Four days in Kauai
Why we went to Kauai
We had originally planned to spend a whole month in Kauai, but our month-long rental fell through the week after we booked our plane tickets, and we couldn’t find another good place to stay in Kauai. After much deliberation, we decided to book a short stay in Kauai and then spend the rest of the month in Oahu, where cheaper monthly rentals were more abundant. As a result, we only got a small taste of Kauai, enough for us to know we want to come back.
View of Waimea Canyon from Waimea Canyon Drive. The second largest canyon in the United States besides the Grand Canyon. January 2022
Kauai Geology and Climate
Kauai is a marvel of diverse climates and geologic features packed into one 33 mile wide island. On the south side, you have sunny beaches with 239 sunny days per year. On the northern coast, there are the steep, green covered peaks of the Nepali Coast. In between the two, you will find the second largest canyon in the United States, Waimea canyon, and Mount Waialeale, which at 373 inches of rain per year, is one of the wettest places on earth. In terms of stunning scenery, Kauai is packed full.
Gus looking at a sleeping Monk Seal on Poipu Beach. January 2022
The Vibe in Kauai
The second most striking thing about the island, behind the geologic features, is how sparsely populated and under-developed it feels. Of the Hawaiian islands, Kauai is the 4th most populated with a population of only 73,000 people. With miles of undeveloped land between the major sites, tiny two lane roads, and a striking lack of grocery stores and amenities, it’s downright rural. Taco stands, food trucks, surf shops, and roadside fruit stands dot the two lane roads that wind through lush fields and there are chickens everywhere. All this gives Kauai a more Carribean island vibe. Aside from the expensive groceries, we loved all of it. Crowing roosters give me all the feels and I love the more authentic, less sterile feel. Additionally, the marine life feels less disturbed and more plentiful here. I saw humpback whales nearly every time I looked at the ocean, including an epic breach just out from Poipu beach on our first day. Somewhere between 10-20 green sea turtles regularly climb ashore on Poipu to sleep at night and we were able to witness these magnificent creatures on a late night walk home from our friend’s house.
The Sunset from Megan and Kip’s Front patio, where we watch whales and they fixed us an excellent dinner of seared ahi. January 2022
Why we stayed in Poi'pu Beach in Kauai
Our home base for the short stay was in Poipu beach, the sunny, southernmost beach on the island. We picked Poipu because it rarely rains there and the waves are more manageable. In our short stay on the island, we drove through Waimea Canyon, hiked the Kalepa Ridge trail with views of the Napali Coast and the Maha’ulepu Heritage trail along the south eastern coast, and attended the Kalamaku Luau.
For details on each of these, see the following blog posts:
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