Lihue

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Hawaii

A March 2005 trip to Lihue by bethann

NaPali CoastMore Photos

Trip to the island of Kaua'i in March 2005. This is a very beautiful tropical island... not recommended for March if you want to swim, but great for hiking.

  • 6 reviews
  • 2 stories/tips
  • 10 photos

HawaiiBest of IgoUgo

Overview

Seeing Kaua'i from the air is highly recommended. We took a small plane ride, which was great. Use AirVentures.
Driving up the Waimea Canyon (also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific)
Sunset cruise
Walk along the beaches
Drive up to the North Shore
Polihale Beach

Quick Tips:

Use The Ultimate Kaua'i book. It’s worth picking up before you go. It is sold on the island, but look through it before you get there. We showed it to some locals that we met on a hike, and they didn't even know some of the places described.

There’s a discount website for Kaua'i activities: . We didn't have any problems with anything that we booked through them and saved money at the same time. One of the activities was cancelled, and they refunded the deposit immediately, no problems.

Best Way To Get Around:

Rent a car unless you want to sit on the beach the whole time. There is a lot to see on Kaua'i, and it is best to rent a car. Car rentals seemed cheaper than on Oahu. We booked through Hertz. I kept checking the rates as our trip got closer. I saved about from when I first booked the car.

Duke's Canoe Club Barefoot Bar & RestaurantBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Duke's"

This is a great place to eat for lunch. It is at the Marriott right on the beach. We had excellent service and cheap food. You pick the table. We sat near the beach. It was very casual, and they served good food.

I would think it would be a good place to sit for a drink as well, although we were not there in the evenings.

Lunch for two (sandwiches and sodas), including tax and tip, was $25.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by bethann on April 5, 2005

Duke's Canoe Club Barefoot Bar & Restaurant
3610 Rice Street Lihue, Hawaii 96766
(808) 246-9599

Poipu Shopping Village: Keoki's ParadiseBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Keiko's Paradise"

We did not have reservations but ate a late lunch there. I’m not sure about dinner, but it was a great, casual place to eat in the Poipu Beach area during the day. It is owned by the same person who owns Duke's Canoe Club.

The restaurant is open, so if it is cool, bring a sweater. I read some reviews that said it was facing the street and wasn't so nice. The street it faces is not a busy street and therefore not a problem for us. They have many plants, bushes, and trees around, so you don't really notice the street there.

Our late lunch/early dinner for two (appetizer, sandwiches, and sodas), including tax and tip, was $30.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by bethann on April 5, 2005

Poipu Shopping Village: Keoki's Paradise
2360 Kiahuna Plantatin Drive Lihue, Hawaii 96756
(808) 742-7534

Sleeping Giant County of Kauai: Parks & Recreation Division OfBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Sleeping Giant Hike"

Wailua River
This is an easy hike if you want something to do for a few hours. We hiked to the top. We stopped at the picnic table and talked to some of the locals there. They told us the easiest way to the top and where to look for the hole in the mountain. It was not a difficult trail. You can do it in sneakers. It seems to be a favorite of the locals, which made it nice for us. We stopped at the picnic tables and talked to some of them for quite a while. We were able to get some good information and tips on where to go the next time we go there. The also showed us which trail to take to the top and explained where we needed to turn so that we could see the "hole in the mountain" It is literally a hole that you can see to the other side. No that big but still something you probably won't see in a travel book.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by bethann on April 5, 2005

Sleeping Giant County of Kauai: Parks & Recreation Division Of
4444 Rice Street Lihue, Hawaii 96766
(808) 241-6670

Sunset Catamaran TourBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

We opted for the sunset tour when our 7 1/2-hour snorkeling tour was cancelled. The crew was very nice. Appetizers and drinks were included. The appetizers included chicken wings, small sandwiches, fresh veggies, etc. They had soda as well as Mai Tai's, wine, and beer. It said that it was a romantic sunset cruise, and while I would not call it romantic, it was fine with us -- it was our only option for a boat tour, which is what we really wanted. There were many families onboard. They were concerned with safety and made sure that everyone was comfortable on the boat. It made for a nice cruise. We saw some whales. When a whales was spotted, the captain headed in that direction. There was not a particular route that they stuck to. They explained what you were looking at on the coast and anything else that they knew. It was a crew of 3. Two of them were brothers and had lived on Kauai their whole life. It made for some interesting conversation.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by bethann on April 5, 2005

Sunset Catamaran Tour
Port Allen Lihue, Hawaii

Polihale BeachBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

NaPali Coast from Polihale
Polihale Beach is at the beginning of the NaPali Coast. It is not easy to get to, and therefore not as busy. You must take a dirt road (in nice weather conditions) for about 4 1/2 miles until you can get to the beach. You take it for about 3 miles until you come to a monkeypod tree. At the monkeypod tree, take a right and go about another 1 1/2 miles. There are very large sand dunes. The easiest access point by car is to find the camping area where you can drive you car close to the beach. You can also see the Forbidden Island of Ni'ihue from Polihale Beach.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by bethann on April 5, 2005

Polihale Beach
West Side of Kaua'i Lihue, Hawaii

LuauBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Luau
We attended the Drums of Paradise Luau at the Hyatt. I chose this one because of the close location to our resort. We were very happy with it. The food was excellent and the entertainment was great. I think it is a smaller luau than some of the others. It is on the water, so if it is a cool night, bring a sweater. They asked for volunteers but did not force anyone onstage, so if you wanted to be a part of it, you had your chance. It is highly recommended. Reservations are recommended as well.

Air Ventures Airplane TourBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

NaPali Coast
An air tour of the island is a must. It is amazingly beautiful. We opted to take the tour the afternoon that we arrived in Kaua'i. It was the best thing we did. The pilot was extremely informative, and you can ask him as many questions as you want. I took a lot of pictures. There were some things that we went to after taking the air tour because they looked interesting from above. The pilot had lived on Kaua'i most of his life and therefore knew a lot about the island. He told us what to do and what not to waste our time on. He asked if there was anything special that we had heard about and wanted to see. It seemed like he really wanted to show us what we wanted to see and not miss anything.

About the Writer

bethann
bethann
North Grafton, Massachusetts

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