Outdoor sights in Kaua'i
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A
Alekoko (Menehune) Fishpond
Although the view is distant, you won't regret a quick stop to look at the tranquil 39-acre Alekoko (Menehune) Fishpond, an ancient loko wai (freshwater pond), surrounded by a vast area of forest. According to legend, Kaua'i's menehune (little people) formed the fishpond overnight when they built the stone wall running along a bend in Hule'ia River. The stone wall is now covered by a thick green line of mangrove trees.
The pond was in great condition until 1824, when Kaua'i's leader Kaumuali'i died and ali'i (chiefs) from O'ahu and Maui ruled the island as absentee landlords. With no ali'i to feed and maintain the pond, it sorely declined. Later the surrounding area was p…
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Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge
Birders will enjoy the scenic 2-mile drive through the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge, which passes taro fields, banana trees, bamboo thickets, hau (hibiscus) trees and wild ginger across 917 acres of the valley.
Prior to Western contact, the valley was planted with taro. Then in the mid-1800s rice paddies were planted to feed the Chinese sugar-plantation laborers. After peaking as a major crop in the 1880s, rice eventually waned and today taro again predominates - though at only 5% of its original acreage. Hanalei's wetland taro farms produce two-thirds of Hawaii's commercially grown poi taro and also create a habitat for endangered Hawaiian waterbirds.
The refuge, esta…
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B
Koke'e State Park
Sprawling Koke'e State Park is the starting point for almost 50 miles of outstanding hiking trails. Here, you'll see terrain unlike that found anywhere else on the island, including the largest concentration of extant native bird species in Hawaii.
Remote Alaka'i Swamp in particular is a unique view of Kaua'i's native ecosystem; not only is the swamp inhospitable to exotic species but, due to its high elevation, it is one of the few places across Hawaii where mosquitoes, which transmit avian diseases, do not flourish. Ancient Hawaiians never established a permanent village in these chilly highlands and came mainly to collect feathers from forest birds and to cut koa trees…
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C
Kalalau Lookout
At the 18-mile marker, the 4000ft Kalalau Lookout faces the emerald depths of the valley and straight out to sea. On clear days, late-afternoon rainbows sweep so deeply into Kalalau Valley that the bottom part of the bows curve back inward. Bright-red 'apapane birds feed from the ohia-lehua flowers near the lookout railings.
Kalalau Valley was once the site of a large settlement and was joined to Koke'e by a very steep trail that ran down the cliffs. Today the only way into the valley is along the coastal Kalalau Trail from Ha'ena on the North Shore or by kayak .
The paved road continues another mile to Pu'u o Kila Lookout, where it dead-ends at a parking lot. At the time …
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D
Kukuiolono Park
Whether or not you golf, Kukuiolono Park is nice for jogging or strolling. You'll see only locals here - along with a panoramic vista of the South Shore, including verdant Lawa'i Valley, the resorts in Po'ipu and the endless Pacific beyond.
Kukuiolono means 'light of Lono,' referring to the torches that Hawaiians once placed on this hill to help guide canoes safely to the shore. In 1860 King Kamehameha III leased the land to Duncan McBryde, whose son, Walter, the pineapple baron, eventually purchased the 178-acre estate. He built the public golf course here in 1929 and later he deeded the entire site to an irrevocable trust, for use as a public park upon his death. Walter…
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Keahua Arboretum
Amid towering trees, a gurgling stream and cool misty rain, Keahua Arboretum, east of town, makes a nice little picnic spot. The Department of Land & Natural Resources planted mini groves of teak, eucalyptus and shower trees in the 1940s to create an outdoor nature classroom, showcasing the benefits of forest management.
Avoid the area at night, when it becomes the scene for rave parties.
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Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge
Stop at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge to enjoy its historic lighthouse and thriving seabird sanctuary.
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