Description: After our amazing morning tour of Kauai by Helicopter, we stopped for lunch at Puka Dog and then returned to our hotel to prepare to hike one of the easy east shore trails. However, we were still pretty wiped out from some of our prior days activities. So, we chose to remain nearby and enjoy the amenities at our resort. Prior to visiting Kauai, I had researched that there was an easy hike near the hotel and we decided to explore this option.
Location: The Makawehi Cliffs are accessible by taking a trail from the parking lot between the Grand Hyatt Kauai and the Po’ipu Bay Resort golf course. Since we were resort guests of the Hyatt, we merely ventured out of our room to the east shore of Shipwreck Beach and found an easy trail up to the Cliffs.
Terrain: Makawehi Cliffs are lithified sandstone cliffs that were formed from cemented sand dunes deposited many many many years ago. Then, wind and salt battered and whipped at the sand dunes, forming the impressive fossilized cliffs seen today. Kauai is an island of magical beauty and immense lushness. We were amazed to see these sandstone cliffs were extremely barren from vegetation with the exception of a few scraggly arid bushes. Looking down at the sandstone, one can see that it is made of light tan sand which is significantly different from Kauai’s famous red dirt or the traditional Hawaiian black lava rock. It is daunting to walk along the sandstone which feels as if you are traversing a naturally-made sand castle, but one that will stand the test of time. The actual ground is filled with small fossils, which are interesting to look at and attempt to figure out what type of creature made the indention. (Don’t remove them, though!). As we neared the edge of the trail, we were provided a great eastward view of the South Shore of Kauai.
Length/Difficulty: The half-mile trail is more of a "walk" than a "hike" as we were able to easily navigate the cliffs in our flip-flops. The trail was wide and easy to follow with little patches along the way allowing us to meander along to different spots along the cliffs and watch the clear blue Pacific waves crash down below. We spent approximately an hour leisurely navigating along the trail before we returned to the hotel pool. During our hike, we noted a small number of people had taken the time to venture along this trail with us; however, it never felt crowded. We also spotted some families, and I would recommend this trail as an easy hike for young children due to its short duration and easily navigable trail. We got the impression that we had found a place which was rarely discovered by the traditional traveler. With so many places to visit in Kauai – Waimea Canyon, Na’Pali, Po’ipu Beach – the Makawehi Cliffs could easily be overlooked.
Overall, I would not recommend making a special trip to see these cliffs as the walk is rather short and the sites are not as stunning as the typical Kauai attractions. Those opting to visit the cliffs instead of hiking Waimea Canyon, or another more popular destination, will likely be disappointed. However, for those travelers who have seen the traditional sites around Kauai who are looking for a hidden gem, the Makawehi Cliffs are a viable option. Finally, guests staying at the Grand Hyatt absolutely must take this small adventure along the east shore of Shipwreck Beach.
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