I thought I would do a little review of Kauai in the same fashion as a travel book. Most people head to Oahu when they visit Hawaii. I love Hawaii and would go absolutely anywhere in Hawaii, but I have a soft spot for Kauai.
Speaking of travel books, I am a fan of both Frommer's Kauai and Fodor's Kauai. Both books have tons of insider information about where to stay, where to dine, and which beaches are the best for kids to surfing.
The mountain in the centre of Kauai is the wettest place on Earth. While this scares people away sometimes, it has to rain to be this lush and beautiful. There are four parts to Kauai; the north shore, the Coconut coast, Sunny Poipu, and the west. Usually when it is raining in one part, it is sunny in another. And the south shore (Sunny Poipu) is usually the driest. We were here for 14 days and it rained about three of those days. Even on the rainy days, we spent time in the ocean or cruising the island. We didn't have a single day "ruined" by weather. The first night we were here, the thunder storm we experienced broke some kind of record. It was a great night for it because the kids were so tired from flying that they both slept through it. The time change between here and Saskatchewan is 4 hours. The kids got up at 4:30 am on the first day. We were waking up in paradise and used the opportunity to see our very first Hawaiian sunrise.
We flew Westjet to get here....no offense Air Canada, but I do prefer Westjet. The flight from Vancouver is direct to Lihue, Kauai and it takes just over six hours to get here. You absolutely require a car to explore Kauai, and we have rented all three times from Budget. They have a van that takes you to their counter.
All three times that we have stayed here we have stayed at one of the vacation places of Ellie Knopf and her husband Bret. We love their style. If you are the kind of person who wants pristine marble floors and air conditioning (which is rarely required on Kauai) then this probably is not the place for you. The price is right at $110/nite. (All you who think Hawaii is too expensive...check this out!) This time we stayed in the Park House. The downstairs is occupied by a renter and except for sharing laundry, you would never know she's there. Our part has a kitchen, bathroom, livingroom, and bedroom on the main floor, and then a loft upstairs with another bedroom. Lily took the upstairs bedroom in what she called her tree house. Our bedroom had a large walk in closet which became Jack's bedroom. Except for the fact that there is only one bathroom, there is enough space for two couples. And there was tons of room for two toddlers to run. There are tons of windows for island breezes, a distant view of the ocean and the mountains, the house is shaped like a hexagon. It is eccentric and amazing. We will be back!
Within walking distance is Poipu beach...although walking the ten minutes with slowpoke Jack didn't sound fun so we took the lazy way out and drove. There is a section of the beach that is protected by the reef and it was like a paddling pool right in the ocean. Jack was tall enough to toddle around all by himself. Beware...while this is wonderful for families, it is the only place that we got sunburned. A lot of your body is getting the sun reflecting off of the water. Not far from here is the Sheraton beach which is wonderful too. It is quite a bit deeper and has some waves, but it is usually pretty quiet. We took the kids in with us but didn't let them get too close without us. While talking about beaches, another favorite is Salt Pond which is about 15-20 minutes west by car. There are crabs on the beach for the kids to chase and the water is calm enough to let the kids play. Keep in mind that these beaches are calm in the winter but we have been told that the opposite is true in the summer....but honestly, we will enjoy Saskatchewan summers and only come here in the winter anyway.
Now I didn't get this curvy womanly figure without the love of food. When we were here last time we discovered Bubba's Burgers in Kapaa. We thought it might be too far to drive there with the kids just to eat but we were happy to learn that there is a new one in Poipu. It's so good that they actually know our names because of how many times we've been there. It is laid back and lots of fun...and the food is amazing and reasonably priced. A favorite from before was also Wranglers in Waimea...about 30 minutes from Poipu. It is worth the drive. They are very family friendly and the food is delicious. Try the Kau Kau tin if you are there for lunch. It's a delicious experience. We tried a new place this trip called Kauai Pasta. When you walk in the door the ambience tells you that it will be wonderful. It reminded me of the Italian restaurants in Little Italy, San Francisco. The people were amazing, even when Jack decorated their real menu with crayons. The food was spectacular. They have the best marinara sauce I have ever tasted. I have noticed that often the kid's menu (or Keiki menu in Hawaii) usually has items that are acceptable to kids. That wasn't the case because Lily's pizza was to die for and Jack's pasta was awesome. Scott and I both said our dishes were the best Italian we had ever eaten. Lily is a huge fan of Lappert's ice cream. It is expensive but tasty...and their lemon scone is incredible. They also have great iced coffees and cappucinos. Pizzetta's was a favorite from past visits. Although they no longer deliver, their calzones are the best I've ever had....mmmm, sundried tomato, fresh artichoke, and feta. To die for.
The main event this time (besides Bubba's of course) was the Right Slice. I will never look at another pie with this kind of emotion again. Just the crust alone makes this the best pie I have ever eaten...and what's pie without filling? To give you an idea of how many pies we've eaten....the Tropical Trio, Island Lemon, and Mango Lillikoi (which is Hawaiian for passionfruit) are so good that we actually followed the Right Slice from Farmer's Market to Farmer's Market because we couldn't get enough. But the Island Lime....there are just no words to describe it. Wow! I will fly back to Kauai just for this pie.
Kauai is full of things to do. The Waimea Canyon is beautiful although we didn't make it up there this trip. The Na Pali Coast is like nothing you have ever seen. You can only get there by boat or helicopter, both of which we thought were a bit much for our kids on this trip. If you do decide to go, I recommend the inflatable speed rafts....so fun, and a little scary too. This is where 6 Days/7 Nights was filmed. We visited the Kamokila Hawaiian Village for the first time today. If you are on the skinniest, steepest, bumpiest road, you are on the right one. This is the village where the movie Outbreak was filmed. The kids can run free and you can touch everything. It's a nice place to let the kids go and it was really neat for us too. I learned that Hawaiian women had a special hut to go to during menstruation. They did crafts such as basket weaving or lei making until they were finished and could rejoin society. For the $5 fee, this was totally worth a visit. Right across the road from the entrance to the village is the Opeaka Falls. They are beautiful and a great picture opportunity. We rode the train at Kilohana. This is an old plantation with a beautiful garden. The train ride took us through the plantation and Lily got to feed the pigs. She absolutely loves trains, but I think she liked the pigs the most. Lydgate is an awesome park for kids. There is a sheltered beach, although we never actually swam there. Kamalani Playground was designed by the Keiki of Hawaii. It was built by volunteers and it is by far the best playground ever. There are lots of picnic tables and bathrooms. If you didn't have a napping toddler, you could spend the whole day there. Hanalei is a town in the north. To get there you have to cross a one way bridge so remember to drive with Aloha. It is an old hippy town and has a neat feel to it although there really isn't much to do there. On Friday nights you have to make a stop in Hanapepe between 6 and 9 pm. This is were we first met the Right Slice and there is a great shop called Keiki Kovers with adorable Hawaiian kidswear. Make sure you make it all the way to the end to find this great shop. But anyway, Friday nights are Art Night in Hanapepe. All the galleries are open and the art is fantastic. It's also wonderful to see a tiny little town filled with people and lights. It has a great feel to it. Hanapepe is also the town that Lilo and Stitch was based on, although to add confusion, they say that they live on the Big Island of Hawaii.
There is no big shopping mall on Hawaii. The closest is in Lihue where there is a Macy and Sears. They have really cheap brand name kids clothes so it is worth a stop. The Kukui'ula Market is new to the Poipu area and it has some neat shopping as does the Poipu Shopping Mall. There are lots of places to get cool Hawaiian T-shirts and jewellery. I am a fan of Mikel who designs mostly Honu (turtle) and Plumeria (flower) pieces. I have a Honu necklace from a prior visit and I rarely take it off. Don't forget to fill up on Macadamia Nuts and Chocolate covered Macadamia Nuts. While these are now available in Canada, it just feels right to eat them in Kauai. Oh yeah...and diet Cherry Coke. You've just gotta try it.
I have been to many Luaus both here and on Oahu. Nothing compares to the Smith Family Luau. They actually cook the Kalua Pig in the ground...and the food is amazing. Most luaus have either amazing food or amazing shows and this luau has both. The kids loved the entertainment and Jack didn't once complain even though the night went way past his bedtime. The volcano was a welcome surprise and guest performances from other ethnic groups kept the show exciting. Definitely worth the money...and then some.
Kauai is fantastic and you just have to go. It is perfect for honeymooners, families and retired people. There is something for everyone. And it is great because you don't have to go somewhere where you are worried about the water or crime. The healthcare here is the same as ours and the money, although only one boring color, is basically the same. Check out the links for more information....
Bubba Burgers
Kamokila Hawaiian Village
Park House
Kauai Pasta
Keiki Kovers
Pizzetta
Smith's Family Luau
The Right Slice
Wrangler's Steakhouse
Isis is the goddess of motherhood, magic, and fertility. She is also the goddess of children from whom all beginnings arose. Isis is the goddess of my personal struggles in life. I want to portray moments or snap shots of my life in a humorous manner in hopes that sharing my experiences may decrease the pain of others in similar circumstances. The journey has many twists and turns but I hope all will find their successful end.
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