Kauai is about the same size as O`ahu, registering about 20 miles by 30 miles and somewhat circular.

Being the oldest in the chain, it has had plenty of time to lose the look of molten lava that other islands still show.
Just a few years after hurricane 'Iniki hit dead center along the eastern side, I could see no remnants of the destruction.

Kaua`i is home to the wettest spot on earth with Mt. Wai`ale`ale being the fountainhead of all seven rivers on the island.

This center of the island averages something like 450 inches of rain a year. Before that scares you away from visiting,
just 5 miles away, a section of the island gets twelve inches of rain a year! If no one told you, you would never guess the
island got that much rain. You get a brief shower in the afternoon, if that often. If you want to visit a part of the island
and it looks like rain, head the other direction or wait an hour.

For shear beauty, my vote is Kaua`i. Mountains, valleys, the ocean, a relaxed location, empty beaches and lush tropical
foliage abound. You can visit a beach and be the only one there all day.

Most of the population lives within a couple miles of the beach because the middle of the island is a giant mountain and
valley! The main road circles the outside of the island and there is one main road going up the mountain to the valley.

The center of the island has what mark Twain called "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific". This canyon is a 4,000 foot
drop and is a breathtaking view!

Granted, there is little "night life" after midnight, but I didn't find that to be a problem. If you are a "party animal", this
may not be the island for you.

There is no big industry on the island, just small businesses and places making T-shirts. A famous trademark of the
island is the Red Dirt T-shirts they make there. The material is already stained with reddish dirt (similar to Georgia
clay).

You can see a free Hula Show at the Coconut Grove Shopping center a couple times a week.

There is a Wal-Mart and some other large stores of note on the island, but mostly there are Mom and Pop businesses.
Send a coconut postcard home in the mail or buy a hand painted surfboard if you have the spare cash!

Helicopter rides up the canyon are popular, although I have not yet taken one.

There are many hotels and Bed and Breakfasts on the island. I like Green Acres Cottages.

I leave the B&B and head either North or South for my day's activities.

I have spent over 20 days on Kaua`i and still have not seen all I want to. Oh I guess you could "do the island"
in two days, but you would miss so much. There are tours just of the locations where movies were filmed.

There are hiking opportunities on the island and if you wish, you can camp out on top of the mountain. Also popular are
hikes along the cliffs to deserted beaches.

If you look through travel books for the island, I want to tell you that if you have a camera, you too can take those very
pictures! You do not have to be a fabulous photographer to take professional pictures on Kaua`i!
 

Click above to buy it!

By the way, my favorite guide book for Kaua`i is "The Ultimate Kaua`i Guidebook". The authors also wrote a guide to the Big Island of Hawaii. This book is an exceptional guide to the island of Kaua`i. They give honest comparisons of prices and reveal many secret places for you to explore on your trip.Many of their photos look just like mine. As I say, anyone can take these same pictures, generally without even having to leave your car!

I have to admit a soft spot in my heart for this, the Garden Isle. One visit and you will understand why many films have
been shot here. The following is a list from the Internet Movie Database of movies shot on Kaua`i.

    Blue Hawaii (1961)
    Body Heat (1981)
    Donovan's Reef (1963)
    Flight of the Intruder (1990)
    George of the Jungle (1997)
    Godzilla (1998)
    He Is My Brother (1974)
    Honeymoon in Vegas (1992)
    Jurassic Park (1993)
    King Kong (1976) ...aka King Kong: The Legend Reborn (1976) (USA: working title)
    Lady in White (1988)
    Lost Flight (1969) (TV)
    Lost World: Jurassic Park, The (1997) ...aka Lost World, The (1997)
    Mighty Joe Young (1998)
    North (1994)
    Outbreak (1995)
    Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
    Six Days Seven Nights (1998) ...aka 6 Days 7 Nights (1998)
    South Pacific (1958)
    Uncommon Valor (1983/II) (TV)
    Voodoo Island (1957) ...aka Silent Death (1957)  ...aka Silent Death (1962) (USA: reissue title)
    White Heat (1934)

And all this on an island measuring only 20 by 30 miles!
 

	This waterfall is near Lihu'e airport. Go through a sugarcane field and stop at the "Caution: Slippery Rocks" sign.  They are called Wailua Falls and can be seen just before Tattoo says "Da plane, da plane" on Fantasy island.
	A sunrise on Papa'a beach.
	Another sunrise.
	Another sunrise.
	From this beach, I took the above sunrises. There is a "Kodak Moment" associated with this beach. Ask me sometime.
	Wailua Beach.
	Lumaha`i Beach is a somewhat hidden beach. You may remember this from the movie 'South Pacific' where the nurses sing "I'm gonna wash that man right out of my hair".
	The Kilauea Lighthouse.
	Beside the lighthouse are these rocks. Water cascades in and out of caverns here.
	Sunrise over a reddish sand beach (Kealia Beach).
	Lava and coral make this beach and water seem dark.  Captain Cook landed on this beach.  By the way, I took one of these rocks home and bad luck followed. I returned the rock.  See my lava rock warning!
	The south end of the valley. This begins the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
	Spouting Horn. The water is pushed into a lava tube.
	Spouting Horn explodes.
	Ke'e Beach.
	Ke'e Beach.
	Sunset through a tree on the top of the mountain.
Click picture for higher resolution	Wailua Falls.
Click picture for higher resolution	Polehale Beach and Na Pali coast.
Click picture for higher resolution	It's not hard to find a daily rainbow or two.
Click picture for higher resolution	Hanalei Valley. Below are taro fields from which poi is made.
Click picture for higher resolution	A church in Hanalei.
Click picture for higher resolution	Another beach...
Click picture for higher resolution	Lumahai Beach. This is the first time I've seen it with people. Made famous as "Nurse's Beach" from 'South Pacific'.
Click picture for higher resolution	Go 1/2 mile up the trail from Kee Beach and look east to the beach.
Click picture for higher resolution	Turn 180 degrees and here is the other view. This is the Na Pali Coast.
	This is the famous Kalalau Valley. Walk to this site from your car!

Drop me a line at lavarock@myhawaiiansite.comif you have any comments.
 
 

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