Unspoiled Hawaii: Kauai is a beautiful, tranquil paradise
Written: Feb 25 '01 (Updated Apr 02 '02)
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Pros: Kauai is a lush, beautiful island with incredible scenery in all directions.
Cons: It is small enough that you could get "island fever" but I never have!
The Bottom Line: Kauai is beautiful, peaceful and not overcrowded. Enjoy the incredible sights and time to relax and unwind in the warm sunshine!
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| diverpam's Full Review: Kauai |
Kauai has the most beautiful landscape of any place I have ever visited. A small island with craggy mountains surrounded by the blue Pacific Ocean, it is a feast for all the senses.
The lush, green foliage and myriad of blooming flowers fills the air with the sweetest scents. The mountains are steep and unique in shape, with a multitude of crashing waterfalls spilling clear water into the canyons.
You will recognize much of the scenery from Jurassic Park. It is even more amazing in person!
Relaxed Pace
Life seems to move at a slower pace on Kauai and I have met many people who moved to Hawaii to escape their hectic lives in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles.
This is not an island where you should expect a lot of wild nightlife. You will be more likely to find wildlife than nightlife. It is generally very quiet and serene -- the exact opposite of Honolulu.
Exploring The Island
You can drive almost all the way around the island along the coastline, stopping to watch the surfers at the beach, or see whales spouting offshore. However, there is one part of the island where there is no road by the coast -- the incredible Na Pali coast.
If you want to see the imposing cliffs of the Na Pali coastline you can take a boat tour or a helicopter tour of the island. The helicopter tour is breathtaking as you soar over the mountains, almost into the mist.
Approaching the cliffs of the Na Pali coastline from the sea while hovering over the beautiful crashing ocean is a once in a lifetime experience. The mountains are lush and green and there seem to be trickling waterfalls everywhere. Some of the larger waterfalls are only accessible by helicopter. It's definitely a scene right out of Fantasy Island. If you do nothing else, see Kauai by helicopter. The canyons, mountains and waterfalls are too beautiful to miss!
Afraid of helicopters? Then take to the sea! The boat ride we took up the coast was great, allowing us to see the huge,intimidating mountains up close.
Whale Watching
We were fortunate enough to be there during February when the Humpback whales were plentiful. We were treated to these magnificent creatures breaching from the water. We even saw a mother and her baby up close and the young calf curiously approached our boat.
We cut the engines to prevent harm to the whales and were treated to the display of a mother scolding her wayward child for getting too close. It was unbelievable.
Unexpected Whale Watching Opportunities
My husband played at Poipu Bay Golf Course while I rode along and took pictures. (It is a beautiful and very challenging course!) I even got to whale watch from several of the holes overlooking the ocean cliffs. In fact, there were several holes where play slowed down considerably as the golfers found themselves distracted from the course by the incredible natural beauty that lay before them.
Recommendations
Unlike Oahu, Kaui is not overdeveloped and over-commercialized. It still retains its natural beauty and serenity. It is one of the few vacation destinations from which I return home truly relaxed.
Take your camera, plenty of film, and binoculars. Our first visit we only carried one pair of binoculars and had to share. For our return visit, we each had our own. When the whales are breaching all around you, you don't want to be sharing binoculars.
I can't recommend this beautiful island enough for someone seeking peace, tranquility and incredible natural beauty!
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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Epinions.com ID:
diverpam
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Member: Pam
Location: Collierville, TN
Reviews written: 263
Trusted by: 350 members
About Me:
~~~~So many oceans...so little time!~~~~
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