Things run at a different pace on Kauai
Written: Oct 02 '01
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: the peace and quiet; beautiful scenery
Cons: sometimes it can feel *too* remote
The Bottom Line: A good place to relax and unwind with not too many activities (but enough so you don't go totally insane)
|
|
|
| whitty's Full Review: Kauai |
On our island-hopping honeymoon, my husband and I chose Kauai for our first stop in Hawaii. We figured that after all the hustle and bustle leading up to and at our wedding, we'd want to relax in the most peaceful place possible. We were told that of all of the islands, Kauai was the place to do this.
The day we stepped off the plane and began our journey to our hotel, we were amazed at the scenery, and the quiet of the island. We were steered in the right direction -- Kauai is the place to go for tranquility.
The "Grand Canyon of the Pacific"
Waimea Canyon was dubbed "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific" by Mark Twain. Located on the West and North side of Kauai, Twain was not far off. Waimea Canyon is breathtaking. It is ten miles long, and as a tourist you are able to drive much of it. Small hiking trails are offered at different scenic stops, and they are clearly marked.
How does Waimea Canyon compare to the Grand Canyon?
Two major differences exist. For one thing, it is not nearly as vast, or as deep. It truly feels like a miniature version of its Arizona counterpart. The second difference would be the colors. Waimea Canyon is vibrantly colored! Layers of rock and clay from various centuries and volcano eruptions have created some incredible rainbow colors along the walls of the canyon here.
One note: on the way back from the Canyon, our travel book had recommended that we stop in the town of Waimea at Jo-Jo's for some "shave ice." Shave ice is basically like a snow-cone, only the ice is shaved very fine, such to the point that the consistency of the sweet dessert almost feels as smooth as frozen yogurt. Flavored syrup is poured on top of the ice (which often tops a scoop of macadamia nut ice cream.) Shave ice is a Hawaiian thing, and we found it very refreshing!
A brief history of Kauai
Kauai is the oldest of all the Hawaiian islands. It is known as the "Garden Island" and even if you have never traveled there, you would recognize it from such films as Jurassic Park, which was filmed on location here. Being the first island to emerge, it was also the first island habituated by the Polynesians. Today, Kauai remains a large farming island -- growing primarily pineapples and taro.
The beaches
The surf in Kauai is very high, and very dangerous. It is basically an adrenaline junky and surfer's paradise. The entire time we were there, I did not even dip my feet into the ocean water. The waves were a good five-seven feet on any given day.
Instead, we did as most other Kauai tourists do, and we spent all of our swim time in the hotel pool.
Seeing as our hotel was located right on it, we did visit Shipwreck Beach. Located on the South shore, this beach is renowned for its rocky coastline, which is beautiful to look at, and painful to swim in.
Snorkeling
Despite the rough waters, there is good snorkeling on Kauai, you just have to know where to find it. Although we did not go snorkeling on Kauai at all, we rented our week-long snorkeling gear here at a chain store that deals with snorkel gear named Snorkel Bob's. They are a familiar name on all of the islands (you will notice their advertisement in all of the free island guides.) You can rent gear on one island and return on another, which is a huge advantage cost-wise for island hoppers.
One popular spot to snorkel is on Poipu Beach, located in the southwestern corner of Kauai. We drove by this beach on our way to Spouting Horn and there were many snorkelers there. It is a bit of an inlet which allows for protection from the bigger surf.
Spouting Horn
You can't get much farther west on the south shore drive than this. Spouting Horn looks like a mini Old Faithful. Basically it is a hole in the lava, and each time the tide comes in, water spouts (more like shoots at a rapid rate) out, straight up into the air. It's a neat phenomenon to watch. Surrounding the Horn are several natural lava pools -- dips in the lava that have created natural pools. They allow tourists to venture down and swim around in the pools here. It isn't really safe at high tide but can be a fun pastime during low tide.
North shore
We did not travel to the north shore during our stay in Kauai, but I understand that there are a few points of interest there. The first is the Princeville area. In fact, one of the two best hotels on the island is located here and (appropriately enough) called the Princeville Resort. There is apparently fabulous golfing here - so if you are a golfer, this is the place to go. Princeville (the area) is also a popular place to go for horseback riding.
Additional information
A good website for travel information on Kauai can be found at http://www.kauai-hawaii.com/. Also, you can call the Kauai Visitor Information Center at 1 - 8 0 0 - 2 6 2 - 1 4 0 0.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
whitty
|
 - Top 500 |
|
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Reviews written: 142
Trusted by: 126 members
About Me:
is d'eirinn me
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.