Kauai - Yes finally a break from work... Anybody been?

[Kinetic]

Some of you probably know me as the workaholic... some like phong just get in line for all my equipment, but anyway, by the end of March I will have finished a big phase of my project, such that I can take a breather.

I'm going to take my gf to Kauai for two weeks, and was wondering which of you guys have been there, and if you had any cool "fish related" or non fish related suggestions.

I'm picking up a lonely planet guidebook, but otherwise I won't have much guidance on what to do.

I'll be staying in Kapa'a mostly, and may spend 3 days in Oahu.

... what I should really be doing is staying at home to put together my 68 gallon tank, haha =)

 

[TimTen]

I was in Kauai about 8 months ago. I had a great time. I would recommend renting a car and driving to Snorkle Bob's. They have a really good map showing all the snorkle spots. I even swam with a giant turtle at one beach. I would bring lot's of extra money for tour's, they have some great one's.

 

[sid700]

Workaholic? Didn't you just go to Europe not too long ago?

Anyways, drive north as far as the road can take you. There's a park where you can access a beach where there are some decent snorkling on shallow water; the trailhead to climb up the Napali Coast is also here.

Also, there's a ramen place, I forget what city. But ask the locals. That's what I did the second time around and they knew the place. It's cheap, locals eat there and they also have shaved ice on occasion.

Of course this was about 6 yrs ago. There might be condos there by now.

 

[drdoolittle]

Been there once. I heard theres alot of nude beaches there.. haha..

Have a nice vacation ... My wife is secretly planning on taking my to Maui next month.. but she does't know i found out... LOL..

 

[phreak312]

I love kauai, been there a couple of times and going back in May. Definitely rent a car that way you can get to all the parts of the island. Your are staying on the west side next to Lihue which is good, because its a pretty central location. You can drive north and go to Princeville resort and to hanalei. You can drive south and go to Poipu and you can drive past Poipu and go to the southern part of the napali. You can also go and do some hiking in waimea canyon.

I would recommend doing a catamaran tour of napali and a kayak trip up to Fern's Grotto.

If you can get your hands on a March 2007 Hemisphere's magazine from United Airlines, they had a pretty good little article on Kauai.

sid700 - I'm pretty sure the name of that saimin place is Hamura's in Lihue, off of Rice Street.

 

[MayoKetchup]

just remember in kauai... it's an island. if you drive where the road takes you, and don't stop.. you'll drive in circles. warning about their buses, though... there is no schedule. best to rent a bicycle or car... you know the saying.. "what's the rush, where you think you're going? "

oahu, is for shopping, just make sure you don't shop where the tourists shop... it's highwayisland robbery!

 

[sid700]

Hamura's in Lihue. Yep that's the one. Thanks phreak.

 

[kaihonu82]

i agree with renting a car, its definitely nice to be on your own schedule and be able to go where ever, whenever.

i did some diving off of poipu when I went to kauai. they have some beautiful reefs, also got to see some dolphins and turtles.

i also suggest making the drive up to waimea canyon. it has some amazing views.

there are also several waterfalls along the island, the names are escaping me but i'm sure your travel guide will cover them.

you're there for two weeks you'll have plenty of time to see the whole island

just make sure to watch out for all the wild chickens that inhabit the island, they cross the road for no reason at all

 

[Kinetic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9511770#post9511770 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TimTen
I was in Kauai about 8 months ago. I had a great time. I would recommend renting a car and driving to Snorkle Bob's. They have a really good map showing all the snorkle spots. I even swam with a giant turtle at one beach. I would bring lot's of extra money for tour's, they have some great one's.

I'm renting a compact car from Thrifty, they're having a great offer that doesn't charge me $25 extra per day for being under 25. =)

I definitely want to snorkel, any suggestions or should I just goto Snorkel Bob's? I know in Princeville there's a bay where you are basically waste deep in a reef? My sister went there earlier this year and told me about it too.

And also, do you have any tour suggestions? There are so many out there =/

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9511857#post9511857 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sid700
Workaholic? Didn't you just go to Europe not too long ago?

Anyways, drive north as far as the road can take you. There's a park where you can access a beach where there are some decent snorkling on shallow water; the trailhead to climb up the Napali Coast is also here.

You know what? That's true, I went to Italy in July I think, and the year before that to Austria, Poland, and Czech Republic...

And yes, definitely going to go towards the north part of the Island too. I heard it's fantastic up there.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9513291#post9513291 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by phreak312
I love kauai, been there a couple of times and going back in May. Definitely rent a car that way you can get to all the parts of the island. Your are staying on the west side next to Lihue which is good, because its a pretty central location. You can drive north and go to Princeville resort and to hanalei. You can drive south and go to Poipu and you can drive past Poipu and go to the southern part of the napali. You can also go and do some hiking in waimea canyon.

I would recommend doing a catamaran tour of napali and a kayak trip up to Fern's Grotto.

If you can get your hands on a March 2007 Hemisphere's magazine from United Airlines, they had a pretty good little article on Kauai.

sid700 - I'm pretty sure the name of that saimin place is Hamura's in Lihue, off of Rice Street.

Awesome, thanks for the info! I love catamarans, my dream one day is to sail the Mediterranean in a cat some day =) For now it's just 15 foot dingy's in the SF Bay

 

[Kinetic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9513416#post9513416 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kaihonu82
i agree with renting a car, its definitely nice to be on your own schedule and be able to go where ever, whenever.

i did some diving off of poipu when I went to kauai. they have some beautiful reefs, also got to see some dolphins and turtles.

Darn, I can't dive! I've had multiplee Spontaneus Pneumothorax's in my past, so my doctor has told me no diving =(((( I'll have to settle for snorkeling I guess.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9513416#post9513416 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kaihonu82
ii also suggest making the drive up to waimea canyon. it has some amazing views.

Yes, I'm definitely going there, and will be hiking =)))

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9513416#post9513416 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kaihonu82
just make sure to watch out for all the wild chickens that inhabit the island, they cross the road for no reason at all

Haha wild chickens! Nice =)) I'll keep an eye out.



Thanks everyone for all the suggestions so far!

 

[GreshamH]

IF camping, beware of the wild pigs and the guys that hunt them If you run into a half naked guy with a knife in the middle of the forest at midnight, he's hunting wild pigs

 

[Kinetic]

haha... interesting =) Speaking from experience? The hunter? Or the camper?

Thanks for the heads up gresh!

I don't think I'll be doing any camping this trip.

 

[GreshamH]

Neither It seems like the thing for Santa Cruzians (my home town) to do, is to move to move there. I must have 20 friends on that little island alone :lol:

 

[raddogz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9513337#post9513337 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MayoKetchup
just remember in kauai... it's an island. if you drive where the road takes you, and don't stop.. you'll drive in circles. warning about their buses, though... there is no schedule. best to rent a bicycle or car... you know the saying.. "what's the rush, where you think you're going? "

oahu, is for shopping, just make sure you don't shop where the tourists shop... it's highwayisland robbery!

No kidding about driving in circles. I went to Kauai several years ago on my own, fun to a point (better to spend it with someone else )

I think I went around the island in about a hour.

The gardens are breath-taking.

 

[Apon]

Was there in 2000 - the Saimin (ramen) shop is good. Also the helicopter tours were fun.

 

[raddogz]

Hey Art,

Go on the ATV ride - I hear they are a blast!

 

[jkreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9513337#post9513337 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MayoKetchup
just remember in kauai... it's an island. if you drive where the road takes you, and don't stop.. you'll drive in circles. warning about their buses, though... there is no schedule. best to rent a bicycle or car... you know the saying.. "what's the rush, where you think you're going? "

oahu, is for shopping, just make sure you don't shop where the tourists shop... it's highwayisland robbery!

Thats funny because on Kauai you cannot drive in circles because of the Napali coastline is inpassable. Deffinitly go to the top of wimaia canyon and take a backpack and lunch and you can hike the south-west side of napali, absolutly breathtaking. Have fun!!

 

[gsengel]

We went to the big island, and by far the most useful resource was the following guidebook (except for the big island).

http://www.wizardpub.com/kauai/kauai.html

$10.05 on amazon

It had extremely accurate details about snorkel spots that were off the beaten path (and how to access private beaches) and it rated various tours so you could avoid the ripoffs. This book really made our trip a lot more fun. (We snorkeled in new spots everyday.)

 

[gsengel]

We went to the big island, and by far the most useful resource was the following guidebook (except for the big island).

http://www.wizardpub.com/kauai/kauai.html

$10.05 on amazon

It had extremely accurate details about snorkel spots that were off the beaten path (and how to access private beaches) and it rated various tours so you could avoid the ripoffs. This book really made our trip a lot more fun. (We snorkeled in new spots everyday.)

 

[Natterjak]

Second the "Revealed" series. We used it for our trips to Maui, and it was great. Good food, snorkeling, and hiking info and then some.