I just returned from a quick trip to Hawaii to train under the Hawaii Visitors Bureau  for the Kauai Masters Specialist program. This opportunity was given to me by my travel agency and our preferred supplier Pleasant Holidays. They are the experts on Hawaii and again received honors this year as a top provider for Hawaiian trips.

I took off for my long trip west, way west, from Knoxville on a flight as the sun was coming up. A quick stop (and run thru the airport) in Houston, a connection in LA and 16 hours later and I arrived in Hawaii as the sun was setting. I was greeted by my hosts for the week from the Visitors Bureau with a beautiful lea and cheery smiles.

We headed over to our resort for the first few nights, as the sky grew darker I did get my first glimpses of Kauai including the roadway that goes thru tunnel of trees. I arrive at the Sheraton Kauai exhausted and ready for bed. I met my roommate for the week, took a peak out at the dark ocean from the balcony, and crashed into a nice comfy bed.

Each day was jam packed full of activities, starting before 7am and often ending after 9pm. Being a travel agent is glamorous but  can be downright exhausting sometimes. First on the agenda was a tour of the Sheraton where we got to see a few different room types, what the views were, and check out the dining options and surrounding beach.  This resort is unique as it sits very close to the water, it was built at a time when the restrictions were not as strict about proximity to the ocean. I could hear the waves crashing from my room and it seemed like we were right up on the water at times.

That afternoon we left for our excursion, a sail up the Napali Coast with dinner and a great view of the sunset. The Napali coast is only accessible by water or air or with an extreme hike of 12 miles on a 9 out of 10 rated hike. There were miles of beautiful coastline, caves carved into the rocks, waterfalls, and miles of lush tropical landscape.  Several movies like Pirates of the Caribbean have filmed up the coast and the Captain pointed out all the famous spots along the way. We also got to see part of the military base where they launch rockets and test and a few small isolated town dotting the mountain side.

 

 

The Star Napali Dinner Sunset Sail was with Capt’n Andy’s Adventures on one of their catamarans. The staff was great, the boat was small but not crowded and the dinner was cooked right on the boat. It was a delicious and generous feast of salad, steak, shrimp skewers, grilled veggies and cheesecake. This excursion would be perfect for couples that want to enjoy some time together and see the Napali coast. There was a family on our cruise with small kids, they were very well behaved kids but the excursion is 4-5 hours and most kids may become bored after a while. We did get to see some dolphins swim along the ship for a while which was really neat. And if you like photographing landscapes this is the sail for you, I took a couple hundred pictures.

Captain Andy’s Crew

I will say that this and just about any later excursions may not be best on your first few days as you get used to the time difference, especially if you are from the east coast. The gentle rocking of the boat, the full belly from dinner and the quiet peacefulness could put me to sleep on a good day, add in jet lag and I had a very hard time not conking out before we got back. This is also an excursion to skip if you get motion sick, the ride up to the coast can be a little bumpy and if you are susceptible to sea sickness you may not enjoy the journey.

Day two started nice and early with a move to a new resort, the Kauai Marriott Resort on Kalapaki Beach. More about my home for the next few nights later. We headed to the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa for a delicious breakfast buffet and a tour of the grounds. This resort was gorgeous with beautiful landscaping and lots of oceanfront footage. This resort (and most places on Kauai in general) host a lot of weddings and have great facilities to fit receptions of varying sizes.

 

We then headed off to Kaneiolouma Heiau a culture site that is under construction. They have great plans for a new culture center in which they will host festivals, celebrate their heritage, and educate tourists about the rich history of the island. The facility is restoring the property to its former glory with attention to details and using local artisan’s contributions. It will be finished in the next few years and make a great addition to a visit to Kauai.

Next up was the excursion I was most apprehensive about but also looking forward to the most. The website for Kipu Ranch Adventures promises diverse landscape, wildlife,     and spectacular views. You ride thru lush green pastures, venture into tropical Huleia Valley, and ascend majestic Haupu for a break taking view of Kipa Kiu, Kauai’s untouched paradise. The ranch also is home historic landscapes featured in movies like Jurassic Park (which finished filming part 4 days before we arrived). Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the Descendants.

I wasn’t too sure I would like driving an ATV or getting dirty and muddy but I’m glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and signed up. Kipu Ranch Adventures turned out to be one of the best travel experiences I have had. We zipped up and down the mountain, thru tiny trails barely big enough for our vehicle, and thru muddy puddles in pasture fields. We had a nice picnic lunch and stopped by the river to check out the swimming hole and rope swing. Our guide James was fabulous, the tour was a nice mix of trail riding and stopping to check out scenery, take photos and learn about the history of the ranch. And it was AWESOME.  It was thrilling and exhilarating, interesting and educational and just plain fun.

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That evening back at the Marriott we toured the facilities and then enjoyed a nice pupu feast. The chefs did a great job, there was a variety of dishes and plenty of them. It was a great end to a busy day. We enjoyed the little bit of down time at the reception getting to know each other, sharing tips and those special travel agent stories that only we ‘get’.

A few pictures from the ground. This was a great resort, it is pretty big but has a huge pool, a nice swimmable beach right out front and several dining options onsite and nearby. This is also where the Norwegian Pride of USA, the inter island cruise ship, docs every week.

After dinner we realized that there were shops nearby and we wanted to get in some souvenir shopping. Everyone kept mentioning the ABC store as nearby and I could get my kids something there. Side note we leave near Virginia, ABC store are state runs liquor stores.  I’m thinking you people are off your rocker, my kids are 9 and 12 I can’t get them anything there! But I’m always up for an adventure so I went and was pleasantly surprised to find it was just a general store. Well they sold liquor too but all kinds of stuff: clothes, food, my precious diet dr pepper, postcards, bags, and souvenirs of all sorts. I loaded up on all kinds of goodies for my family back home.

The next morning started at the St Regis Princeville resort for breakfast and a tour. We were met with light rain showers, or blessings as the Kauai natives call them. But as the sky cleared the beautiful coast came into view and the waterfalls cascaded down the hillsides. This resort was very nice, a luxury resort that caters to couples and families and offers things like scuba certification classes or spa treatments.

Up next was the Na Aina Kai Botanical Garden, a botanical paradise. There are gardens of various themes including culinary and children gardens. The private estate is impressive and includes dozens of sculptures dotted throughout the property.  The gardens are impressive but when I learned that one couple designed them all and that they also built a lot of the pieces around the landscape I was even more impressed. This would be a great tour for anyone into gardening or art. There are special tours for families, children, and those interested in more in depth garden planning.
  

 

   

Up next was Opaeka Falls Lookout, a large waterfall in the Waialua district of the island. The picture doesn’t do it justice, it is spectacular in person and it is so quiet up there.

We finished the day at Smith’s Tropical Paradise Luau. The Smith family has continued to honor tradition with the most family’s Hawaiian celebration, the luau. After we arrived we took the tour of the property, with many gardens, ponds, and orchards. We also got to see a few of the animals living on the family land. For dinner we had a feast of roasted pig, teriyaki beef, cold salads, potatoes, and even a little poi. After dinner we headed to the theater to watch the show which celebrated the cultures that contributed to the island paradise we know as Hawaii. The show is great for families and children will be entertained with dancing, singing, and fire tricks.

My last day started bright and early with breakfast at the Marriott in Kukui’s Restaurant. We headed out to our first stop Kilohana Plantation. The 16,000 acre plantation designed by sugar baron Gaylord Wilcox. They opened up early just for our group and showed us around the historic landmark with all its Hawaiian architecture. We then boarded the train (yes a train, full regular sized train) to see the rest of the property. We chugged thru orchards, fields of fruits and vegetables and the countryside. One of our stops was to feed the farms pigs, sheep, goats, and of course the chickens. Our guide, ironically named Tiny was great, he was funny and informative and did a great job of answering our questions. We ended the train tour with a stop by the general store then headed over to the rum tasting shop at Koloa Rum Company. If rum is your thing they do tastings her daily and it’s complimentary. There is also a store nearby where you can purchase rum to take with you.  The plantation also offers a sit down restaurant, a sweet shop, a salon, a luau hall and stage, and a reception area for private parties. This would be a great place to explore with your family. I also thought it would be perfect for departure day if you have an afternoon or evening flight this excursion would be great once you are packed up and ready to go the airport. There is a lot to do and it won’t leave you packing wet swimsuits into your suitcases at the last minute.

Next up was a visit to Waimea Plantation Cottages, an adorable resort that repurposes old plantation houses into vacation properties. You can rent a 1-5 bedroom house on beach front property for your stay. This is a great option to spread out for larger family groups and offer the comforts of home like a full kitchen, a yard for the kids to run in and BBQ grills. The cottages are very affordable and offer a laid back vacation for those who want to live like a local on Kauai.

   

 

We headed up winding mountain roads to the Waimea Canyon Lookout. Referred to as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific the views are stunning. You can see a waterfall off in the distance that trickles down to the river below that help carve out this beautiful valley. If you continue up the main road you will find many hiking trails appropriate for beginners or advanced hikers in the mountains of Kokee State Park.

After some time at the Canyon we set off to our last destination before the long trip home, Kauai Beach Resort. This moderate budget resort is located near the Lihu’e airport and is a great option for arrival or departure day for those early morning flights or those dreaded red eyes’ back home. The resort has a variety of accommodations and offers shopping, dining, and a large pool.

   

After my last long day and a good 2 hour flight delay I headed to the airport to start the long trek home. 20 some hours in the air and in airports and a 2 hour drive home and I made it back to Tennessee exhausted but full of the Aloha Spirit.