Weekend on... maybe Kauai? (Honolulu, Waimea: Valentine's day, rentals, house)

[newUHprof]

Husband & I are thinking of a long weekend trip for Valentine's Day. The original plan was to go to Maui, but the SuperFerry will be in dry dock that weekend. I want to drive the road to Hana, but I kind of want to do it in my fun little car, since I can. So... we're now thinking maybe Kauai. I've searched the forum archives a bit, but still have a few questions.

- How rainy will it be on the North Shore, really? I mean, it's rainy season here in Honolulu, too. But most days it's sunny, warm, & beautiful, with passing showers (OK, downpours) occasionally. We were thinking of just staying on the North Shore, but I'm second-guessing that based on the stuff I've read. I want to go out & about, not be stuck in my room all weekend.

- Any ideas on a good place to stay? Any nice places with Kama'aina specials? Any insider tips?

- Since we live on Oahu, what should we do with our time on Kauai? We don't need to go to the beach... we do that all the time. I'm more interested in waterfalls, hikes, maybe a helicopter tour... and some of the other stuff that's more unique to Kauai. Recommendations? And *is* there good snorkeling there in February, or should we just go back to Hanauma Bay when we get home?

- Any good spas you can recommend? We were thinking of a couples massage or something... We're not penny pinching, but we're not millionaires either. So something you could spring for on vacation but isn't totally outrageous?

We don't need to do it all at once... we're here for at least 5 years (and we hope it'll be longer). So we'll get back to Kauai again in the future. What would you do on your first trip there, if you've just got a few days, but don't feel the pressure to get it all in?

Thanks!

[cynmkolohe]

I've only been to Kauai once... for a weekend like you are planning. Not rushed, not feeling the need to get everything in. My favorite memories are evenings in the jacuzzi at the B&B and the wonderful food we got from vendors at the farmer's market.

Sweetbeet will have great ideas for you, I'm sure!

[Sweetbeet]

Come on over, the weather's fine! We'd love to have you.

No seriously, it's always sunny somewhere on this island. It hardly ever rains down at Polihale and even Waimea. Though Waimea Canyon, up at elevation, is sometimes cloudy, misty and/or drizzly. I imagine it's been quite cool up there the past couple of days, it's been down into the mid-50s here at night the past couple of nights.

The north shore gets more rain this time of year, but you're right - it's not like it rains steadily for days. Just more showers, and storms. The surf up there can be quite high, if you're looking for snorkeling you probably want to plan to go south to Poipu, Lawai, Maha'ulepu, etc., not to Tunnels/Ke'e/Haena. But you never know, there have been breaks of good visibility and calm seas up there during winter months, and poor conditions on the east and south. It just depends. Fortunately the island is so small that you can drive almost anywhere, though I find being situated on the east side makes it easy to get to nice spots on the north or south shore without too long a drive. If you stay up north then it is quite a drive down to Poipu or beyond. There can be VERY good snorkeling here in February, but WHERE it will be cannot be predicted. If the conditions are not good for it when you're here in February, you should definitely plan to come back in the summer and snorkel at Ke'e and/or Tunnels, it's awesome. (I haven't been to Hanauma Bay yet, but I'm going on February 28th, so we can compare notes after that.)

Helicopter tours - check with the tour companies when you get here, it depends on the weather. The Na Pali coast boat trips are great, but there are many days in the winter when they don't go out because of dangerous swells. Again, check when you get here or a day or two before to see what they're predicting. Ask all these companies if they have kama'aina discounts, most are hurting now and they're doing all sorts of things to get business.

If you like to hike there are several options, depending on what the weather has been like. Hiking up to the top of Sleeping Giant is wonderful, but if it's been very wet, it can be muddy, slippery and difficult. There is a jungle waterfall up near Kapa'a that is wonderful to swim in after hiking out to it, if the weather is hot when you're here. There is some nice hiking down near Maha'ulepu on the south side too.

You could also take one of the kayak trips (I think there are guided ones, or you can just rent your own kayaks) up the Wailua River. That's a nice thing to do, very pretty.

Sorry I don't know anything about spas. For lodging, I'd look around on the web and see what you can find. Many places are hurting (as I said). I know some people who have vacation rentals but I don't know if they do less than a week at a time. But for just a weekend you probably don't want to lay in groceries, and all that. A B&B might be nice. When you've decided on a general area (N,E,S) I might be able to shoot you some ideas.

[newUHprof]

Hey Sweetbeet, thanks for all the great info. Now that plans are settling into place, I have some more questions, if you'll humor me.

First, we'll be staying in Kalaheo. We found a cool, funky place to stay for decent rates there. We decided to base ourselves on the North Shore on the next trip, maybe. So, for the snorkeling... it sounds like conditions vary a lot. Is there some way to check (website? code word at the local diner?) where good snorkeling will be any particular day.

Next question: any reason we should rent a 4WD vehicle instead of a little compact car? I know on the BI there are (lots of) cool places you can only get to with 4WD. I haven't heard anything like that about Kauai, but maybe it's true there also?

We're going to play things a bit by ear. We definitely want to get to Waimea Canyon. I'd love know more about hiking, places to eat, and all that in the south.

Thanks again... really helpful!

[Mar0]

UH,

Where are you staying in Kalaheo? The Inn??? If so, you are close to me!

To check surf conditions: Kauai Ocean Report || Surf Report - Kauaiexplorer.com

Beachhouse and Poipu are your best bets for snorkeling this time of year. If conditions allow, try Anini, which is usually pretty protected. I go to Haena a lot, but conditions really vary, so I wouldn't set your plans on it.

You do not need 4WD. The only reason you really need it is for driving on the sand at Polihale, and that whole area is closed until further notice. Or, if you want to go off-roading in Koke'e, but I doubt that would be on your agenda?

I have been spending a lot of time diving on the North Shore the past month or so, and I have yet to hit a really rainy day, but generally find that it is more prone to cloudiness. Last time I went, it was beautiful in Poipu, and overcast at Ke'e, and upon returning to the South side, found it to be sunny still. You might not be so demanding of sunshine as so many tourists understandably are, so definitely plan a visit up there. It takes a little over an hour in off-peak times to drive to Princeville and at least an hour and half to get to Haena.

For heli tours, I usually recommend Jack Harter for friends- he was really the first individual to bring the heli concept to the island. You should hold off on a boat trip until the summer unless the water is really glassy. It might look smooth down here, but guarantee the Napali side is choppy....My friend went on a catamaran during the winter and encountered 25ft swells and said she wanted to die. I couldn't handle that.

There are a lot of great upscale restaurants on the south side- Tidepools, Beach House and Plantation Gardens (my favorite). Keoki's Paradise is hands down the most popular restaurant and is in Poipu Shopping Center. You will be near Mark's Place in Lawai for good plate lunch. Kalaheo Cafe is a popular breakfast place and is good for lunch and dinner.

Friday night is art night in Hanapepe and is worth checking out, BTW. Hanapepe Cafe is supposed to be pretty good, but I have never been. Make sure you go to Hamura's in Lihue for saimin and bring back some manju from Menehune Bakery in Lawai as some omiyage! There are tons of restaurants, but what are you looking for? I love Lihue Barbecue Inn and Garden Island Barbecue, as well as Restaurant Kiibo for sushi and Tip Top Cafe for breafkast. You might want to stop by Stevenson's Library at the Hyatt to experience all the jazz there or the Point at the Sheraton for a sunset mai tai.

For Waimea Canyon: It will take you about an hour to get there. Go early to avoid clouds on the Kalalau lookout. While it won't gaurantee a clear day, generally the clouds roll in as the day progresses. Work your way down to see the Waimea Canyon overlook. There are lots of great hikes up there, Pihea/Alakai Swamp, Awa'awapuhi, Waipo Falls, among others. The most popular hike is obviously the Kalalau trail, of which most people only do the first two miles in (myself included). This is a strenuous hike, but definitely worth it. Please understand that it is the winter, so many of these trails are VERY muddy and slippery. Try looking on the tripadvisor forum for more current hiking info...or when you are up in Koke'e, you can ask at the museum for their advice.

My favorite spa is Anara Spa at the Hyatt- but your wallet will feel it! They have kam discounts of 15%, I believe. When you go to Anara Spa, you get access to the spa pool, fitness center, hot tubs, sauna and steam room. If you want a really good massage, try Aunty Angelina's lomi lomi in Anahola. The prices there should be a bit more reasonable and you are giving back to a great local family.

[Sweetbeet]

Yeah, what he said! KauaiExplorer is the site to check snorkeling visibility, but it's not perfect. It'll give you a general idea of which areas are likely to be poor, though. You can also call me when you get here (PM me for my number) and I'll ask my sister, she snorkels all the time and usually knows what's going on and where to go. She has discovered good snorkeling off Maha'ulepu, someplace most people don't go, and the other day she went off Anahola Beach, another place not usually known for its snorkeling. But she's always finding new, weird fish.

I second the recommendation for Hamura's Saimin. Also for Waimea Canyon, early in the day (and drive ALL the way out to the last lookout, if it's not clouded over - the view is amazing). Many hiking spots were VERY muddy about two weeks ago (we went "extreme mud hiking" - it was fun in its own way, but maybe not what you're up for), but it hasn't been raining as much lately and things may be dried out by the time you get here.

Mar0 - I didn't know Polihale was closed. Why is that - weather, or some other reason?

[Mar0]

Polihale has been closed for about a month now due to severe erosion on the road due to all the flooding in December. This happened last year too and it took a few months to reopen. Knowing how sloooowwww the state/county works, I wouldn't expect it to be open until at least March.