Explore the ancient Royal Coconut Coast in Kauai with a stop at Kapaa Town.
Kapaa (pronounced ka pah ah) is on the east side of the island of Kaua‘i. In 1777 (Captain Cook’s time) the town was not populated, according to the book Rainbows Over Kapaa by Bill Fernandez. There is no mention of Kapaa, which means ‘the solid”, in early Kaua‘i history. In 1877, 13,400 acres were leased from the government by Makee Sugar Company. The venture failed because the operators had little knowledge about growing and processing sugar and the town was doomed to become “a backwater habitat of isolated squatter shanties of expatriate Chinese laborers.” Nevertheless, Kapaa turned its fortune around with a unique identity of mixed cultures and cheap land.Emanating the American Dream, Kapaa’s early settlers created a thriving town. Visit Kapaa town today and you’ll see a large city (for Kaua‘i) bustling with cars, stores, award winning restaurants, hotels, resorts, shopping centers and tourist attractions. Snuggled on the windward side, it’s three beaches are accessible year round for swimming, surfing and snorkeling. Rent a bike at Coconut Coasters and ride beside the ocean on the 2.5 mile paved Ke Ala Hele Makalae or “the path that goes by the coast.” Kapaa has five streams, Hoopi Falls, and five parks. Nounou or “Sleeping Giant” provides day hikes with ocean views. You can enjoy a self guided tour of the beautiful 300 acre Hindu monastery, take a chocolate tour at Steelgrass Farms, kayak along the Wailua River or play golf. One of the best ways to explore Kapaa is leisurely and on foot. Old Town Kapaa is filled with funky clothes stores, ethnic restaurants, hand made Hawaiian crafts, music, fruit stands, coffee shops, yoga studios, art galleries, beachside watering holes and surf shops. As you walk along the paved bike path shaded by coconut palms, neighborhood events, keiki (children) swimming in the oceanside pool, and local fisherman enjoying an afternoon brew all add to the ambiance. Take time to enjoy the Royal Coconut Coast lined with acres of ancient coconut groves; a magical place filled with history and culture. Posted by Marta Lane
It’s always good to have local advice when you’re planning a Hawai‘i vacation. That might mean someone who has visited the islands, maybe more than once. Even better would be someone who now lives in Hawai‘i. Better than that? Someone who grew up here, has lived on three of the islands, and enjoys helping visitors make the most of their Hawai‘i experience. That’s Tara Barron, the most senior agent at Hawaii Aloha Travel.
Unlike most of us, Tara was dragged to Hawai‘i under protest — as a young girl leaving her friends on the mainland. (I confess to taking some comfort in knowing that parental relocations are not popular no matter how fabulous the destination.) She grew up on Maui, and has lived on the big island (Hawai‘i) as well as Oahu. When she tells you about the islands of Hawai‘i, she draws on years of experience.
It should come as no surprise, then, that Tara likes to help visitors with multi-island packages. Visiting more than one island lets travelers experience the different aspects of Hawai‘i and it allows them to vary their own activities. Hiking and visiting nature preserves are part of a Big Island trip, along with seeing the volcano. Many of the sites with names that are familiar to travelers are on Oahu, along with important historical, governmental and cultural spots.
She says about half of her customers are taking their first trip to Hawai‘i, the others are returning. Veterans are either looking for something different, or know they want to repeat a great experience. First time visitors, however, often need hand-holding all the way through. "Sometimes people will tell me they want to visit the Big Island," Tara says. "I ask them what they want to do, and they describe activities that are on Oahu. It’s not uncommon for people to think that Oahu is the ‘Big Island’." That could be because it has the most population or is the center of government, but when describing islands in Hawai‘i, "big" means geography. Tara gently guides visitors to the experience they really have in mind.
Tara lends a wealth of experience and a helping hand to Hawaii visitors, whether it’s the first visit or fifth. Each time, the trip is enhanced with her local touch.
Tucked into a pocket of upscale homes in Honolulu, Shangri La is an unexpected find. The oasis of Islamic art and architecture was once the private retreat of one of the wealthiest women in the world.
Doris Duke fell in love with Hawaii when she first visited on her honeymoon in 1935. She extended her stay to four months and later returned to build this five-acre estate. At the time, the location was fairly isolated but the town has now surrounded it. Still, plain white walls at the driveway give little hint of what they conceal.
I have visited Shangri La several times. Last week, I took my mother so she could see one of my favorite Hawaii places. She was very impressed with what one woman accomplished. Duke collected authentic pieces of Islamic art, furnishings and architecture from around the world. She also commissioned some custom pieces for this house, and had copies made when original pieces were not available in sufficient quantity (such as additional lamps or windows).
It is not necessary to have any background in art, history or culture to enjoy this house. Small groups of a dozen people are driven to the house from the Honolulu Art Academy and given a very relaxed and informative tour by friendly guides. The pace is easy, although there are some stairs. We took the afternoon tour and it was noticeably hotter than my previous trips in the morning. The cost of the tour is $25, which includes the van ride and tour of the home. It also includes admission to the Honolulu Art Academy, so be sure to come early or stay after the tour to see some of the collections there. We had lunch at the HAA cafe before the tour, which is always a treat.
Each time I have gone to Shangri La, there have been local Hawaii residents along on the tour. Many of them grew up swimming or fishing on the beach below Shangri La and wondering what was inside. One remembered seeing camels wandering the grounds!
The estate closes each September for restoration work. The final tours this month are August 28; they resume October 1. Often the tours sell out, so it is good to plan ahead to see this gem.
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Hawaii’s exotic plants provide a natural umbrella as they collect the morning mist. On my walk across campus today, I could see light rain falling in the sunlight of a clearing ahead, however I was dry – protected by leaves from trees and very large plants.
One of the most interesting “trees” in Hawaii is really an enormous fern – the Australian Tree Fern (Cyathea australis). Its trunk can grow from 20-40 feet tall in the rain forests that are its preferred habitat. On campus, most are smaller than that but still taller than I am. From the trunk, huge light green fronds arch out, providing a cover for plants or humans below. They look lacy and delicate but have firm enough stems that they don’t sag even in heavy rain and wind.
New leaves unroll from tiny pods on the top of the trees. I found a short fern that allowed me to get a close look at the emerging leaves. It’s fun to watch them unfurl over time.
As you might guess from the name, this fern is from Australia. Many people like them as landscaping because they are so beautifully exotic, but the ferns are not very happy outside warm, moist climates. They also don’t like direct sunlight – they usually grow beneath taller trees that provide shade in rain forests or tropical jungles.
These types of plants are part of what give Hawaii its exotic appearance. When I see tree ferns like this and banyan trees in a movie or television show, I check the shooting locations to see if Hawaii is listed (and it usually is). The large lawn where the Hawaii Five-O blessing was held last week is ringed by this fern.
When I pass below these tree ferns, I remember the tiny plants I used to fertilize and mist to encourage to grow. They seem like tiny potted replicas of what a fern is in its natural environment — where it is large enough to take care of me.
A quick, heavy downpour splashed outside my windows this morning as I dressed for work. Although I carry an umbrella in my backpack, I doubted I’d use it. Instead, I reached for my hoodie – the lightweight hooded sweatshirt that protects me both from Hawaii’s frequent mists and overly-enthusiastic air conditioning.
By the time I left the house, the hard rain had passed – as usual. Rather, a light mist was in the air as I walked to the bus stop. The mist continued even though the skies were blue with white, puffy clouds. The mist is the reason I rely on a hoodie rather than an umbrella most of the time. The moisture is not really heavy enough for an umbrella and it often seems to move sideways on the breeze rather than falling directly down.
When I moved to Hawaii, I looked in local stores for a rain jacket. I imagined heavy tropical rains for much of the year, certainly through the winter. I didn’t find any, only racks of sweatshirts. I wondered why – the image of a wet, soggy sweatshirt didn’t seem very appealing. In my great wisdom, I ordered a rain jacket online to prepare for my first fall. About a year later, I finally gave it away relatively unused. It was too hot to wear most of the time so I would put it on for the sprinkles and mist then take it off right away. It also wasn’t very effective at combating the cold air conditioning in my office, classrooms and on the bus.
Since the hard rain is usually a quick shower, I do carry an umbrella in case I can’t just wait it out under a building overhang, which is my favorite technique. But most of the time, the hoodie is plenty of protection from the light sprinkles and mist – keeping me dry and not getting wet clear through. I encounter more frequent showers because I live on the windward side of the island and go to school in a valley. If I stayed near the beach all day, I probably wouldn’t even need that – just enjoy the cool mist on the breeze as it passes.
The sequence this morning is common in Hawaii: rain then mist followed by a rainbow!
The fare is two dollars (exact change required). That is roughly the same as the bus ($2.25) and much cheaper than a taxi. (Multi-line or multi-day passes are sold.) The trolley ride is entertaining — visiting or watching fellow passengers is easy when everyone is on benches facing one another. Drivers provide commentary on the route. The drivers and assistants know where everything is in the area and are happy to give directions. It is also easier to rubber-neck when you’re not worried about missing your stop — you can’t accidentally end up somewhere else.
There is a down side. Because the trolleys are open, they are not air conditioned. Usually, that’s not much of a problem. However, trolleys get caught in the same traffic as everyone else on Oahu. When there are parades or festivals or special events (nearly every weekend), the trip can be measured in inches. When my daughter visited recently, we took the trolley to go grocery shopping at Ala Moana. The trip to the mall was a breeze, but the return ran into heavy festival traffic. We were hot and sunburned by the end. If we had returned before late-afternoon when the party got going, we would have been fine.
I still recommend the trolley as a great way to tour Honolulu. At the recent Memorial Day lantern floating at Ala Moana Beach Park, many visitors wisely came by trolley. Even if you’re stuck in traffic, you don’t have to worry about parking spaces or other vehicles — leave that to the driver as you enjoy the view.
