I love saving the best for last. The last bite of the best part of the meal, the best beer in a flight at a brewery, and the best island within an archipelago. I think Jared and I would agree that Kauai was definitely the best island in terms of scenery and variety of things to do (minus the traffic, the traffic was awful).
After spending an almost entire day in Maui, we caught an evening flight into Kauai. Similar to the other islands, we used Turo to rent our car and the pickup was quick and efficient at the airport. Our lodging set up in Kauai was pretty nice; we only had two different Airbnbβs across our five days there (three nights on the east side in Lihue, two nights on the north side in Hanalei).
Wednesday, August 18th
Both Airbnbβs were condominiums that were part of resorts, but we were so busy the first few days that we didnβt even take advantage of resort amenities at the first Airbnb. We had no time to sleep in our first morning; there were two events going on our first day. We had a jet boat tour in the morning with Captain Andyβs, and dinner reservations at JO2 in the evening. We really struggled to get our sleep deprived bodies into gear in the morning, as we had to check in at 9:30am for our Captain Andyβs, six-hour excursion. We had friends who did a honeymoon excursion with Captain Andy along the Na Pali coast on a catamaran, but we wanted to seek a little more adventure so decided to do the jet boatβ¦ Iβm so glad we did! It was one of our favorite parts of the trip. The trip included speeding up and down the Na Pali coast, swimming and snorkeling in the ocean, jutting through sea caves and walking around an ancient fishing village.
We got really lucky because the trip from the previous day had been cancelled due to southern swells coming up from Tahiti. The swell was causing big waves, making for a choppy ocean. The boat captains spent a decent amount of time testing the water in the harbor and determining if it was safe enough to go out. Apparently, the marina we left from has the lowest water level on the island which was affecting our departure. Ultimately, we broke into our groups (two jet boats with about 12-14 people each) and waited at the mouth of the marina for a break in the waves. Our captain finally saw an opportunity and we shot into the ocean – this was the craziest part of the ride! For big waves we went over, we had to stall the engine and the captain did a really great job navigating the waves. Once we got into smoother waters, Dylan (our captain) asked how we were doing and said thatβs be the choppiest part of the trip. We were all amped up at this point and ready for more! The ride from the marina to the Na Pali coast was about an hour and we took our time getting there. As we got closer to the western coast, we stalled and the captain let us jump in the water and take a little swim. It was super refreshing and as we got on the boat, we were greeted by pods of spinner dolphins! There were dozens and we even saw one jump up and do a spin in the air.
We then proceeded to the heart of the Na Pali coast. On the way, we sped by Ni-hau, the westernmost main island nicknamed “Forbidden Isle”. Dylan told us some fascinating tidbits about the island. A few centuries ago, the island was purchased by a New Zealander (Elizabeth Sinclair) and her family, in order to raise cattle. The Hawaiian government sold the island to her for something like $10,000 in gold. In order to show some good faith, she let the then-current inhabitants of the island stay on. Now, there are roughly 100 natives on the island that still practice ancient Hawaiian customs, and don’t have everyday luxuries like running water or paved roads. There was one part that sounded very similar to Amish culture – when children become of age, they go to the main island of Kauai, where they live and ultimately decide if they want to stay on the island, or return to Ni’hau and live like their ancestors did.
The island also has a fascinating World War II history – the NiΚ»ihau Incident. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, a Japanese navy fighter pilot crashed on the island. The residents, unaware of the happenings at Pearl Harbor were eager to help. After coming to, some residents of Japanese descent helped translate the situation. He then convinced the Japanese descendants to attempt an overthrow of the island with weapons from his wrecked plane. This attempted overthrow was squashed by some brave Hawaiians. It is said that this incident spurred the creation of internment camps in the US during the war, as the US government thought Americans with Japanese lineage could not be trusted.
Quoted from a Hawaii travel website, βSpanning 17 miles along Kauaiβs North Shore, the Napali Coast is a sacred place defined by extraordinary natural beauty. These emerald-hued cliffs with razor-sharp ridges tower above the Pacific Ocean, revealing beautiful beaches and waterfalls that plummet to the lush valley floor. The rugged terrain appears much as it did centuries ago when Hawaiian settlements flourished in these deep, narrow valleys, existing only on the food they could grow and the fish they could catch.β
If anyoneβs watched Jurassic Park, then this coast might look familiar. It was absolutely beautiful, and Dylan had some really interesting stories about the area (Dylan is from Hawaii and can trace his ancestry back 400 years which I thought was really interesting). For example, there was a section of the coast with really steep, jutted cliffs. He told us it was customary in Hawaiian culture when a king died, someone from the village would be responsible for taking the bones, repelling down these cliffs, and burying the bones in the cliff where no one could ever find them (because kings were thought to be direct descendants of gods, if anyone ever found the bones then they would receive the βmanaβ, or power, of the gods). Once the deed was done and the burier said a prayer for the bones, he would cut the rope and fall to his death so he would never be able to tell anyone where the bones were. To be chosen for this role was an honor and the family of the sacrificed person would usually move up in social status. Because Dylan is Hawaiian, he said he could tell us the joke, βit was a dead end jobβ.
We then went in to our first sea cave. It was a small cave that we just backed into, Dylan said it was to get us comfortable with him driving into narrow spaces. After that, the spaces started getting longer and narrower, and we were driving into pitch black caves and coming out through a different exit. It was very cool! Some of the caves were formed by lava tubes. In the winter when the swells are higher, the entrances to the caves are mostly closed and itβs not possible to get into the caves so we were lucky to go in the summer.
We then drove back to the shore for lunch. We shored up at Nuβalolo Kai, an ancient Hawaiian fishing village. From Captain Andyβs website: βThe area contains a collection of cultural and archaeological sites, which are being discovered to this day. Archaeological evidence suggests that Nuβalolo was continuously occupied for 800 years, from the 12th through the 20th centuries. Some of the structures at Nuβalolo Kai are among the most impressive along the Na Pali. Being one of the first sites in Hawaii to have been studied extensively by archeologists, surveys of Nu`alolo Kai reveal remnants of structures of impressive complexity and sophistication.β
We got to snorkel in the protected reef, and imagine how the ancient Hawaiians sustained themselves. Lunch in the picnic area was also very good for a paid tour (we got tortellini salad, turkey/apple/Brie/bacon jam sandwich, some pineapple and a cookie). Then, for anyone who wanted to go on a small guided tour, we walked around the restored archaeological sites. I was blown away that people used to live here – for one, it was a relatively small area as it backed against the sheer cliffs of Na Pali, and I wondered if a tsunami came, how people would survive. I guess they made it work if it was inhabited for 800+ years! The crew named Caleb led us on the hike, and pointed out what the native flora was of the time. We walked through this small noni tree forest; if you remember, Jared and I took a shot of noni juice on the Big Island. Noni is a small evergreen tree, and historically, noni has been used for thousands of years in Polynesia as a food source and for medicinal uses (usually applied to the skin). It tastes and smells absolutely AWFUL; someone described it to us as a mix of apple cider vinegar and blue cheese, and thatβs exactly what it tasted like. We pushed through it though because itβs supposed to be super healthy and be good for your gut health. Caleb asked if we wanted to try one as a group so he pulled one down from the tree and opened it in half for us. We told them weβd already done a shot of the juice and they seemed to respect us for that haha. We ate a little bit of the fruit, and then I spit it back out because Iβd gotten enough of the health benefits that the con of the taste and smell did not outweigh the pros. 
Note – The “x” in the last picture, per Hawaiian legend, signifies Pele’s promise that she was done with the creation of Kauai and there would be no more volcanic eruptions.
At this point, we were pretty exhausted. We didnβt have our dinner reservation for a few hours, so we went back to our Airbnb and showered, and drank some of the Maui seltzers in the fridge for us on the lanai (patio) until dinner. Since we didnβt get reservations at the famous Mamaβs Fish House in Maui, I still wanted to have a nice meal so after lot of Yelp research, we settled on an Asian fusion restaurant. The location was interesting (almost in a strip mall), and the interior decor was minimal, but the food was all beautiful and tasty! We got ceviche, heart of palm salad, scallop risotto and short ribs with kimchi rice. Wouldnβt necessarily go back for the ambiance but the food was great!
Thursday August 19th
As busy as Wednesday was, we made it up decently early on Thursday in order to make it to Waimea Canyon.
Per a Hawaii website, βWaimea Canyon, on Kauai’s West Side, is described as βThe Grand Canyon of the Pacific.β Although not as big or as old as its Arizona cousin, you wonβt encounter anything like this geological wonder in Hawaii. Stretching 14 miles long, 1 mile wide and more than 3,600 feet deep, the Waimea Canyon Lookout provides panoramic views of crested buttes, rugged crags and deep valley gorges. The grand inland vistas go on for miles.β
The day before we got to see parts of the canyon from the water, so it was cool to go the next day and hike around in it! We asked Dylan (guide from the jet boat) for hiking recommendations and he suggested the Awaawapuhi trail – it traversed through dense vegetation and set us out on an overlook of the ocean and canyon cliffs. It was definitely one of the coolest hikes weβve done, and probably the highest Iβve ever been looking down on the ocean. 
We also got to explore other parts of the canyon. We went to see Red Dirt Falls (off the road basically) and stopped at different lookout points to admire the vista. Jared and I both agreed it was probably more beautiful than the Grand Canyon because it was more tangible, meaning it wasnβt so big that we couldnβt comprehend what we were looking at. 
By this point we were pretty hungry and I had Yelped in advance just the spot – Porkyβs. There were only four pork-related options on the menu to choose from, but we knew it must be good as it was rated #1 place to eat on the island! (It was a top 100 Yelp restaurant but Iβm unclear out of how many places that competition includedβ¦) we both both a pineapple pork sausage sandwich – yum!!
After eating to our heartβs content, we decided to swing by Poipu, a highly recommended beach in the South. Before going there though, I had to get another shave ice fix! (I had so many places to try on my food list). We drove to the Fresh Shave in Koloa. I got a bowl called The Professor and it was about as big as my head. There was a cute downtown so we spent some time window shopping before going back to the car.
This was probably the downside of the tripβ¦ when we got back, we noticed a note on the windshield. Someone had backed into our car and left a sizable dent in the bumper. We got in contact with the third party and spent some time getting a claim filed through Turo (process wasnβt super bad, as of now weβre still waiting to hear if the third party insurance will cover). A little bummed and our plans slightly ruined, we still drove to the beach but didnβt end up staying too long. We drank a seltzer that was left for us in the Airbnb and both read our books for a bit before hauling ass to avoid getting wet from the storm that quickly rolled in. Feeling a little burnt out from all the eating out, we went to Costco for dinner (got a salad pack), made sandwiches and called it a night.
Friday, August 20th
Weβll sleep when weβre dead, we kept saying throughout the trip. Another early morning wake up call today as we had an 8am kayak excursion booked along the Wailua River. We were originally going to go tubing through old sugar plantations, but this was more our scene (and cheaper). Our group was pretty small (around ten people) and our guide (Kyle) was a really fun local who moved to Hawaii from the mainland years ago in order to be able to surf daily.
We departed from a marina off of the Wailua River and kayaked for about 45 minutes upstream before landing the kayaks on shore (along with dozens of other kayaks on different company’s tours). Included in the excursion was a 2-mile round trip hike to the not-so-secret Secret Waterfall. We traversed through lush flora, and it was nice because Kyle stopped and pointed out a bunch of different plants, including shampoo ginger, or “Awapuhi”. The clear sap can be squeezed out of the plant and applied to the hair and used as shampoo (we did this when we were swimming in the waterfall!). I’m glad we did the early bird tour option, because the waterfall was pretty packed when we got there. However, it was beautiful! I finally got to say that I swam in a waterfall in Hawaii. We spent about an hour there before heading back to the kayak and rowing back to the starting point. 
After this, we stopped for shave ice (classic) before deciding what to do next in the day (at this point it was only 1PM). We, mainly me, had high ambitions to get in two waterfall hikes, but after reading the reviews for the one I really wanted to do, we determined it was too hard for us to start this late in the day. We ended up hiking about 2 miles to a Ho’opii waterfall, where of course we saw a feral chicken (made for some nice pictures).
We then made our way to the northern part of the island, saying goodbye to our basecamp in Lihue. Before making it to Hanalei, we stopped in Kilauea (SUPER cool town) for a late lunch. We got some fish tacos at the fish market in this cool shopping area and just happened to see that there was a juice shop (Kauai Juice Co). Jared and I both agreed it was probably the best juice we’d ever had, and there were so many options! We got the Omega, which was juiced soursop, orange, mango, pineapple, dragonfruit and chia seeds – YUM! We took our delicious juice and drove up to Kilauea Lighthouse and National Wildlife Refuge. Unfortunately, it was closed when we got there and we needed ticketed entry anyways. We were able to see a bunch of birds perched in trees which was cool (we were off season to see any albatross, which I really want to see after I missed seeing them in New Zealand). Feeling satisfied with the day, we headed 20 minutes further to our Airbnb in Hanalei. Now, I was very excited about this Airbnb. During all my extensive research and trip planning, I read that Hanalei Bay Resort was a must-stay place on the island. Booking with them directly was expensive, and generally required a 3-day minimum stay. Luckily I found a great deal on Airbnb for our last two nights. Now, setting the scene, Jared and I are not resort-y people so we felt a little out of place checking in. We still had to pay a daily parking and resort fee, but hey, we were on our honeymoon and wanted to indulge.
We got our keys and went to our room and both said “WOW” when we opened the door. The view from our bedroom was amazing; I’d say it had to be one of the best views on the property. We got a perfect view of Hanalei Bay from our condo perched on the hill. The resort grounds themselves were gorgeous too – very cool pool with a pool bar, manicured landscape, and a path leading right down to the beach. We both decided that we needed ONE honeymoon-like day during the trip i.e. no hiking, no planning, but just a day to hang at the beach, drink, and relax.
Saturday, August 21st
We ended up sleeping in more than we had during the whole trip probably, before heading out to The Spot North Shore for breakfast. Other people must also know the power of Yelp because the line was huge – I think we ended up waiting 45 minutes to order/get our food but hey, this was our lounge day! We got a breakfast sandwich/acai bowl to split before heading to Anini Beach for our bum day. Before heading out though, we found a really cool wine shop that had craft beer to make a DIY six-pack – we got some really tasty ciders! We brought some beach gear from the condo and set up on the shore with our books and snorkel gear. We took turns snorkeling; neither of us saw anything too spectacular but we got our share of colorful fish! We ended up not staying too long because we wanted to enjoy the amenities offered back at the resort.
Once we got back, we hung out on our patio a bit before heading to the restaurant for happy hour. We got a perfect table overlooking the property, pool and Hanalei Bay; we ended up getting a variety of pina coladas, lava flows and daiquiris before heading down to the pool to indulge in the pool bar. We read by the pool, and walked down to the beach to catch the end of the sunset before heading back up to the resort. We got our relaxing, “chill” day in!
Sunday, August 22nd
This marked the last day of the honeymoon. Luckily, our flight wasn’t until 9PM so we had the whole day to explore. We ended up doing a 4-ish mile hike in a wildlife refuge, where we got good views of Hanalei Bay as we walked along the ridge trail. It was pretty steep (and muddy) for a last day’s hike/getting on an airplane later that night! We then drove into downtown Hanalei for food – I had starred a bunch of food trucks on Google Maps. We also lucked out and found (finally!!) a farmer’s market with fresh, local fruit – we ended up getting some lychee, dragonfruit and a papaya to share for later. As for food, Jared got his Loco Moco (traditional Hawaiian meal) and I got some fish stew from a Brazilian food truck.
We then headed to one last beach, Secret Beach. It was a short, but steep, hike down to the beach and it was probably one of the more beautiful beaches we saw during our trip. It was fairly empty of people, and the waves were mightily crashing on the shore. I stayed in the shade and read my book while Jared walked down the beach and took pictures of the waves. We then opened up our treasure of fruit and indulged in a sweet snack with a beautiful view π Sad to leave, we hiked back up and made our way to a food truck park for one last meal before the flight. I got some fish tacos while Jared ate a leftover ham and cheese sandwich we’d made a few days ago haha. After eating, we stopped at a restaurant with a good happy hour deal to, of course, split a pint of beer before the flight. We timed it pretty well and ended up getting to the airport about an hour before our flight. 
And just like that, we said aloha to Hawaii. It was an amazing time and we’d definitely go back (at least to Maui and Kauai). Until next trip!
Tiff & Jared's adventures 
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