Choosing a Hawaiian Island

[Misterpants]

Originally Posted by valo403

That trail looks amazing, I'll definitely put that on the must do list. Much appreciated.

No problem. Make sure you get an early start on it. Not that it's that long, but we we ended up getting a later start and spending too much time at Hanakapi`ai beach. We decided to head up to the falls pretty late and so we were trucking back to the car almost in the dark. Any later and we might have been in trouble. Hiking on cliff edges comprised of greasy, silty soil is not as safe as is sounds.

[billybob123]

Originally Posted by Misterpants

Kauai is awesome, great choice! Poipu is where we stayed and it was spectacular. A few recommendations from me:

For hiking, this trail is an absolute MUST

http://www.kauaiexplorer.com/hiking_...apiai_hike.php

You hike along the edge of the ocean to a beautiful beach and from there you can head up to some spectacular falls.

I have to disagree - this trail is very slippery if it has rained, but with great views. YOu have to ford a river to get to the beach and this can be tricky and scary if it's rained, and I was decidedly unimpressed with the beach (you can't swim at it unless you want to die):



It's small and to be honest, the beach at the beginning of the trail is far nicer and you can actually swim at it.

Also hiking around Waimea Canyon is pretty awesome.

This I agree with completely.

Kauai was my favourite island - I've been to all of them save Molokai, and it's the most relaxed, most "traditional" (what I think of as Hawaii 50 years ago) and the least tourists.

I loved driving around the island - from one end to the other gives you tons of stuff to do. There's a ton of things to see in the Waimea Canyon area; small restaurants off the highway to try out, there's a cool-looking tree tunnel somewhere near Poipu, but I don't remember where.

Beaches on Kauai are dangerous. Be very careful.

[IGGYRULES]

Originally Posted by valo403

Anybody have any suggestions for Kauai? I'm headed there pretty soon and outside of the more well known highlights haven't really had a chance to look into the sights. We're staying on the south shore, poipu area, but will have a car.

In addition to the hike mentioned above (which is awesome). You should really try this one as well.

http://www.kauaiexplorer.com/hiking_...apuhi_hike.php

Bring lots of water (we ran out with the long uphill stretch left). It can be very challenging when wet. Do the whole thing (Nualolo trail included).

Also we went on a helicopter tour and this was the absolute highlight of the trip. Inter island helicopters https://www.interislandhelicopters.com/

It is an open door tour and a must do if you can swing it. I wouldn't bother with the other tour companies as they only offer enclosed cabins. We did the 2 hour tour which included landing at a secluded waterfall and having lunch. They took us into a valley with tons of waterfalls (where Jurassic Park scenes were filmed). Bring some champagne to go with the sandwiches. It was amazing! You only live once.

[Misterpants]

Originally Posted by billybob123

I have to disagree - this trail is very slippery if it has rained, but with great views. YOu have to ford a river to get to the beach and this can be tricky and scary if it's rained, and I was decidedly unimpressed with the beach (you can't swim at it unless you want to die):



It's small and to be honest, the beach at the beginning of the trail is far nicer and you can actually swim at it.

This I agree with completely.

Kauai was my favourite island - I've been to all of them save Molokai, and it's the most relaxed, most "traditional" (what I think of as Hawaii 50 years ago) and the least tourists.

I loved driving around the island - from one end to the other gives you tons of stuff to do. There's a ton of things to see in the Waimea Canyon area; small restaurants off the highway to try out, there's a cool-looking tree tunnel somewhere near Poipu, but I don't remember where.

Beaches on Kauai are dangerous. Be very careful.

Yeah, to be fair we enjoyed the beach for the views and the crazy waves, it's definitely not for swimming. But as a stop for lunch midway between ocean cliffs and an amazing waterfall it does quite nicely!

[Gary83]

Wife and I cruised Hawaiian islands on our honeymoon a few years ago, had stops at different islands, friends of ours suggested using Roberts Hawaii - http://www.robertshawaii.com/

Was pretty great and kept us fairly busy, I don't recall them being too expensive but we had probably four or five different guides and each were extremely friendly/informative.

[gargamel]

Originally Posted by IGGYRULES

Also we went on a helicopter tour and this was the absolute highlight of the trip. Inter island helicopters https://www.interislandhelicopters.com/

It is an open door tour and a must do if you can swing it. I wouldn't bother with the other tour companies as they only offer enclosed cabins. We did the 2 hour tour which included landing at a secluded waterfall and having lunch. They took us into a valley with tons of waterfalls (where Jurassic Park scenes were filmed). Bring some champagne to go with the sandwiches. It was amazing! You only live once.

We did the slightly cheaper option that didn't include lunch, but otherwise I completely agree with this (not that I disagree about lunch; I just can't say either way). That was the highlight of our trip and one of the most fun times I've ever had.


I also agree with previous comments about the hike, but I wouldn't bother with it after it rains unless your girl is into outdoors activities. Mine wasn't, and she did not enjoy it after slipping and falling a mile into the hike.


As for food, the Sueoka Snack Shop is a good, cheap option that's popular with the locals for stand-and-eat food. It's in Koloa, so it's close to your hotel. The shrimp cart towards the Sprouting Horn is another good lunch option if you like garlic. It's only a few miles from your hotel too. Lappert's Ice Cream is also excellent, and they have a few locations in the area.

[FlamesAddiction]

The big island always seemed interesting to me because of the range of ecosystems found in such a relatively small area.

I have never been to Hawaii before though, so I can't recommend it as a place to stay or not.

[FurnaceFace]

Originally Posted by valo403

Anybody have any suggestions for Kauai? I'm headed there pretty soon and outside of the more well known highlights haven't really had a chance to look into the sights. We're staying on the south shore, poipu area, but will have a car.

We stayed in the Poipu area at a condo in Kiahuna Plantation.

Waimea Canyon was a nice area to hike.

I would recommend the Jack Harter helicopter tour and do the "doors off" one. It was a blast to be able to look down at the water, canyon, etc. They tour you around the island and out to the Na Pali coast which in the winter isn't always accessible by boat. No doors made for good photos, just make sure you take a jacket for the wind. If you have someone with you who is afraid of that there is a middle seat beside the pilot. It was great fun and worth the money.

If you are a diver or thinking of trying it Scuba Steve will take good care of you. He's acts a bit like your goofy uncle but he knows his stuff and was fun. He offers a PADI Hawaiian Sea Turtle specialty course which was pretty interesting to take. I have a new understanding of turtles thanks to that.

We did a turtle snorkel trip which was good too. We went with Kauai Snorkelling Tours. We chose them because Tara who runs the show is a marine biologist and had a wealth of information. She runs a great operation, I wouldn't pick anyone else for a snorkel tour.

For beach we pretty much stuck to the beach in front of the Plantation. It had some smaller waves and beginning surfers on it but wasn't too busy. It also has some rocks to snorkel around and see some fish but no turtles. The Poipu beach park looked fine though we never really spent a lot of time there.

For restaurants we didn't find anywhere super memorable but weren't really looking that hard. We ate at Keoki's Paradise and Roy's right by the Plantation. We also had lunch at Brennecke's by Poipu beach. Having a condo we did more self catering. Big Save Markets in Koloa had everything we needed.

Any other questions just ask

[Ducay]

+1 for Kauai; its a been more tame compared to the other islands. Quieter and less touristy. Which is good and bad in different ways. Still plenty to do/see.

I'd recommend a plane tour over a helicoper tour.
http://www.wingsoverkauai.com/

You're in a plane that seats 4 (including the pilot) and he flies you around and gives you his take on all the local sites; etc. The pilot is great (a longtime Kauai resident and a Biologist/Horticulturist scientist by original trade) so he knows tons on local flora and the tour is so much more intimate than the helicopter tours. Many of the heli tours are larger groups and/or have canned audio and more of a plasticy feel to it.

Other than that, you can't really go wrong with any island. We stayed at the Grand Hyatt near Poipu; (make sure you get the complimentary breakfast, its amazing and overlooks the ocean and these tropical gardens/ponds). Spent a lot of our time there just noodling around in our convertible checking local sites / exploring.

[IGGYRULES]

Originally Posted by Ducay

+1 for Kauai; its a been more tame compared to the other islands. Quieter and less touristy. Which is good and bad in different ways. Still plenty to do/see.

I'd recommend a plane tour over a helicoper tour.
http://www.wingsoverkauai.com/

You're in a plane that seats 4 (including the pilot) and he flies you around and gives you his take on all the local sites; etc. The pilot is great (a longtime Kauai resident and a Biologist/Horticulturist scientist by original trade) so he knows tons on local flora and the tour is so much more intimate than the helicopter tours. Many of the heli tours are larger groups and/or have canned audio and more of a plasticy feel to it.

Other than that, you can't really go wrong with any island. We stayed at the Grand Hyatt near Poipu; (make sure you get the complimentary breakfast, its amazing and overlooks the ocean and these tropical gardens/ponds). Spent a lot of our time there just noodling around in our convertible checking local sites / exploring.

To each their own but;

I clicked on the link and the plane looks like a flying bus, probably comparable to the blue hawaiian heli tours (which I wouldn't recommend). You need to find the right helicopter experience (which imo is open door with 4 passengers). Also our pilot that took us was ex military but he knew the island very well so the "tour" aspect was there as well. I really couldn't care less about learning about the flora while I'm up in the air. I can pick up a book and learn about that stuff.

I guess the it depends on your thrill tolerance as well. In a plane (or enclosed heli) you don't get the sound of the turbine winding up (keep your headset off while they're starting the heli) or the awesome smell of aviation fuel, wind through your hair. It feels like raw power and gets your adrenaline pumping (Wife loved it as well).

I've flown and been a passenger in many small planes and can honestly say that there is no way a plane tour could be comparable. The plane would't be able to turn around in some of places we went. Flying next to the waterfalls through the canyon would be a much different experience than having to fly over them.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by valo403

Anybody have any suggestions for Kauai? I'm headed there pretty soon and outside of the more well known highlights haven't really had a chance to look into the sights. We're staying on the south shore, poipu area, but will have a car.

We have usually gone to Maui, Kihei area, when we have visited Hawaii. We also did a week on Oahu but too busy for us.

This last year, on the recommendation of many friends, we went to Kauai…and really liked it. Very very quiet…what I would call old Hawaii. If you want a lot of night life, I would not recommend Kauai.

We stayed at Kiahuna Plantation, you can rent through Outrigger or privately as we did at VRBO. It offers 1 and 2 bedroom condos, a restaurant, very well kept spacious grounds and gardens, and a nice protected beach so good for families with younger children….cabana with free beach chairs and towels...barbecues scattered through out the grounds...very quiet. We are returning again this winter.

Close by is the old town of Koloa, just 5 to 10 minutes away from Poipu area.

Tomkats Grill is not a fancy or fine dining restaurant but certainly better than average place to eat and a place you can bring the whole family as well.
Excellent kahlua pig, try their pork quesadillas or sandwich….. fish tacos are great too. They also have discounts for happy hour.

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurant_Review-g60621-d516899-Reviews-Tomkats_Grille-Koloa_Kauai_Hawaii.html

Koloa Mill Ice Cream and Coffee offers exactly that. Their mango ice cream is the best, but the coconut or coffee ice cream is good too.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/koloa-mill-ice-cream-and-coffee-koloa

Pizzetta advertises all kinds of Italian fare but I would stick with the pizza which is very good…..calzones are good too. They also have happy hour. They deliver but we never tried that option.

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurant...i.html#REVIEWS

Hanapepe is a nice lazy place to spend some time. You pass it on the way to Wailea Canyon. The old part of town, north of the highway, has stores that have been converted into art and craft shops. These are not the tacky type stores that have mass-produced goods from China to sell. Also, every Friday, from 6 to 9 pm, one of the stores hosts a free evening of art, food and music

http://www.islands.com/article/MAIN-STREET-KAUAI-Hanapepe-

The Hanapepe Café and Espresso shop is a must if in that area. It offers vegetarian foods although I believe they have added fish to their menu now. All their salads are great. There is also a bakery on the one side of the shop, excellent pastries and pies to try as well. They have limited hours and are not open very many evenings.

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurant_Review-g60614-d495434-Reviews-Hanapepe_Cafe-Hanapepe_Kauai_Hawaii.html

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/kauai/D39527.html

Other worthwhile shops are the Banana patch studio…they have a second location in the Kung Lum Center, Kileaua; Koa Wood Gallery…stunning products made from koa wood and Norfolk pine…There is also a very nice koa gallery on the road north going out of Lihue…Arius Hopman Gallery offers watercolors and digital photos as well as lessons in photography.

Jacqueline, the Aloha shirt lady, has her store in Hanapepe. She designs and sews all her clothing so all originals. She only takes cash.

http://www.hanahou.com/pages/magazine.asp?Action=DrawArticle&ArticleID=132&Maga zineID=7

We did a 90 minute helicopter tour of the island…was great…the helicopter flew right into the old caldera. Try to go early in the day, before the afternoon showers start. We used Safari and were very pleased. They also offer tours on the big island.

http://www.safarihelicopters.com/kauai/

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g60623-d526233-Reviews-Safari_Helicopters-Lihue_Kauai_Hawaii.html

We also did a day cruise up the Napali side…lots of companies to use, depending if you want to snorkel, whale watch and the like.

Wailea Canyon is a must…lots of hiking trails in the area too. Again, try to go earlier in the day because Kauai is frequented by showers in the afternoon.
The north side is windier, certainly gets much more rain, would be the area to surf if that is your thing.

Oh, and there are feral chickens (Bantams) of every color all over the island…and it is almost impossible to not see turtles.

[billybob123]

We did the doors-off helicopter tour on Kauai and it's the best one of the islands and I'd recommend it.

BUT

The safety record on the helicopter tours in Hawaii is dismal. Look very closely at the tour companies before booking.

[gargamel]

Originally Posted by FurnaceFace

We did a turtle snorkel trip which was good too. We went with Kauai Snorkelling Tours. We chose them because Tara who runs the show is a marine biologist and had a wealth of information. She runs a great operation, I wouldn't pick anyone else for a snorkel tour.

One thing to keep in mind about the snorkel tours is that you may not actually get to snorkel this time of year. The rain washes mud out into the ocean, and some of the tour groups won't let you in the water if it's murky because of the risk of shark attacks. It can change day-to-day and hour-to-hour, so you won't know for sure until the boat gets to its intended destination. We saw dolphins, whales and great views of the coast on the boat ride, so it wasn't a total bust, but it was still disappointing to find out that we couldn't get in the water since that was the primary purpose of the boat ride.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by billybob123

We did the doors-off helicopter tour on Kauai and it's the best one of the islands and I'd recommend it.

BUT

The safety record on the helicopter tours in Hawaii is dismal. Look very closely at the tour companies before booking.

Any idea where I could get that info? I'm now of course terrified to get into a helicopter.

[IGGYRULES]

Originally Posted by valo403

Any idea where I could get that info? I'm now of course terrified to get into a helicopter.

Did you drive your car to work today?

I think it's been 4 years going on 5 since the last one. Apparently the regulations for maintenance and safety are more strict and well enforced these days. They had a bad run up to 2007 (all the operators apparently).

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by IGGYRULES

Did you drive your car to work today?

I think it's been 4 years going on 5 since the last one. Apparently the regulations for maintenance and safety are more strict and well enforced these days. They had a bad run up to 2007 (all the operators apparently).

Pretty sure there was one just in the last year, I think on Maui.

Edit: It was in November 2011, and it was Blue Hawaiian out of Maui but the crash occurred on Molokai.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-5-killed.html

[psyang]

Another Kauai highlight for me was golfing for $9/day! One of the golf courses (Kukuiolono Park) was owned by a plantation farmer who donated all of the land on his death, so cost is only to pay for maintenance. It's a 9 hole course and challenging - kind of like a links-style version of Confederation here (but at a third the cost!).

We were lucky to go in summertime - it was low season, so I was able to walk on every time I went. The locals told me it gets a lot busier in winter. Several of the snowbirds just buy an annual membership for around $100 and golf the whole time they are there.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by IGGYRULES

Did you drive your car to work today?

I think it's been 4 years going on 5 since the last one. Apparently the regulations for maintenance and safety are more strict and well enforced these days. They had a bad run up to 2007 (all the operators apparently).

I took the subway actually

I get what you're saying, and you're totally right, but I don't spend a lot of time in helicopters so it's a bit more terrifying. Mostly a control issue, it's always scarier when you can't do anything about it, and a 'holy crap we're really f'in high and it would suck to fall that far' issue.

I'm still planning on doing it though.