An oasis from the everyday chaos in our urban lives. Up with the sun, down with the sun. We loved every aspect of our first trip to Kauai (May), so much so that we scheduled another for a few months later (October)! Of course, there is always the beach, surfing, paddleboarding, etc…but below are a few of my highlights from both trips, aside from the standard beach activities:
Type of Trip: Self Planned
Hotel: St. Regis – GORGEOUS, luxury hotel on the north shore of the island. They spared nothing in creating this beautiful hotel. If you don’t stay here, then you must at least come for a sunset cocktail on the balcony – stunning views overlooking the ocean.
Transport: LAX-LIH (non-stop), then rental car at Advantage. The first time we went, we tried to go cheap on the car and it was a mistake. We rented at Fox. Not only was it far off the airport, but it took an hour to leave the lot due to the sales associate trying to upsell us on every insurance policy (even after I had refused multiple times). Advantage was a much smoother process and an easy return.
Activities:
- HIKING: Kauai has some epic hikes, many of which we have explored. Our favorites (within an hour drive of the resort) were:
- Nualolo Trail: (7.6 miles round trip) This hike in Waimea Canyon started out pretty rough. The mud was slippery and you are mostly descending for the first half through covered forest (hence, poor traction led to multiple slips).
Nualolo Trail
If you wait it out, the trail opens up around mile 2.5 and then the extreme dropoffs begin! It is gorgeous, and slightly frightening. I have a fear of heights, so I almost couldn’t make it through. Glad I did though, as the vista is crazy cool. We hiked back the same way. The Nualolo Cliff trail, which connects this hike to the Awaawapuhi Trail is closed due to erosion. We hope to try the Awaawapuhi trail next trip.
- Hanakapiai Falls Trail: (6.9 miles RT) This hike shares the first 2 miles with the famous Kalalau Trail (which you need to request a permit far in advance for). After that, you head uphill to a massive waterfall. We packed a small lunch, which we ate at the base of the falls. A must do, especially if you do not have a permit for Kalalau.
- Sleeping Giant: (4 miles RT) This was a nice one, if time is an issue. It was short and steep, with cool rock structures and views from the top. We have done this one multiple times.
- Secret Beach: It’s not really a secret…but you should go. Beautiful, expansive beach with huge cliffs behind you.
- Okolehao Trail: (5+ miles RT) This one was aggressive as we couldn’t seem to locate the end…we hiked past the main vista viewpoint (2.5 miles) and continued into the rope-assisted trail. It was muddy and didn’t seem to be much traveled. The vistas leading up to this point were cool though, so next time we will likely stop there.
- Wai Koa Loop: (5 mile loop) an easy, muddy trek that is all flat. It guides you through the botanical gardens. Make sure to stop at the Stone Dam. It’s like a little Garden of Eden.
- Some other sites I found helpful: Full List and Top Five
- Nualolo Trail: (7.6 miles round trip) This hike in Waimea Canyon started out pretty rough. The mud was slippery and you are mostly descending for the first half through covered forest (hence, poor traction led to multiple slips).
- ADVENTURES:
- Koloa Ziplining: Super fun! The guides were awesome and the ziplining cords are long and fast. It cost around $150/each but we felt like it was one of the best activities we have done there.
- Luau Kalamaku: We ordered discounted tickets HERE for around $95/each, which included dinner and the show. It was totally touristy, but we enjoyed it. I thought the food was fine but the show was a neat experience. Either way, it gave us something different to do on our vacation!
- Self-driving: We drove around the perimeter of the island to check out Waimea Canyon State Park. The drive itself wasn’t that pretty but the views once you reach the canyon are indescribable. It is not that dissimilar from overlooking to Grand Canyon.
- RESTAURANTS:
- Tiki Man Pizza: We really liked this place! Went on a Saturday night, there was a good crowd and live music. The pizza was fine, it was more about the atmosphere.
- The Dolphin: felt overrated. It was expensive sushi, and the service was slow and disorganized. Not a favorite.
- Bar Acuda: cool vibe, tapas. Was expensive but nothing stood out to us.
- Kilauea Fish Market: excellent fresh fish and poke!
- Lighthouse Bistro: this was a favorite. Romantic vibe but not overly done. Our waitress made the dinner even better. She was hilarious and honest about which items to order.
- Foodland (Grocery): great spot to pick up a few items for hiking lunches, snacks and breakfast in your hotel room. The sushi and coffee were great as well!
- 9th Island Sports Pub & Grill: we were looking for a spot to watch the Cubs baseball game and stumbled across this gem. Great crowd, solid bar food though they don’t have a liquor license. However, they do let you go to the grocery store next door, buy beer and bring it into the pub at no cost! Awesome spot to watch sports.
- Kountry Style Kitchen: fabulous greasy spoon. Breakfast was big and hearty.
- Hideaways Pizza Pub: we were looking for a restaurant outside the hotel that we could walk to – this was it. Despite the reviews, we thought it was just fine. Lots of families with kids and local residents.
- Tip Top Cafe: a bizarre favorite, near the Lihue airport. Typical Hawaiian fare, we stopped here after landing both trips. Full of locals and inexpensive. We ordered the “surfer combo” (or something like that). I still crave the macaroni salad.
Mahalo, Kauai!
It felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. Super peaceful and a great place to meditate and reflect. The landscaping is something to be admired as well!
From there, we hopped on the bus to Gora (where the loop begins). 
We found it a great time to chill out, instead of fighting the crowds of tourists with cameras. 🙂 The Fall foliage is simply gorgeous.
You order at a vending machine (cash) and take the ticket into a little bar area. You leave the ticket on a dish and they bring you your order. Each seat at the bar is closed off to the others, so you can eat semi-privately, if desired. We saw many solo Japanese business people come in for lunch. Theoretically, you could go there and never have to speak to anyone the whole time…wait staff included!
campsite! We woke with the sun and made our way to Cathedral Lakes (our second camp site). The meadows outside Tuolumne are stunning. They seem to go on endlessly. We passed Sunrise High Sierra Camp, where we stopped for lunch. We got to Cathedral Lakes fairly early, which gave us a pleasant break. We swam in the frigid water and set up camp. We enjoyed hot chocolate by the water’s edge and played cards. Perfect end to an excellent day.
stop there forst for the experience. This turned out to be a brilliant choice as we were some of the first ones in (it gets crowded). Freezing air, and warm sulfur baths with mud masks. Absolute heaven and well worth the price tag.
spent a day exploring town and had a brilliant time at a local (though touristy) English pub – http://www.enskibarinn.is/en/ . Lots of travelers during the week and locals on the weekends. The bar/club scene picks up tremendously over the weekend (it goes all night), when the locals come out. We also had trendy, wonderful (though expensive) dinners at the following:
glaciers, lava fields, etc. When I make my return to Iceland, I am certainly going to plan for a full week of driving the Ring route, and staying at the various B&Bs along the way. Another day, we drove north to some of the coastal towns.
a fields in the south. This adventure was an expected joy, as it was essentially void of people. It seemed that we had the whole world to ourselves, and the landscape looked what I imagine Mars to look like. Simply cool.
lt, the air quality is sub par and the gorgeous forests are disappearing.
how far he had come to Luang Prabang to study, leaving his family far behind and knows not when he will see them next. It is a honor and privilege to be training and these young men carry themselves so maturely (even though some seem as young as 8!). Every morning, the monks from the various temples walk a specific route around the city and collect “alms” from the locals, who bow on mats on the sidewalks and offer sticky rice and other food gifts to the monks. I participated one morning and found it to be a nice start to the day. After you give alms, you sit and meditate/pray until all the monks have passed. It becomes a nice time to reflect.
e of the city, called Kuang Si. I spent an afternoon there, taking pictures of the local flora (learning to navigate my new camera like a nerd) and swimming in the clear, aqua pools at the various stages of the waterfall. There were quite a few tourists, but it became a fun time to meet new people and challenge one another to a rope swing contest over the falls. Never one to back down to a challenge, I had a lovely red mark on my back following a failed flip. Nice move on my part.
However, my wise elephant (61 and blind -which they informed me of afterwards, thank goodness) took great care of me and thoroughly enjoyed the bath. She was spraying me with water from her trunk and submerging her head under for minutes at a time. She especially liked it when we scrubbed her ears with the thick bristle brush. It was awesome, though I think I had to bathe for days to get the smell of elephant off of me.
buses and cars, but transportation is essentially dominated by tuk tuks, motorcycles and bikes. I am absolutely impressed by the amount of stuff that people are able to load onto their bicycles…crates, at least 4 dozen coconuts, furniture, live animals, multiple children. There seems to be few traffic laws, if any at all – the only rule I’ve noted is that everyone gives way to the bigger mode of transportation. Walkers to bikes, bikes to motos, motos to tuk tuks, tuk tuks to cars, and cars to shuttles. Despite the seemingly chaotic structure, it seems to work well and honks are merely used as a warning of passing by. I am also amazed by the age of some of the drivers…I swear, mothers have their three yr olds driving these things. Either way, I’m sold on the tuk tuks.
es. The city of Angkor Wat has been around since the 12th century and at that time, boasted a population larger than London. The only disappointing part of the city is that it is operated (and therefore profited by) private companies. It would seem to me that the city/country’s biggest tourist destination and largest revenue producing venue would truly help the government to assist their people in emerging from the severe poverty that has evolved.
with Linda at the helm. In the Red Wall Cavern, the musical instruments saw their second appearance. Pictures do not do the cavern justice – it is an enormous amphitheater carved out by high river flows. A must stop for lunch. I completed my first successful “high side” maneuver today – where you avoid flipping a raft in rapids by throwing all our weight up against the high side of the boat. We finished off the day with Mike’s delicious halibut.
John needed absolute silence on his boat. Coyote has a calm that manages to make one forget that they were in a smaller boat with a leak on the bottom. Jess threw on his lucky bandana and smiled reassuringly. Christine turned, non-chalantly, towards the dukcy and got ready to take Hance head-on. Needless to say though, I think everyone was a little nervous despite appearances.
is marked the day when Brian ran Bedrock and won the understatement of the year award “Yabba Dabba Do!”. With a nonchalant, but somber, high-side instruction, Matt, Brian, Tom and Willy pin-balled down the water road less traveled.
beating out our exquisite chef, Mike. The tent caroling began with earnest. Caroler’s at Jim’s tent saw two full moons that night. We learned the true meaning of “hit ’em straight” and finding a “tight spot” on the river.
Tournament. The teams included Scorpions, Sacrificial Poles, The Hobbits, Wet Willies, Bleached Bums, Dos Beeches, Big Kahoneys, and the Trash Tours. The night’s festivities were made up of limbo competitions, Lava Falls shots in honor of the River Gods, tent caroling, Dick’s trumpet playing TAPS, wheelbarrow races, lap dances performed by men…and so it was, the “15-year laugh” resonated throughout camp.
travelfedredhead 