Kauai honeymoon questions! (Kapaa, Waimea, Wailua: to rent, luxury, buses)

[Hesky]

My wife and I will be going on our honeymoon to Kauai on early June. We will be spending 7 nights there in the Hyatt in Po'ipu. In the end we decided we wanted to focus on one island rather than trying to visit too many places, plus it helps keep our budget under control.

My wife wants to relax as much as possible, while I like to always be on the go. I think she would be happy staying at the resort the entire stay, while if it was up to me, we would probably only go back to the resort to sleep! So I know we'll need to reach some balance.

I know that a couple of things that I really want to do is drive to Hanalei Bay and go see the Waimea Canyon. And probably also take a boat to see the Na Pali coast.

Is renting a car necessary for this or are there shuttles or other means of public transportation we can use?

What other activities would you recommend for us? One thing we really want to do is snorkeling and/or kayaking, do you recommend any locations in particular?

Thanks a lot for your help!

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

I don't know if there are shuttles, but I would encourage you to rent a car. That way you can stop wherever you want to -- maybe the Princeville resort on the way to Hanalei for example. And when you go up Waimea Canyon, you want to be able to stop at different overlooks and spend as much time as you choose.

We did the Na Pali dinner cruise for our honeymoon and I recommend doing that. That's a view that you won't get anywhere else, unless you do a helicopter tour.

[Overlord34]

Hi Hesky,

My wife and I spent five nights in Kauai in September 2009. It's one of the most beautiful places on the planet, especially the north shore, so I wholeheartedly agree with the choice you made. Hanalei Bay is amazing, I could spend days just sitting by the bay or wandering around the residential streets of Hanalei. You should definitely take a boat tour down the Na Pali coast, it is spectacular. Make sure that the boat tour operates out of Hanalei because it's quicker to get to the coast so you get to see more of it.

Some other things we did that I highly recommend:

1. If you like hiking, Kauai is known for amazing hikes. We did the Nualolo trail which loops into the Awaawapuhi trail hike. Be warned that this is a strenuous hike, especially on the way up, and it takes a full day (11 miles round trip), but the views of the Nualalo valley are unbelievable. It's probably the best hike I've ever done.

2. We also did a kayak tour on the Wailua River. You kayak, to a forest, take a short hike, and arrive at a beautiful waterfall called "secret falls" where you lunch and swim for a while. A lot of fun, very highly recommended.

3. Make sure you drive all the way to the northwest tip at Ke'e Beach. The last part of the drive is incredible and you'll be surrounded by mountains and lush greenery every step of the way. Also, of all the beaches we went to, Ke'e Beach was the best. You have this gorgeous beach surrounded by lush greenery with mountains as a backdrop; you couldn't ask for anything better. Ke'e has good snorkeling, but Tunnels beach, which is right next to Ke'e, has some of the best snorkeling on the whole island.

4. When you go to Waimea Canyon and drive to the top, most people stop at the Kalalau lookout point because it seems like the top. The views there are certainly incredible, but if you drive just a mile further, you will be taken to the true top lookout point. I forget the name of it right now but as long as you keep on going past the Kalalau point you'll get to it. You'll be rewarded with an unbelievable view of the valley and the pacific ocean below.

5. I didn't have time to do this but I've heard universally that you really should take a helicopter tour of the island. The views from flying above are supposed to be well worth it.

Lastly, you definitely need to rent a car. I think buses only run like once an hour and I can't even imagine how slow it probably is. You're much better off with your own car.

The great thing that I found about Kauai is you can be simultaneously 'on the go' and 'relaxing' at the same time. For example, getting out to Hanalei Bay or Ke'e Beach may require some time from Poipu, but once you get there, you'll just want to sit there and soak in what you're seeing for hours. Spend some time at the resort for sure, but it would be a real shame if you confined yourself there. Resorts are a dime a dozen, but Kauai has some of the most breathtaking natural beauty you will ever see - especially near Hanalei - and what's unique about your vacation to this particular island is your ability to see that.

And last last tip - Definitely it would be worth your time to pick up a copy of the "Ultimate Kauai Guidebook". It's universally considered the gold standard travel book for Kauai and will give you great ideas about things to do that you're interested in.

Good luck and have a great time!

[Joliefille]

Definately rent a car. You can do a Na Pali snorkeling excusion, as well. I would also plan a visit to the Kauai coffee plantaion & visitors center. There's plenty of snorkeling near Poipu, but I personally don't think much of the beach there. Much better beaches to be had with a car!

[Mar0]

When on Kauai you have to rent a car...we don't have the best public transportation and it won't take you where you want to go.

[je4xff]

1st off - Congrats!

My wife and I married and honeymooned on Kauai - a beautiful place indeed. I love that island...

My first advice - rent a car. Kauai is a wonderful, beautiful island, and you should explore it. Kauai is a step back in time (in a good way) - and you will need your own transportation in order to get around. Keep in mind it is very rural and there isn't public transportation like on Oahu.

A few things to note:
Kauai is slow paced (in a good way). We were surprised that almost all commerce on the island shuts down around 9:00 p.m.. We were also completely surprised to find the two of us all alone on a long stretch of gorgeous beach during the middle of the day - we had the entire amazing beach to ourselves for at least 20-45 minutes - not another soul in sight. Eventually, another couple found their way into our location, and we left, in order to grant them the same magical alone time. This happened in July of 2005. I imagine you can still find very romantic stretches of Kauai beaches today...

I recommend really exploring the island... The NW side of the island is tropical and lush. It is an absolute must see. We stayed in Wainiha - which is about as NW as you can go in Kauai. The best place to snorkel is all the way at the NW end. Hiking is great there too. The Kalalau Trail is awesome if you're into hiking. Even if your wife doesn't enjoy hiking, she will enjoy this one. She'll probably make you turn around earlier than you want (mine did) - but you will get some truly perfect photos during the hike.

I'd also recommend driving to the west side. Catch a sunset at Polihale beach - as far as you can drive around the SW. Sunset is amazing. Watch out for deep sand and manowar on the beach. We could hear drums beating in the distance (native hawaiian drums) when we were walking on the beach during our beautiful sunset - amazing. We were completely alone during that time too. As far as sunsets go - it doesn't really matter what Hawaiian island you go to - you absolutely must see a sunset from the west side of any Hawaiian island. A west Kauai sunset is very special.

Also, the mangos are incredibly delicious in Kauai. If a mango happens to fall in front of you while hiking - consider it a blessing, and enjoy the best mango of your life....

Some tourist things:

Na'Pali:
You get a couple/few choices. One is a "sunset cruise" and another is an "adventure raft trip." Guess which one my wife complained about?
Moral of the story - the raft trip is slightly strenuous. My wife voiced her concern several times that she would have preferred the luxury sunset trip.

Wailua River Kayak:
On the flipside - she really enjoyed our kayaking trip down the Wailiua river. It was one of her favorite activities. Waterfalls included...

Congrats and have fun! Would love to hear back how it goes...

[SoCal Gal]

What I like about Kauai, and a good thing to remember when you are feeling overwhelmed about all the possibilities and "don't miss!", is that it's really not that big of an island, and very easy to get around on (with a car). We base in Kapaa on our visits, and "run over" to the west side or up to Hanalei for a meal without thinking twice. Whatever you do, however much you do, you are sure to have a magical time on Kauai!