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Vital Kauai Tips for a Stress-Free and Relaxing Vacation

Before donning your beach shorts and heading towards the Pacific, make sure you know important Kauai tips to avoid complications and other troubles that can break the excitement. Careful preparation is the key for the whole family to enjoy and have an experience of a lifetime. Kauai is a very casual place so always emphasize comfort and convenience in every part of your trip planning.

How to Go Around Kauai

Kauai tips are available on the internet and it is ideal to make transportation reservations early since some days of the week and seasons tend to be packed. The easiest method for most would be to borrow a car from a friend or relative living in Kauai or avail of car rental services. Car rental rates in Hawaii are actually much cheaper compared to other states in America.

Expect to pay anywhere from %40 to %60 for a 1-day rental of a medium-size car. The price range already is non-discounted and has unlimited mileage. You can make reservations by phone, online or personally at agencies nearby Lihue Airport. Most companies allow you to drive anywhere on the island provided that you are at least 25 years old and have a valid driving license and credit card.

Hawaii is one state bustling with tradition, history and culture dating back thousands of years even before the United States was discovered. Since Kauai is the oldest of all major islands, it has a lot of practices and events handed down from generation to generation. Kauai festivals offer you the experience of a lifetime unmatched by any other in the Pacific. Find out the best places and schedules.

Frequent Kauai Festivals

Every tourist can expect to witness at least one festival while visiting Kauai. The Waimea Historic Walking Tour at West Kauai Visitor Center is a weekly event held every Monday starting at 9:30 a.m. This is an outdoor occasion requiring individuals to register to participate and avail of special group tours. You walk through some great landscapes and structures that define the early lifestyle of Kauai villagers.

You get to see the exact spot where Captain James Cook first landed in the 1700s as well as agricultural landscapes featuring corn, rice and taro plantations and a sophisticated ditch system. You also get to learn about some great Hawaiian kings, citizens and foreign missionaries including a number of landmarks that these important people of the past left behind. The entire tour lasts about 2 hours.

Going on feet never seemed more exhilarating, fun and enjoyable with the several Kauai trails. You get to enjoy scenic tropical views like uncharted rainforests, waterfalls, secret caves, oceanfront cliffs, beaches, canyons and valleys. Many tourists all over the globe flock to experience the pacific paradise and get a feel of the 97% uninhabited conserved natural treasures of the oldest island in Hawaii.

The Great Hikes

The Kauai Kalalau Trail Na Pali Coastline is one of the ultimate hikes in the island which takes about 2 days to finish. The trail starts at the end of the road at Kee Beach. Many hikers hike for 11 miles and upon reaching the end at Kalalau Beach, get picked up by a tour bus. From the starting point, you work the incline up to the Na Pali Coastline.

The first 25 minutes of the trail is fairly mudde, steep and rocky although you get to see a great view of Kee Beach. Views of the coastline will come and go as you continue on the trail. Hanakapi?ai Beach is just 2 miles from the starting point but you get to go through streams, boulders, caves and cliffs along the way.

Kauai golf courses are among the top-rated worldwide which is why thousands of individuals regardless of level want to experience the whole-new challenges and magnificent sceneries awaiting them in this side of the Pacific. This is the place where champions play as well as where beginners learn and hone their skills. Although there are so many courses available in Hawaii, find out which ones are the best.

Classic Layouts

Kiahuna Golf Club is located at 2545 Kiahuna Plantation Drive, Koloa and was designed by the famous golf course architect Robert Trent Jones II. The architect defines the golf course as a sporting challenge with unique holes that seem to be a quite a puzzle for players to solve. You can?t expect to play the same game twice in Kiahuna Golf Club and every turn continues to stay interesting each time. Jones tried to maintain ancient remnants to properly identify and define the Hawaiian culture.

The course measures about 6,925 yards from the championship tees to a par 70 with a slope of 134 and a rating of 73.5. There are adequate water hazards, trade winds and bunkers that challenge you in every type of shot. The 18-hole course was recently renovated and features great values and facilities as well. This is the perfect place to relax and enjoy regardless of how serious you are with the game.

There is an abundance of Kauai historical sites since the island is over 5 million years old and is the oldest in all of Hawaii. Several explorers from Polynesia, Europe and America have already visited the island over several centuries so some structures and places have a legend to tell. Find out more about Hawaiian culture, history and tradition and unveil the secrets to some of Kauai?s treasures.

Built on Belief

There used to be several bellstones located all over the different islands of Hawaii. These were struck at a specific point to resonate a unique tone that can be heard from distance locations. The bellstone is rung to inform people from nearby villages and islands of a special event such as a royal birth.

The bellstone at Highway 580, Wailua, East Kauai is found downhill from two big boulders that were specifically placed to calibrate the Hawaiian calendars according to the winter and summer solstices. To reach the bellstone, go to Mile Marker #1 on Highway 580 or Kuamo?o Road until you reach the dirt road leading to the ocean. Follow the path until you reach the two big boulders. The Kauai historical site is 100 feet from the guardrail. It is illegal to move or deface any of the two boulders.

Humble Beginnings: Getting to Know Kauai Plantation and Railways

The original settlers of Hawaii actually came from the Marquesas anywhere between 400 to 700 A.D. Kauai plantation and agriculture started to develop as the explorers imported farm animals as well as other food crops like sugarcane, taro, banana, coconut, rice, sweet potato and breadfruit. Other visitors from Spain, America and Russia continued to bring in plants and products like coffee, pineapple, onions and oranges which up to now are produced abundantly in the island.

The Sugarcane System

Sugarcane is also known as Ko in Hawaii which has great taste, nutritional value as well as medicinal effects. Stalks are harvested then ground to produce liquid extracts resulting to juice which is then boiled to make raw sugar. Koloa, Kauai was the site of the first commercial sugarcane plantation created in 1835.

At this early stage, there were a variety of problems such as limited labor, water shortage and remote location. Irrigation systems and intricate canal networks were built beginning in 1856 which helped support the sugarcane plantations other fields growing different crops also followed the system yielding abundant harvests and vast amounts of profit.

Walk Back Through Time: Spotting Kauai Museums

If you want to discover the different events and legends that occured in the past 2000 years of Kauai?s existence, there are still many proofs and hints available to this day. Kauai museums hold several architectural treasures, artifacts and other evidences of the various important happenings in Hawaiian past as well as showcase how ancient villagers and tribes used to live in this vast tropical paradise.

Agricultural History

Kauai actually has a very rampant agricultural lifestyle. Early Polynesian explorers brought many unique plants and herbs that are still existent today. Several farmers and workers used to tend plantations and fields with products such as corn, sugarcane, coconut, rice and a variety of fruits and vegetables. The Faye Museum at Kaumualili Highway, Waimea is a single-room location at Waimea Plantation Cottages that contain exhibits and pictures of H.P. Faye, a pioneer sugar planter at West Kauai.

The Norwegian immigrant arrived in 1880 and began a small plantation at Mana which established Kakaha Sugar and Kokee Ditch Systems. Two more generations followed and continued to manage the plantation. You get to see the intricate drainage canals that serve the big swamps of Mana. Admission is free.

Delectable Dishes: Finding the Best Kauai Restaurant

If you?re looking for a great place to dine, be sure to visit a Kauai restaurant. Some spots in the island offers world-class cuisine prepared by only the best in the world. You can try a variety of authentic Hawaiian cuisine and drinks as well as other popular international dishes. Some places are ideal for romantic getaways while others are perfect for the entire family with huge appetites and a budget.

What the Experts Recommend

Some Kauai restaurants particularly focus on keeping the whole family entertained and full. The Hanama?ulu Tea House and Ono Family Restaurant are popular spots for having quality service, special attention to children as well as great food and drinks. Here you can enjoy some authentic Hawaiian meals at the right sizes for every member of the household. Brick Oven Pizza is another fun restaurant as well where kids can feel right at home. If the family are up for nice meats and steaks, they can visit Tip Top, Kintaro and Brennecke?s. These places have very extensive menus.

Practicing Kauai Safety Guidelines for a Vacation to Remember

Hawaii is virtually bustling with tourist attractions like beaches, diving spots and other natural wonders. However, it is important to know some Kauai safety tips to make your tip worth the time, effort and money. Accidents can happen if you do not know the nature and characteristics of certain locations. Some areas are untouched by human hands and remain in their original and wild state so tread carefully.

Staying Safe at the Beach

Kauai is located at 22 degrees latitude which is very close to the equator so it gets more direct sunlight compared to other islands in the Pacific. Although temperatures on the average range from 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit, some areas particularly in the northwest part of the island tend to experience intense rays from the sun. During the summer months, it is recommended to stay in shady areas or completely avoid sun exposure from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

First Class Getaways: The Best Kauai Hotels

Although any place in Hawaii is a spectacular place to stay regardless of your budget and location, there are definitely luxurious ways to spend your vacation. Many Kauai hotels are budding in several regions but there are a few ones that continue to draw thousands of tourists every year because of the vast amenities, top-of-the-line facilities and quality services that compete with the best in the world.

The Big Names

Marriott?s Kauai Beach Club is located at 3610 Rice Street, Lihue on the North Shore very near the Tri-State Tollway just a mile away from Lihue Airport. Expect your suite to have a sitting room that features a wet bar, microwave, refrigerator and luxurious bath. Relax in the indoor or heated outdoor pool, sauna and whirlpool after doing some cardio or weight training in the fitness center.

The hotel features Allies American Grille and Bar which serves delectable American dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can also hold special events and business meetings in any of the 8 meeting rooms that total 4000 square feet of space. Merge your vacation with work efficiently with the available business center.