Hawaii Vacation - Week 1 - The Garden Isle of Kauai

We loved this place. We had a two-bedroom, two-bath condo, rented from a private owner and it was superb inside. You don't get any closer to the water… so if you don't want to hear it at night, you might want to select another place to stay. Bedrooms are to the back, but you still hear the water (a good thing for us).<</P>We ate several meals on the Lanai, especially breakfast, and watched several turtles down on the rocks, and whales a bit farther offshore. We were never out there when we couldn't see something. Higher floors have a better view, and no one walking between you and the sights.

There's no pool in this place, so if that's one of your needs pick somewhere else. We get our water fun from the ocean itself and for one BIG tip, some of the best snorkeling is right next door—on the beach—well, in the water in front of the beach/condo. If you're not afraid to go out farther, there are some really neat things to be seen: some coral, lots of fish, eels, and even octopi. Look closely or you'll miss them.If you want a nice morning walk, head out to Spouting Horn. It's a beautiful walk, about a mile one way, and for a reward you get to see a "blowhole" (we nicknamed them Hawaiian geysers). Tour buses will bring people to this site later in the day, so morning is best especially if there's a little bit of wind to aid the water.Poipu itself is a great place to stay in the winter months as winds come from the north, making that side of the island wetter and the water more dangerous. On the southern shore (where Poipu is), you are more protected. Poipu beach is nearby and has more good snorkeling in protected water, Brennecke Beach is also there and has good boogie-boarding. We explored the whole island from Poipu, it's not a very long drive to anywhere.

Pizza: a basic, just "want something" food, right? Most of the time. Brick Oven is different, and I never thought I'd say that about a pizza place. Oh sure, some pizza places are good (and we have plenty we'd recommend in various places), and some are less so (we'll tell you those too), but still, they're all pizza. Until now.

We searched out Brick Oven on the advice of Wizard's "Ultimate Kauai," after a long day of hiking/sight-seeing at the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. We were tired, didn't want to cook, and felt pizza would be easy. This place is expensive, as is much of HI to be honest, so we were a little doubtful but chalked it up to vacation expense and let the boys each choose their own small pizza while Jack and I tried one of their specialties. While waiting, we people-watched... and they have quite the license plate collection to look at.

The pizza was superb, and different from any other that I've ever had. I'm not quite sure exactly what it is either (and I'm not a gourmet cook, so I don't know flavors that well to figure it out). All of the boys loved theirs, and their topping choices varied from basic cheese/mushrooms to chicken, etc. We loved ours too (ours had Portuguese sausage among other ingredients, basically a "works"). You do get decent portions. We didn't order them, but the salads that went by to other customers also looked appealing. Perhaps salad and a pizza for next time? You can choose take out if you prefer.

Service was excellent, food was excellent, decor was excellent, and they offered young kids some pizza dough to play with to keep them amused while waiting. We'd eat there again, and I hope to get that chance someday! Oh yes, the guidebooks say they are closed on Mondays.

We're always up for local cuisine when we travel, and we saw several recommendations for this place; all of which noted this is a "diner," and perhaps too "lowly" of a setting for many (no problem for us). We set out to find it.

Finding it IS tough because it's not on a main street. Take Rice Street, and look for Kress to the right. Turn down Kress, and look for the cars. You'll see the restaurant on the left. Parking is an issue; drive around a couple of times, we all do.

Inside you'll see a couple of counters with short barstools. See empty ones? They're fair game, have a seat. If not, wait. I'll shorten your ordering problems. You want a "regular special" and a BBQ chicken strip or two. This will give you a rather large serving of Saimin—what's that? You don't know what Saimin is? Neither do most tourists who come, including us prior to our first visit.

Saimin is an Asian soup. The special is filled with noodles, pork, fish cake, hard boiled egg, and a few other ingredients. It's simply scrumptious to say the least, even pleased my youngest, pickiest eater. It is, however, high in sodium. Mix some hot mustard with the black sauce and you have an excellent dip for your BBQ chicken and the pork from the Saimin. Be adventurous, and use chop sticks to eat.

People come from all over to eat here, and with the close quarters you can often talk with natives or other tourists while you're waiting/eating. We enjoyed visiting with folks. By our second visit, other tourists thought WE were locals (I wish!). For dessert, try their Lilikoi pie. We bought whole ones and took them back to the condo for dessert and breakfast the next day. Their shaved ice is good too.

To try more places, we seldom eat at the same place more than once, but we ate here three times including our "last meal" on Kauai. We said our sad good-bye's to the staff when we had to leave. If I could afford it, I'd head back to Kauai just to eat here again. Well, I'd do more while there, but I'd certainly eat here. I feel for those who miss out on some of the best local food because the conditions (seating, etc.) are too "lowly" for them!

If you love natural sites, this is a tour that simply NEEDS to be taken. Something like 80% of this island can't be seen except from above, and seeing the sheer cliffs and sharp pinnacles from above is simply spectacular. That said, there are different options for flying...

We chose Jack Harter for one reason; when we went, they had the only 90-minute tour (most are 50 minutes). The shorter flights cover similar territory, but were quicker "look quick before you move on" trips. Our longer flight allowed us to linger and really take pics. We also could "customize" our trip—our kids love Jurassic Park—so we spent more time looking at film sites.

Be prepared to see the beauty of nature. You fly over those beautiful mountains, and into the canyons. In places, there are literally so many waterfalls you can't count them all. You fly over the fields and swamp too. You fly over the Na Pali Coast. It's literally awesome.

Do this trip early on your vacation. For one, it allows you to get a real perspective of the island, helping figure out what you want to visit later. For two, if the weather is bad... it allows you to reschedule...

For specifics... Jack Harter offers 4- and 6-seat helicopters. For the 90-minute tour, you only have the 6-seat option. Be wary... those center back seats do NOT have the best view. If you get one you won't have as great of a trip. We are a family of five. We opted to purchase that last seat for our "imaginary" friend, and it helped our middle son (in the middle seat) to see much better.

Our pilot was superb - we had headphones that muffled the sound of the helicopter and could ask any question we wanted as we flew. At times, music was played so we could simply enjoy the scenery. Details were pointed out for us as we flew. This was not a taped narration flight.

Other details. This company is popular, so early reservations are recommended. Don't count on extra seats being open. Every 'copter we saw was filled.

You arrive at their small office close to the airport, sign in, and are weighed on the spot. No cheating on your weight,  you're life might depend on it. Fortunately, other tourists didn't laugh when our weights were announced, and we returned the favor.

There are restrooms available, then there's a safety briefing and you are finally off to the heliport. Your helicopter lands, folks get off, and you enter at your guide's directions. You don't pick your seat... it goes by weight. After some short conversations with the pilot, you're off. All too soon it's over, but the memories we have (and pictures) will always be there.

This is a long, meant for "hikers" hike, not for the average couch potato who wants a basic route. The elevation change (overall) is only 400 feet or so, but you do it SEVERAL times—sometimes on continuous steps (over 200), and sometimes on muddy slopes or rocks (where you CAN slip). Part of the swamp trail is boardwalked - to help you avoid the wetness and to protect the swamp. Much of getting to the swamp is NOT boardwalked - and still muddy in places.

The reward is what is considered the "most unusual hike in Hawaii"—that would be hiking through the world's highest swamp and the diversity associated with it (and getting there)—and a gorgeous view of Northern Hawaii, including Hanalei Bay. The reward is worth it if you have the time for a longer hike and are up to the challenge.

You start by a boring hike along the (ex) road (1¼ mile) to get to the beginning of the trail... while pondering WHY they had to close the road. At the end of this part (a part MANY people opt to do) you get a really nice view of the Kalalau Valley. Then it's off on the Pihea Trail (2 miles) which takes you along the valley and through forests of ferns and ohia trees. Some of this is steep ups and downs. Little of it is boardwalked (towards the end it is).

After the intersection of the Alakai Swamp Trail you head east (2 miles) and reach the end of the trail at a steep cliff. The route passes through the swamp - and two long sets of steps - one that is VERY long. There is one water crossing here, but when we went it was easy to get across without getting wet. The trail is boardwalked through most of the swamp. You've lost the forest... but gain the swamp plants—and some OLD power poles—leading to more "wondering" questions.

The end has an awesome view; bring snacks, drinks, sit (there is a small bench), and enjoy. We saw clouds literally blow in, and out, making the view go from fantastic to nothing, and back. It was really neat to see. Plus, if you first get there and see the "nothing" part, just wait a little bit. It can change quickly.

Kilauea Point is the northernmost point in the Hawaiian Islands, a good enough reason to visit, but it's also a REALLY pretty "this is Hawaii" picture spot. If you go in winter, and pick a time when there's a storm just off shore with a nice wind—as we lucked out to get—then you'll see some AWESOME waves crashing both in the sea and against the cliffs. All of us were mesmerized by these waves. It was hard to take our eyes off of them. It's impossible to tell how tall they were—there were no humans out there for comparison. I'd easily guess 30 to 40 feet though—much higher than the highest surfing waves we saw. When they hit the cliffs, the spray often went up well into the greenery and listening to them crash was nature's music at it's finest.The Lighthouse is self-guided and costs $3 per person to get in—a bargain to see waves like this if you get a good day. Many folks stopped to look at the point of entry only. They have no clue what they missed seeing because they were too cheap to spend the $3. I'm also told this is a good spot for viewing whales (in winter) and spinner dolphins, though there weren't any around on our day—probably due to the high surf. We did see a couple seals.Besides the ocean and lighthouse, many birds nest here, making this an ideal stop if you are a "birder." I do believe it's the first time I've ever seen albatross—they're neat birds. There were also NeNes, Tropic Birds of different sorts, and Red Footed Boobies.For facilities, there are restrooms and a small gift shop plus visitor center. The place is open from 10am to 4pm. Volunteers are there to ask questions—especially about what bird you're looking at. Everyone we met was friendly—typical of Kauai. Allow an hour or so, more if the waves are crashing. You'll find it hard to stop looking at them, knowing you'll probably never see such a sight again.

I put these two beaches together because they are right next to each other - separated only by a small patch of picnic grounds. Use the same parking for both - a lot across the road (free). Be cautious when joining others to park on the street, we saw the police issuing parking tickets...

Poipu Beach is larger and offers a great place for even the youngest children to enjoy the water. Lava rocks offshore stop all wave action in places. In other places, the waves are mild. The water is shallow for a reasonable distance. One day a Monk Seal was making his appearance - as well as a Green Sea Turtle.

Snorkeling here is a favorite with many folks. Smart ones bring wetsuits... as in Feb at least, the water is cold. Wetsuits allow you to stay in MUCH longer. Don't have one? You can buy them in WalMart in Lihue... "shorties" are fine - those are the knee to elbow versions. When snorkeling, expect to see lots of different colored fish - and if you look carefully - eels too. They aren't afraid of people and they are plentiful. We were even lucky enough to spot an octopus - a favorite with all the children there that day. There isn't much coral on Kauai - it's too far north. There is some though.

Brennecke Beach is a great one for one main activity - boogie boarding! My boys brought the boogie boards in our condo and started as beginners by "trial and error." It wasn't long before some other tourists happening by were pointing them out thinking they were native sons since they were doing so well... (this can make a mama really proud!). I probably should have, but I didn't say a word - and somewhere, their pictures are in someone's album (besides ours).

One warning about Brennecke - there are some larger rocks underwater. 'Tis best to locate these BEFORE landing on them... There are submersed rocks at Poipu too, but it's easier to spot them when snorkeling!

A big advantage of these two beaches is the variety. We could let our boys boogie board, while those of us who preferred snorkeling, went to that side. In between was a great "green" area for sitting and watching the whales (need winter for this) and once we even saw Spinner Dolphins jumping. It's a great place to unwind, picnic, enjoy the water - or all of the above.

This is a NOT to be missed spectacular area of Kauai. This canyon was dubbed the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" by Mark Twain, and one look lets you know why. They definitely do look eerily similar. The layers, colors, and waterfalls are simply gorgeous.

 

To get there, the "book" (Ultimate Kauai) tells you to take Waimea Canyon Road (Rt 550) instead of following the signs to a later road. The book is right—the views ARE better from Waimea Canyon Rd—we tried both. Take the other road (Rt 552) on the way back if you're curious.

 

The road is paved and an easy drive. There are several lookouts along the way (once up) to pull over and gawk. Stop at more than one, the view changes—sometimes letting you see spectacular waterfalls pouring into the canyon.

 

A couple of the bigger lookouts that the tour buses use have restrooms. They also often have locals selling various fresh and dried fruit. They aren't cheap, but seldom is food cheap in Hawaii.

 

Look to the south and you see the ocean and Niihau—a privately owned Hawaiian island. Look to the north and you see the Alakai Swamp—the highest swamp in the islands—and the place that we chose to hike in (see separate entry). For those wanting other hikes, many are available.

 

Continuing on the road past the main canyon lookouts, you'll come to the Kokee Museum—a small place, but with some neat displays of the canyon. It's free. Using the same parking lot is the Kokee Lodge—the only place to EAT around here—you HAVE to try their cornbread, it was AWESOME. The Kalua Pork sandwich was tasty too...

 

Continuing your drive you come to the end of the road with a final lookout—not of the canyon, but of the green Kalalau Valley on the Na Pali Coast. This view is OK, but a better one is a hike down the closed road another mile or so. I'm not sure why they closed the road to that lookout, perhaps to encourage more people to hike? Many people do the hike. It's all paved, but there are hills, so decide for yourself if you want exercise.

 

For a brief visit of the Canyon, you can use a tour bus. However, we never saw any of them go all the way back the road and they only stop at the lookouts big enough to handle the buses. As is common, we recommend you rent your own car and explore at your own pace, stopping where YOU want to for as long as YOU want, and having the freedom to hike!

 

Did you know that Hawaii has geysers? Ok, ok, technically it doesn't, but in some places they have "Hawaiian Geysers" (or so we nicknamed them since they reminded us of their Wyoming cousins). Spouting Horn is one of those—and a gem of one at that.A Hawaiian Geyser is technically known as a "blowhole." What's a blowhole? Well, that's an area where erosion has carved out an opening in both the side and top of a lava shelf. Waves come in the side and the force of the water blows the water and air skyward out the top—kind of similar to a geyser, 'cept "real" geysers are heat/steam activated. Only the end result looks similar, but it's the end result that people see… hence our nickname for them.Spouting Horn, specifically, is quite the gem of a blowhole because it has an extra hole next to the "geyser" hole, and that one blows only air. Can't see air you say? True, but you can HEAR it, and the sound is really cool. Combine the sound with the sight and you have a neat little attraction to go see.Mind you, the ancient Hawaiians didn't go for all the wave/air idea… they said a giant lizard chased a man into the cave and became stuck. It's her cries one hears… perhaps they are right? The sound could match.To actually get to Spouting Horn, head south towards Po'ipu. As you reach the water where the road curves, take the right fork. Spouting Horn Beach Park will be up ahead on your left—signs and a large parking lot (free) mark it. If you happen to be staying at or near Kuhio Shores (as we were) Spouting Horn is only a mile walk, past some pretty properties and a small harbor—a great way to start a morning.Go early. As with all other neat spots, tourists come later… and many tour buses stop here. A light wind is helpful to see the "geyser" at it's best, but you don't want a huge wind from the south. That would wash waves over the top and totally defeat it's working action. Fortunately, that sort of wind doesn't happen often in this area.For those that are so inclined… souvenir shops are set up here with quite a variety of local crafts and souvenirs. There are also restrooms available.