LUSH LIFE

Exploring Kauai – The Garden Island by Barbara Barton Sloane

Want a vacation that encompasses everything from saddles to champagne, with fun-filled activities from morning to night, and that makes you feel like you’ve just stepped back in time wandering through Jurassic Park? Come to Kauai. I promise, it is no place like home!

Getting Lei’d
Doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen it - in movies, on TV -
you arrive in Kauai, Hawaii, step off the plane, walk through the airport, and as a gracious greeter places a lei of fresh orchids around your neck, you feel so special….ok, it’s a bit hokey, but special.

This magical island, approximately 150 miles west of the Big Island of Hawaii, has 553 square miles of beach, rain forest, desert, mountains and plains. At Wai’ale’ale, it rains nearly every day, making it the wettest place on earth. Go a few miles west and rain is rare. The north shore is as lush as any place on the planet, and the south shore is a sunny playground. Kauai is known as the land of a thousand waterfalls; some tumbling hundreds of feet out of the jungle, some small enough to walk across, then jump into a lagoon and swim directly under a symphony of rushing water. One thing is certain. Kauai is nature on a very grand scale.
(www.kauaidiscovery.com)

Let’s Get Physical
You don’t just go to Kauai, you get into Kauai, feeling its age-old beauty, moving through its unspoiled landscapes. Called the Garden Island, it has a calm, peaceful side, but also offers exhilarating diversions – activities and adventures that you will find no place else on earth. So let’s get physical!

Some of the “adventure” activities were clearly outside of my comfort zone, which zone is best experienced from a comfy chaise lounge by a swimming pool. But, loathe to appear totally wimpish before my gung-ho traveling companions, I found plenty of diversions that were well within my “zone”. No, not zipping over a 150 foot ravine or careening through canyons in a helicopter, but activities that were still semi-challenging and lots of fun.

Do Something Dirty!
In reading the pamphlet about the ATV Waterfall Tour, it explained that you venture into jungle-like tropics while sitting in a custom built 2-seater dune buggy, and end with a picnic by a waterfall. I thought “I can do this!” This vehicle is known island-wide as the “Mud Bug,” and as I signed the release form, donned complete head-to-toe outerwear, helmet and goggles, it occurred to me to ask “Why Mud Bug?” I discovered it’s because this long and winding road that we were about to traverse is typically very muddy and full of holes. If it’s been raining, one is encouraged to crash through every puddle. Today it’s dry, so the trip will be very dusty. Either way, I’m going to get dirty, and that explains why I’m now in a huge pair of camouflage pants, a shabby t-shirt, and eye protection. Okaaaay.

The Mud Bug adventure covers 22 miles winding through thick vegetation and rugged terrain. We bump, we grind, we feel as though our cute 2-seater Mud Bug is gonna fall apart, but finally we reach a secluded waterfall and swimming hole. We have bathing suits on underneath all the mud clothing, so we plunge in. It’s a refreshing reward but there’s still the drive back to think about! When we get back to the tour office it is a pleasure to shed our scruffy clothes. The shower later is a truly cleansing experience.
(www.kauaiatv.com)

The Napali Sunset Sail is a peaceful way to end the day. Our 65 foot power catamaran takes us on a breathtaking tour of the Napali coastline. We enjoy a dinner buffet and mai tais, wine and soft drinks. A nice touch: we stop before pulling back into port to watch a spectacular sunset while sipping
champagne.
(www.holoholocharters.com)

Horseback Riding at Princeville Ranch is an activity you don’t want to miss. Our leader, Robin Cooke, was professional and jovial. She made sure that everyone stayed together and that we didn’t startle the wild boars in the brush and cause our horses to spook. She cautioned a seasoned rider in the lead not to trot or gallop as horses tend to “follow the leader” and all of us would then be off on a wild trot. Thank you Robin! This being only my second time on a horse, galloping was not what I had in mind today.
A nice, slow walk suited me just fine. The sights were amazing. Cliffs, boulders, mountains, all reminiscent of the Jurassic Park movies where, on this island, each of those 3 films was made.

On Princeville Ranch, I also did the memorable Waterfall Hike. We were a group of 4 plus Tom Meyers, our guide, who was incredibly knowledgeable about the tropical plants and foliage we saw, as well as history of the Ranch. Our hike took us to the spectacular five-tiered Kalihiwai Falls and then – a lagoon – where we glided around in big black inner tubes. Surprise! When we climbed out of the tubes, Tom had set a table with a pretty cloth for a lunch of veggie roll-ups, chips and soda.
(www.princevilleranch.com)

100% Downhill, 100% Fun
This was one of my favorite activities. Run by Outfitters Kauai, with the claim that “our business is going downhill!” this is truly the bike ride from heaven. The entire 12 miles is downhill! A van took us to the top of the mountain at 5:00 a.m., making a stop en route for donuts and coffee. By the time we reached our destination, about a 45 minute ride, we were all bright eyed and ready to start our ride. And what a ride it was, with speeds sometimes reaching 40 mph. We stopped several times to view the ocean and the mammoth green/gray canyons surrounding us. Our trip was further enlivened by our van driver, Ka Pono, who then played “sweep”, following our group of 13 as we coasted along. He regaled us with jokes, stories of his Samoan ancestors, and his experience holding the title of 4-time state champion bull rider. All downhill, all fun. Wheeeeee….
(www.outfitterskauai.com)

For The More Courageous
You’ll find it all here in Kauai. There’s the Mountain Tubing Adventure, where you float down historic waterways, open channels, flumes and tunnels ( www.kauaibackcountry.com); Princeville Ranch Adventures offers a Zipline that actually combines 8 ziplines, the longest of which is 750 feet (www.kauaiadventure.com); and for a birds-eye view of the Garden Island there’s Island Helicopters (www.islandhelicopters.com).

R&R
The ResortQuest Kauai Beach Hotel at Makaiwa on the Coconut Coast is a pretty, oceanfront property that just completed a $30 million dollar
renovation. An added feature: they have an award-winning luau with traditional Hawaiian food, beef teriyaki, poi, haupia (cocoanut pudding) and much more. Performances include Hawaiian hula, Tahitian dances, and exciting Samoan fire-knife dances
(www.resortquesthawaii.com)

Everyone gets their own condo at Castle Kiahuna Plantation with a fully-stocked kitchen, dining room, living room, patio – and just beyond that, a beautiful white beach and the calm, turquoise ocean. If you’re needing some R&R after all that physical activity, here’s the place to do it.
(www.castleresorts.com)

The Princeville Resort is located on Kauai’s North Shore and is in Conde Nast Traveler’s Gold List of ‘world’s best places to stay.’ My room had a terrace so naturally I raced out to check the view. There, before me, majestic mountain peaks piercing a robin’s egg blue sky, dotted with tiny cotton puff clouds. In the distance, a tiny white sailboat seems to have been placed there just to make this scene picture-perfect. And crashing below me, the green-blue sea . Princeville Resort calls itself “a sanctuary for the senses.” I agree. Smell, sight, touch, sound and taste are aroused to capture “ike ika wahi”, which translates to “Hawaii’s sense of place.” This property is famous for its unforgettable wedding packages - in effect, a wedding ceremony set in paradise. There’s the Luxury Wedding, the Princeville Wedding, and Eternal Love. Very romantic.
(www.starwoodhotels.com/hawaii)

Trivial but Interesting Facts
Look but Don’t Touch
One day I took a walk down to water’s edge. Just a few feet from me, a fat, gray Monk Seal struggling mightily to flip himself up on the moss covered rocks. After several tries, he succeeded and immediately closed his eyes to bask in the morning sun. The Hawaiian Monk Seal is among the most endangered creatures on earth. Often referred to as “living fossils,” the Monk Seal has remained relatively unchanged for over 15 million years. There are less than 30 of these seals on Kauai, and state and federal laws prohibit touching or harassing them in any way.

Bugged Out
It’s a curious but wonderful thing: Kauai is relatively insect-free. Yes, whether in dense jungle foliage or hiking over arid plains, no bugs. Another interesting fact: No snakes! I’m not sure why, but I sure am glad!

Spam-a lot – Hawaiian Soul Food
Hawaiians have a Spam fixation. On this island you can find Spam enchiladas, Spam frittatas, Spam Reuben sandwiches. There’s even a festival dedicated to this mystery meat-in-a-can. Spam worked its way into the hearts–and arteries–of Hawaiians during WWII when fresh meat was scarce. As it needs no refrigeration, islanders stock up on this proletarian pork product and find it comes in handy during hurricanes, tsunamis or other natural disasters. Spam jam, anyone?

The Meaning of ALOHA
A stands for AKAHAI, meaning kindness
L stands for LOKAHI, meaning unity
O stands for OLU’OLU meaning agreeable
H stands for HA’AHA’A, meaning humility
A stands for AHONUI, meaning patience.
Hawaiians believe that it starts with each one of us. It starts in the heart.
Aloha.