![]() Save your energy for the trip back as it’s mostly uphill to get back to the trailhead. Most people stop on the grassy/sandy cliffs at the turn-around point for lunch as they offer great views of the coastline. Be sure to take your time and be extra cautious when going through these areas. But keep your eyes up: there are some tricky parts of the trail, including steep sections and a few slippery sections due to mud, especially in the first mile. It gains about 1,950 feet of elevation along the route.Īside from the coastal views, the trail offers a great chance to observe endemic wildlife such as birds, lizards, and frogs. The trail is known for its views and its diverse terrain, which includes muddy parts, rocky parts, and some sandy parts. It is considered a moderate hike on paper, but it can be difficult due to the elevation gain and loss. The trail offers a moderately-challenging hike with amazing views of the surrounding landscape, including waterfalls, cliffs, tropical forests, and the stunning Na Pali Coast. If you’d rather strike out on your own, Outfitters Kauai (80), also on the south shore, will rent you a boat–just steer very clear of the wind- and wave-battered Na Pali Coast.Īnd finally, even though you’ve made clear your distaste for sitting like a slug on a beach, I feel obliged to mention Polihale Beach, one of the longest and sunniest and most remote on the island and a mere stone’s throw from Waimea.This is a six-mile, out-and-back trail in Koke’e State Park on the island of Kauai. Rates are $105 per person call 80įor details. As for paddling, Kayak Kauai Outfitters leads an all-day excursion to Kipu Kai, an isolated beach on the south shore with calm waters and plenty of humpback whales, dolphins, flying fish, and sea turtles. Rent mountain bikes and a car rack at Bicycle John in Lihue for about $25 per day (80). You’ll start at sea-level and grunt your way up a whopping 4,000 vertical feet the Kalalau Lookout is a good place to stop en route to make sure you Once you’ve had your fill of hoofing it, trade in your hiking boots for mountain bikes and turn your quads into a pile of screaming Jell-O with an 18-mile ride from Waimea to the Puu O Kila Lookout on Waimea Canyon Road. Highway 56 at Kee Beachto Hanakapiai Valley and Beach (no permit needed). If you’d rather stretch your legs on a bite-size section of the famed trail–and who wouldn’t, with a deluxe room on reserve back at the Plantation?–try the 2-mile hike from the trailhead at the northern end of Either way, if you decide to goįor it, be sure to check in ahead of time with the Division of State Parks (80) for day-use and camping permits, weather and trail information, and maps. Not for the faint at heart, the strenuous hike is a major one-day undertaking or a respectably challenging overnighter. Winter rains on the wild side of Kauai can be a bit off-putting, but the hike–if you make the effort–is a stunning route along an ancient path that zigzags 11 miles along coastal cliffs and gorges to the Kalalau Valley. Be forewarned, however: Waimea is far enough off the beaten path to guarantee a healthy amount of peace and quiet, but it comes with a small price: Rent a car at the Also in the neighborhood, relatively speaking, is the Na Pali Coast on the north side of the island. For trail maps and info, call the Kokee Natural History Museum at 80. Another good bet in Kokee is the 4-mile round-trip hike via the Canyon Trail down almost 1,500 feet to Waipoo Falls, where the rain-fed Waimea Stream begins its One-bedroom cottages go for $90-$150 per night, including beach access and use of tennis court and pool call 80.įrom there, it’s only a short hop to nearby Kokee State Park and its handful of notable 4,000-foot-high hiking loops, including the 6.5-mile Awaawapuhi Trail through cloudforests to a dizzying ocean-view lookout. Sure, the other islands have plenty going for them when it comes to non-beach-related outdoor pursuits,īut if you want to steer clear of island-hopping, you can’t go wrong with Kauai.īase yourself at Waimea Plantation Cottages at the bottom of a 3,700-foot-deep canyon on the island’s west shore, a low-key resort with 48 recently restored plantation houses in the midst of a lush coconut grove. We have done extensive hiking in the Rockies and in New Hampshire and New York and thoroughly enjoyed sea-kayaking in Baja.Īdventure Adviser: For the best of everything active that Hawaii has to offer, I suggest heading straight to Kauai, home to the 11-mile Kalalau Trail on the Na Pali coast, not to mention a stretch of great paddling along its south shore. We do not want to lay around the beach, but are interested in doing something active and interesting, such as kayaking and/or hiking. Question: My wife and I are considering going to Hawaii sometime between January and April. ![]()
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