Kauai: next (revised)

I'm have added more pictures and narrative about our trip to Kauai on a journal page.

It was a great trip, and we want to return with Ariel next time to see some of the places we loved and some of the places we missed. We have to return to swim in Queen Emma's Bath, to hear a slack key guitar, and to grill on the beach at sunset. Queen Emma's Bath, as well as some other Princeville Beaches we didn't visit, was close to us but I was a little concerned about the climb down this time. Once you are on the island, it's easy to find posters of concerts and even local luaus. Listening to KKCR online before leaving would also help to learn about goings on. (Their site has a couple of calendars, too.) I really wanted to go to Black Pot Beach just before sunset with a grill, some ono or opah, some hotdogs and buns, and a thermos of maitais, but by the evening we were exhausted and stayed on our lanai watching the sunset reflected in the pink clouds or walking over to a vista at The Cliffs to see the sunset, while the boys rolled on the grassy hill behind our place, playing with other children.

When the boys are old enough, a sailing trip to Na Pali, with sidetrips to snorkeling beaches, may be right. There was an easy trail at Nounou (Sleeping Giant) Mountain that we still could do, or some other trails and excursions near that mountain and the Wailua River Valley, which we barely glimpsed. There's a bike trail to tour Kapa'a and beaches north. We would probably skip Po'ipu next time and go further west, exploring Waiamea and other towns and beaches, or keep going to the Mana coastal plains and the Barking Sands and Polihale beaches. We also intended to golf at Kukuoilono, a 9-hole course that costs about $9 for the day. That's also on the other side of the island. There's another area I've heard about south of Lihue, with Mahaulepu Beach, and more beaches near Anahola, above Kapa'a. The boys would be ready for some real boogie boarding and surfing. Several places in Hanalei offered lessons.

We had a fantastic opportunity to stay in Princeville at a friend's place, for which we are very grateful. I liked the Princeville and Hanalei area, and I would make that area the base for any return. One could also, with some planning for equipment to bring or rent and the necessary permits, stay cheaply by camping at the many beaches or backpacking in the interior. There are inexpensive cabins in Koke'e. It might be good still to rent a car (for which you pay a premium on the islands) and begin and end the stay at some nice resort. I can see us doing that, too. There's even a trail that traverses (north/south) the entire island. [Edit: this may not be true. I was thinking the Powerline Trail ran north and south, but now I think it really lops off only the northeastern corner of the island. Still sounds like a good hike, though.]

I heard on KKCR a few days after our return that the island had severe thunder showers and storms and the water rose so high that the bridge to Hanalei was closed for a day. Imagine the waterfalls that day.

Aloha.