Kauai 2018

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Trip start
December 27, 2018
Kauai 2018 Traveler
Spouting Horn Beach Park
December 27, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
I arrived in Kauai around 1.30PM. Regina and Gemma were already there and we immediately went to get permits for the next two nights.

There are some important details about camping in Kauai that are relevant.

Camping permits to stay at a beach depend on the county, and they have to be requested by mail or in person. (https://www.kauai.gov/Camping)

Camping in State Parks and forests depends on the State of Hawaii. Some of these sell out way in advance, but at least you can do it online. (https://camping.ehawaii.gov/camping/welcome.htm…)

Some of the beaches are definitely nicer than others. We spent a couple of nights at Salt Pond Park and would do it again. Lucy Wright Park, on the contrary, felt different. There seemed to be a group of people living there permanently and we didn’t see other visitors there.

After getting the permits, we went to have lunch at Duke’s Kauai in Lihue. It was pretty decent. My burger was good and Regina and Gemma got quite large fish tacos. I got full, which is exactly what I needed, although I didn’t get any drinks.

We drove through the Tree Tunnel. It’s quite spectacular and totally worth it if it’s on your way. From there we went to the Spouting Horn Beach Park, a really cool stop. The water spray here is caused by the waves that funnel under the lava shelf and up through a natural tube. More exactly, water goes out of one hole and the pressurized air escapes from another, making that characteristic sound, like a whale. Apparently, sometimes you can even see a rainbow if the light is right. We missed that, but it was still quite amazing.

After sunset we went to have a drink at a bar, Port Allen Sunset Grill & Bar. Nothing special, but there is not much around that area. We went to sleep to our camp in Salt Pond Beach Park quite early. The place was pleasant and beautiful, but unfortunately it rained a lot and the tent leaked, so we woke up with water dropping on our heads. One useful thing I learned that night though is that your sleeping back may be wet on the outside but still keep you dry and warm inside. Not bad.Read more
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Kauai 2018 Traveler
Waimea Canyon State Park
December 28, 2018 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
When we got up in the morning it was still raining, so we put down the tent and went to the town of Hanapepe to have breakfast at a coffee shop called Little Fish Cafe. It was nice and pleasant. After buying some food and supplies to protect the tent, we drove to the Waimea Canyon State Park.

We had planned to hike the Pihea trail and spend the night at the Kawaikoi camp. Unfortunately, the heavy rain and the risk of flooding made it too dangerous and we had to change our plans. We tried to do some other hike, but the woman at the information center discouraged us so we just ended up driving to all the lookouts we could - which are not that many, since some parts are only accessible with a four-wheel drive vehicle or by foot.

Still, I'm happy we got to visit the Waimea Canyon. Pictures really don't do justice to its beauty and the views. I hope I get to hike it and spend the night there some other time.Read more
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Kauai 2018 Traveler
Hanapepe
December 28, 2018 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 20 °C
After giving up on the Waimea Canyon we went back to Hanapepe. It was raining but we got to check out a bunch of cute little places.

These were some of my favorites:

Banana Patch Studio. They sell beautiful hand painted ceramics and other cute things. You can see them working on the pieces through the windows of the workshop.
http://www.bananapatchstudio.com

Jacqueline On Kaua’i. The owner sells custom made Hawaiian shirts in a quirky looking store. They are obviously more expensive than the cheaply made-in-China generic ones, but they look amazing.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/jacqueline-on-kauai-ha…

Talk Story Bookstore. I love bookstores and visiting them when I travel. It’s not that I would put this one among my favorites, but it sells a bunch of Hawaiian books and rarities.
https://www.talkstorybookstore.com

Storybook Theater. I have to admit I had no idea what this was when we walked in. It’s a media and art center for children, but the reason I’m putting it here is the cute quirky hidden garden on the back of the building. It features a life-sized sculpture of former Senator and local Sparky Matsunaga, little pathways, a decorative bridge, a gazebo, a stage that can be booked for events, a plant collection, and other cute details.
http://www.storybook.org

Aloha Spice Company. It sells not only spices but also some souvenirs and decoration. It’s not affordable but it’s charming.
http://www.alohaspice.com

Japanese Grandma’s Cafe. This is actually a good Japanese restaurant where we had dinner, but it also features a small store with beautiful decoration, jewelry, and clothing. The food was excellent and I loved the tacos.
http://www.japanesegrandma.com

Also, an interesting fact is that Lilo's hometown in the movie Lilo & Stitch is based on Hanapepe, in Kauai. That hasn't turned it into a cheesy Disneytown, but you can find a couple of references here and there.

Googling around I found this: "In the small town of Hanapepe, I found all the usual homey details, ranging from rusted-out bridges to homemade mailboxes,” wrote Paul Felix, the film’s production designer, in the official Disney “making of” book on the movie.

Hanapepe was very lively in the evening when we were there, probably because it was Friday and they have a weekly Art Night on Fridays, but they don’t seem to have bars. We ended up buying some beers and drinking them on the street before going to bed.

And when I say “bed”, I mean the seats of the car. We were worried it would rain again and Regina’s mat was still wet, so we decided to sleep in the car. It really wasn’t as bad as one would have thought.Read more
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Kauai 2018 Traveler
Polihale State Park
December 29, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
The weather was better and we went back to the same coffee shop as the previous day, Little Fish Cafe. We actually wanted to go to a bakery nearby that looked amazing, but it wasn't open. After breakfast, we headed to Polihale State Park, a beautiful and quiet beach. We were planning to hike there, but we finally drove all the way there. We weren't supposed to do it without a 4x4 vehicle, and the road was definitely muddy and bumpy, but hiking instead didn't look that pleasant either.

The beach was beautiful!. Waves were big though and getting into the water didn't feel safe. Also, I had received very sad news that morning and I didn't feel like talking or doing much. Still, this spot was lovely.Read more
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Trip end
January 1, 2019

Spouting Horn Beach Park

Waimea Canyon State Park

Hanapepe

Polihale State Park