I spent some time in Hawaii on the "Garden Island" of Kaua'i in the mid-80's. Kauai is a real tropical paradise basking amidst the sparkling blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. It was formed some six million years ago when a volcano grew from the ocean floor, the island encompasses roughly 550 square miles and is the oldest and northernmost of the main Hawaiian Islands.

I was there when the "Tall Ships" came to Honolulu in 1985 and sailed out on a friends boat to greet them. I didn't have a boat of my own then.

Hanalei Valley is one of the most famous vistas on Kauai. The valley is one mile wide and six miles long. Most of the taro and other crops grown on Kauai are grown here. Hanalei Bay opens out from the valley on the North Shore and is a long half-moon of sandy beach carved into the base of a sheer cliff on one side and narrowing into a rocky point on the other. At the westernmost curve of the bay, you'll find a calm shoreline where the water is relatively quiet even when most of the north shore is too rough for safe swimming. It is a great jumping off place to explore the Na Pali Coast's hiking trails.

The Na Pali Coast, on the North Shore, has cliffs rising as high as 4,000 feet and are accessible from the beautiful Kalalau Trail. Hiking, helicopter or rafting trips offer spectacular views of the region. The Na Pali region may have been the first part of Kauai to be settled and you can find many ruins and native sites there.

Waimea Canyon, on the West Side of the island, is ten miles long and about 3,600 feet deep. It was described by Mark Twain as the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific." From the lookout there is a spectacular view into Kalalau Valley, one of the most beautiful sights on the island.

When we were there we camped for sometime on Poipu Beach which is just east of Koloa on the South Shore. Old Koloa Town was the site of Kauai's first sugar plantation. We also stayed in Lihue which is the principal town and is Kauai's county seat. Eventually we ended up in Kapaai Heights, inland of Old Kapaa Town which is a quaint 19th century plantation town. The streets are lined with a variety of unique shops and restaurants and is a tourist center and home of most of the haloe (white) population.

Check out my Kaua'i Links Page for more info.