The Silent "I"

Kaua'i's Western Beaches

Surf's Up at Polihale State Park

Kaua'i has a multitude of gorgeous, white sand beaches, and we had time on our last trip to explore some that we hadn't been to in prior years.  We also spent a good deal of time at the beach by our hotel, Kalapaki Beach, due to its convenience and accessibility.  Despite its convenience, it got a little crowded some days, so we went in search of a quieter spot.

Probably the most popular beach in Kaua'i is Poipu Beach on the Western side of the island, but when we were there briefly on Friday, it seemed as though every square inch of this tiny, crescent-shaped bit of sand seemed was covered by someone's beach towel and coconut-oiled body.  One of our local friends characterized it as "the new Waikiki."  The abundance of timeshares, hotels, and guest-houses in Poipu make it a popular tourist spot.  While it's a nice spot, with shallow pools for kids to play in, and interesting fish to look at, it wasn't quite what we were looking for in terms of "beach getaway."

We drove a little further north to the equally beautiful (and relatively empty) Salt Pond Beach Park.  Near the historic town of Hanapepe, the Salt Pond is where Hawaiians have traditionally gone to gather sea salt for cooking.  It's a lovely park, with a grassy area leading to a sandy beach, with a rock-enclosed space perfect for kids to splash around it in, protected from the rough waves.

Limahuli Gardens, Kaua'i: A Walk Through Ancient Hawaii

Kaua'i is known as the "Garden Island" due to its abundance of flowers and plants. There are a number of gorgeous botanical gardens on the island, but in all of our years of visiting Kaua'i, we've rarely taken the time to explore them.  On our trip to Kaua'i in December, we opted to spend an afternoon exploring Limahuli Garden and Preserve, a beautiful hillside garden featuring plants native to Kaua'i and those introduced by the Polynesians.  Limahuli is one of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens located on Kaua'i.  It is located at the far, far north end of the island, in Ha'ena, near the end of the road and the beginning of the Napali Coast.

Dining in Kaua'i: 2010 Edition

 

Kauai has a number of great restaurants that will suit any palate, even the pickiest of children (or adults for that matter).  This was our sixth trip here, so we have some old stand-bys that we try to get to every time we come, and always try something new.  I wrote up a list of recommendations on our last trip here, and already shared my thoughts on Verde, so here are a few additional recommendations:

1. Brennecke's Beach Broiler:  Brennecke's in Poipu is a venerable seafood restaurant, unpretentious, but featuring fresh, grilled fish dishes and generous portions.  Decorated with a sports theme, it doesn't look like much, but the food is good, and the site offers views of the sunset off the western shore of the island.  I had grilled shrimp and ono, served up with hearty potatoes au gratin and broccoli, with a side of crisp pineapple salsa (pictured above).  Everything was cooked to perfection, and tasted great together. Location: 2100 Hoone Rd., Poipu Beach, Koloa, HI. Reservations Recommended.

Dining in Kaua'i: Verde

If you're looking for an inexpensive, yet delicious place to dine in Kauai, look no further than Verde, a New Mexican-Hawaiian fusion restaurant in Kapa'a (think: Ahi Tostadas and you get the idea).  It may look like a typical taco stand, but it's about as far from Taco Bell as Hawaii is from the North Pole.

Chef-Owner Josh Stevens moved to Kaua'i after stints as chef in some of Oahu and Maui's best hotel restaurants.  A native of New Mexico, Chef Josh imports in chiles and flavors from the region and blends it with the best of local ingredients to make tasty, creative concoctions like the Cali Burrito I had (pictured), or the Chile Seared Ahi tacos.  He also features flavorful vegan and gluten-free meals, so there is something for just about every palate.  The chile spice can be either mild or hot, red or green, and seasoned to your liking.

I'm not a huge fan of hot food, but the burrito I had was flavorful without being overpowering. It was a good size, but not the gigantic football size that you get in some restaurants that you can't possible eat, or if you do, immediately feel ill.  We also shared chips lightly dusted with chile powder served with some excellent guacamole.

Located in a fairly nondescript stripmall in Kapa'a, I was surprised that such good food was being served up in such humble surroundings. This was probably our best food find on this trip, thanks to our friends, locals Donn and Nancy Forbes, who are dedicated regulars.  Verde had not yet opened when we were in Kauai in 2007, so this was a new place for us.  Thanks, Donn & Nancy!

This is a great place to go if you've had enough kalua pork sandwiches, poi, and spam musubi, and want something a little different. Verde is located at 4 Kuhio Highway, Kapa'a, Kauai.

Greetings from Kauai

 

We landed in Kauai on Sunday, after an early morning rush to the airport, and an uneventful flight.  Despite news of a Christmas Day terrorist attempt on a Northwest-Delta flight, nothing much seemed to have changed for domestic flights.  We weren't strip-searched at the airport, weren't mauled by bomb-sniffing dogs, and weren't asked to prove that our underwear was, in fact underwear and not some synthetic explosive device disguised as unmentionables.  It was pretty much business-as-usual.

We were last in Kauai in 2007, and are back at our timeshare at the Kauai Marriott Resort for a week, celebrating Frank's 50th Birthday, and relaxing before the new year.  We bought a half share (every-other-year) here about ten years ago, and have loved every trip.  It never gets old or boring, and though we had a moment's twinge of buyer's remorse after we took the timeshare plunge, we now look at it as one of the best investments we ever made.

Every time we come back to Kauai, we find something new to explore.  This time, we hope to take in some of the lush botanical gardens.  In the past, we toured the island in the past by helicopter, sailboat, and catamaran.  We will keep our feet firmly planted on the ground this time, and just enjoy our time together.

On Monday, we picked up a rental car to do some grocery shopping and hopefully check out some big waves on the North Shore.  Foiled by a traffic jam, we made it as far as Lydgate Park on the east side of the island, where the waves were not that big, but provided a beautiful view.  We used to come to this park several times during our visits to Kauai, mainly for the terrific playground and enclosed beach that are perfect for smaller kids.  

As we drove by the playground, Alex exclaimed, "I remember that place! I used to love it here!" 

At nine, a complex of slides and swings and tunnels doesn't hold the same appeal as it did at age 5, I guess. I was happy that he remembered it.  That is one of the nicest aspects of returning to the same vacation spot, having memories of the place, and looking forward to creating news ones.  When we arrived at the Marriott, the staff said, "Welcome home."  

So, we're enjoying our home-away-from-home this week, sipping mai tais and smoothies, and falling asleep to the sound of ocean waves.  I hope that wherever you are, you have a little spirit of aloha with you this week and in the coming year.