of nearly 460 inches the south shore gets only 35 inches. They say in Kauai if it rains wait 10 minutes or move to another beach on the island. There were 63,000 people living on there in 2006.  Getting to Kauai is easy as there are flights from Honolulu every hour as well as direct flights with from the western United States

Mentioned in this Article:

Capt. Andy’s:  800-535--0830 Email: fun@capt-andys.com  www.napali.com

Kauai Backcountry Adventures: (888) 270-0555  e: adventure@kauaibackcountry.com    

                                                                                  www.kauaibackcountry.com

Island Helicopters: 800-829-5999 e:fly@islandhelicopters.com  

                                                         www.islandhelicopters.com

Puka Dog Hawaiian Hot Dogs: 808-742-6044  /www.pukadog.com

Hamura's Saimin  : (808) 245-3271

 Mermaids Café   (808) 821-2026

 Duke's Canoe Club Kauai (808)-246-9599
 Roy's Poipu Bar & Grill   808-742-5000