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Kauai vacations | Kauai vacations packages | Kauai cheap vacations

On any list of the world's most spectacular islands, Kauai ranks right up there with Bora Bora, Huahine, and Rarotonga. All the elements are here: moody rainforests, majestic cliffs, jagged peaks, emerald valleys, palm trees swaying in the breeze, daily rainbows, and some of the most spectacular golden beaches you'll find anywhere. Soft tropical air, sunrise bird song, essences of ginger and plumeria, golden sunsets, sparkling waterfalls -- you don't just go to Kauai, you absorb it with every sense. It may get more than its fair share of tropical downpours, but that's what makes it so lush and green -- and creates an abundance of rainbows.

Description

Kauai is essentially a single large shield volcano that rises 3 miles above the sea floor. The island lies 90 miles across the open ocean from Oahu, but it seems at least a half century removed in time. It's often called "the separate kingdom" because it stood alone and resisted King Kamehameha's efforts to unite Hawaii. In the end, a royal kidnapping was required to take the Garden Isle: After King Kamehameha died, his son, Liholiho, ascended the throne. He gained control of Kauai by luring Kauai's king, Kaumualii, aboard the royal yacht and sailing to Oahu; once there, Kaumualii was forced to marry Kaahumanu, Kamehameha's widow, thereby uniting the islands.

A law on Kauai states that no building may exceed the height of a coconut tree -- between three and four stories. As a result, the island itself, not its palatial beach hotels, is the attention-grabber. There's no real nightlife here, no opulent shopping malls. But there is the beauty of the verdant jungle, the endless succession of spectacular beaches, the grandeur of Waimea Canyon, and the drama of the Na Pali Coast. Even Princeville, an opulent marble-and-glass luxury hotel, does little more than frame the natural glory of Hanalei's spectacular 4,000-foot-high Namolokama mountain range.

This is the place for active visitors: There are watersports galore; miles of trails through rainforests and along ocean cliffs for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders; and golf options that range from championship links to funky local courses where chickens roam the greens and balls wind up embedded in coconut trees. But Kauai is also great for those who need to relax and heal jangled nerves. Here you'll find miles of sandy beaches, perfect for just sitting and meditating. There are also quiet spots in the forest where you can listen to the rain dance on the leaves, as well as an endless supply of laid-back, lazy days that end with the sun sinking into the Pacific amid a blaze of glorious tropical color.

Attractions

Yes, Kauai has the best beaches in Hawaii, but don't forget the rest of this beautiful island. Get out and explore what makes Kauai the "Garden Isle." Walk back in history in the capital of Lihue. Make time to see Kauai's incredible botanical world of manicured gardens, the geological wonders of Waimea Canyon, the incredible carved cliffs of the Na Pali Coast, and the enchanted rainforests of the wettest place on earth. Book a helicopter flight, take a back-roads tour in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, make a pilgrimage to a Hindu temple located on a sacred Hawaiian site, drop the kids off at a children's museum, or sign up for an expedition to Kauai's famous movie sites. There's a lot more to Kauai than its gorgeous beaches, so get out there and discover why visitors become enchanted with this magical island.

Touring Off the Beaten Path
If you are itching to get off the beaten path and see the "hidden" Kauai, Four-Wheel-Drive Backroad Adventure, 1702 Haleukana St., Lihue, HI 96766 (tel. 800/452-1113 or 808/245-8809; www.alohakauaitours.com), has a full-day, four-wheel-drive tour that starts in Waimea Canyon and goes up to Kokee Park, then on to Koloa and the Kilohana Crater. The tour, done in a four-wheel-drive van, not only stops at Kauai's well-known scenic spots but travels on sugar cane roads (on private property), taking you to places most people who live on Kauai have never seen. The guides are well versed in everything from native plants to Hawaiian history. Bring plenty of film for your camera. The tour costs $125 adults, $90 children 5 to 12.

Discovering the Legendary "Little People"
Like many places in the world, including Ireland with its leprechauns, Hawaii has stories about "little people." According to ancient Hawaiian legend, among Kauai's earliest settlers were the menehune, a race of small people who worked at night to accomplish magnificent feats. However, archaeologists say the menehune may not be legendary people but in fact non-Polynesian people who once lived on Kauai. These people, believed to be from the Marquesas Islands, arrived in Hawaii between 0 and 350 A.D. When the Polynesians ventured from Tahiti to Hawaii between 600 and 1100 A.D., they fought the "menehune" already living in Hawaii. Some scholars claim the Polynesians were more aggressive and warlike than the Marquesans, and in a series of wars the Tahitians drove the Marquesans north through the island chain to Kauai.

Anthropologists point out that the Tahitian word manahune, which means a lower class or a slave, was used to describe the racial hierarchy, not the physical stature of the people already living in Hawaii. In other words, "manahune" (or "menehune") was used to mean small in the Tahitians' strict caste system, not small in size.

In any case, everyone agrees that these people performed incredible feats, especially stonework that has stood for centuries. One example by these rock builders, who were able to construct elaborate edifices without using mortar, is the Menehune Ditch (Kiki a Ola), along the Waimea River. Only a 2-foot-high portion of the wall can be seen today; the rest of the marvelous stonework is buried under the roadbed. To get here from Hwy. 50, go inland on Menehune Road in Waimea; a plaque marks the spot about 1 1/2 miles up.

Another example lies above Nawiliwili Harbor. The Menehune Fishpond??which at one time extended 25 miles??is said to have been built in just 1 night, with two rows of thousands of menehune passing stones hand to hand. The menehune were promised that no one would watch them work, but one person did. When the menehune discovered the spy, they stopped working immediately, leaving two gaps in the wall. From Nawiliwili Harbor, take Hulemalu Road above Huleia Stream. Look for the HAWAII CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU marker at a turnoff in the road, which leads to the legendary fishpond. Kayakers can paddle up Huleia Stream to see it up close.

The Poipu Resort Area
No Hawaii resort has a better entrance: On Maluhia Road, eucalyptus trees planted in 1911 as a windbreak for sugar-cane fields now form a monumental tree tunnel. The leafy-green, cool tunnel starts at Kaumualii Highway; you'll emerge at the golden-red beach. The Poipu Beach Resort Association (tel. 808/742-4444; www.koloaheritagetrail.info) produces a free brochure called the Koloa Heritage Trail, which is a 10-mile walk, bike ride, or drive that has some 14 historical stops and markers describing the history and culture of this area. The Historic Trail begins at Spouting Horn and finishes at the Koloa Mission Church in Koloa town. The trail is a great idea, but a few of the sites are either no longer there (like site no. 10 on Hapa Rd., where the pre-Contact evidence of ancient Hawaiians is no longer), changed beyond what they once were (site no. 13, the Yamamoto Store and Koloa Hotel, now gone), or difficult to get to (like site no. 9, Pu'uwanawana Volcanic Cone, which you can see in the distance from the highway, but is located on fenced private property).

Waimea Town
If you'd like to take a self-guided tour of this historic town, stop at the Waimea Library, at mile marker 23 on Highway 50, to pick up a map and guide to the sites.

Keep Out: Pacific Missile Range Facility
At the end of Kaumualii Highway (Hwy. 50) lies the 42,000-square-mile Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), which is technically run by the Navy. Lately it seems as if everyone on the base, from the military to federal agencies, works on "national defense." According to their website, PMRF "supports a variety of training exercises and developmental tests involving space, air, surface, and sub-surface units," such as missile and submarine tracking information. For years, the base shared its beaches with the people of Kauai, but 9/11 stopped all that. They still have a (very complex and convoluted) system whereby local residents gain clearance (through a long series of checks by the military and police department) to get a pass to the base's beaches, but it is impossible for visitors to do so. For more information, call tel. 808/335-4229 or go to www.pmrf.navy.mil/index.html.

The Coconut Coast
The Kauai Historical Society (tel. 808/245-3373; www.kauaihistoricalsociety.org) leads a 90-minute Kapaa History Tour on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 10am led by trained interpretive guides. You'll walk back at least 125 years to a time when King Kalakaua came to Kauai seeking to make a fortune in sugar, when pineapple was king, and learn about the various ethnic groups that make Kapaa what it is today. Cost is $15 for adults and $5 for children under 12; be sure to make reservations in advance.

Wailua River State Park -- Ancients called the Wailua River "the river of the great sacred spirit." Seven temples once stood along this 20-mile river, which is fed by 5,148-foot Mount Waialeale, the wettest spot on earth. You can go up Hawaii's biggest navigable river by boat or kayak, or drive Kuamoo Road (Hwy. 580, sometimes called the King's Hwy.), which goes inland along the north side of the river from Kuhio Highway (Hwy. 56) -- from the northbound lane, turn left at the stoplight just before the ruins of Coco Palms Resort. Kuamoo Road goes past the heiau (temple) and historical sites to Opaekaa Falls and Keahua Arboretum, a State Division of Forestry attempt to reforest the watershed with native plants.

Make a Pilgrimage to a Hindu Temple -- Believe it or not, a sacred Hindu temple is being carved out of rocks from India on the banks of the Wailua River. The San Marga Iraivan Temple is being built to last "a thousand years or more," on the 458-acre site of the Saiva Siddhanta Church monastery. In the making for years now and not expected to be completed until 2010, the Chola-style temple is the result of a vision by the late Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, known to his followers as Gurudeva, the founder of the church and its monastery. He specifically selected this site in 1970, recognizing that the Hawaiians also felt the spiritual power of this place. The Hawaiians called it pihanakalani, "where heaven touches the earth."

The concrete foundation is 68*168 square feet and 3 feet thick, designed not to crack under the weight of the 3.2-million-pound temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The granite for the temple is being hand-quarried by some 70 stonemasons in India, then shipped to Kauai for final shaping and fitting on the site. The center of the temple will hold a 700-pound crystal, known as the Sivalingam, now displayed at the monastery's smaller temple on the grounds.

Hindu pilgrims come from around the globe to study and meditate at the monastery. The public is welcome to the monastery temple, open daily from 9am to noon. There also is a weekly guided tour of the grounds that includes the San Marga Iraivan Temple. The weekly tour time varies depending on the retreat schedule at the monastery. For information, call tel. 808/822-3012, ext. 198, or go to www.saivasiddhanta.com.

A few suggestions if you plan to visit: Carry an umbrella (it's very rainy here), and wear what the Hindus call "modest clothing" (certainly no shorts, short dresses, T-shirts, or tank tops); Hindu dress is ideal. Also, even though this is a monastery, there are lots of people around, so don't leave valuables in your car.

To get there, turn mauka (left, inland) off Kuhio Highway (Hwy. 56) at the lights, just after crossing the bridge, onto Kuamoo Road (between Coco Palms Hotel and the Wailua River). Continue up the hill, for just over 4 miles. A quarter mile past the 4-mile marker, turn left on Kaholalele Road and go 1 block to the end of the road. The Information Center is at 107 Kaholalele. Park on Temple Lane. Enter the open pavilion, where a guide will escort you through the monastery. You can also visit the Sacred Rudraksha Forest at 7345 Kuamoo Road for meditation, open 6am to 6pm; or the Nepalese Ganesha Shrine and Bangalore Gallery, which are located at 107 Kaholalele Rd.

The entire district from the river mouth to the summit of Waialeale was once royal land. This sacred, historical site was believed to be founded by Puna, a Tahitian priest who, according to legend, arrived in one of the first double-hulled voyaging canoes to come to Hawaii, established a beachhead, and declared Kauai his kingdom. All of Kauai's alii (royalty) are believed to be descended from Puna. Here, in this royal settlement, are the remains of seven temples, including a sacrificial heiau, a planetarium (a simple array of rocks in a celestial pattern), the royal birthing stones, and a stone bell to announce a royal birth. (You can still ring the bell -- many people have -- but make sure you have an announcement to make when it stops ringing.)

There's a nice overlook view of 40-foot Opaekaa Falls 1 1/2 miles up Highway 580. This is probably the best-looking drive-up waterfall on Kauai. With the scenic peaks of the Makaleha Mountains in the background and a restored Hawaiian village on the riverbanks, these falls are what the tourist bureau folks call an "eye-popping" photo op.

Near Opaekaa Falls overlook is Poliahu Heiau, the large lava-rock temple of Kauai's last king, Kaumualii, who died on Oahu in 1824 after being abducted by King Kamehameha II. If you stop here, you'll notice two signs. The first, an official 1928 bronze territorial plaque, says that the royal heiau was built by menehune, who it explains parenthetically are "Hawaiian dwarves or brownies." A more recent, hand-painted sign warns visitors not to climb on the rocks, which are sacred to the Hawaiian people.

Sleeping Giant -- If you squint your eyes just so as you pass the 1,241-foot-high Nounou Ridge, which makes a dramatic backdrop for the coastal villages of Wailua and Waipouli, you can see the fabled Sleeping Giant. On Kuhio Highway, just after mile marker 7, around the minimall complex of Waipouli Town Center, look mauka (inland) and you may see what appears to be the legendary giant named Puni who, as the story goes, fell asleep after a great feast. If you don't see him at first, visualize him this way: His head is Wailua and his feet are Kapaa.

Nightlife

Kauai is known for lots of things: the most beautiful beaches in the state, the magnificent Na Pali Cliffs jutting into the ocean, the incredible rainforests, and the wide panoramas of the Waimea Canyon, but it is not known for a vibrant nightlife. This is a rural island, where work stops when the sun goes down and people go to bed early. There are a few nightlife options, but you pretty much have to search them out and be ready to blend into the island-style options.

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Gastronomy

Dining in Kauai is an activity unto itself. Dining is not just eating (although you will find scrumptious meals created from locally grown, raised, or caught products) but an entire feast for the senses.

Dining on Kauai begins with views and decor. Resort areas will feast your eyes with romantic settings and panoramic ocean views. In Poipu, the Beach House and the restaurants at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa offer spectacular settings right on the beach that will linger in your memory long after you return home. In Hanalei, the restaurants at Princeville Resort look out onto an awe-inspiring vista of Hanalei Bay with cloud-shrouded, majestic peaks in the background.

Next on Kauai's sensuous dining experiences are the enticing aromas, especially at ethnic restaurants. Even if the cuisine is unfamiliar to you, your taste buds will be standing up to applaud at just the wonderful scents wafting out from the kitchen. Kauai offers a rainbow of different ethnic cuisines, from Asian and Polynesian to Mexican/Central American, European, and eclectic mixes.

Dining also means soothing sounds, from the strumming of a ukulele to the gentle rhythm of tumbling waves in the sand. In our reviews we note which restaurants feature live music, which is so important not only to the digestion, but also to the relaxing atmosphere that seems to calm the soul and makes the entire dining experience a banquet for the senses.

Best of all, dining on Kauai is a divine experience in tasting. Taste the familiar, the new, the exotic, and even the adventurous. I urge you to try at least one restaurant featuring cuisine you are totally unfamiliar with. Who knows, you may become enamored with it.

Don't pass up the small mom-and-pop places, the takeouts, the hole-in-the-wall eateries; some very fine food at very budget-pleasing prices comes out of these tiny places.

On your jaunt across the island, you'll find affordable choices in every town, from hamburger joints to saimin (noodles in broth topped with scrambled eggs, onions, and sometimes pork) stands to busy neighborhood diners. As long as you don't expect filet mignon on a fish-and-chips budget, it shouldn't be difficult to please both your palate and your pocketbook. But if you're looking for lobster, rack of lamb, or risotto to write home about, you'll find those pleasures, too.

For condo dwellers preparing your own meals, you can pick up the island's best foodstuffs from a variety of markets and shops around Kauai -- including some wonderful green markets and fruit stands.

Restaurants do not require reservations unless otherwise noted.

Kauai vacations | Kauai vacations packages | Kauai cheap vacations

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