| Going to Hawaii for that long awaited tropical | | | | spend an hour or three exploring Ke'e's many |
| vacation in paradise? Looking for a few tips on | | | | caverns, shallows and reefs that teem with all |
| what to see and do there from a former | | | | manner of exotic, and some quite friendly marine |
| inhabitant? You've come to the right place. My | | | | critters. A warning though: Please don't stand or |
| wife and I lived on the Island of Kauai for three | | | | walk on the reef! This erodes the fragile coral life |
| years. We're not experts by any means; but we | | | | found there, and causes the reef itself to shrink. |
| know a few tricks and tips that can help you | | | | Cost to snorkel Ke'e Beach - approximately |
| maximize your Hawaiian vacation, and minimize | | | | $20.00 for the gear. |
| the price, discomfort, and anxiety you may have | | | | 3 Sunset at PoliHale Beach. It's a rather tortuous |
| about your travels to this gorgeous spot. | | | | drive over poorly maintained and washboard |
| And it is that: Hawaii, particularly the island of | | | | rough dirt (and mud) road, but PoliHale Beach is |
| Kauai, is the most beautiful spot on earth. We've | | | | worth every bump and tire-punishing pothole. |
| traveled extensively, and there's simply no | | | | Pole-EE-Hall-EE Beach, the name means House of |
| prettier place than Kauai in particular, and Hawaii in | | | | Spirits, is at the westernmost end of the island of |
| general. | | | | Kauai, and may be the most beautiful beach on |
| First, getting there. One thing main landers seem | | | | earth. Polihale is seven miles of pure white sand, a |
| to lack is a good understanding of Hawaii and its | | | | constant pounding surf, and home to the famous |
| geography. This misunderstanding can add to your | | | | 'barking sands' of Kauai. This beach is also the |
| trip's length and cost. Here's an example of this. | | | | start of the famous NaPali coast, the most |
| Several airlines frequent Hawaii, of course. Many | | | | spectacular scenery in all of Hawaii. Cost of |
| even fly directly into Lihue on Kauai, bypassing | | | | Polihale Beach - Zero. |
| Oahu from the west coast of the U.S. One thing | | | | 4 Waimea Canyon. Why-May-Uh Canyon is the |
| to avoid when going to Kauai, therefore, is an | | | | chasm that defines the western land mass of |
| itinerary that takes you through Honolulu, which is | | | | Kauai. Waimea, the name means Red Water, is |
| on Oahu. There's no need to stop there, and this | | | | proof that Kauai has a bit of everything from sun, |
| typically adds to the expense and time involved in | | | | sand and surf at the beaches, to jungle tropics, to |
| getting to Kauai. Check with your travel agent. | | | | lush, verdant garden landscapes to rugged |
| Unless you want to see Oahu and its attractions, | | | | mountainous terrain. Ten miles long, three miles |
| fly directly into Lihue Airport. | | | | wide and a mile deep, Waimea was caused by an |
| There are seven main islands in the Hawaiian | | | | earthquake over 300,000 years ago that nearly |
| chain, or at least seven that are now above | | | | sheared Kauai in two. The resulting rust-colored |
| water. For the geology buffs out there, the | | | | cliffs and multiple waterfalls in the canyon create a |
| Hawaiian chain actually consists of 124 islands | | | | view that is simply impossible to paint in words, or |
| stretching over 1,200 miles across the central | | | | perhaps even in pictures. You must see Waimea |
| Pacific. Most of the 124 have long been | | | | to believe it. Take route 50 west from Hanapepe |
| submerged, having been created, then eroded by | | | | to the town of Waimea to mile marker #23 and |
| wind, water and natural forces over the preceding | | | | climb up into the canyon. Don't forget to gas up; |
| 100 million years. Today we have access to the | | | | there's no station in the canyon. Hiking trails and |
| islands of Hawaii (the Big Island), Molokai, Maui, | | | | scenic lookouts abound. If you wish to have a |
| Oahu, Lanai, Kauai and Niihau. Check that: Niihau | | | | good look at the Kalalau Valley at the end of the |
| (Pronounced Knee-EE-How) is inaccessible to | | | | canyon road, get there in the morning. The |
| tourists, unless permission is granted by the 400 | | | | overlook often clouds over by noon. Cabins are |
| or so natives living there. This permission is rarely | | | | also available by reservation in the upper reaches |
| if ever given, as the island is privately owned. | | | | of Koke'e State park. Hint: Take a jacket or |
| These seven islands span four hundred miles from | | | | sweatshirt. Waimea is the only part of Kauai that |
| the southeast coast of Hawaii, to the northwest | | | | may actually be chilly. Cost of a drive up into |
| tip of Kauai. This is roughly the distance between | | | | Waimea Canyon - Zero. |
| Columbus Ohio and Chicago. So no, we can't see | | | | 5 For the resident connoisseur of fine dining, Kauai |
| all the islands from the others, and no, we can't | | | | can even handle that. Our suggestions include |
| drive from one to the other, sorry. | | | | several fine restaurants in south shore PoiPu such |
| On to Kauai. This north westernmost Hawaiian | | | | as Roy's, Brenneke's, and The Beach House. In |
| Island is called The Garden Island, for a very good | | | | Lihue there's Gaylord's and Duke's. A number of |
| reason. It's claimed that seeds dropped on the | | | | great places to eat may be found on the east |
| ground in Kauai's rich volcanic soil will sprout with | | | | shore around Kapaa Town, such as Blossoming |
| little attention or help, and plants will blossom in | | | | Lotus and Kintaro for Japanese fare. Many north |
| short order. This is evident from the time our | | | | shore restaurants near Princeville, such as the |
| plane touches down in Lihue; a riot of foliage of | | | | Princeville resort and Hanalei Bay resort will leave |
| every size, color, dimension and shape greets us, | | | | you spellbound. In Hanalei Town, several places |
| and the aroma of tropical growth is a veritable | | | | offer great cuisine, and terrific atmosphere. |
| perfume factory of scents. Temperature, too, | | | | Postcards, Hanalei Dolphin, and for a |
| encourages Kauai's Edenic environment. The | | | | once-in-a-lifetime dining experience, try Dining in |
| airport has no doors, no windows, no way, in | | | | Nature, unless dinner on the beach or near a |
| other words to inhibit extremes of temperature. | | | | waterfall seems boring or blase, then we feel |
| And no need. Daytime temps average a livable 83 | | | | sorry for you. |
| degrees Fahrenheit, and night time temps rarely | | | | 6 Finally, but by no means least captivating, a |
| dip below 70â° F. This is year round | | | | whale excursion. Until you've seen a breaching |
| conditions, so pack shorts and T-shirts, unless you | | | | Humpback explode through an azure sea, and |
| burn easily. | | | | crash beneath the waves in a tangle of fins and |
| Speaking of which, don't forget to block up. | | | | flippers, playfully blasting tons of seawater every |
| Hawaiian sun is no hotter than at home in Omaha, | | | | direction you haven't really lived. The Humpbacks |
| but it's more intense, and it lasts longer. Kauai is | | | | arrive around Kauai in early December, and leave |
| situated at 21 North Latitude. Sunburn is a | | | | the island environs by May first. When they're |
| constant possibility, and a real vacation ender. | | | | present the whale boats leave several times a |
| To maximize your trip to Kauai I suggest these | | | | day from the south shore. Take a charter, take |
| six items as a can't miss agenda. These six | | | | the camera, and go see the whales. Dolphins will |
| represent my personal attractions that ought to | | | | accompany you. And you will see whales. And |
| be on everyone's bucket list, even if it means a | | | | your life will be enhanced. They are spectacular |
| second mortgage on the chalet. | | | | creatures. |
| 1 A Helicopter tour of the island. Kauai is simply | | | | To minimize expenses, travel light and purchase |
| stunning, and a lot of it is inaccessible by car or | | | | lighter. That Hawaiian shirt from the souvenir |
| even on foot. Check out one of the reputable | | | | shop? Back in Ohio you'll never wear it. That hula |
| tour operators, and fly around Kauai. It's a trip | | | | bobble-head doll? Uh-uh, put it back. Shop for food |
| you'll remember forever, and talk about even | | | | at Costco in Lihue, or Cost-U-Less in Kapaa. Ask |
| longer. Do not go to Kauai without taking a | | | | about group rates at the hotel, and see Kauai in |
| helicopter tour. Period. It would be like going to | | | | Winter which is low season, believe it or not. The |
| Paris and ignoring the Eiffel Tower. Cost of a | | | | first week of January is likely the cheapest time |
| helicopter tour - varies with operator and length | | | | to stay on Kauai. Don't rent a big vehicle from a |
| of tour, but worth every single dime regardless. | | | | major rental. Kauai is sixty miles around by car. |
| 2 Snorkel at Ke'e Beach. Drive to the very end of | | | | For true fiscal conservatives, try hitchhiking. Kauai |
| route 560 until you can't drive any further, and | | | | may be the last place on earth where thumbing a |
| you'll be at Ke'e Beach park. Pronounced Kay-Ay, | | | | ride is common, easy and safe. Camping on the |
| this beach at the very end of Kauai, and at the | | | | beach is not unheard of, and shelter houses offer |
| westernmost point of the U.S., by the way, is | | | | showers. Just a thought. There are ways to visit |
| simply a snorkeler's paradise. Rent the equipment | | | | Kauai, and other Hawaiian islands, for very little. |
| from any vendor in nearby Hanalei Town, and | | | | |