Kauai - The "other" Hawaii

Tropical foliage; clear, blue water; warm breezes; friendly people, and yes - chickens. These are things that stand out in my mind when thinking of Kauai.

Drive around the island and just let it seep into your bones, heart, and soul. I'm sure you will be glad you did.

Ke'ee beach past Hanalei Bay is my favorite. It is literally the end of the road on the northshore of Kauai. Cross eleven one-lane bridges, maneuver twists and hairpin turns, but go!!

Catching a sunset here is like nothing you've ever seen before. It will take your breath away (if you have any breath left after the drive up)!

Poi'pu Bay and Spouting Horn are two locations that are on the "don't miss" list.

An hour or so spent at the Lighthouse will be a pleasant surprise for you as it was for us. Go ahead and take the turn off to the lighthouse, it's well worth it. A bird sanctuary and whale watching location, it is truly a wonderful experience and one of the least expensive things you can do on any of the Hawaiian islands.

The golf courses and Prince Hotel in Princeville are also areas to explore. Be sure to have dinner at the Prince Hotel one evening. They have a menu that is awesome, and wonderful waitstaff. This was the best fine dining we had on Kauai.

Quick Tips:

Don't miss Ke'e Beach at "the end of the road"; the Prince Hotel for dinner; Waimea Canyon; Na'paali Coast and golf, golf, golf.

Best Way To Get Around:

A vehicle is a must.

We went for lunch and had a wonderful meal. The waitstaff were friendly and made every effort to make our time there special. The meal was good and drinks plentiful.

Shopping and sightseeing in and around the area were a pleasant diversion after our meal.

Tidepools is one of the restaurants located at the Hyatt Hotel. Pools and ponds with koi and waterfalls outside the thatched roofed restaurant were lovely. Before you have dinner, sit on the veranda and enjoy a sunset, stroll around the grounds--it is a beautiful location. Dinner was good, and the ambiance and location add to an overall elegant feeling.

Brenneke's on the Beach is definitely that. Located across the street from beautiful Poi'pu Bay, the view from the second floor restaurant is wonderful. The food, ambience, and friendly service added to our enjoyable lunch. I would highly recommend taking a breather from your sightseeing afternoon by lunching at Brenneke's.

We couldn't do the snorkel cruise on the Na'Pali Coast because of the weather, so Capt. Andy took us on the south side of Kauai for an afternoon/sunset sail.

The crew were friendly and made every effort to make our time on board fun and relaxing. Sneaky Tiki's flowed freely and were good. Lunch was well done and there was plenty of food for all on board.

The afternoon was well spent, relaxing, and informative. We saw some of the locations where different movies were filmed. Poi'pu Bay from the water was indeed different than from land.

Next time we go, we'll again attempt a cruise up the Na'pali coast for the views and snorkeling.