Moving on to Kauai

11/15/08

Well we leave today for the island of Kauai – the Garden Isle. Our flight is at 7pm, so we were able to get late check out. Our shuttle will pick us up at 4:30pm to take us to the airport. We did our walk today in the direction of the zoo and Kapiolani Park. As we walked there was a soccer meet going on with all the soccer mom’s and dad’s cheering them on. We sometimes forget that people live, work and play here just like we do at home.

There was an Art Festival going on in the park. All the venders had to have things they made. A beautiful selection of items. I saw the gal I bought some mu mu’s from several years ago. One gal had hand made leis out of fabric, even for the dog. I planned to go back and get one and totally forgot. I think Bob was rushing me around, hmmmm. I guess I will just have to return to the islands sooner.

I can’t say enough about the people at the Waikiki Beach Tower. They are so pleasant and helpful. Everyone expressed an interest in our travels from the maids to the front desk. To go somewhere and have them make you feel so welcome is very special.

Before I forget – on Hawaii, Kauai, Maui – you have CostCo and Walmart. On Kauai and Hawaii the CostCo also sell gas. Their gas is usually 30 – 40 cents less than on the island. Also at Walmart they have a great souvenir department, with gift items, lotions, clothing etc.

Also on each island they have brochures with tours, etc. The most important would be the beach information. Please be sure to read it carefully.

Kauai – 11/15 – 11/22/08

This last day in Oahu I was able to do laundry and also sit at the pool so my chores were done. Because we had a late flight out of Honolulu to Kauai, we decided we better eat something at the airport. Waikiki is going strong to the wee hours of the morning. The outer islands roll up the streets at 9pm. The restaurant at the airport – Stringer Rays was actually very good.

Our flight to Kauai was short. Kauai has absolutely no light pollution. The stars are unbelievable and dark roads – wow. We are staying at the Aloha Beach Resort just outside of Lihue. We were told there was no way to get lost – must not know to whom they speak. We picked up our car and off we went. (A car is a must on the outer islands.) Surprise we didn’t get lost. We have a cottage; in the dark it didn’t look very nice. But we were so tired we went right to bed. Well the next morning we were surprised to see and hear the ocean. Our unit overlooks Lydgate Park out to the ocean. The unit is small but had a nice kitchenette, 2 TV’s, living area and a separate bedroom. The unit is a little tired but clean and did not smell. We found out later they are in the process of renovating the cottages. We took a walk around the grounds, so pretty. We ended up having breakfast at the open air restaurant, very good. (You can order off the menu or they have a lovely breakfast buffet for $17.95.)

The resort is located on the ocean in the Kapaa area of Kauai. The property has multiple one and three story buildings and nice grounds for strolling. The hotel rooms, junior suites, and one bedroom cottage suites will sleep 4 guests. All of the units have air conditioning, color cable TV, and a small refrigerator. The one bedroom cottage units are detached from the main hotel and are closer to the ocean. The cottage units have a kitchenette and offer a quiet ambiance for guests. The hotel has 2 pools, spa, fitness room, activity desk, restaurant, mini-mart, gift shop, central laundry, tennis court, and free parking. Lydgate State Park is adjacent to the Aloha Beach Resort and there is good swimming at this park. What is nice at Lydgate is they have a nice wading area for children, then a safe area for snorkeling. They partitioned off areas with a man made rock reef to provide some safe swimming. There are many dining and shopping options within driving distance. They are renovating the hotel and the cottages.

You know when you come from a luxury property to a modest one it is always a shock. In the light of day we found a much laid back property with beautiful grounds and facilities. (We woke up at 4:30am again.) The grounds have lovely Koi ponds, fountains and landscaping. We had to go to the open air lobby for the wi fi hot spots to check our email. While we were there the park started to pick up. There must be a picnic about to go on. They set up jump castles, big slides, what fun they had. It rained off and on but the rain didn’t stop the fun.

We were able to go to church and the sun managed to shine while there. It’s always interesting to meet people that live on the islands. We went to the Kauai Fair in Kapa’a. I always manage to find some nice things to take home. Christmas shopping is fun in the islands. We went to Safeway and picked up some things for breakfast and snacks.

Sunday when the rain started we decided to head to the west side of the island to find some sun; we found it in Hanapepe – really picturesque but not much open on Sunday. If you are in the area on a Friday night they have an Art Walk. Lots of galleries. The town buildings are very colorful. They remind me of the old west except they have color. We then headed for Waimea. We passed the Russian Fort, built in 1817. This is where Russia had a grand but failed plan to bring Kauai under Russian control. Waimea is another lovely town said to be the sunniest part of Kauai. We stayed at the Waimea Plantation several years ago. They are rustic but really nice. The stars are unbelievable – so dark! You do have the feral roosters, and they have no idea when the sun comes up. They vocalize at all hours. Don’t miss the Waimea Canyon General Store; you can call them for the daily sunshine report.

Monday we went to the Poipu area – I always enjoy driving through the tunnel of trees. Even there it was raining. We ended up at Kieoki’s Paradise restaurant and bar. What a lovely setting, too bad it was raining the outside seating was nestled in beautiful gardens. The Poipu area has some lovely beaches.- Brennecke’s Beach has exciting bodysurfing, Shipwreck Beach has challenging boogie boarding, Poipu Beach Park has gentle wading pools and there is snorkeling at Longhouse Beach. Always check with the lifeguards for current water conditions. A basic rule is never turn your back on the ocean. From Poipu we ended up at the Spouting Horn Park. This is a “blow hole” created by waves forcing water into a shoreline cave, resulting in a vertical fountain of seawater that shoots out a natural hole in the lava table. There is a flea market there and it has some great items and prices.

Tuesday we moved to the RequestQuest Islander by the Sea located by the Coconut Market Place. We have stayed here before and have always enjoyed our stay at this property. This is a moderate oceanfront hotel located on a sandy beach in the Wailua/Kapaa area of Kauai. This property, located in the Coconut Plantation Marketplace, has amenities that include a pool, poolside bar, Jacuzzi, shuffleboard, activity desk, mini-mart and central laundry facilities. All of the units (both hotel rooms and junior suites) have a wet bar, small refrigerator, coffee-maker, air conditioning, color cable TV, and a telephone. The hotel oceanfront category has a microwave and the junior suites have kitchenettes for travelers wanting to do a limited amount of cooking. This property has nice grounds for strolling or relaxing and is close to many other shops and restaurants.

We have an ocean front unit so it was nice sleeping with the slider open and listening to the surf. The weather is rain, wind a little sun and more sun. We have never been on Kauai when it has rained. Luckily there is much to see. The pool area has a nice bar, great BBQ areas and fantastic view. We met a nice couple from Vancover Island, fun to talk with and get their view on our country. All positive by the way.

One of the restaurants we enjoyed was the Country Kitchen for breakfast in the town of Kapp’a. There is also a nice restaurant you can walk to in the Coconut Market Place called Eggbert’s. Have you noticed we are big fans of breakfast?

Forgot to mention that in the Kapa’a area you can see the sleeping giant. The mountain looks like a man resting. Also a great restaurant is Postcards. It is only open from 5 – 9 pm so reservations a must. They have a great seafood menu and now also have a great vegetarian menu.

Both of the properties we have stayed are at the base of the Wailua River. This is where the river empties into the Pacific. This is where you can get a boat or rent a kayak to cruise up the river to the Fern Grotto where the ferns grow upside down from the roof of the grotto. At the fern grotto a lovely Hawaiian woman sings the Hawaii Wedding song. I still remember the first time I heard this many years ago. Beautiful!

We spent our last day driving to the North Shore, to Hanalei and Princeville. You will love the one lane bridges. The coast line is rugged and beautiful. Of course it rained all the way, but the beauty of the area made up for the rain.

A good way to see the Na Pali coast is to take a snorkeling cruise. We have taken the Kauai Sea Tours – Lucky Lady cruise. We really enjoyed this cruise, the cliffs are spectacular.

Kayaking has become very popular and there are many tours available. There are a lot of choices on Kauai for things to do rain or shine.

We all know about Kona coffee on the Big Island – but now Kauai has its own coffee. The Kauai coffee is very good.  I bought some at the WalMart. I was there getting some souvenirs – had a great sale. The Kauai coffee I bought was Estate Roasted Vanilla Macadamia Nut – so good. Here is their web address – http://www.kauaicoffee.com.

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