Going to Kauai in November

I'm going to Kauai on Saturday, will report back

Big Island with the black sand and active volcano is worth seeing I think.

There are a thousand things I could name for you to do on what is probably the best Hawaiin island. But I'll just link you to the best and most extensive resource there is out there (which we also used and followed pretty much to the last page).

LINK

Tons of little "secrets" that most tourists will miss but will make your visit 100x more memorable.

You will not be let down. Pick a shore everyday. Half a day for east, 2 or 3 for North shore.

Depends on what you like to do. Is this a vacation where you will be playing a lot of golf? If so, you will enjoy the South side due to the number of courses even though the best course is on the North side in Princeville.

If not, I would advise staying on the North side. There is a distinct difference in geographical features between the 2 sides. The South side is much dryer with less annual rainfall. It is less jungle like and the mountains do not rise up from the coast like they do up North. The furthur you move west from Poipou towards Hanapepe and Waimea the more the geopraphy resembles NW Texas. The North is much more lush and the mountains rise to 5000 feet within 3-5 miles of the coast. You can stand on the beach at Hanalei Bay and see multiple waterfalls dropping down from the mountains.

That being said, the South on its own merits is beautiful and would be considered paradise when not not being compared to the North. If the whole island were like the South, you would still be in heaven. Let's just call the North paradise plus.

As a first timer, I will give you a few things I consider a must do.

1. Book a Na Pali Coast catamaran tour. Most run out of Port Allen on the South side but the couple that go out of Princeville are superior. The South side trips have to swing a good distance from the port before they get to the most scenic parts of Na Pali. They barely arrive before they have to turn around. You end up seeing all of the lower end of Na Pali which is not the most dramatic and scenic part. It is worth the extra expense to book the North end departure tour. You are at the good part within 20 minutes.

2. Do you hike? If so, everyone will recommend the Kaluau trail. Unless you have 2 days to burn, you can't do that whole 11 mile one way hike. It requires you to go 11 miles and camp overnight to hike out the following day. But you can do the short version to get a taste. You can hit the trailhead at Ke'e Beach and go 2 miles to a side trail and hike 2 miles inland to a waterfall....then back out. That is the common day hiker version.
The trail I recommend is accessed by driving up Waimea Canyon Road to mile marker 17. It is called Awa Awa Puhi trail and is about 8 miles round trip. From the trailhead you casually descend 3.8 miles to the most amazing vista on the Island. You will be standing atop Na Pali looking down 3000 feet to the Pacific below. If you are daring, you can hike out an extra 1/4 mile on the narrow ridge for an even better view.

3. Snorkel at Tunnels Beach. A lot. It is about 400 yard walk on the beach east from Heana Beach Park on the North side. Use that Ultimate Kauai guidebook and it tips you off on a side alley between some houses where you can park and avoid the 400 yard walk carrying all your gear. It is easy to miss though so you will need to be very aware of the mile markers. What is awesome about Tunnels is that you can literally start snorkeling in knee high water. Easy to snorkel 30 minutes and get out for some sand time and then back in. It is also very picturesque there with Bali Hai framed behind you and to the left as you face the water. Great place for a bunch of photos.

There is so much to do but these are 3 that I would suggest to any first timer who might not ever go back.

I am flying out on the 29th of May and staying until June 13th. This will be mine and my wife's 5th trip to Kauai but the first with the our 4 kids. They think that we are going to Marco Island like we typically do for summer. They will find out we are going to Kauai when we get to the airport. Can't wait to see their reactions.

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Book a Na Pali Coast catamaran tour

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Dick Leverage is the man. But the Catamaran tour is a snooze compared to the Napali Coast Power Rafting trip. Way more fun. I've used Captain Andy's twice. LINK This is an OUTSTANDING experience.VERY highly recommended, you get your adrenaline, your views, your snorkeling, you go into the caves, you go onshore for lunch and a tour. This is the highlight of the trip for me every time. Remember, you can do a low-key catamaran tour/dinner tour directly from Poipu as well.

Make sure to stop in Hanalei if you take a day trip to the North Shore .The same day yo can go to Tunnels Beach and maybe check out Princeville.

Eat shave ice. The stuff with the macademia nut ice cream at the bottom is great.

Also there is seriously good beach snorkeling right near where you are staying at Poipu State Park. There is a little snorkel shop and a Brenneckes restaurant, and it's right there. Plenty of parking. I actually saw more turtles and stuff there than The Tunnels although the scenery above the waterline is nowhere near the North shore. Still a very under-rated spot.

Also-you have to check out the pools at The Hyatt. If you park over by the golf course you can just walk in to the public beach area by the big cliff and just walk in. They usually don't make you wear arm bands or anything and nobody will bother you. If you are an "above board" kind of guy, it would be well worth renting a room for the day to enjoy the pools. They are some of the best in Hawaii.

Listen to what Dick said about the hiking.It's spectacular. Get the shave ice afterwards. I like JoJo's personally. That's a great day.

Yall are killing me with this Kauai talk

I need to go back again

I would stay at the villas at poipu kai when I went to Kauai for work a few times.

Folks have already given great activity recommendations, here are some for food.

Poke at the Koloa fish market is divine
Fish tacos at 'Da Crack' in poipu best I've ever had.

Coconut shrimp at a road side stand in Waimea. The name escapes me but Waimea is tiny, you'll find it.

The coffee grown on the island is also killer.

Anywhere on Kauai is awesome. LSUpimp gave you some good stuff for the Poipou area. I would definitely recommend you do the NaPali boat tour from the North side though. I have done it from North and South and it is a big difference in scenery.

Since you are staying down there already, the Awa Awa Puhi trail is the closer of the two hikes I mentioned. I promise you will be mesmerized at the view at the vista point.

There are several Luaus that you might consider. The Sheraton has a great beach luau and it is close to you. When we go in May, we are going back to Smith Family Tropical Luau because it is closer to the Notth side. Both are very good.

Some North side beaches other than Ke'e and Tunnels I would recommend from west to East are:

Hideaways Beach- it is a small beach located below Puu Poa condos in Princeville. Worth the walk down the cliff trail to visit.

Annini Beach- great for kids as the reef far out makes the waves gentle. Good snorkeling there as well.

Moloa'a Beach- not heavily visited but easy to get to. It is a crescent shapes beach that gives the "Gilligans Island" type feel.

On the east side, Lyngate Beach Park at Kapa'a has several miles of beachside bike trails if that's your thing.

Another thing close to you is a drive west to Polihale Beach Park. It is as far as you can go on the west side and the last 4 miles is off road. They say to rent a jeep but we made it easy in a Sebring convertible, LOL. You have a great view of The forbidden island from there.

Last thing I recommend is to shop for a Ni'ihau shell lay. It is a dying centuries old craft that the natives of Ni'ihau (forbidden island)crafted and wore in lieu of flowered leis. The island is sparse in vegetation so there are not many flowers there. Generations of families had their own uniques strands and styles. The process to gather the tiny shells for one necklace takes months and in some cases years for an heirloom piece. The natives are pretty destitute and make these shells to be taken across the channel to Kauai and sold for supplemental income. Be careful when shopping though as most in shops are not authentic. If they do not have a letter of authenticity that states the family and the crafters...do not buy. If you get a real one, they appreciate in value. I know one shop that is for sure authentic. Lulu's in Hanapepe. It is west of Poipou. You can get a nice double strand for about $700 but pay up to $20k for one with the most rare shells. These she'll are picked while sitting on the sand and it can take months to fill a baby jar. Then half of those are destroyed during the drilling process. Very tedious process.

Beach House