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Kauai Overview/DansMeals:
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Dan 2014
Dan 2009, Auntiemus, Benarroc, Westman812, Hudi, Yellow, Lechaim2life, DanFan2010, Jmansour, Something Fishy, Rivky, chuchem, dealvr, Amusch,
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Related DDF Threads:
-Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
-Kauai Master Thread
-Maui Master Thread
-Oahu Master Thread


Before you go:

How long should I go for?
You could spend 10 years on Kauai and not get your fill. That being said, the bare minimum to enjoy your stay is 4 days on the ground. A week is ideal.

It's possible to do a short trip by leaving early Sunday morning, getting there in the afternoon, and then leaving Thursday night and being back home for shabbos.

Do I need a guide book?
Very definitely. Sure you could find most info online, but nothing compares to a good, written-by-a-local, guide book. Kauai Revealed is by far the best option, and will possibly be the best $16 you spent on your trip.

What about Shabbos?
Some authorities hold that there's a dateline issue with Shabbos.
The local communities keep shabbos on Saturday.
Definitely ask your LOR before you go - some hold simply that Shabbos is on Saturday, some hold that you have to keep Shabbos on both Friday and Saturday, and some hold that you have to keep D'oreisas on Friday and full Shabbos on Saturday.

If you must keep 2 days, remember that there are many questions that could come up (such as when to light Shabbos candles, how to warm up food, etc.), so make sure to discuss it all with your LOR.

There have been books written about the Chabad opinion of keeping shabbos only on Saturday. Rabbi Aharon Dovid Gancz gives an absolutely fascinating pilpul on the topic, if you get a chance to attend one please record it (with permission) and upload the video online.


Getting there and getting around:

Air:
The main airport is in Lihue, and is designated LIH.
You could fly directly from the mainland to LIH from
DEN (UA)
LAX (AA, DL, HA, UA)
OAK (AS, HA)
SAN (AS)
SEA (AS)
SFO (UA)
SJC (AS)
PDX (AS)
PHX (US)
YVR (WestJet)

There are no direct flights from the East coast, so you will stop in one of these cities.
Alternately, you could fly directly to Honolulu (HNL) and continue to LIH from there.

Hawaiian, Go, and Island Air fly interisland to LIH from HNL and OGG. There are no direct flights between LIH and the Big Island (ITO/KOA).

You can also use 5K AA or, 6k UA, or 7.5k HA miles each way to fly interisland. United allows a free stopover on a round-trip, so for instance you can fly HNL-LIH-OGG-HNL for just 12K miles.

Car:
A car is necessary on Kauai. All major companies have branches, mostly at the airport. There are also some local companies.

National has Executive Aisle/Selection at the airport, but Hertz doesn't have Gold Choice. Avis also has a desk at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. Check out www.discounthawaiicarrental.com - they book from the major brands, and are worth a try.

There's nothing like a convertible on Kauai, but a 4WD is better (sometimes even necessary) for certain places such as Polihale Beach or Milolii Ridge Road. Taking a convertible for most of your stay and a 4WD for a day or two is a good idea.


Where to stay:

There are 3 major areas where to stay. The South side is drier so good weather is more or less guaranteed. The North side is far prettier, with sheer cliffs and a backdrop of lovely green mountains. However, the weather in winter could be rainy and it can be buggy as well.
The rain typically doesn't last long, and is usually accompanied by numerous rainbows, so it's usually not too bad. However, it's something you should take into account. The East side has the cities of Lihue and Kapa'a, alone with countless hotels and resorts. This area isn't as beautiful and the North or South side.

When choosing an area also consider how far it is to your chosen activities, not just the weather, For example, it takes about an hour from the Grand Hyatt to Waimea Canyon, but over two hours from the St. Regis.  On the other hand the St. Regis is much closer to north shore activities.

Here are some places that are discussed in this thread:

NameAreaMore InfoComments
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Grand Hyatt KauaiSouth sideWebsiteGenerally considered to be the top hotel on Kauai, and countless DDF'ers have stayed there. The weather is perfect year-round, it's right by Poipu beach, and you drive through an awesome tree tunnel to get there. There are countless pools and exotic birds all around.
St. Regis PrincevilleNorth sideWebsiteAnother beautiful hotel, this is an SPG category 7. The setting of the SRP is absolutely breathtaking, with the ocean crashing on the cliffs below and the waterfall-filled mountains in the background. The views from the rooms are unparalleled, but most rooms have no balconies.
Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas North sideWebsiteSPG category 6.
Sheraton Kauai Resort South sideWebsiteSPG category 5.
"Get your own place"AnywhereWebsiteThere are countless condos, timeshares, or villas available to rent on the island. The advantages are that you get more for your money - a couple of bedrooms, living/dining rooms, and a full kitchen. There will usually be a pool, sometimes even a private one. Additionally, they're often cheaper than a hotel. There are many places to find them -
 HomeAway Kauai
VRBO Kauai
Airbnb Kauai, etc.


What to do:

Beaches:
There are countless beaches on Kauai, and all are public. Most offer amazing snorkeling. The East and South side beaches are safe for swimming / snorkeling year round, while some North and West beaches could be deadly in winter. Here are some popular ones, in no particular order:

NameAreaComments
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PoipuSouth sideThis beach is right by the GHK. Full amenities (lifeguard, showers, etc.). Snorkeling is amazing here, especially in the morning. Sea turtles and the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal are commonly seen here. Gorgeous sunsets.
Ke'eNorth sideThis beach is the gateway to the famous Kalalau Trail. The view from here is amazing, looking out over the majestic Na Pali cliffs. Great snorkeling, with a large fringing reef. This beach could be deadly winter, when 20-foot waves crash onto shore. However, at times it's perfectly calm. Use common sense. The beach is part of Hāʻena State Park
TunnelsNorth sideBeautiful crescent beach, with a lovely view of "Puff the Magic Dragon" mountain. Great snorkeling, and beautiful sunrises. May be dangerous in winter.
LumahaiNorth sideVery pretty beach, where they filmed South Pacific. Extremely dangerous winter.
PolihaleWest side17 solid miles of uninterrupted sand. Fairly remote, and accessible only via dirt and sand road, so 4WD is preferred. Unswimmable most of the year, but the area called Queens Pond is safe all year round. Since it's so huge, you could easily find a secluded spot. Great view of the south side of Na Pali, with amazing sunsets.
Queen's BathNorth sideThis is a rocky beach by the cliffs under Princeville. Very cool during the summer, when you could swim in a rock pool with the fish, but absolutely deadly during the winter (people die there all the time).
KalalauNorth sideOne of the most beautiful beaches in the entire world. Unfortunately, it's only accessible via one of the most difficult and most dangerous hikes in the world, the Kalalau Trail.
HonopūNorth sideAnother one of the top ten beaches in the world. The only way to get there is by swimming - from Kalalau beach :o!
Hanalei BayNorth sideA beautiful crescent beach with wonderful views. Mediocre snorkeling, but safe even in the winter. Very predictable waves, so this is the top spot for learning to surf or paddle. Breathtaking sunrises and sunsets.
SecretNorth sideRelatively secluded beach, and needs a bit of a hike to get there.
LydgateEast sideA fully protected beach, with pretty good snorkeling. Great for little kids, but is usually very busy.
NawiliwiliEast sideBoring beach, but the park of the the side is a nice place to stop for lunch and watch the kitesurfers.
Kapa'aEast sideAnother relatively boring beach, but a nice place to have lunch if you're in Kapa'a.


Hiking:
There are a tremendous amount of great hikes on Kauai. Check the Kauai Revealed book for detailed info on all of them, with maps, difficulty ratings, etc. These are just a few which are discussed in this thread:

NameAreaComments
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hike 1Area 1Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Hike 2Area 2Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.


Other activities:

ActivityComments
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Helicopter toursEasily the most expensive activity on Kauai, and easily the most amazing. You get to see otherwise inaccessible places - among others, you fly into Waimea Canyon, along the stunning Na Pali coast, and into the crater of the extinct Mount Waiʻaleʻale, now the wettest place on earth. It's an experience that could simply not be matched. Blue Hawaiian is the most popular and usually recommended. Jack Harter also flies amazing doors-off tours, which are wet, windy, and exhilirating :D.
Powered hang glidingThis is a unique flight lesson (counts a flying time for a pilot's license) in what's basically a motorized tricycle with wings. Supposed to be tremendous fun. Offered by Birds in Paradise.
Waimea CanyonLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Kalalau Valley overlookLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Hanalei Valley overlook
Kayaking
Biking
ATVing
Horseback riding
Ziplining
Cruises
4 Wheel Driving


Shopping:
  • Costco in Lihue has some kosher food, as well as the cheapest gas on the island
  • Wal-Mart, also in Lihue, also has some kosher food

« Last edited by cgr on February 24, 2022, 09:16:59 PM »

Author Topic: Kauai, HI Master Thread  (Read 823869 times)

Offline mochjas

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2840 on: February 23, 2018, 01:52:00 PM »
After all this mishegas, they didn't even have any standard suites available for the days I wanted at the GH Kauai so as of now its just a regular room booking. I thought the ocean suites, which are available would have sufficed for this booking but nope. From all of you traveling experts experienced in booking these things, do hotels generally have standard suites become available within 2 months of booking? Should I even try pestering customer service to extend try extending the DSU to a different suite, or is that completely futile?
Just keep checking, and check one day at a time. If you can get it applied to one of the days, chances are they will let him keep the same room for the entire stay

Offline MisterSenator

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2841 on: March 02, 2018, 09:10:40 AM »
Going to Kuaia in just under 3 months and looking to do a jack harter doors off helicopter tour.  How far in advance should I book it, or should I wait to see what the weather is like?

Offline SSLPhD

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2842 on: March 02, 2018, 02:55:06 PM »
Going to Kuaia in just under 3 months and looking to do a jack harter doors off helicopter tour.  How far in advance should I book it, or should I wait to see what the weather is like?
I wouldn't wait to book.  If the weather is not good enough, they'll cancel.  Bear in mind, that the weather inside Wai'ale'ale Crater will likely be rainy whenever you go.  Average of 27 rainy days per month for May and June.
44/50, 46/63

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2843 on: March 18, 2018, 09:55:17 PM »
Dove Dermacare Scalp Dandruff Shampoo really smells like GHK shampoo.

Offline efflpetzel

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2844 on: March 19, 2018, 02:08:17 AM »
Dove Dermacare Scalp Dandruff Shampoo really smells like GHK shampoo.
I'm gonna get it just coz u said so.

I just ran out of my stash two weeks ago,  I actually called up the spa at the GHK but they wanted crazy money to ship me a new supply

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2845 on: March 19, 2018, 07:40:37 AM »
I'm gonna get it just coz u said so.

I just ran out of my stash two weeks ago,  I actually called up the spa at the GHK but they wanted crazy money to ship me a new supply
I believe you can order from their website as well, but also very expensive.

Offline sedge

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2846 on: March 28, 2018, 02:39:19 AM »
anyone had any experience at Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu, Autograph Collection ?
I know this response is a little late but we are at this property now. The rooms are magnificent. Well at least our two-bedroom Villa with a full kitchen fits our needs perfectly. The pool is really quite nice with two water slides and several levels plus some smaller pools and one that's 18 and above. The staff is very nice and housekeeping has done an exceptional job. They even did our dirty dishes. Mind you there is no direct beach access. You have to walk off the property across the street and then you are at a rocky Beach. To get to the closest sand beach you have to walk over to the Sheraton. Frankly it's much better just to drive over to Poipu Beach.

Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2847 on: March 28, 2018, 03:24:53 AM »
I know this response is a little late but we are at this property now. The rooms are magnificent. Well at least our two-bedroom Villa with a full kitchen fits our needs perfectly. The pool is really quite nice with two water slides and several levels plus some smaller pools and one that's 18 and above. The staff is very nice and housekeeping has done an exceptional job. They even did our dirty dishes. Mind you there is no direct beach access. You have to walk off the property across the street and then you are at a rocky Beach. To get to the closest sand beach you have to walk over to the Sheraton. Frankly it's much better just to drive over to Poipu Beach.
How did you book it?
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Offline sedge

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2848 on: March 29, 2018, 02:11:52 PM »
How did you book it?
160000 Marriott points plus $250 and night for five nights. We are headed up to the st. Regis after this.

Offline Buruch

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2849 on: March 29, 2018, 05:55:35 PM »
160000 Marriott points plus $250 and night for five nights. We are headed up to the st. Regis after this.

Per night?

Offline sedge

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2850 on: March 30, 2018, 02:15:44 AM »
Per night?
No. For 5 nights. 160k total points and $1250 cash for a 1900 sq ft 2 bdrm suite with full kitchen and w&d. Daily maid service as well. They also wash your dishes. This helps greatly because we can make a quick breakfast in the morning and bug out of here and come back to the clean room.
« Last Edit: March 30, 2018, 02:18:57 AM by sedge »

Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2851 on: March 30, 2018, 02:46:40 AM »
No. For 5 nights. 160k total points and $1250 cash for a 1900 sq ft 2 bdrm suite with full kitchen and w&d. Daily maid service as well. They also wash your dishes. This helps greatly because we can make a quick breakfast in the morning and bug out of here and come back to the clean room.
That's an absolute steal. You have pics?
"JS [is] a fetid cesspool of unvarnished linguistic manure, with lots of useless drivel and post-padding." -Moishebatchy

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2852 on: March 30, 2018, 01:05:41 PM »
That's an absolute steal. You have pics?
We are checking out today and heading up to the st. Regis. I'll try to get some pics before we leave. Don't really want to take pics now as the room is messy. Probably should have taken some when we first got here. They got good pics on the website. Seriously this is going to be our go-to spot on Kauai. We stayed at the Hyatt and enjoyed it but this really fits our bill for a family of four with two small children. The room is simply luxurious. The bathrooms, bedrooms, and the great room and kitchen are all just spectacular.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2853 on: March 30, 2018, 02:52:02 PM »
Messy room check out morning photos. Both bedrooms are the same size. The master bathroom has two sinks and a separate water closet. Each bathroom has a separate bathtub and shower. Big spacious showers with bench seats.  We're on the 4th floor with a corner Suite. Two big balconies. Nice view of the ocean, the pool, and the mountains behind us. The money we saved preparing our own meals sure has helped in allowing us to do more excursions. Plus the kids are happier and healthier since they don't do very well in restaurants. They are 8 years old and 5 years old.



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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2854 on: March 30, 2018, 03:49:33 PM »
One other thing I like about this property, the internet is rocket fast in the room, at the pool, and everywhere else. Close to a hundred megabytes. Upload and download

Also the beach equipment rentals here are very affordable and of extremely high-quality. I was thinking about buying some cheap stuff at Walmart for the beach and just leaving it, but it proved more economical to rent it from here. Chairs and umbrellas and soft-sided insulated coolers. Boogie board snorkel gear. Top notch high quality Equipment. Made our beach experience very pleasurable.
« Last Edit: March 30, 2018, 06:07:28 PM by sedge »

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2855 on: April 10, 2018, 07:20:22 AM »
How does it compare to the St Regis?

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2856 on: April 10, 2018, 07:24:49 PM »
St. Regis is a luxury hotel. The Marriott has a luxurious 2 bedroom Villa but does not have the upscale amenities on the property. There's no Gourmet restaurant. We love both and will probably be using these two properties each trip.

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« Last Edit: April 15, 2018, 03:59:25 PM by Something Fishy »
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2859 on: April 16, 2018, 08:52:37 AM »