Island adventures

There are so many adventure tours available on Kaua'i, I couldn't resist signing us up for a couple of them during our time here. One day, we went to Kipu ranch (where a lot of movies requiring tropical island scenery have been shot) for a day of kayaking, hiking, zip-lining, and jumping into freshwater swimming holes.

The next day, we took a beautiful bike ride from Waimea Canyon ("the Grand Canyon of the Pacific") downhill 12 miles to the coast.

I am especially entranced with all the views we've gotten, from the southwest side of Kaua'i, of the island of Ni'ihau, 17 miles away. I remember having to memorize Ni'ihau as one of the main seven Hawai'ian islands in social studies class in elementary school. But I didn't know until this trip that Ni'ihau is entirely privately owned, is not open to tourists in any way, and is home only to about 200 native Hawai'ians who are preserving a traditional Hawai'ian culture and way of life there.

I'm totally fascinated and I think all of the questions I've been asking about it (and especially about if/how uninvited guests have made attempts to visit, simply because it is forbidden) have my mom and the locals nervous that I'm planning to go rouge. I'm not, really. I'm just captivated and will continue to stare from afar and ponder all my questions about this land across the channel until I'm dragged away by our Hawai'ian Airlines flight to Hilo. Next stop: The Big Island!

Na'pali coast

Kaua'i time! A lot of our activity here has been focused on the famous Na'pali coast--the lush, rugged western coast of the island that is known both for its extreme beauty as well as its inaccessibility, with no roads running along the miles of steep cliffs where they meet the ocean. First, we approached from the north, hiking the first two miles of the Kalalau Trail (which takes the most adventurous hikers 11 miles south along the coast, a trip of several days, to roughly the half-way point of the remote coastline...which I will have to come back for someday!). The views were g.o.r.g.e.o.u.s. and afterward, we got to bury our tired but happy feet in the sand and enjoy the sunset from the beach at Ha'ena State Park.

The next day, we attacked from the south. Though attacked is really the wrong word, as I was cowed in amazement at what is probably the most vast, hauntingly beautiful beach I've ever seen, at Polihale State Park. This is also on the list of places to return to for a repeat, longer visit next time I can get to this part of the world.

Finally, on the third day, we climbed the road past Waimea Canyon (more on that in the next post) into Kohe'e State Park to look down on the central part of the coast (the Kalalau Valley) from above 5,000 feet. By that point, I'd exhausted my mom with 10 days of hiking and water sports so she went back to the car to nap after checking out the view, while I hiked for another mile or so along the mountain ridge along a hilariously steep, muddy, slippery path, the likes of which I haven't seen since Madagascar. So worth it for the unbelievable vistas, though.

Ko'olau hike

I snuck away from the crew (well, not really; none of them wanted to come with me as they were busy golfing and beaching) for a gorgeous rainforest hike against the Ko'olau mountain ridge. Destination: Maunawili Falls, a lovely waterfall spot where I took a swim and a rock jump. Heaven!