Sights in Kaua'i
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Kaulu Paoa Heiau
The vague remains of Kaulu Paoa Heiau stand just five minutes' walk from Ke'e Beach. Here, beneath a cliff face, large stones create a long flat grassy platform where a thatched-roof hula halau (school) once stood. In ancient Hawai'i this halau was Kaua'i's most sacred; students aspiring to learn hula came from all of the Hawaiian Islands and the legendary Kaua'i chief Lohi'au trained here.
Present-day hula halau (troupes) still leave lei and other offerings to Laka (goddess of hula) in crevices in the cliff face.
To find the remains of the heiau, take the path on the western side of the beach. Follow the stone wall as it curves uphill and you'll reach the heiau almost…
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Salt Pond Beach Park
Salt Pond Beach Park is one of Kaua'i's best family beaches - and even better because it remains untouristy. Beyond the long stretch of sand, the water in the cove reaches up to 10ft deep and works well for swimming laps (four times across equals 0.5 miles) and also for windsurfing. Both ends of the cove are shallow and good for kids. Along with a lifeguard, amenities include picnic tables, barbecue grills, showers and campsites.
The park is named for its famous salt ponds toward the east, where Hawaiians have traditionally made rock salt from seawater. Often, this alae salt is tinted red from adding a bit of Kaua'i's ubiquitous iron-rich earth.
To get here, turn left just…
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Lihu'e Lutheran Church
Atop a curvy country lane just off Kaumuali'i Hwy (Hwy 50)is Lihu'e Lutheran Church, Hawaii's oldest Lutheran church, a quaint clapboard house of worship, with an incongruously slanted floor that resembles a ship's deck and a balcony akin to a captain's bridge. German immigrants built this church, styling it after their own late-19th-century boat.
Completed in 1983, this building is actually a faithful reconstruction of the 1885 original, which was leveled in Hurricane 'Iwa in 1982. Fancying an afterlife with a view, the immigrants themselves now lie at rest in the church cemetery on a knoll overlooking the cane fields in which they toiled. Visitors are welcome to stroll…
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Moir Gardens
If cacti are your fancy, Moir Gardens offers a modest oasis on the grounds of the Kiahuna Plantation condo. It's a low-key, approachable collection of mature cacti and succulents, interspersed with winding paths, a lily pond and colorful shocks of orchids.
The gardens, established in the 1930s and now part of the Kiahuna Plantation resort, were originally the estate of Hector Moir, manager of Koloa Sugar Plantation, and Alexandra 'Sandie' Knudsen Moir. The Moirs were once avid gardeners who switched from tropical flowering plants to drought-tolerant ones before it became trendy.
A sideshow rather than a showstopper, it's a sweet garden worth a stroll if you're staying…
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Limahuli Garden
Learn to distinguish Kaua'i's flora among native, Polynesian-introduced and modern-introduced (alien) species at Limahuli Garden, part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden . Perhaps the most natural of all Kaua'i's gardens, the setting is spectacular, with Makana Mountain standing guard over plants flourishing from the copious rainfall.
At your own pace, navigate the scenic 0.75-mile loop trail. Benches here and there allow stops for rest or contemplation. From a handy free booklet, along with succinct signage, you'll learn that the stereotypical tropical fruits and flowers, eg mango, guava and plumeria, were unknown to ancient Hawaiians.
To get here, turn inland just…
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Koloa Landing
Koloa Landing, at the mouth of Waikomo Stream, was once Kaua'i's largest port. In the 1850s farmers used it to ship Kaua'i-grown sugar, oranges and sweet potatoes, and it was the third busiest whaling port among the Hawaiian Islands, surpassed only by Honolulu and Lahaina, Maui. The landing waned after the road system was built and it was abandoned in the 1920s. Today only a small boat ramp remains.
Underwater, it's another story: Koloa Landing is popular for snorkeling and the best shore-diving spot on the South Shore. Its protected waters reach depths of about 30ft and it's generally calm all year. See underwater tunnels, a variety of coral and fish, sea turtles and…
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Nounou Mountain
On clear days you can see the outline of the Nounou Mountain (commonly called the Sleeping Giant) atop Nounou Ridge from a marked viewpoint just north of the Waipouli Complex.
According to legend, the amicable giant fell asleep on the hillside after gorging on poi at a luau. When his menehune friends needed his help, they tried to rouse him by throwing stones. But the stones bounced from the giant's full belly into his open mouth and lodged in his throat. He died in his sleep and turned into rock.
Now he rests, stretched out on the ridge with his head in Wailua and his feet in Kapa'a. At an elevation of almost 1250ft, the giant's forehead is the highest point on the ridge.
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Ke'e Beach
Picturesque Ke'e Beach can't be beat for colorful snorkeling and easy access. A reef protects the right side of the cove and, except on high surf days, waters are calm and pleasantly swimmable. The left side is open and can have a powerful current, particularly in winter.
On the downside, Ke'e Beach is insanely popular due to both the outstanding snorkeling and the adjacent Kalalau trailhead. From the beach, you can behold the Na Pali Coast by walking the first 30 minutes of the Kalalau Trail . Parking can be a problem (go early and avoid summers and weekends) and break-ins are rampant.
Find showers, drinking water, rest rooms and a pay phone in the woods behind the…
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Po'ipu Beach
The Sheraton Kaua'i Resort scored big-time with its location at Po'ipu Beach, which runs east to Po'ipu Beach Park . An offshore reef tames the waves enough for swimming, snorkeling and moderate windsurfing, bodyboarding and surfing.
Cowshead, the rocky outcropping at the west end of the beach near the Sheraton, offers Po'ipu Beach's best bodyboarding breaks. For experts only, challenging offshore surfing spots include First Break, in front of the Sheraton; beginners should always remain inshore. Waiohai, at the east end of the beach in front of the sprawling Marriott Waiohai Beach Club time-share, also sees major swells.
To get here, drive to the end of Ho'onani Rd.
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Kalihiwai Beach
With a wide, deep bay, Kalihiwai Beach is popular for many activities, such as swimming and, when the winter northwest swells roll in, daredevil bodyboarding and surfing along the cliff at the east end of the bay.
If you enjoy kayaking, the Kalihiwai Stream, which empties into the bay, offers perhaps the prettiest scenery of the island's rivers. Launch at the bay and paddle up into Kalihiwai Valley, where you can see or hike to Kalihiwai Falls. Note: the falls are on land leased by Princeville Ranch Stables and you might be shooed away). The beach has no facilities.
To get here, take the first Kalihiwai Rd, 0.5 miles west of Kilauea.
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Hanalei Bay
Captured in countless photographs, the perfectly curved Hanalei Bay is always scenic, but not always swimmable. The wave action here is changeable: flat in summer and pounding in winter, when surfers arrive in droves. The best beaches are at Hanalei (Black Pot) Beach Park and Wai'oli (Pine Trees) Beach Park, which both have rest rooms, showers, drinking water, picnic tables and grills.
Another easy-access public beach is found at the Hanalei Beach Park Pavilion (also with facilities) on Weke Rd near Aku Rd. Conditions are best for surfing and bodyboarding; swimming is less than ideal due to the shorebreak.
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Rock Quarry Beach
Broad and sandy, with a pretty fringe of ironwood trees, Rock Quarry Beach (also called Kalihi Beach) is a river mouth for Kilauea Stream, so the water can be murky. Nevertheless, it offers rich fishing and, on occasion, surfing. If the waves are big enough to ride, swimmers should take extreme caution with strong near-shore currents.
Public access is via Wailapa Rd, which begins midway between the 21- and 22-mile markers on Kuhio Hwy. Follow Wailapa Rd north for less than 0.5 miles beyond Kuhio Hwy and then turn left on the unmarked dirt road (4WD recommended) that begins at a bright-yellow water valve.
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Shipwreck Beach
Expert surfers, bodyboarders and bodysurfers flock to the half-mile-long sandy Shipwreck Beach at Keoneloa Bay, which fronts the Grand Hyatt Kaua'i Resort & Spa. The pounding shorebreak and high surf are ideal for advanced riders but novices and swimmers should go elsewhere. A couple of near-shore breaks attract local board surfers as well. Toward the left of the bay, daredevils leap off Makawehi Point, the gigantic rock cliff.
The name comes from, yes, a shipwrecked wooden boat that washed ashore and remained for years. In 1982 Hurricane 'Iwa swept the boat back to sea.
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Kekaha Beach Park
Just west of Kekaha town, the vast Kekaha Beach Park is ideal for solitary walking. Without any shade, however, the sun is brutal. Before you jump in, watch the tide carefully. This is unprotected open ocean and when the surf is high currents are extremely dangerous; under the right conditions it can be good for surfing and bodyboarding.
Ni'ihau and its offshore islet, Lehua, are visible from the beach. An inconspicuous shower can be found just inland from the highway between Alae and Amakihi Rds; rest rooms and picnic tables are nearby.
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'Opaeka'a Falls
While neither the highest nor the prettiest, the 40ft 'Opaeka'a Falls became a major tourist attraction because tour buses can easily stop here. Just head up on Kuamo'o Rd for 1.5 miles and turn right into the lookout parking lot. You're likely to encounter a herd of camera-toting sightseers all capturing exactly the same shot.
Cross the road for an overhead view of the Wailua River. Note that hiking down to the base of the falls is perilous and not recommended, especially after two tourists plunged to their death in 2006.
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Glass Beach
Colorful bits of sea glass decorate the sand at Glass Beach, just east of Port Allen. The smooth glass 'pebbles' originated from a long-abandoned dumpsite nearby, worn and weathered after decades of wave action. Sometimes the glass is plentiful, other times most is washed out to sea.
To get to the little cove, take Aka'ula St, the last left before entering the Port Allen commercial harbor, go past the fuel storage tanks and then curve to the right down a rutted dirt road that leads 100yd to the beach.
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Prince Kuhio Park
In a quiet field of green, a monument commemorates Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana'ole, born nearby in 1871. He was the Territory of Hawaii's first delegate to the US Congress and he spearheaded the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, which set aside 200,000 acres of land for indigenous Hawaiians, many of whom are still waiting for it.
You'll also find Ho'ai Heiau, the remains of a fishpond and an ancient Hawaiian house platform. Prince Kuhio Park is about 0.5 miles down Lawa'i Rd, across from Ho'ai Bay.
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Anahola Beach Park
A county park on Hawaiian Home Lands, Anahola Beach Park sits at the south side of Anahola Bay. The wide bay fringed with lovely sandy beach was an ancient surfing site and the break is still popular with local surfers. To get here, turn off Kuhio Hwy onto Kukuihale Rd at the 13-mile marker, drive a mile down and then turn onto the dirt beach road.
You can also access the north end of the beach from 'Aliomanu Rd (the 'first' 'Aliomanu Rd at the 14-mile marker, not the 'second' one a mile north).
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Kapa'a Beach Park
Low-key and local, Kapa'a Beach Park is a mile-long ribbon of beach beginning at Kapa'a's north end, where there's a ball field, picnic tables and a public pool. At the south end of the beach, near Pono Kai Resort, there's a nice sandy area.
A pretty, shoreline foot-and-bicycle path runs the length of the beach park, crossing over a couple of old bridges where families and old-timers drop fishing lines. The path makes an appealing alternative to walking along the highway to and from town.
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Spouting Horn Geyser
Famous but fickle, Spouting Horn Geyser somehow became a mandatory stop on the tour-bus circuit. Don't expect Yellowstone's Old Faithful. Spouting Horn is less predictable, less lengthy and less high. Its seawater eruptions are typically under 30ft and last only seconds, when the sea shoots through a hole in the lava reef. But the sea spray creates lovely rainbows - a sweet photo op.
To get here, turn right off Po'ipu Rd onto Lawa'i Rd, just past Po'ipu Plaza and continue for 1.75 miles.
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Lucy Wright Park
The Captain Cook landing site is noted with a plaque on a nondescript rock on the western side of the Waimea River at Lucy Wright Park. Notice how it's named after a prominent Waimea resident and not the captain himself? It's located on Ala Wai Rd, as soon as you cross the Waimea Bridge. This county park also has a ball field, picnic tables, rest rooms and showers.
Camping is permitted on a flat grassy area, the roadside site lacks much appeal; see for information about camping permits.
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Kalapaki Beach
Hidden behind Kaua'i Marriott Resort, Kalapaki Beach, Lihu'e's best beach, is often overlooked by tourists. But local surfers and bodyboarders trot toward the swells, while resort guests bask on golden sand lined with coconut trees. Sheltered by points and breakwaters at Nawiliwili Bay, waters are quite hospitable to swimmers.
While it might appear to be a private resort beach, it's open to the public (find free parking close to the water at the hotel's north side).
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Wailua Bay
At the mouth of the Wailua River, the sweeping Wailua Bay of golden sand is rather too visible from the highway. But swimming is possible along the edges. As always, avoid the river's mouth because currents and water depth here is unpredictable. Toward the south, a summer surf break draws locals and also surf students.
The long stretch of sand is ideal for walking and, since the bay is so centrally located, it makes a convenient stop for a quick jog or stroll.
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Pu'u Konanae
The puka (hole) in Pu'u Konanae is now more like a sliver, since a landslide transformed the once-obvious landmark. Legend says the hole was created when a giant threw a spear through the mountain, causing water to gush forth as waterfalls. From slightly north of the 15-mile marker along Hwy 56, look back at the mountain, down to the right of the tallest pinnacle: on sunny days you'll see a smile of light shining through a slit in the rock face.
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Smith's Tropical Paradise
The setting can seem a tad hokey, with a Disney-esque Easter Island figure and trams full of sunburnt, aloha-attired tourists. But don't underestimate the garden's variety of plants, serene pond setting and unpretentious appeal. The loop trail through theme gardens at Smith's Tropical Paradise is a good deal. Forgo the tram ride for a leisurely stroll. If you're catching the luau here, you'll have ample time to tour the grounds before dinner.
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