The whole idea of being on Kauai is to relax right? Well, we have found the ultimate in nightlife on the island where relaxation just comes naturally. If you find yourself in Hanalei near sunset (we always try and make sure we find ourselves there), just head down to the beach pavilion and find a seat to watch the sun set over Bali Hai.

If the scenery is not enough to get you there, every evening, Doug and Sandy McMaster play the sun to bed. Doug and Sandy are incredible Slack Key performers and provide a show unlike anything I have found anywhere else in the world. See http://www.hawaiianslackkeyguitar.com/. Where else do world-class musicians provide a free concert every night for whoever shows up? Sandy even brings dog biscuits for all their four-legged fans. We bring a blanket and a bottle of wine to toast the end of another perfect day in paradise. (When you are in Hanalei, every day is perfect - remember, no rain, no rainbows.)

Hanalei Lookout

One of the most beautiful drives in the north shore is along Hanalei where you pass through a few one-way bridges. Taro is a tropical Asian plant healthily cultivated in Hawaii and it is where poi comes from, which is taro that is boiled, mashed, and eaten like potatoes. There's plenty of vegetation surrounding Hanalei but the giant taro leaves are what you see first.

Stop the car when you see the sign for Hanalei Lookout because what you will see is a postcard waiting to happen.

The most beautiful spot of the island of Kauai. It's lush and green, still retaining the natural, unspoiled look to it. A spot not to be missed when visiting the Garden Isle.

The crescent that forms Hanalei Bay contains a few different beaches on the north shore of Kauai, and is a beautiful place to spend a few hours. It's not all that secluded; there were probably a few hundred people in all spread out over a very long stretch of beach, but the backdrop of the charcoal and rust colored mountains fringed with mossy greenery, dropping right into the choppy blue water, made it a scenic and enjoyable stop.

There was a group surfing lesson going on while we were there, and while I myself was not brave enough to try, it seemed like even a beginner would have felt comfortable in the group. Some surfers were riding the waves further out at sea, away from the protection of the relatively calm bay. And there was a really cool section of water where we were able to walk out to sea maybe about 50-100 yards and still be knee-deep in water! Although the tide started coming in pretty quickly, so we had to scramble to get out!

Hanalei town is small and hippy-ish and charming. We ate at a restaurant called Tahiti Nui which had a limited menu of fresh mahi mahi and burgers and fries, that kind of thing. A perfect, pretty cheap place to grab a bite and be on our way!

"Simple pleasures are the last refuge of the complex."
~ Oscar Wilde ~

Waking one morning before sunrise, I feel disinclined to be indoors or around other people. Slipping quietly into the kitchen, I grab a carton of yogurt, then my binoculars and bird guide. After scribbling a note, I ease my way out the door. It’s time for one of those simple pleasures.

These are the golden hours, initially dark and misty though they may be, when I feel as if I have the island to myself. The birds know this secret, too. I set out for an isolated spot overlooking the Hanalei Valley, known as the "bird view," to join them at sunrise.

This place is easy to find, but for some reason seldom frequented. Rather than making a right turn toward town after crossing the bridge leading to Hanalei, go straight, down a narrow lane running between taro patches and the river. The road passes historic Higuchi Rice Mill, which is being restored, and then soon after that are designated parking spots on the left across from a small footbridge leading to the Bird View trail.

The way to the Bird View is slightly overgrown; don’t be mislead by a prominent left fork up a steepish muddy path. Stay to the right, which provides a quick, easy climb to a flat, grassy summit some 125 feet above the valley. Below lies the patchwork of fields where taro has been grown for over 700 years. It was all slated for development, but the happy decision was made to turn it into a wildlife refuge instead, still keeping it under cultivation. Today, taro farmers work the fields which also provide a near-ideal habitat for wetland birds.

From this modest aerie, it’s easy to spot the aquatic birds below, while nearby forest birds flit through the trees. Japanese white eyes, red-crested cardinals, Japanese bush warblers, and white-rumped shamas are here in abundance. These were once prized songbirds, brought over in cages by Asian immigrants from places such as Japan and India, but their descendents now thrive where the less disease-resistant endemic birds, some of which survive only at mosquito-free higher altitudes, cannot.

Speaking of mosquitoes, I neglected to bring bug spray. After enduring a dozen or so bites and having my fill of the view, I descend to walk along the road. The taro workers are entering the fields, but the birds seem unperturbed by their activities. Black-necked stilts, with their comic gait, wade alongside them, while cattle egrets lurk in the tall grass growing along the riverbank. Various ducks paddle on the river, and the ever-present raucous mynas, close kin to starlings, congregate on telephone wires. A lone Hawaiian goose grazes on new shoots of grass in an open field, seeming not the least bit diffident as I stand watching close by.

These are the sights and sounds I hold fast to, walking back to my car, driving home, and rejoining my family for breakfast.