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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 824433 times)

Offline Dan

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #260 on: April 19, 2012, 03:17:34 PM »
However, I don't know that you'll be able to see much of anything for one day midweek except for freeway traffic. 
:D
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #261 on: April 20, 2012, 02:09:47 AM »
Not sure if this is the right thread for this but I'm planning a Hawai trip this June IYH. Of course I will be spending most of my time on Kauai ;).
Problem I am having is with booking the flights. The only thing open on June 10 that gets me in early is a AS SAN-OGG flight (I'm using BA miles on AS metal) . So I need to book OGG-LIH and while Hawaian and other airlines have lots of flights, United is only showing availability (with miles)  for 2 flights that have bad times for me.
Any ideas?

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #262 on: April 20, 2012, 02:11:41 AM »
Buy the flight you want or stay in OGG.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #263 on: April 22, 2012, 11:48:42 AM »
I want to hike the Kalalau trail but the 50+ year olds in my party wouldn't enjoy that too much. Is it worth doing only the first mile or so ?  Also, how hard is the trail to follow?   (The only hikes I've ever done have either been with tours or friends who knew what they were doing! )
"Not all who wander are lost"

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #264 on: April 22, 2012, 12:21:39 PM »
I want to hike the Kalalau trail but the 50+ year olds in my party wouldn't enjoy that too much. Is it worth doing only the first mile or so ?  Also, how hard is the trail to follow?   (The only hikes I've ever done have either been with tours or friends who knew what they were doing! )
We were there a month ago. Unfortunately a lot of the trail was washed out by the recent heavy (even by Kauai standards) rain. In fact the road at the northern part of the island just to get to the trail was flooded. Perhaps it will be more accessible during the dryer summer months.

Offline YankyDoodle

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #265 on: April 22, 2012, 09:03:28 PM »
When I was there, most of the trail was under construction so we could only do the first couple of miles. My wife and I headed up a bit before sundown and watched one of the most beautiful sunsets of our lives (about a mile or two in). The tricky part is trying to get down a pretty tricky trail when it's getting darker and darker (Bring flashlights!) I'll try to post a picture if I have a chance.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #266 on: April 22, 2012, 09:06:20 PM »
Currently have a Sun morning 745 AM flight to LAX arriving at 11:10 AM then connecting at 4:40 PM to LIH arriving at 8:35 PM.

Another option would be taking a Sat night flight at 8:55 PM arriving 12:20 AM (over-night connection) continuing on to LIH Sun morning 9 AM arriving to LIH at 1 PM.

Option 2 gets me in 7/5 hours sooner but costs me a night at an LAX Hotel. Your thoughts?

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #267 on: April 22, 2012, 09:12:19 PM »
Def. option 2.
LAX hotels are cheap plus maybe you can chap some food.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #268 on: April 22, 2012, 09:39:33 PM »
Def. option 2.
LAX hotels are cheap plus maybe you can chap some food.
Ok done. Thanks. Worth extra 20k for J?
« Last Edit: April 22, 2012, 10:49:17 PM by Mocha »

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Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #269 on: April 22, 2012, 11:24:45 PM »
Ok done. Thanks. Worth extra 20k for J?

I think so especially if you are not Elite. Not sure how you get 20k unless you mean one way?

Offline Mocha

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #270 on: April 23, 2012, 08:16:46 AM »
I think so especially if you are not Elite. Not sure how you get 20k unless you mean one way?
50k one way. Flight originates in CDG but I'd have to voluntarily downgrade that leg.

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Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #271 on: April 23, 2012, 08:49:37 AM »
But u can always up it to biz if it opens up. PM me and I can set up an alert on EF for you

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #272 on: April 23, 2012, 09:07:48 AM »
But u can always up it to biz if it opens up. PM me and I can set up an alert on EF for you
Thanks so much. But from what I read doesn't seem like NYC-LAX and LAX-LIH is even anything special in J. Am I wrong?

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #273 on: April 23, 2012, 11:31:37 AM »
If its AA on JFK-LAX is very nice LAX-LIH not but still way better than any coach seat.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #274 on: April 24, 2012, 08:59:42 PM »
Seems like I have to be in LA for a weekend from Wed night till after Shabbos, figured since i'm half way there from NY we can try to extend the trip and head over to Kauai for a 5 day trip till Thursday. However the Hyatt is booked solid the last week of June that I can't get a reservation. I would like to know if:
 A. Anyone can recommend a second best resort hotel.
 B. Which airline to use as I want to leave from NY with a stop in LA for the weekend and continue on to LIH.
 Thanks all for your help.


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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #275 on: April 24, 2012, 09:01:22 PM »
Seems like I have to be in LA for a weekend from Wed night till after Shabbos, figured since i'm half way there from NY we can try to extend the trip and head over to Kauai for a 5 day trip till Thursday. However the Hyatt is booked solid the last week of June that I can't get a reservation. I would like to know if:
 A. Anyone can recommend a second best resort hotel.
 B. Which airline to use as I want to leave from NY with a stop in LA for the weekend and continue on to LIH.
 Thanks all for your help.
Dan seemed to be ok with the St Regis. And AA would allow that.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #276 on: April 24, 2012, 09:03:07 PM »
Aa allows a 4 day stop? Really?

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #277 on: April 24, 2012, 09:19:42 PM »
Aa allows a 4 day stop? Really?
I know they allow a stopover for as long as you want on an international ticket at the North American gateway city.
Are we sure on a ticket to Hawaii they'll do that?

Also try calling the Hyatt directly to see if they'll open up a room.  Are you trying to pay or use points?
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #278 on: April 24, 2012, 09:29:44 PM »

 A. Anyone can recommend a second best resort hotel.


Sheraton Kauai Resort was really nice, we really had a good time there, and your on the beach
just down the block from the Hyatt and poipu beach,

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #279 on: April 24, 2012, 11:04:51 PM »
I know they allow a stopover for as long as you want on an international ticket at the North American gateway city.
Are we sure on a ticket to Hawaii they'll do that?

Also try calling the Hyatt directly to see if they'll open up a room.  Are you trying to pay or use points?

would like to use points  however my dates are pretty specific, I have to be in LA the latest Thu night June 21 till Sun June 24, and  after that I’m free the whole next week.  I do have about 300,000 with Delta, 100,000 with AA 100,00 united  and 75,000 with chase, plus 2 nights with Hyatt from the credit card offer.
I called the hotel and was transferred to reservation which said the hotel was full.