Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Babymoon II - north shore



We spent the second part of our trip in the north of the island. The north is famous for its beaches, and there are quite a few gems indeed. The area around Princeville is far more developped than the quaint township of Poi'pu. Mega-resorts, a few large private estates and a multitude of beachfront properties make for a less remote feeling than in the south. Access to the beaches is often tricky given the steep terrain, but once you get there the views are grand. Most of them are secluded (did I mention the difficult access?) and the snorkeling is outstanding. There are also plenty of hikes, but they require diligent application of DEET and we figured that can't be good for pregnant women. A few pictures.

Hotel critic: for this part we stayed at the Westin. The thing to note about this hotel is that rooms come with a washer/dryer and a full kitchen, which is probably really nice with kids. The hotel is on a cliff so access to the beach is cumbersome to say the least (you need to walk down a super steep, muddy, mosquito infested jungle path). There is a shuttle to the St. Regis (formerly Princeville Hotel) which has better access to the ocean and a stunning view of Hanalei Bay, so that's nice if you don't mind hanging out with the rich and famous. I have a suspicion that the Westin is full of consultants spending their Starwoods points, which may impact their "tight" management (why else is parking - $9/day - not included in a $250/night room rate?) For a more relaxed feel stay at the Hyatt.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Babymoon I - south shore



We spent the first half of our babymoon on the south shore of Kaua'i. We stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Poi'pu (I mention it because this is a fantastic hotel, it outshines any beach hotel I've ever stayed at). The developed part of Poi'pu is tiny (if you are in shape you can jog from one end to the other in 25 min) and the sights include a few beaches, an area riddled with blowholes, and lithified cliffs. The reason you need a rental car is to visit Waimea canyon further to the west, a grandiose valley with a ton of hiking opportunities. It rained everyday, albeit not continuously. Somehow rain does not really matter in Kaua'i, it feels like a welcome refreshment rather than an inconvenience. The island is beautiful, we had some great snorkeling despite the somewhat agitated seas (come in the summer months for calm water). The underwater highlight was a head-on crash into a giant turtle on Poi'pu beach, and spotting one of these alien looking flaunders in the sand.
Best of: Tidepools (favorite restaurant); Lawa'i Beach (favorite snorkeling spot when the surf is up); Pihea trail (favorite hike).
More pictures, and one clip.