Experience the Island from a Helicopter
Seeing Kauai from the air is an unforgettable experience.

• Kauai Aloha Luau, Sundays at the Radisson Hotel
• Kauai's Best Luau, Tuesdays at Aloha Beach Resort

SIGHTSEEING

NORTH SHORE

The uninhabited cliffs and valleys of the world-famous Na Pali Coast punctuate Kauai's scenic North Shore. Exploring the rural communities of Moloaa, Kilauea, Kalihiwai, Hanalei Bay (pictured), Wainiha and Haena is to take a step back in time. By contrast, the luxurious Princeville Resort area welcomes you back to the upscale present.

Oral family histories and archaeological research and artifacts indicate that by 1000 A.D. native Hawaiian families were living in the valleys of Na Pali, cultivating taro and other food crops. They raised and hunted animals for food, cultivated and gathered plants for fiber and medicine, and raised fish in ponds. A grass shack found in Milolii Valley was reconstructed and preserved in the Bishop Museum in Honolulu as an example of fine craftsmanship and skilled use of available materials.

Idyllic as it may sound, that way of life in those remote valleys has died out. Some have tried to recreate it, but most are content with camping for a few days in the lush Kalalau Valley (pictured). Permits are required, and to get into these areas it's either a strenuous hike involving carrying everything you need in and back out, or a prearranged boat trip to drop you off and pick you up.

Sightseers can get a glimpse of the unrivaled beauty of the coastline by kayaking, taking a tour in an inflatable boat or catamaran, or by taking a helicopter flight or airplane tour. The crews provide narration on the history of the area. Whichever mode you choose, it is sure to be an experience you will never forget.

Many of today's kupuna (elders) can trace their families back to those who lived in these valleys. Still strongly tied to the old places and the old ways, they hope to preserve and perpetuate that lifestyle on the North Shore. The pretty, geometric expanses of taro fields (pictured) at the entrance to Hanalei, a patchwork of deep green, bright chartreuse, and chocolate brown, are the most tangible, direct link to native Hawaiian life in the past. Taro was created and given to the Hawaiians for sustenance by the archetypal mother and father of all Hawaiians. It was their staple food for many generations, but today it is easier and cheaper to eat rice, bread, and potatoes (especially in urban areas). Recently, however, by standing together for many hours in the mud of the fields, bent over to plant, weed, and harvest, grandparents, parents, and children have begun to reestablish that link to the past. Over 60% of the state's total taro production is grown on Kauai, much of it on the North Shore.

This is not the only aspect of the Hawaiian lifestyle that lives on, however. Walk into a restaurant, supermarket, hotel or condo and ask a question -- you'll often find yourself engaged in a conversation with someone who'll treat you as a long-lost friend or relative. Buy some papayas at the sunshine market, and a few bananas may be thrown in for free. Sharing whatever is available is a big part of the "Aloha Spirit."

The physical beauty of the North Shore will affect you as much as the people will. The area's ample sun and rain become luxuriant vegetation -- from the tops of jagged mountains, to rolling pastureland and plateaus, down to the coastline. Clouds blown against the mountain ridges release their moisture into waterfalls that gush and tumble from the highest points.

Hanalei Bay, one of the most beautiful places in the world, has been captured countless times by songwriters, poets and artists. Filmmakers and photographers have also fallen under the spell of the North Shore. At the end of the road, cliffs overlook Ke'e Beach (pictured), and the water is so clear you can see the fish and coral yards away. At Anini Beach Park, you can camp under the boughs of spreading trees and let the kids swim in the shallows while you snorkel around the reef. During the spring and summer, Sunday polo matches are held across the street, so stroll over and enjoy the match.

Further northwest, the luxurious Princeville Resort sits on a plateau stretching from mountains to low cliffs at the ocean's edge.
Princeville has its own airport, shopping center, elegant homes and condominiums -- all with spectacular ocean or mountain views, tennis courts, a health spa, a luxurious gilt-and-marble hotel as well as vacation accommodations on a more intimate scale. The Prince and Makai Golf Courses, two of Hawaii's top-rated golf courses, add their luster to this gem of a resort.

In Kilauea town, sugar plantation owners, managers, and workers once lived and worked at a sugar mill. Their descendants live there still. Also surviving from those days are the old church, several homes, the former school, plantation office building, and general store -- all built of lava rock. A major attraction is the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. The lighthouse is a registered historic building, and the refuge shelters such birds as albatross, boobies, shearwaters, tropical birds, and other seabirds. The views here are of an ocean and coastline whose awesome beauty has been untouched by man.

Guavas and papayas grown in Kilauea and Moloaa are becoming successful export crops. Look for fruit stands selling fruit, sweet corn, and homemade macadamia nut brownies.

The North Shore of Kauai holds tight to its Hawaiian history and heritage. Its little communities treasure the quaint and quiet lifestyle, yet there's enough room to coexist with a modern luxury resort. The magnificent mountains and ever-changing sea overcome all differences. Perhaps this sense of the pre-historic has been one of the attractions to Hollywood to film much of its Jurassic Park series here. Whatever the case, Kauai's North Shore comes closest to creating a feeling of traveling back in time while remaining in the 21st Century.

EAST SIDE

From the days of the ancient Hawaiians, people have celebrated the light and warmth of sunrise on the east side of Kauai.

In the communities of Anahola, Kealia, Kapaa, Waipouli, and Wailua, families established their lives generations ago, and even if they no longer live there, they still call these communities home.

Kapaa and Wailua have become the most populous parts of Kauai, as more families put their roots down on the east side.

Perhaps the beauty and the many geological features of this side of the island attracted the first Polynesian settlers here. Being on the windward side of the island, the volcanic slopes eroded to form pleasant valleys with the highest mountains sculpted into dramatic, ridged backdrops.

The Anahola Mountains, Makaleha Mountains, and Nounou Mountain (the Sleeping Giant, pictured) surround the plateau and valleys of the east side. The scalloped coastline gathered sand into cove after cove. Rain falling on the mountaintops descends as waterfalls, then as streams and rivers meandering to the sea.

Until the late 19th century, the Hawaiians maintained a self-contained life in several valleys on the east side. In the mountains, they harvested building materials and collected vines and shrubs for fiber and medicine. In the lower forest areas grew fruit trees, medicinal and ornamental plants, and birds valued for their song and ornamental feathers.

The kanaka maoli (native people) built terraces and irrigation systems and grew taro and other crops. The streams provided fish and freshwater prawns. Holding ponds built along the streams and oceanfront held stocks of fish until they were needed. From the mountains to the shore, the entire ecosystem was used and cared for wisely, so that it might support the people forever.

From the Wailua River mouth up into the mountains (pictured), a complex of heiau (sacred sites) was constructed. Research and translation of oral histories have established the purposes of some of the heiau. There was a bellstone that was sounded to announce royal births. Kahuna (priests) helped their alii (royalty) understand what the gods expected of them.

Signs placed at the heiau across the road from Opaekaa Falls relate the history of this whole area. Although they may look like old, ruined walls of black lava rock, the heiau have great cultural, religious, and historical value, so treat them with utmost respect.

The Royal Coconut Coast has always been appreciated for its natural beauty. Opaekaa Falls and Wailua Falls (pictured) are entrancing, and there are many more waterfalls in the foothills and mountains. Near Keahua Arboretum on Kuamoo Road, ease yourself into the cool water of the swimming hole, inhale the fragrance of ginger blossoms and savor the sights and sounds of water and jungle.

The signature coconut palm groves were planted so that the nuts, leaves, and other parts could be harvested and used for many purposes. Some of the tallest trees standing are at least 75 years old. You can drink the sweet-salty milk directly out of a green coconut or savor the flavor of rich coconut cream in a pina colada, haupia (sweet pudding), or a chicken and taro leaf stew. You may happen across a person weaving leaf fronds into hats, baskets, and rosettes.

Numerous trails lead up to incredible lookout points on Mt. Nounou and on the lower slopes of the Makaleha Mountains. The views of the island below are astounding, and it's truly peaceful to be perched high above the hustle and bustle below.

At the southern edge of the Coconut Coast, the 18-hole Wailua Municipal Golf Course lies between the highway and a gorgeous sandy beach. Several beach parks on the coast have lagoons and natural pools that are ideal for children. While snorkeling at Lydgate Park, you'll spot little yellow and black striped fish, see the resident school of large blue parrotfish cruise by, and maybe see turtles that sometimes swim into the lagoon.

The lower Wailua River is a playground for kayakers, water skiers, and outrigger canoe paddlers. Large motor launches cruise up to a famous fern-lined grotto; along the way, the crew tell legends about gods who took the form of sharks, and of lovelorn maidens who were turned into flowers.

Accommodations range from charming bed & breakfasts and quaint cottages up in the hills to several homey and affordable hotels and comfortable condominiums right on the oceanfront. They are adorned by a wide variety of restaurants and numerous grocery and sundries stores conveniently located throughout Kapaa.

On long holiday weekends and throughout the summer, families set up camp at the beach. They wake up as the sun rises, spend the day fishing, swimming, or surfing, then gather to eat together and "talk story" into the night. On a clear night, millions of stars are visible. The sight of the full moon rising until it lights up the ocean and the beach is remarkable, no matter how many times you've seen it.

From the times of the first settlers to today, the historic Royal Coconut Coast has been the site of many pleasant days and memorable nights. The vision of rows of curving trunks topped by umbrellas of green fronds, swishing and glinting in the breeze, will linger in your memory.

KALAPAKI/LIHUE

Whether you arrive on Kauai at Lihue Airport or at Nawiliwili Harbor, you'll be near Kalapaki Beach (pictured). It's the crescent-shaped beach you spy as the plane lands or as your cruise ship approaches the harbor entry. Just a few minutes inland is the main town of Lihue.

Sheltered by mountains on one side and bordered by acres of sugar cane on the other, this center of commerce and government is also a focal point for cultural events, education, and retail services.

There are tantalizing reminders of its rich history, particularly Alekoko (or Menehune) Fishpond (pictured). Walls forming this large lagoon are of hewn and tightly fitted stone blocks. Because the Polynesians who migrated from the Marquesas to Hawaii did not have the tools to do such fine work, the menehune are attributed with the construction. A system of gates was used to get fish into the pond where they could grow and be easily harvested.

From the harbor, you can paddle a rented kayak up to the fishpond, or by car, it's a short drive to a scenic lookout above the lagoon. Huleia Stream empties into Nawiliwili Bay, and kayaking upstream is a jungle cruise beyond compare. Gliding past dense jungle growth reaching to the water's edge, you'll imagine that you're the first explorer of this remote place. You might recognize one stretch as the spot where Indiana Jones swung across a river on a vine and scampered into a seaplane, escaping by inches from his enemies. Native birds including Koloa ducks, stilts, and coots live in the marshy areas bordering the stream that are protected as a national wildlife refuge.

From Nawiliwili Harbor, raw sugar is shipped to California for refining. Barges from Honolulu arrive several times each week, with everything from building supplies to groceries to cars. Cruise ships also call at Nawiliwili, and sportfishing boats leave early in the morning, hoping to return later with some trophy marlin, tuna, or mahimahi. Outrigger canoe clubs paddle their craft out of the harbor to practice and surf the incoming swells.

Kauai's first luxury resort, the Kauai Lagoons at the Marriot, spreads from the harbor mouth along Kalapaki Beach. Modern-day equivalents of the menehune created the lagoons and the islets and bridges that form the setting for two 18-hole golf courses (pictured) designed by Jack Nicklaus, several restaurants, a spa, tennis club, and a wedding chapel. The adjacent hotel, the island's tallest buildings, has lush gardens and elegant Hawaiian accents. All the resort amenities - upscale art galleries and shops, entertainment, dining and activities - are available. Kalapaki Beach is also a favorite surfing and swimming spot, and fishing from the breakwater is a regular weekend activity.

On the hillside opposite the entrance to the harbor, there are vacation condos and an attractive small inn. Two nearby shopping centers provide casual dining and fun shopping.

The County Building in Lihue has its own history, for it was built in the days when people came to town on foot or on horseback. A block away, the Kauai Museum's main building (pictured) is also an historic landmark. In the mezzanine gallery, Kauai's artists mount impressive shows of their work. The gift shop has an eclectic selection of crafts, art, literature, and gifts.

The numerous restaurants in the business district are not fancy, but they do serve a great variety of Oriental, Hawaiian, and American foods. At the Lihue Parish Hall and in the Kauai War Memorial Convention Center, the Kauai Community Players, Kauai Kids at Play, and the Kauai Concert Association present top-quality plays and musical events at reasonable prices. The War Memorial Convention Center also hosts many benefit concerts. At the adjacent Vidinha Stadium, in August, all the locals go to the annual Farm Bureau Fair at least once (some attend every night).

The towering stacks of Lihue Plantation's sugar mill remind you of the historical industry on the island. Now you have to use your imagination of the harvest season, watching the cane stalks moving along conveyor belts above the highway, the smell of molasses permeating the area.

Just west of the mill is the island's largest and mainland-class shopping mall, Kukui Grove Center. Next to it are a golf driving range, miniature golf course, a park, and another 18-hole golf course. Lihue is one of the main residential areas, so all the modern conveniences and services are available nearby. A short distance away is the University of Hawaii's Kauai Community College campus. Its excellent library is open to all, and the performing arts center is a 21st-Century state-of-the-art venue for theater and musical productions. And yet, just up the street, the Wailua Falls (pictured) brings you back to paradise.

Lihue has all the action of a business and civic center while Nawiliwili Bay and Kalapaki Beach have an ancient history you can discover as you enjoy their modern resort amenities and the island's natural wonders.

SOUTH SHORE

Between the Haupu Mountain Range south of Lihue and the Spouting Horn Beach Park you'll find: Poipu, a dynamic resort area; Koloa, a mill town founded around the first sugar plantation in Hawaii; Maha'ulepu (pictured), a prinstine reserve of untold beauty; and a mellow lifestyle that's centered around warmth, sunshine and a sparkling blue ocean.

You'll discover Koloa and Poipu by first driving through the Tree Tunnel, a mile-long stand of tall eucalyptus (or swamp mahogany) trees that completely shade the road. Emerge from this mesmerizing tunnel into bright sunshine and acres of sugar cane lining both sides of the road.

Old Koloa Town, the gateway to Poipu Beach, is located at the south end of this road. The ruins of Hawaii's first sugar mill are here, and in a small, adjacent park, the history of the sugar industry and the Koloa area is engraved on a circular sculpture commemorating its historic past. The stores and restaurants on the main street open onto a wooden boardwalk, encouraging lively interchanges among shoppers, diners and passers-by.

One of the rustic buildings was the community's general store, another a medical office, and a third was a hotel for traveling salesmen in the late 1800s. Koloa Landing on the edge of town was the state's third largest whaling port in the 1800s and was also used for the export of raw sugar and sweet potatoes. Most of the houses built for plantation workers are now overshadowed by huge mango or poinciana trees, sprawls of bright scarlet and magenta bougainvillaea, and banks of orchid plants.

Every year, in late July, the town celebrates its plantation heritage and the many cultures that coexist in Koloa with a festive parade, country-style fair, and other events aptly named Koloa Plantation Days. The steam locomotive that once pulled tons of cane to the mill is loaded on a huge trailer, all polished up, and joins the parade, letting out the occasional bellow on its whistle.

Farther south is the sunny Poipu Beach Resort area (pictured). This region is known for its exceptionally warm and sunny weather. The golden sandy beaches are favorite spots for sunning, picnicking, volleyball and a wide variety of water sports. Snorkeling and diving are great fun, for there are many kinds of fish, lots of them darting and hiding among the nooks and crannies of the intricate lava formations. The south shore's bays create year-round ideal wave conditions for body boarders and surfers. Surfing and body boarding competitions are occasionally held in Poipu, so girls and boys start surfing at an early age. They turn 360s on their boards and make it look so easy.

The entire Poipu Beach area is dedicated to recreation and relaxation in all forms, including two beautiful and challenging PGA-class golf courses. The Poipu Bay Resort Golf Course (pictured) is home to the annual PGA Grand Slam of Golf tournaments in the fall. Both have full-service pro shops and fine clubhouse facilities. Tennis facilities are available at most of the resorts and offer lessons and a variety of tournaments. Numerous trails from the beach to the cliff tops at Mahaulepu can be hiked, biked, or traveled on horseback.

Poipu is near the southernmost tip of Kauai known as Makahuena Point, so from many oceanside vantage points you can watch the sun rise and set on another day in paradise. Accommodations range from a luxury hotel with Hawaiian flair, to fully-furnished beach or golf course homes, to spacious condominium resorts, charming cottages, and cozy B&Bs.

Dining means making a choice between a sumptuous buffet, northern Italian, fresh fish, innovative Hawaiian island cuisine, Mexican or Japanese food, pizza, sub sandwiches, cook-your-own steaks, or a picnic. Dancing, a polite session of pool and Hawaiian entertainment round out the evenings.

On the west side of Poipu Beach is Spouting Horn, a lava tube in an outcropping over the ocean. When waves surge in, a geyser erupts from the hole accompanied by a loud roar. According to one legend, these are the cries of a dragon god mourning the loss of his sisters. In another legend, a lizard goddess trapped in the lava tube by a clever fisherman is angrily growling.

Also on the west side of Poipu is Prince Kuhio Park, the birthplace of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole. He represented the Territory of Hawaii in the U.S. Congress for over 20 years. He established the Hawaiian Homes Commission and many other civic organizations and projects to protect and improve the lives of native Hawaiians. The foundation of Prince Kuhio's parents' home, a fishpond and an altar are preserved within the park grounds, along with parts of an ancient heiau (sacred temple or site).

Kauai's south shore, like the leeward shores of the other Hawaiian islands, is the mecca for those who revel in bright sun, warm temperatures and crystal-blue ocean waters. Many visitors return year after year to Poipu Beach, to play in the ocean, shop for treasures, golf, and to just plain relax. Imagine ending each day with a favorite libation in hand, looking out over the ocean, enjoying the sunset. Whatever your tastes, you'll like what you find in sunny Poipu Beach.

WEST SIDE

On the west side, life seems to move just a little bit more slowly. Maybe the speed slows from the perpetually sunny skies, dry air, the proverbial wide open spaces, and the small towns that set an easy pace. The towns of Hanapepe, Eleele, Kekaha, and Waimea have an old country charm that sets them apart from the rest of the Garden Island. The Waimea Canyon, the Kalalau Valley Lookout (pictured), and Polihale all have an otherwordly divinely-inspired awe.

The West Side is a great place for hiking, camping, boating, bird watching, star searching, and contemplating the meaning of life.

Where does the "West Side" really begin? Lawai and Kalaheo definitely have a pastoral air, for the homes perched on the hillsides have sweeping views of former cane fields, new coffee groves, and the towns below. Cattle graze in pastures that wrap over and around knolls and gullies. From vantage points in Kalaheo, past old sugar cane fields and sugar mills, you'll see the endless ocean and the misty profiles of Lehua and Niihau, privately-owned tiny islands located 12 miles off Kauai's western shore.

Heading toward Eleele and Port Allen, you'll pass fields of coffee bushes, their dark green leaves sparked with fragrant white blossoms or with green and red berries, depending on the time of year. Port Allen is home to the marina where most of the ocean sightseeing and fishing boat tours on the island originate.

Hanapepe, self-proclaimed as "the biggest little town" on Kauai, is a sleepy hamlet that once bustled with military personnel and plantation workers. Now, interesting little shops, boutiques, galleries, and restaurants with hours that vary with the day sprinkle the main street. Here, you will also discover the swinging footbridge over the Hanapepe River which made a cameo appearance in the film "The Thorn Birds." Just passed Hanapepe, you will find that often overlooked wonderful west-side beach at Salt Pond Beach Park (pictured). The"Salt" part of its name derives from the nearby ancient Hawaii salt beds, once the most productive in the Hawaiian Islands.

Waimea is the gateway to Waimea Canyon (pictured), the awe-inspiring, breath-taking "Grand Canyon of the Pacific," as Mark Twain dubbed it. The canyon is one mile wide, 10 miles long, and over 3,600 feet in depth. The deep canyon gashes in the landscape look like the claw marks of some immense prehistoric creature. The play of light and shadow throughout the day on the colorful striated layers of rock is extraordinary. A fun pastime is to stand at one of the Waimea Canyon overlooks and watch the reaction of visitor after visitor, as their jaws drop, and they become first speechless and then breathless as they witness this spectacle of nature for the first time, realizing that words fail them and that there must be a God.

Beyond Waimea is the town of Kekaha, the last outpost on the West Side, and the entrance to Polihale (pictured), the western-most beach on Kauai where you will find Barking Sands, so-called because of the sounds your feet make as you walk along the sand dunes. Historians believe that in ancient times this area was heavily populated with grass hut villages stretching along the western coast.

A Navy base called the Pacific Missile Range Facility now houses the last man-made structures on the West Side. From here on, the terrain is nothing but miles and miles of pristine coastline and shimmering white sand beaches where the sand dunes can rise up to 100 feet high. Though Polihale is a favorite beach for locals, there is no lifeguard on duty. Special care must be taken, as the surf is known for its extremely dangerous undertow and varied and unpredictable rip currents.

If you time your trip just right, you can watch the sunset on the West Side as it melts into the sea over the forbidden island of Niihau, just 12 miles away and light years into the spectacular.