Kaua'i - Of Canyons and Coastlines

After recovering from our 8 mile hike on the Kalalau trail with a good night's sleep, we spent some more time exploring the north shore of Kaua'i. First, we went to look for some beaches recommended by our guide books in the Princeville area, just to the east of Hanalei Bay. On the way it sprinkled lightly and we saw a pretty double rainbow. The beach we went down to was called the Sealodge Beach. We had to hike about a quarter of a mile down a muddy little trail to get down to the beach, which was secluded and quiet.

First (and only) rainbow of the trip besides the one on every Hawaiian License Plate

Sealodge Beach has some nice shade trees, and reefs just offshore

There were some large rays in the water near the beach

After relaxing at the beach for a while, we went on a boat tour of the Na Pali coast. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful afternoon. We had seen the Na Pali coast from the Kalalau Trail the day before, but we wanted to experience it from a distance on the water. The Na Pali coast is epic and an absolute must for anyone visiting Hawai'i. The trip also included about an hour of snorkeling. The usual snorkeling spot was murky from high surf the last few days, so the guides brought us to a backup (Tunnels Reef). Overall, the snorkeling was just so-so, but we did see a sea turtle! The highlight of the boat ride was the striking views of the amazing Na Pali coast.

David soaking up the sun. Atlanta-based farmer tan beware!

Na Pali Coast. Soaring green mountains above slivers of sandy beach.

Most of the coast is sheer cliff that goes down into the sea

Seas were still a bit rough today, but nothing like they can get in the winter we're told

There are caves along the coast (some from old lava tubes) and our boat backed into several of them. This one had a waterfall through a skylight!

More of the beautiful Na Pali coast

A braided waterfall and a stone arch. There were a lot of interesting formations like this.

The rugged coastline stretches into the distance

Beautiful scenery near the end of the Na Pali coast - where clouds move in over the valleys most afternoons.

The rock formation up the slope is called "the cathedral" for obvious reasons. Bonus waterfall and sandy beach.

After the boat tour we took a scenic drive along the north shore of the island to look at the Kilauea Lighthouse. We passed some taro fields and grabbed some roasted chicken to take back and eat for dinner.

Kaua'i is filled with feral chicken. They start cock-a-doodle-dooing at 4:30 AM. We ate one of his friends for dinner.

Taro fields near Hanalei Bay

Kilauea Lighthouse on the northernmost point of Kaua'i

For our last day on Kaua'i we took a road trip to the Waimea Canyon. The island is really pretty small, but since there is no road through the Na Pali Coast we had to drive about 345 degrees around the island to reach the canyon. The canyon is an unexpected sight in Hawaii - with red dirt walls it's a bit reminiscent of scenery you'd see in the desert southwest. Only dashes of green and a waterfall here and there hint that you're still in the tropics. The views over the canyon are magnificent.

Just north of the canyon is the Koke'e State Park which gives you a glimpse into the Kalalau valley from the top. There is an extensive system of trails on Kaua'i, especially near the canyon and along the road ridge above the Kalalau valley. We were a bit burnt out from the hike a couple days earlier so we only went about 1 mile down the Pihea Trail to get some vantages down into the valley.

Waimea Canyon, the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific"

There is much less rain on this side of the island, in the shadow of one of the wettest spots on Earth (Mount Wai'ale'ale)

Kalalau Valley from the Pihea Trail. Our boat tour looked at this view from the opposite perspective.

Cathedral rocks from above

Yet another well maintained Hawaiian trail. ;)

Kalalau Valley from above. Beautiful!

After checking out the canyon and Koke'e State Parks, we drove back towards civilization to visit some south shore sites before heading to the airport to catch our evening flight to O'ahu. We had some amazing fish and pork tacos at Island Taco in Waimea, visited the small town of Hanapepe (which inspired Disney's Lilo & Stitch), and then visited the resort communities of Poi'pu.

Poi'pu is very different than the north shore beach communities. Poi'pu is on the leeward side of the island so it receives less rain and is less prone to the north shore's winter swells. Poi'pu also has nice sandy beaches and lots of fancy accomdations and restaurants. Unfortunately, Poi'pu lacks the charm and dramatic setting of Hanalei Bay. Despite the beautiful beaches, it feels bland and contrived. We would hands down recommend a stay (even without air conditioning) on the north shore of Kaua'i instead of the south.

Kalua pork tacos with a handmade tortilla at Island Taco in Waimea! Yum!

Hanapepe has seen better days, but there are some new things in downtown and we did visit a cute bookstore!

Swinging bridge across the canal in Hanapepe

Shave Ice in Hanapepe. Paul became really obsessed with this stuff. It was no Tege Tege!

Spouting Horn in Poi'pu. Sea water rushes in and causes it to blow out the top

Poi'pu Beach resort from Makawehi Bluff

People like to jump off the bluff into the ocean and then swim the short distance to shore. David would have considered doing this if we weren't on the way to the airport after this.

Makawehi Bluff. Lots of great erosion features in Hawai'i and Kaua'i especially.

Hi Paul! Don't fall in!

Wailua Falls near the Lihu'e airport. Our last stop in Kaua'i.

While Kaua'i is a less-visited island (it gets fewer visitors per year than Oahu, Maui, or the Big Island - less than 14% of visitors to Hawai'i venture to Kaua'i), we think it's a must-visit destination. The combination of beautiful beaches, soaring green mountains, spectacular rugged trails, giant waterfalls, and a fun laid-back atmosphere combine to make this the Hawaiian island we're most likely to return to.

Kaua'i - First Couple of Days on the Garden Isle

For the second leg of our Hawai'i vacation, we flew 300 miles to the northwest to visit the island of Kaua'i. This island came highly recommended by several friends. Kaua'i is known for its lush forests, sandy beaches, the Waimea Canyon and the Na Pali Coast. It gets about a million visitors per year, which is less than the other main islands (The Big Island, Oahu, and Maui). We planned a couple of hikes and set aside some time for lounging on the beach.

Flying over several other islands on the way to Kaua'i

First thing after landing we were hungry for some Hawaiian "shave ice." Shave ice is everywhere here! Basically, it's like a snowcone but with finely shaved ice and fruit flavoring (similar to Japanese or Korean shaved ice desserts). Most shave ice places use artificial sugar-based fruit flavored syrup, but a friend recommended a special Japanese style shave ice truck that makes homemade fruit syrups. It was delicious and hands down better than any other shave ice we tried in Kaua'i. If you're in Kaua'i we highly recommend you visit the Tege Tege Shave Ice Truck. Go early; they only make 100 per day.

Tege Tege shave ice masterpiece!

This stuff is so good it deserves a close-up. Homemade papaya syrup drizzled with condensed milk and topped with a lime wedge.

We found a place to stay in Hanalei on AirBnb just a block from the ocean on the north shore of the island. The north shore is less developed and more laid back - partially because there's a one-lane bridge coming in to Hanalei, so tour buses can't reach the north shore. There also aren't any large hotels past the bridge. We rented an upstairs apartment from a family of four. Since electricity is expensive in Hawai'i, we're "roughing it" without air conditioning. If you know David, you know his feelings about being hot. To top it off, the people we're renting from told us that the trade winds have been slow and it's been hotter than usual. Sigh. Only one thing to do, head to the beach! Hanalei Bay has a two mile long crescent of sandy beach, with stunning views of green mountains. It was the filming location for the 1958 movie version of South Pacific (the mountains near the beach are "Bali Hai" in the film).

Bedroom with a view! It almost makes the lack of A/C worthwhile...almost! ;)

Hanalei Bay. White sand beaches, mountains and waves. Just a block from our rental apartment!

It took 4 days in Hawai'i before David got to lay on a beach.  Seems ludicrous!

Coconut porter on a coconut. This is art, people!

After hanging out on the beach for a bit and wading in the rough surf, we walked over to a local bar and got some hamburgers and sipped on some stereotypical beach libations (mai tais, pina coladas, etc). Afterwards, we walked home and crashed for the night! Overall, a really slow and relaxed day, and a great introduction to Kaua'i.

The next morning we got up bright and early to hike part of the Kalalau Trail. This trail runs 11 miles total and connects the north side of the island to the Kalalau Valley. The trail was used by Hawaiians long ago to connect the habitations of the Na Pali coast. The coast here is steep and treacherous; there is no reef to protect the shore. In the winter, swells can reach 20-40 feet when storms are raging across the North Pacific Ocean. The Hawaiians created the trail to ensure passage to the rest of the island. Today, the trail is used for recreational purposes. Most people that hike the trail hike 2 miles from Ke'e Beach to Hanakapi'ai Beach. This beach is only accessible by kayak or by the trail. You need a permit to hike further along the trail because it's an extreme trek. As the Sierra Club puts it, "hike at your own risk!"

The trail was full of scenic vistas like this

Paul looking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed early on the hike!

Na Pali Coastline

No reefs on this shore to protect it from the full surf

The trail wove in and out of valleys along the shore

Let's go swimming!

There was some stone hopping on the trail

Two miles into the trail, here's the Hanakapi'ai Beach

The Hanakapi'ai stream meets the ocean on the beach and provides nice fresh water to play in

We were told that in the winter the ocean comes all the way up to the rocks, hiding the stream channel

Hanakapi'ai Beach - we loved this place!

From there, we hiked up another 2 miles to the Hanakapi'ai Falls.This path was well shaded and lush, but tricky at stream crossings and required lots of vertical scrambles up slippery rocks. The reward for the effort was a pool of water fed by the 300ft Hanakapi'ai Falls. David swam in the pool and Paul lounged in the cool air at the base of the falls. If you like to hike, we highly recommend a visit up the Kalalau Trail at least as far as Hanakapi'ai Falls. The eight mile round trip is pretty strenuous, and we didn't bring enough water to stave off dehydration. All-in-all, we were hiking/exploring sites for around 6-7 hours. Make sure you start early, bring your bathing suit for the waterfall pool and bring tons of water!

The waterfall trail starts nice and easy...

Great mountain views through the trees

There are guava trees along much of the trail. The fruit was all smashed on the ground and was very pungent.

Half way in we got our first glimpse of the Hanakapi'ai Falls

Not so easy looking anymore...

Made it to the top!

David took a dip in the pool. The water was very cold but refreshing!

David swam all the way to the other side. On the way back he swam under the falls on his back and looked up to the top. Beautiful!

Paul claims this rock for the city of Atlanta!

Great views of the Na Pali coast on the hike back out. This part of the trail is the most exhausting - heading back uphill.

The Na Pali coast has amazing scenery

It took more than one shower to get all the dirt off from the trail.

After drinking plenty of water and relaxing for a bit, we went to the Hanalei pier to watch the sunset. Hawai'i sunsets don't disappoint!

The sun slips behind the mountains

Boat racing on the bay at sunset

Our first two days in Kaua'i were amazing - relaxing on the beach and eating shave ice, but also doing a tough and muddy hike. We've already seen a lot, and we haven't even left the north shore! Our next post will cover the rest of our time in Kaua'i.