Poipu Beach, Kauai, Hawaii

Poipu Beach,Kauai, Hawaii

This is a follow on to my article last week. Kauai is now more popular because of the direct - 5 hour - flights from the West Coast. It is a 15 mile drive – 20 minutes from the town of Lihue to the Poipu Beach area. You should buy petrol when you see a garage, since they aren’t plentiful like in California. Price was $3.95 a gallon.

Every day on the beach at the public park, I saw a giant green turtle asleep. Also saw a rare Monk Seal another day. The life guards rope off the areas so people don’t disturb them. The water is between 72 and 80 degrees all year. They have only had five direct hits from a hurricane in 75 years. Coolest month is February, hottest is September when it is humid, rainiest December-January but it was showers for a little while, and seemed to rain heaviest when we were in bed. Driest month is June.

Poipu Beach was badly damaged by the hurricane in 1995, Some 65 homes where washed out to sea and another 1500 flattened, Today, there is lots of condo units and time share properties.

I did wear a cardigan in the evening in December.

Some good books which I have in my library. Kauai, Separate Kingdom by Edward Joe Sting, Pocket Guide to Hawaii, Trees and Shrubs by H.Douglas Praft, Hawaii Walkers Guide, by Rod Smith, Snorkel Kauai by Judy and Mel Malinowski, The Eco Travelers, Wildlife Guide to Hawaii by Les Beletsky, Lonely Planet, Hawaii, Surfers Guide to Hawaii by Greg Ambrose. A good magazine is Adventure and Romance, www.Kauairomance.com

A good travel agent can find you a package with air, car and hotel where you can save money. The longer booking time you have, the cheaper the price. If you book last minute, then you will pay double what you could have 9 months earlier. We flew on Alaska Air, which was excellent. The manager at Kiahuna Plantation Resort told me that families book the same condo units a year in advance to get the best price. Every evening you could see families barbecuing in the gardens .

You can pay $150 a day for a small car if you aren’t careful. If there is a few of you, then book a day’s island tour to see the highlights with imitours.com They will take you up to the northern end of the island, to see Princeville, and there is only one road on the East Coast. I understand the road at the top end of the island is no longer in operation after Hanalei.

A lovely experience is to go to church on a Sunday morning and hear the locals play their instruments, dance, and they have an outstanding choir. Two I have enjoyed are St.Raphael, and the Koloa Christian church.

In l846 a Scottish lady named Mrs. Robinson bought the island of Nihau, which is 25 miles off the west coast of Kauai, from the King for $10,000 and the family still owns it with no visitors allowed. They also own a lot of property on the island of Kauai. Only found around the island of Nihau, is a tiny shell which the people make into breathtaking shell necklaces. It is worth going to see the exhibit of the necklaces at the Hawaiian Trading Post at the junction of highway 50 and 530, just 20 minutes drive from Poipu Beach. These necklaces can cost thousands and are collectors items.

Most of the cars on the road seemed to be four wheel drives. This is a great island for hiking and the Waimea canyon is a popular place to explore. You can only drive around half the island, there is no way up the West Coast after just past Kekaha.

The Poipu Beach area has definitely the best beaches on the island, and the public park is a wonderful place for little children to play in the sand since there are no waves coming into the end of the cove due to the lava wall.

The condo units are usually equipped with beach chairs, umbrella, short surf boards, and a picnic cooler.

I had fresh pineapple every day, and a Mai Tai in the evening, My wedding anniversary was very much enjoyed,

Aloha

Maureen Jones

All Horizons Travel/Frosch

825 Santa Cruz Ave

Menlo Park,

Tel. direct 650-961-2340