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Back to aloha land for a
quick visit...
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![](images/Travel/Kauai%2010_14/Kauai%20Puu%20o%20Kila%20view%20through%20Na%20Pali320.jpg)
Waimea Canyon Pu'u O Kila trail: Ocean view through Na
Pali cliffs |
Having recently visited
Kauai with Craig
in December 2012, some unconnected events collided
with some unrelated circumstances to bring me back solo for a
quick Fall visit. Armed with a black convertible
Mustang, my DSLR and a set of fast prime lenses, I set
off for three days to see and photograph places on the
island that I had never been to. The weather cooperated
beautifully with just a few quick afternoon showers
while I was there and the remnants of Hurricane Ana the
prior week to keep the waterfalls flowing and the skies
clear. After a noon touch down at Lihue, I drove north
~20 minutes to my hotel, the
Coconut Beach Courtyard, in Kapaa. |
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Thursday October 23rd - Northern drive
to Ke'e Beach
I did a quick turnaround at my hotel, put the top down on the
Mustang and headed north, or counterclockwise, skirting the
east and north coasts. My first stops were at the
Kilauea Point lighthouse and wildlife sanctuary (first two
pictures below), which was worthwhile ($5 entry). Around
mid-afternoon I continued farther west through Princeville to
the end of the road at Ke'e beach. I spent the rest of the
afternoon there, eating a late lunch on the beach and snapping
some sunset shots (third and fourth pictures below) before the
long night drive back to Kapaa.
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![](images/Travel/Kauai%2010_14/Kauai%20sunset%20at%20Poipu240.jpg)
Sunset over Poipu beach near Spouting Horn |
![](images/Travel/Kauai%2010_14/Kauai%20Kilauea%20lighthouse%20bird%20sanctuary_small.jpg)
Kilauea lighthouse |
![](images/Travel/Kauai%2010_14/Kauai%20Kilauea%20lighthouse%20far_small.jpg)
Kilauea lighthouse coastline |
![](images/Travel/Kauai%2010_14/Kauai%20Kee%20beach%20Na%20Pali%20coast_small.jpg)
Na Pali coast from Ke'e beach |
![](images/Travel/Kauai%2010_14/Kauai%20Kee%20beach%20sunset%20over%20Na%20Pali_small.jpg)
Ke'e beach sunset strollers |
Friday October 24th - South and west coasts, then up
through Waimea Canyon
I woke early, ate a quick breakfast on my balcony from the
supplies I had picked up on my way back from Ke'e beach on
Thursday night and hit the road south and west, or clockwise,
by mid-morning. My first stop was in the historic small town
of
Hanapepe, which didn't have much to offer except for its
hanging bridge (first picture below). Continuing west along
the southern coast I stopped near Waimea to cross its remote
hanging bridge (second picture below) before continuing on to Waimea town
where I walked the beach park surrounding the red dirt filled
Waimea river delta. Before heading farther west and north, I
made a stop at the famous
Jo Jo's
Anuenue Shave Ice, which
fully lived up to its hype (add macadamia nut ice cream in the
center - spectacular). There are two Jo Jo's - the best and
authentically locally owned and operated one is just before
downtown on a close side street, NOT on the main drag.
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![](images/Travel/Kauai%2010_14/Kauai%20Hanapepe%20swinging%20bridge%20wm_small.jpg)
Hanapepe hanging bridge |
![](images/Travel/Kauai%2010_14/Kauai%20Waimea%20swinging%20bridge_small.jpg)
Waimea hanging bridge |
![](images/Travel/Kauai%2010_14/Kauai%20Na%20Pali%20along%20the%20dirt%20road%20to%20Polihale_small.jpg)
Along the dirt road to Polihale beach |
![](images/Travel/Kauai%2010_14/Kauai%20Polihale%20beach%20Na%20Pali%20cliffs%20wm_small.jpg)
Strolling along Polihale beach |
Passing by the
Waimea Canyon turnout and therefore leaving the tourists
behind, the coast road (50) turns north along the west coast
past Barking Sands Missile Range. The west coast of Kauai is
hot and dry and the climate change was pronounced on this
segment of my drive. At the end of the paved road, a very
bumpy and slow dirt road (third picture above) meanders for
about 5 miles to
Polihale Beach, which was nearly deserted when I visited
(fourth picture above). Situated at the base of the west end
of the Na Pali cliffs, the views from this miles-long,
sand-dune bordered beach were excellent (first picture below).
Since the afternoon was still young, I decided to head back
before sunset and use the opportunity to return to Waimea
Canyon (second picture below). The best view in my opinion in
all of Waimea Canyon is out toward the ocean (large picture
top of page left) along the mesmerizing Pu'u O Kila trail
(third picture below). Coming out of Waimea Canyon in the late
afternoon I headed to
Spouting Horn, near Poipu Beach on the southeast shore,
where I set up my tripod for a sunset shot (large picture top
of page right) before heading back to my hotel for the
evening. |
![](images/Travel/Kauai%2010_14/Kauai%20Na%20Pali%20cliffs%20from%20Polihale%20beach_small.jpg)
Na Pali from Polihale beach |
![](images/Travel/Kauai%2010_14/Kauai%20Waimea%20canyon%20wide_small.jpg)
Waimea Canyon overlook |
![](images/Travel/Kauai%2010_14/Kauai%20Puu%20o%20Kila%20trail%20in%20clouds_small.jpg)
Pu'u O Kila trail
in clouds |
![](images/Travel/Kauai%2010_14/Kauai%20Opaekaa%20falls_small.jpg)
Opaekaa falls |
![](images/Travel/Kauai%2010_14/Kauai%20Wailua%20falls_small.jpg)
Wailua falls |
Saturday October 25th - East coast waterfalls
After the prior two rewarding, but busy driving days, I spent
most of Saturday relaxing and reading on the beach and on my
balcony sipping some good wine and snacking on macadamia nuts
and cheese. I took a couple of short trips mid-day to the
waterfalls on the east side of the island (third and fourth
pictures above) and did a high-calorie, high-sugar lunch at
another famous shave ice place in Kapaa,
Ono Ono - fantastic with macadamia nut ice cream in the
center and a coconut "snowcap". For dinner I walked to
Lemongrass Seafood Grill where the chef cooked up the best
sea bass that I ever ate with a macadamia nut crust and a
mango guacamole sauce.
On Sunday I did a 4 mile walk along the beach and bike path in
the morning with a stop for a great, but huge, breakfast at
Olympic Cafe. In the late morning and afternoon I settled
in for some football before heading to the airport and my
return flight to LA. All-in-all another short and great
getaway to a tropical paradise.
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