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Visiting Kauai
- Thread starter VaB
- Start date
Kayak to the Wailua secret falls but be careful if you like to hike the mud path barefoot like me, I stepped on something one time that made my lips go numb and my heart beat go crazy, drive out to Polihale beach, check out Waimea canyon, get breakfast at the Ono Family Restaurant in Kapa'a, stop by Tamba and support their surf shop, get Kauai pie ice cream at Lappert's in old Koloa town when you get that Poké, say hello to PPK, his hospitality is beyond words, walk out on the pier in Hanalei and just look around at the magic you will see. Just a few of the many things you can do there. Be kind and gracious, get to know a local or two and embody the Aloha spirit.
If you are renting a car, use the Turo app and rent a local vehicle. Super cheap and easy and you won't have that obvious rental car when you are driving around.
If you are renting a car, use the Turo app and rent a local vehicle. Super cheap and easy and you won't have that obvious rental car when you are driving around.
Heard that the tubing through the cane canals is a really awesome time. Kids are a bit too young but next time fo'sho!
Also, if you have kids and they need car or booster seats, you will get charged ~$16/day/seat when you get a rental car.
Went to Walmart in Lihue and picked up 1 for $19, also picked up an umbrella, cooler, beers, snacks, etc, so we could save some $$ and use it on other things, like shave ice!! Whatever goods we had left we gave to a friend who lives there. Polihale, secret beach, waiohai beach. And whatever you do, don't jump off the rock at shipwreck beach, we watched a guy drown while we were visiting....
Also, if you have kids and they need car or booster seats, you will get charged ~$16/day/seat when you get a rental car.
Went to Walmart in Lihue and picked up 1 for $19, also picked up an umbrella, cooler, beers, snacks, etc, so we could save some $$ and use it on other things, like shave ice!! Whatever goods we had left we gave to a friend who lives there. Polihale, secret beach, waiohai beach. And whatever you do, don't jump off the rock at shipwreck beach, we watched a guy drown while we were visiting....
Besides the ocean related stuff, I very much enjoyed the hiking in the Alakai Swamp Trail on Mt. Waialeale and along the very muddy trails to, geeze, what is is properly called, Pihea View? Hiking in Waimea Canyon is also pretty good.....not as tough as hiking the Grand Canyon but still a work out.
Always a good idea to have plans for when the surf is flat.
PS
Hopefully the next time I get to go to Kauai I can do the Nu'alolo and Awa'awapuhi Loop.
Always a good idea to have plans for when the surf is flat.
PS
Hopefully the next time I get to go to Kauai I can do the Nu'alolo and Awa'awapuhi Loop.
Solo?
Wife?
Kids?
Accommodation location?
a.North shore?
b.South Shore / Poipu?
c.Lihue?
d. Kapa'a?
Arrival date / time?
Length of stay?
Just asking for the more ....... pertinent stuff ~
some good suggestions made above ~
Waimea Canyon / Koke'e State Park GO EARLY!!
assorted day hikes available to you. Get a hiking trail Map at the small store in Koke'e
Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Google, is your friend.
Wailua River Kayak & Hike ( mentioned above )
rent a kayak & go on your own or go on a guided tour. The "secret waterfall" isn't secret.
500 people visit it every day or more. Muddy? Yes, if it's rained for a month.
A vigorous paddle in a kayak. Take a small backpack & water. Sunscreen if ya burn. 3 - 4 hours. Google
** Kauai Backcountry Adventures** ( mentioned above ) ******
Make reservations from home before you leave!! (your home) Very popular & fun!
Oversized innertubes, guided tour. 4X4 vans take you to the drop off point. Slow, easy old waterway that used to irrigate the sugar cane fields. Hand dug tunnels. Snacks, sandwiches & cold drinks at the end of the journey. Family oriented. 3+ hours. Zipline also available.
1-808-245-2506 Google
Kipu Ranch Adventures 1-808-246-9288
I've never taken their tour But, heard it was a good time. 4x4 RV vehicles available.
Google it.
SURF, will be shifting to the South Shore. Flat lazy days for the north shore / Hanalei.
Waiohai
PK's
Centers
Acid Drops
Pakalas
is where most surf ~ South Shore
Find a beach and enjoy the day, get a Poke bowl, a beer and watch the sunset.
Camp PPK has been closed for some time at BlackPot in Hanalei if you're feral ~
Wife?
Kids?
Accommodation location?
a.North shore?
b.South Shore / Poipu?
c.Lihue?
d. Kapa'a?
Arrival date / time?
Length of stay?
Just asking for the more ....... pertinent stuff ~
some good suggestions made above ~
Waimea Canyon / Koke'e State Park GO EARLY!!
assorted day hikes available to you. Get a hiking trail Map at the small store in Koke'e
Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Google, is your friend.
Wailua River Kayak & Hike ( mentioned above )
rent a kayak & go on your own or go on a guided tour. The "secret waterfall" isn't secret.
500 people visit it every day or more. Muddy? Yes, if it's rained for a month.
A vigorous paddle in a kayak. Take a small backpack & water. Sunscreen if ya burn. 3 - 4 hours. Google
** Kauai Backcountry Adventures** ( mentioned above ) ******
Make reservations from home before you leave!! (your home) Very popular & fun!
Oversized innertubes, guided tour. 4X4 vans take you to the drop off point. Slow, easy old waterway that used to irrigate the sugar cane fields. Hand dug tunnels. Snacks, sandwiches & cold drinks at the end of the journey. Family oriented. 3+ hours. Zipline also available.
1-808-245-2506 Google
Kipu Ranch Adventures 1-808-246-9288
I've never taken their tour But, heard it was a good time. 4x4 RV vehicles available.
Google it.
SURF, will be shifting to the South Shore. Flat lazy days for the north shore / Hanalei.
Waiohai
PK's
Centers
Acid Drops
Pakalas
is where most surf ~ South Shore
Find a beach and enjoy the day, get a Poke bowl, a beer and watch the sunset.
Camp PPK has been closed for some time at BlackPot in Hanalei if you're feral ~
I can vouch for the following.......My family did both of these while we were there. Super fun.
Waimea Canyon / Koke'e State Park GO EARLY!!
assorted day hikes available to you. Get a hiking trail Map at the small store in Koke'e
Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Google, is your friend.
** Kauai Backcountry Adventures** ( mentioned above ) ******
Make reservations from home before you leave!! (your home) Very popular & fun!
Oversized innertubes, guided tour. 4X4 vans take you to the drop off point. Slow, easy old waterway that used to irrigate the sugar cane fields. Hand dug tunnels. Snacks, sandwiches & cold drinks at the end of the journey. Family oriented. 3+ hours. Zipline also available.
1-808-245-2506 Google
Waimea Canyon / Koke'e State Park GO EARLY!!
assorted day hikes available to you. Get a hiking trail Map at the small store in Koke'e
Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Google, is your friend.
** Kauai Backcountry Adventures** ( mentioned above ) ******
Make reservations from home before you leave!! (your home) Very popular & fun!
Oversized innertubes, guided tour. 4X4 vans take you to the drop off point. Slow, easy old waterway that used to irrigate the sugar cane fields. Hand dug tunnels. Snacks, sandwiches & cold drinks at the end of the journey. Family oriented. 3+ hours. Zipline also available.
1-808-245-2506 Google
looks like there's a south swell
everytime I want to travel somewhere to go surf my brother says why bother?
Then we have days like this in our back yard and I have to agree
this past sunday infront of where we used to live (and barry, that's why I requested a reverse assym einstein)
too bad all Da Hui kids discovered it from kekoa
Something to look forward to later this year after my heart rotorooter
home
everytime I want to travel somewhere to go surf my brother says why bother?
Then we have days like this in our back yard and I have to agree
this past sunday infront of where we used to live (and barry, that's why I requested a reverse assym einstein)
too bad all Da Hui kids discovered it from kekoa
Something to look forward to later this year after my heart rotorooter
home
Hit up the Poipu area for accommodations this time. Too much road construction going on in Hanalei / north shore from the floods of last year in April. You're closer to Koke'e, surf will be good on that side of the Island, you're 30 - 40 minutes away from Kauai Backcountry Adventures, 30 -35 minutes from the airport, Pakala's, if you want to surf a long left (and crowded). Kipu Ranch Adventures is 20 minutes from Poipu. Keoki's for lunch or dinner. It's part of the T &S group of Dukes restaurants. Kalapaki Joes, for a sports bar. Poipu is a "destination" for many so it can be crowded in some areas. Go with the flow. Major Hotels in the Poipu area as well as time share rentals. Maybe Air B & B, etc.
Those are my rec's. You could drive up to the north shore for a day if you have the time. GO EARLY to do things. Traffic can be quite irritating anywhere on Island.
Koke'e State Park
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByIWYWJH6AW/?igshid=12xsavlaescse
Google is your friend ~
Those are my rec's. You could drive up to the north shore for a day if you have the time. GO EARLY to do things. Traffic can be quite irritating anywhere on Island.
Koke'e State Park
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByIWYWJH6AW/?igshid=12xsavlaescse
Google is your friend ~
Sorry to piggyback this thread, but I will also be visiting Kauai with the family in the second half of July. Looks like some great information has been shared already so thanks for that.
I'll be staying in the south in Poipu and will probably be looking to escape for a quick first light surf session whenever possible before the kids are up and had their breakfast (or is that something to be avoided due to the local marine life feeding patterns?)
Any opinions on whether it is better to bring a board or two with me vs rent one when I get there? We are only staying 7 days so a board rental could end up being cheaper and less hassle than bringing, but I'm not sure how easy it is to get a rental (that is not a beginner / fun board) in South Shore Kauai. I would prefer a typical shortboard, hybrid, or fish shape, depending on the forecast.
My kids are young (5 and 7) but they are pretty decent swimmers and very keen to body board and snorkel. Any specific suggestions for the best place to catch some very mellow whitewater waves with soft sandy beaches around Poipu to take them boogie boarding? Definitely want to avoid any inside shore-break action that might scare them away forever
So someplace where waves break a bit farther out and they can safely ride the whitewater to the sand would be ideal.
Oh and they are obsessed with wildlife of any sort from animals, fish, and crustaceans to bugs. Any suggestions for places they might be able to spot some turtles, seals, crabs, or wildlife of any sort in its natural evironment?
Thanks!
I'll be staying in the south in Poipu and will probably be looking to escape for a quick first light surf session whenever possible before the kids are up and had their breakfast (or is that something to be avoided due to the local marine life feeding patterns?)
Any opinions on whether it is better to bring a board or two with me vs rent one when I get there? We are only staying 7 days so a board rental could end up being cheaper and less hassle than bringing, but I'm not sure how easy it is to get a rental (that is not a beginner / fun board) in South Shore Kauai. I would prefer a typical shortboard, hybrid, or fish shape, depending on the forecast.
My kids are young (5 and 7) but they are pretty decent swimmers and very keen to body board and snorkel. Any specific suggestions for the best place to catch some very mellow whitewater waves with soft sandy beaches around Poipu to take them boogie boarding? Definitely want to avoid any inside shore-break action that might scare them away forever
So someplace where waves break a bit farther out and they can safely ride the whitewater to the sand would be ideal.Oh and they are obsessed with wildlife of any sort from animals, fish, and crustaceans to bugs. Any suggestions for places they might be able to spot some turtles, seals, crabs, or wildlife of any sort in its natural evironment?
Thanks!
I am in Poipu now and looked for boards at a few shops but they are all surf tech or foamies. I have not been able to find any decent boards for rent.
Craigslist may be an option.
I did not do an exhaustive search. I did a convenient search of about 5 local shops but none had any decent boards. If you want good boards you should have it arranged ahead of time or bring them.
As for wild life; i’ve seen multiple sea turtles and sea lions here without any effort\
Break in front of the Marriott seems like the more popular break. There is a another break for kids and body boards just to the east. It’s pretty safe and pretty fun ( at least for me)
Craigslist may be an option.
I did not do an exhaustive search. I did a convenient search of about 5 local shops but none had any decent boards. If you want good boards you should have it arranged ahead of time or bring them.
As for wild life; i’ve seen multiple sea turtles and sea lions here without any effort\
Break in front of the Marriott seems like the more popular break. There is a another break for kids and body boards just to the east. It’s pretty safe and pretty fun ( at least for me)
I have not. We are going to drive by there on our way to Hanalei today so I may swing by. Another local shaper, Scovel, has a shop near by as well that I have not been to.
Also
https://www.kauaisurfboardrentals.com/
May be an option.
Also
https://www.kauaisurfboardrentals.com/
May be an option.
I've been wanting this thing, but it's on Kauai near Kapaa. 6'1 x 19.5" x 2.5" Mayhem quad Shark in XTR for $200:
https://honolulu.craigslist.org/kau/for/d/kapaa-61-surfboard-obo/6903424144.html
Lots of waves coming from the South over the next few days...
https://honolulu.craigslist.org/kau/for/d/kapaa-61-surfboard-obo/6903424144.html
Lots of waves coming from the South over the next few days...
if you get a surfboard head over to PKs/centers/acid drops area - forecast looks really fun. if you remain without a board, there is fun body surfing at shipwrecks.
Reviving this thread because I'm in Kapa'a on a last-second week in Kauai with my GF. Not much of a clue where to surf other than the internet research results, going to look at CL for a board and take a look at Kealia - would love other suggestions or to buy rounds if anyone is local.
Everyone says Hanalei is visitor-friendly, but from the videos I've seen, probably more crowded/competitive than I'm looking for. I'm an intermediate surfer, I surfed good sized pipe when i was 18 but i'm out of shape now, goofy foot and will be on a rental or CL board; i was going to look for swell wrap ...
I've never considered looking for a surf guide, but my GF suggested looking for surf-foil lessons... the waves out front of my place in Kapaa actually look pretty good for that...
We're going to try to catch a boat ride to Napali coast out of Hanalei, to hike Awa'awapuhi and to Secret / Kauapea Beach
I have a relatively open schedule; here until Friday (11/8) - there's a ton of swell in the water. Have the keep the GF happy but can probably dedicate a day or three to surfing...
Everyone says Hanalei is visitor-friendly, but from the videos I've seen, probably more crowded/competitive than I'm looking for. I'm an intermediate surfer, I surfed good sized pipe when i was 18 but i'm out of shape now, goofy foot and will be on a rental or CL board; i was going to look for swell wrap ...
I've never considered looking for a surf guide, but my GF suggested looking for surf-foil lessons
... the waves out front of my place in Kapaa actually look pretty good for that...We're going to try to catch a boat ride to Napali coast out of Hanalei, to hike Awa'awapuhi and to Secret / Kauapea Beach
I have a relatively open schedule; here until Friday (11/8) - there's a ton of swell in the water. Have the keep the GF happy but can probably dedicate a day or three to surfing...