Winter Escapes: Enchanting Kauai
Our 2020 Thanksgiving trip finally took place a year later than anticipated, but we found Kauai to be worth the wait! Kauai is a great choice if you are looking for an island escape with a bit more peace and tranquility.
Highlights of our Trip:
- Waimea Canyon
- Kokee State Park’s Kalalau Lookout
- Nā Pali coast (consider boat or helicopter tour)
- Limahuli Garden & Preserve
- Paddleboarding/kayaking and hiking to Secret Falls
- Wailua falls
- North island beaches: Tunnels Beach
- Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail from Shipwreck Beach
How to get here:
I have previously covered some points and miles strategies in prior posts about Hawaii. Kauai’s airport is Lihue (LIH). For more award flight options, consider flying into Oahu and taking one of many daily island hopper flights, since Oahu has many more daily direct flights to the mainland US. It was only $39 on Southwest for our quick hop from HNL to LIH (and since we used the companion pass, $39 covered the fares for both of us).
A rental car is a must on Kauai; reserve early. You might be able to cover the cost of your car rental by booking through the Chase Ultimate Rewards, or by using a credit card that allows you to use points to deduct travel expenses, like the Capitol One Venture Rewards Card.
Pandemic requirements: In order to travel to Hawaii, you must first create an account with Hawaii Safe Travels, then log your trip into the system. A copy of your vaccine card or proof of a negative COVID test (done within 72 hours of your flight to Hawaii) must be uploaded, and a health questionnaire must be filled out 24 hours in advance of the flight to Hawaii. Once you fill out the required questionnaire on the Hawaii Safe Travels website, a QR code is emailed that you can use for your flight. The nice part is that you are now free to travel between the islands once you arrive and you do not have to repeat any of the above if you fly from one island to another. We did note that while Oahu required proof of vaccination or a negative test for most restaurants, we were never asked to show our vaccine cards on Kauai. Most of the places we ate at were outside or open air, so I felt we were at pretty low risk.
Lodging
When choosing a location for lodging, I usually spent hours trying to find the perfect location: walkable neighborhood, close to great restaurants, and close to hiking or other activities we are hoping to enjoy. It’s all about location, location, location for me. (And, a clean bathroom. Strict requirement there). The challenge I found with Kauai is there is not one really one perfect location. The main activities on Kauai are scattered throughout the island, so there isn’t one “best” location. On this trip, our location was chosen based on where our other family members were staying, but if we were to go back, I think it would be lovely to divide our lodging between the north and south sides of the island.
The area around Princeville on the north end of the island is absolutely stunning: luscious vegetation, mountains erupting out of the skyline, and views for days. A visit to Kauai must include at minimum a day trip to the north end of the island. If you chose to stay there, keep in mind that it does feel more secluded – which also means any activity or dining excursion will require driving on windy, narrow two lane roads with frequent one-way bridges, a bit of a challenge at night. If you plan to rent a condo and cook most of your own meals, this wouldn’t be a problem. Given the hassle of having to drive to everything, I wouldn’t stay here for the entire duration of a trip – I would instead recommend splitting a trip between two different lodging‘s on the island, just to take advantage of the different beaches and activities in the area.
On the south end of the island, another lovely area to stay is near Poipu Beach. This area is a fairly short distance to Wiamea Canyon State Park and there are some fantastic beaches in this area. The roads are much easier to navigate here, and there seem to be a bit more dining options in close proximity to the major hotels. Driving to the north part of the island is a doable full day trip. My pick in this area would be a points redemption at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa, which is adjacent to Shipwreck Beach and the recommended Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail, which would be a fantastic morning hike.
Our condo rental was in Lihue, which would be the location I would recommend if you are all about food and restaurants as this is going to be the main hub of available restaurants within close proximity. All of the recommended daytime activities require a drive, but Lihue is centrally located for most of the activities on the island, and you won’t have to do much driving at night to have good dining options. The beaches here are far from the best that Kauai has to offer. The condo we stayed at was located in between the former Marriott which was being rebranded as a Royal Sonesta resort at the time of our stay, and the Timbers resort, which is a combination of luxury hotel rentals and condos. The location was actually quite nice as we could walk to both resorts and take advantage of the available restaurants, and at our condo, we were allowed access to the pool and beach areas at the Bayfront Sonesta. Timbers was a lovely resort, if only we had the budget to splurge there for the week! Alas, no points or miles options there…. But for a high-end resort, the employees were extremely friendly and welcoming when we walked over each morning, and our dinner there was one of the best meal of our trip. The property also has walking access to a couple of beaches off of the golf course which are fairly secluded.
Planning your Itinerary
While Kauai’s highlights could be seen in 4 days (i.e. in a trip that combined a visit to another island), I think 5-7 days is more ideal to see the best parts of the island and still have time to relax. Our visit was 5 and a half days, which seemed adequate – with more time, we would have added in more hiking on the northwest side of the island. Allow one full day for the north part of the island, and one full day for Waimea Canyon and Kokee state parks.
West Kauai: Waimea Canyon State Park and Kokee State Park
These parks are connected – Kokee State Park is just north of Waimea Canyon State Park, connected by State Highway 550. Given the plans of our family trip, we did not have a chance to hike many of the trails, but it is priority #1 on our next trip here! The Awa’awapuhi Trail and the Nua’lolo Trail are on our to-do list.
We did spend the better part of a day in Waimea Canyon State Park, the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”. Devote an entire day to this park. The area is potentially a great option for a rainy day, since it is one of the driest areas in the US. We started out early – which, by early, I mean leaving Lihue at 8am with a stop for coffee at Kalaheo Café and Coffee Company (highly recommended), but you may want to leave earlier – you’ll have time to stop for coffee and breakfast and you can arrive at the park entrance around 8am. This gives you the best opportunity to get great views of the Kalalau valley and Nā Pali coastline before the afternoon clouds roll in. The parking lots at the various lookouts are small and will get crowded mid-day, so an early start yields the most peace and quiet. The park consists of one 2-lane road, State Highway 550 (aka Kokee road or Waimea Canyon Rd), with lookouts and trailheads along the way. The road is quite windy; if you have anyone in the car prone to motion sickness, they will appreciate stopping for breaks on both the way up and way back!. You will not have cell phone service in most of the park, so download any maps in advance. We stopped at the oblicatory Waimea Canyon Lookout (mile marker 10), Waipo’o Falls lookout, Pu’u Hinahina lookout (mile marker 13.5), the spectacular Kalalau lookout (mile marker 18), and Pu’u o Kila overlook (end of the road, at mile marker 19) on the drive up.
For shorter hiking options you can fit into a day trip, I recommend the following:
- Iliau Nature Loop: an easy hike, 20 minutes round trip, found off Koke’e road between mile markers 8 and 9. Birds, wildflowers, and canyon views make this a worthwhile stop. This might be done best at the end of your day.
- Cliff Trail: on highway 550 between mile markers 14 and 15 (a small gravel parking area is at the head of this trail; the trailhead can also be reached by parking at Koke’e State Park’s entrance and walking the dirt Halemanu road for 1 mile). This is a 30 minute, 1.6 mile easy round trip hike with panoramic views across the canyon.
- Canyon Trail: a bit more difficult, this uses the same parking area as the Cliff Trail but instead follow the signs for Canyon trail. This is a longer hike, midway reaching the top Waipo’o falls midway, and is 3.6 miles round trip.
- Pihea trail at Pu’u o Kila overlook: located at the end of highway 550 at mile marker 19. There are gorgeous views from the lookout here, but I highly recommend hiking at least a short distance on the wide red dirt Pihea trail for the views. The trail can be a bit wet and slippery, so good shoes are recommended. The trail is 2.1 miles one way, becoming a little more technical as you proceed. The trail does connect to the Alakai swamp trail at the end (a longer, 3.5 mile trail, more challenging, which we did not try as we felt this wasn’t a high yield hike). The Pihea trail is best hiked before noon, when clouds tend to roll in.
After a full day of hiking, you may consider watching the sunset from Polihale State Park beach, which isn’t far away (just over 50 minutes from the Waimea Canyon overlook). Most of the island does not have great sunset views, so take advantage while you are on the west side of the island.
South Kauai: Poipu
From Lihue, you will pass through Koloa on your drive to Poipu. Koloa is home to a small quaint lineup of shops, a grocery store, and several of the more popular food trucks on the island, but the standout gem here is the shave ice at The Fresh Shave, perfect after a hike on the beach. Just note that the moustache-themed menu has only limited flavor combinations.
Most of the boat and catamaran cruises along the Nā Pali coast depart from the southwest side of Kauai, near Hanapepe. In the winter, whale watching excursions are offered. Hanapepe itself is a cute small town worth visiting, just 20 minutes from Poipu beach, with many art galleries and a Friday night art walk.
Near Poipu is the Allerton Botanical Garden, which we discovered requires an advance reservation, close-toed walking shoes, and a shuttle ride (hourly) to the main garden area. As we weren’t prepared, we passed on this so I can’t say if it is worthy of a visit. Just past the gardens is the spouting horn blowhole, which is a quick and easy stop to see water erupting from the blowhole like a geyser.
Poipu beach is a popular snorkel area and easily accessible for kids. Seals and turtles can sometimes be seen here. There are plenty of picnic areas on the beach, which we took advantage of. After a while, I found the beach a little crowded here for my tastes, so we headed westward and took a hike along the ocean via the Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail. This is a must see on your visit to Kauai. Just east of Poipu beach is Shipwreck Beach, where the trail begins. It is a 2 mile coastal trail one way along the cliffs of South Kauai; allow 2 hours to complete the full 4 mile round trip. However, even just hiking the first mile of the trail yields some incredible views. The first portion of the trail to reach the cliffs is really a network of sandy trails, a bit of a choose your own adventure; if the path you are on feels too steep or narrow, just cut inland for a bit. Once you reach the Makawehi Liithified Cliffs, you will be rewarded with unique views of the island. The cliffs were created from sand dunes and are actually filled with fossils. Keep in mind portions of this area are sacred to the Hawaiians, so do not disturb or remove anything on your hike. Beyond the cliffs, the trail passes a golf course and ends at Punaloa point. If you have more time, continue past the CJM Stables at Punaloa Point – ignoring the sign pointing to the Makauwahi Cave Trail, through a tree tunnel, and you will find a foot trail down to the Makauwahi Cave Reserve, a living museum of native plant and animal species (open 10am to 4pm, free to enter, donations encouraged). If you cross the bridge, you will find a fenced in area with tortoises
North Kauai
If you have members in your travel group that want to get out into nature but can’t handle any of the longer or more technical hikes, snag a reservation in advance at Limahuli Garden & Preserve, which is right near the Hāʻena State Park and the Kalalau Trail. The gardens are a 70 min drive from Lihue with slow narrow roads and many one way bridge crossings, but the drive is also beautiful. Bring your camera – this “garden” is simply stunning, and was one of our favorite parts of our trip. It took our family about 1.5 hours to complete the 3/4 mile loop, which is partially paved. Reservations for both parking and admission must be made in advance. Mornings are best given the high likelihood of afternoon clouds.
The north side of Kauai is home to many stunning beaches. The gardens are right across from Hāʻena beach and Tunnels beach, which are worth a stop; Tunnels beach shares the same spectacular backdrop of jagged green mountains as the gardens do. There is potential for sea turtle sightings here. Heading back, Hanalei Town is near Hanalei Bay and is a good stop for a bite to eat.
On your way back, you may consider stopping at the Kilauea Lighthouse and Refuge, home to many birds including the nēnē. You do, unfortunately, need a reservation for the refuge. Queen’s Bath is another popular and beautiful stop, requiring a steep hike down to a natural pool in the lava rocks, but can be dangerous depending on the surf and many drownings occur here – we skipped this spot.
East Kauai
We tested out two hikes on the east side of Kauai near our lodging in Lihue, and our favorite was East Sleeping Giant, less than a 30 minute drive from Lihue. If you are ambitious, you can actually get some lovely sunrise views of the trail, but you need to hit the trailhead about 20 minutes prior to sunrise to get to the first good viewing point along the ascent. The first mile up is not technical, but the trail does get steeper as you ascend. Near the top, you will come across a small clearing with a picnic table that is a lovely place for breakfast – and could be the end of your hike if heights aren’t your thing, but if you are aiming for the summit, you aren’t there yet! Another 15 minutes of climbing are left – this time on a steep trail with some bouldering required. At the summit, the ridge trail has steep drop-offs on either side. Allow 2.5 hours total for this hike if you plan to go to the summit. Hiking poles are nice to have but not necessary; sturdy hiking boots or shoes, however, are necessary.
After our hike, we made a quick stop at Waimea falls for a photo op and then met the rest of our crew at Kamokila Village for a picnic. A steep drive down a one lane dirt road lands you in this tranquil area perfect for a picnic, followed by a paddle and a second hike for the day (skip the cheesy Hawaiian cultural village, it isn’t worth the time). The river is a fun area to explore and fine for a paddleboard novice. Allow 3.5 to 4 hours if you plan to swim and hike to the falls; equipment must be returned by 4:45pm so I would recommend renting by 1pm if able. After renting, you will paddle to the left along the river to reach the trailhead to Secret Falls – you will see all the paddle boards and kayaks piled on the shore, I recommend paddling as far up the inlet as you can before pulling your ride ashore. The hike to Secret Falls takes about 1.5 hours round trip, allowing time for photos. Of note, the hike does require wading through 2 streams, and hiking sandals (such as Keens) are the ideal footwear for the day. The falls are gorgeous; they can be a little crowded but we found the crowds ebb and flow based on when the tour groups enter and leave. While paddling the river, you may see river cruises heading for the Fern Grotto – don’t worry, you aren’t missing out! While I haven’t been, my family who has seen both felt that the actual Fern Grotto is not nearly as impressive as Secret waterfall– just a similar rocky cliffside grotto with ferns growing on it rather than a waterfall. Just don’t tell the river cruise passengers this.
After barely returning our paddlebaords in the nick of time just before 5pm, we then headed directly for dinner in Wailua at Hukilau Lanai. This is a chef owned restaurant serving fish so fresh that there is no official menu for the fish dishes – ask your server for the daily catch!. We sampled 3 of the 4 daily fish specials and they were all outstanding.
On a separate night (before our flight out), we ate at another restaurant in Wailua called JO2. A small unassuming restaurant in a strip mall, you don’t come here for the ambiance but instead for the outstanding fusion –everything cuisine coming out of the tiny kitchen with a French trained chef at the helm. We sampled a good portion of the menu (favorites included the tempura green beans, carrot ravioli, scallop ravioli, and the fish), but they also have a great 3 course menu for $35 between 5-6pm that is ideal for bluehairs and budget gourmands alike.
Lihue area
If staying at a resort, you’ll probably want to spend a day just relaxing at the resort, hence our day spent in Lihue. From our condo, we could easily walk over to the Timbers Resort for sunrise, which we did every morning of our stay, We saw others strolling or running along the golf cart paths at dawn, so we joined in – and we were grateful no one kicked us off while we soaked in those amazing Hawaii sunrises. There are two different points of access that lead down to a small secluded beach called Ninini Beach, a perfect place to bring your morning coffee to go.
At 10am, if rum is your thing you should head over to the Koloa Rum Company to snag a rum tasting reservation (with current restrictions, tasting spots are often spoken for shortly after they open at 10am, and you must reserve your spot on the tasting reservation list in person the day of). Or, consider a tour of the Kilohana Plantation (home to the Koloa Rum Company as well as Gaylord’s restaurant. If you don’t plan ahead, you can do what we did and spend the morning lounging around the pool.
Dukes makes for a fun lunch spot when you need a break from the sun or rum.
In the afternoon, while the day away at the pool or beach at the Bayfront Sonesta. Of course, we could not miss happy hour from 3-4pm at the Bayfront Sonesta pool bar for the obligatory Mai Tai. While the Bayfront Sonesta area has a small beach out in front with calm waters for swimming or paddleboarding, it is not the most beautiful on the island. Ninini beach off of the Timbers property is the only other walkable option from the resort area. You’ll need to drive close to 30 minutes for a better beach (South near Poipu, or heading north towards Kapa’a.).
In the evening, consider attending the Luau Kalamaku on the Kilohana Plantation. We didn’t have the spirit for a luau this trip (one luau per decade might be my limit) so we opted for dinner at Hulilani’s, located at the Timber Resort. With top of the line food and ambiance (and prices to match), this is a wonderful special occasion restaurant. W started with the fried whole snapper and the ahi dip, and found ourselves sharing entrees (fresh fish, what else?!) in order to save room for the pineapple pie. The cocktails here were excellent, with our favorite being the pineapple martini with Grey Goose instead of Koloa rum. (I guess it was OK I missed out on the rum tasting).
A Summary of Restaurant Picks for Kauai:
Huliani’s – our top pick for both food and ambiance, at Timbers Resort (in Lihue, southeast Kauai)
JO2 – perhaps my favorite “foodie” pick on Kauai, it is a small restaurant with less ambiance but more reasonable prices compared to our other picks, and everything we tried on the unique fusion menu was outstanding. In Waimea (east side of Kauai, north of airport).
Hukilau Lanai – another outstanding menu, and excellent food. The cocktails were not our favorite, but the fish was outstanding. In Waimea (east side of Kauai, north of airport).
Dukes – a fun place with a lot of character, good food, and live music the night we were there. In Lihue (southeast Kauai). This place reminded me of Mama’s Fish House on Maui.
The Plantation House by Gaylords – lovely grounds, good food, and from what we saw of the luau from afar, this would be our pick for a luau on Kauai.
The Fish Express – there are innumerable places to stop for the two quintessential lunches of Kauai: poke and fish tacos. I won’t even pretend I know which one is best. However, we ate so many poke picnic lunches from The Fish Express in Lihue that I am obligated to mention them, and everything is extremely fresh. It is very popular with locals (always a good sign), so I recommend getting there before noon or expect long lines.
If you have an overnight flight home and want a delicious final dinner to celebrate your trip before you depart, I’d recommend JO2, Huliani’s, or Hukilau Lanai, which are all fairly close to the airport.
All photos on this page are copyright Buona Forchetta 2021.