Kauai - from land, sea and air

On our first full day here, we saw a seal on the beach, one block away. On our second day, we watched the sun set over Poipu Beach. On our last night, we enjoyed a beach walk with a full moon, and sat near a turtle resting on the beach. On our last day, just before heading out to the airport, we spent the morning on the beach, where there were two Hawaiian Monk Seals resting on the sand.

These are the kinds of experiences accessible from this great place to stay in Poipu.

Aside from its convenient location near one of the best beaches on Kauai, Hideaway Cove Villas offers superb amenities and friendly service.

The rooms and bathrooms are all updated and very clean. All bedrooms are air-conditioned. Also, guests are provided with hotel goodies such as soap, lotion, shampoo, hair dryer, shower cap, etc. so the experience is very much like staying in a nice hotel, with a kitchen! Note that since this is a vacation rental, and not a hotel, there is no daily maid service.

The grounds are landscaped nicely, so many flowers and tropical trees and plants are on-site. They make a great background for photos, or just to look at while enjoying your coffee on the lanai.

The kitchen has all the basic tools you would need, in addition to a grill out on the lanai of every unit. Our family shopped at the Big Save in Koloa Town (8 minutes away) to stock up on food. We cooked breakfast every day, and made dinner most nights.

It is easy to get fresh fish and local flavor nearby. For example, the Koloa Big Save deli counter includes such local delicacies as 4 or 5 different kinds of Poke - a Hawaiian version of sashimi. There are also many fresh fruit stands nearby, so you can try rambutan, sugar apple, or guava just picked from the tree!

Another convenience is the on-site (no charge) laundry room. Perfect for fluffing up beach towels for beach day, or restocking on clean clothes.

The Hideaway Cove also offers concierge services, so they can help you book activities such as helicopter rides, luaus and other activities. They helped us choose just the right luau for our group, and gave us a 10% discount to boot! Also, you can arrange to have your snorkeling gear and boogie board waiting for you when you arrive. No need to pick up or drop off, just leave it in the room.

This would be a great place to stay for couples (they have 1 or 2 bedroom units), families, or large groups. Very very highly recommended for travelers who want an alternative to a resort/big hotel vacation.

We found Da Imu Hut on a recommendation from K., who was born and raised on Kauai. We said "We know where all the "hot" restaurants are...they have fancy ads in all the glossy magazines. But tell us about your favorite places to eat that we might miss out on, if we just went by the guide books." Da Imu Hut was on his short list, and you can tell that K. grew up on this food and would gladly eat there any time. As he reminisced fondly about meals he had there with friends and family, we were sold! We got directions (it's on the highway, "mountain" side, in Hanapepe, near the Kauai Kookie outlet store) and made plans to go.

You can't get more "local flavor" than Da Imu Hut in Hanapepe. The day we went there, we ate alongside teachers from the local school, nurses from the nearby clinic, and tradesmen looking for some good food.

"Imu" is the underground "oven" that the Hawaiians use to cook meat in. They dig a hole in the ground, build a fire using hardwood, put some large rocks on the fire, and burn the rocks until they are white hot. Then they put the food in the imu, and cover the pit, hot rocks, food and all. After many hours (6 or more), the meat is tender, juicy, and perfectly cooked!

I am not sure if Da Imu Hut still uses an imu to cook its food, but the menu is definitely "lunch plate Hawaiian". Menu items include such Hawaiian staples as Kalua Pig, Lau Lau Pork and Fried Teriyaki Chicken. The decor is definitely unfancy. But the place is very clean. The price can be described as "untouristy and delightfully cheap". A lunch plate costs as little as $6 or $7, which is bang for your buck in Kauai.

Our group enjoyed the Lau Lau Pork and Teri Fried Chicken. The Lau Lau Pork is wrapped in leaves, and then steamed to perfection! The Fried Teriyaki Chicken are chunks of chicken meat fried (with the skin on of course!) and served in teriyaki seasoning.

Most lunch plates come with two scoops of white rice and macaroni salad. Don't worry, starch is your friend in Hawaii! Anyway, wouldn't it be a shame to miss out on local flavor only because you read a diet book written by someone you don't know, that said you shouldn't eat carbs?

Your diet books and resolutions will be waiting for you when you get home. When in Kauai, eat a few meals where the locals go! Da Imu Hut would be a great place to start!

What is saimin? Saimin is a close cousin, or even brother, of ramen. It is hard to tell what the exact relationship is, but they are definitely related.

What makes saimin saimin? It is the ingredients in the bowl. Social historians can theorize that saimin reflects the history of Hawaii in a bowl. The Japanese brought the noodles, the Chinese brought dumplings, the Filipinos brought the chives, the Hawaiians brought the chicken broth, and the mainlanders brought the ham.

You really ought not go to Hawaii and miss out on saimin. So go ahead and try out Hamura's - a place that serves 1000 bowls of Saimin a day!

Note that this is a no frills place. There is no a/c (and no ocean breezes). Most people sit at the counter, but there are a few linoleum type tables available. No worries, the atmosphere is not what you come here for anyway. It's the saimin!

Get the oxymoronically named "Special Regular". Extra Large, since you're on vacation. See photo. It contains noodles, pork tenderloin, fish cakes, dumplings, ham (or is that SPAM?) and other good stuff. Go ahead and order a couple of sticks of teriyaki chicken.

When you're done, don't miss the Lilikoi Pie.

Cost per person would be about $7 - definitely a good value in Kauai.

Ke'e Beach is located at the very end of the road, on the North Shore of Kauai. Driving there, somewhere along the way...whether it is when you stop to admire the taro fields at the lookout, or when you cross your fifth one-lane bridge, or when you get teased by a fleeting view of yet another beautiful beach that you have to drive past on the way to Ke'e, you realize that you are headed somewhere special.

Keep driving. Don't stop until the road ends. The road ends because it has to. This is where the Napali Coast begins on the north.

The beach is not as broad as others (such as Tunnels Beach), and certainly not as long as others (such as Hanalea Bay). It has not been in any movies (such as Lumahai "Nurses" Beach). It is even more crowded than other beaches. But you must go to Ke'e.

The beach is protected by a reef and rocks, so the current and waves are gentle. There is even a more protected "lagoon" area where small kids can play and swim.

The wildlife is here alright. If you snorkel to the reef, enjoying your umpteenth sighting of the distinctive Humuhumunukunukuapua'a trigger fish, keep going past where the rocks feel like they could graze you as you glide by, and you will likely encounter feeding Green Hawaiian Sea Turtles. When we went snorkeling here, we saw groups of turtles on the reef....as many as six or seven at a time. Spend time floating there, amongst the turtles, but please don't touch, harrass, or ride them. Not only is that bad for the turtles, it's against the law! Watch them as long as you want, but don't touch.

Now look up, and look around you. Do you see the Napali Coast and unbelievably beautiful cliffs over there to the west? Yes, you can see them from above by helicopter. Yes, you can kayak all day and get closer. Yes, you can get on a snorkeling boat and go there. But here they are in a way you can enjoy, an added plus of Ke'e Beach. You can see for miles. Just take off your goggles and enjoy the view.

It's starting to drizzle a bit. Don't worry, just look back toward the beach. Do you see that? That is not just a full rainbow, it is a full double rainbow. Aaaahhhh. This is the perfect beach day, right?

When you grow tired of watching the wildlife and floating among the fish and turtles, go ahead and swim back to the beach. Be careful not to step on the Hawaiian Monk Seal though. He is taking a well deserved nap on a well deserved bellyful of fish. Take your picture to show the folks back home. But don't poke him. He is also protected by law. And he has teeth! So keep a respectful but admiring distance.

On an island of near perfect beaches, Ke'e Beach stands out.

Great snorkeling, family friendly beach. Before spending too much time in Kauai, you will be reminded over and over again that Poipu Beach was named "America's Best Beach" in 2004 by "Dr. Beach, PhD". So, in case you haven't heard it yet, this beach is officially, certifiably, "The Best".

Here is why:
The beach is protected by a reef offshore, so it is very easy to swim in. The sand is very good. Not fine sugary white sand, but good soft sand.

There is a "kiddie pool" area or lagoon, where there is almost no wave action. The little ones can have a beach all to themselves. We saw 3 and 5 year old kids with little to no supervision on this beach.

The beach has a playground, although it puzzles me why a kid would need a playground on the beach. There are also facilities and lifeguards, as well as plenty of parking.

Nearby places to eat include Brennecke's, a casual, but somewhat expensive restaurant with unbeatable views of the beach. Downstairs from Brennecke's is a Deli, with deli staples like sandwiches, chips and drinks.

There is a surf shop just across the street, where you can rent surf boards, boogie boards, or snorkeling gear.

If you're lucky, you might spot Hawaiian Monk Seals napping on the sand, or Green Sea Turtles swimming or resting on the beach.