Topic Wiki

Kauai Overview/DansMeals:
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/39185

Trip Reports:
Dan 2014
Dan 2009, Auntiemus, Benarroc, Westman812, Hudi, Yellow, Lechaim2life, DanFan2010, Jmansour, Something Fishy, Rivky, chuchem, dealvr, Amusch,
Tzadik Nistar, an613, @Yehuda, @Ygygold, Wizmanison 2017, CGR

Dan's concierge packet.


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 823985 times)

Offline nirc

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2980 on: October 04, 2019, 04:09:20 PM »
Per your post above, won't it be rebranded by then? So past reviews won't necessarily help.

True. Rebranding occurs on Oct 9, with renovations finishing "soon after".

My original post was asking more on it's location rather than amenities; as well if it's really worth spending more points to stay in nicer places (Sheraton Kauai Resort category 5). In the past, I used hotels merely as place to sleep, though after looking at pics of GHK I am rethinking.
« Last Edit: October 04, 2019, 04:41:46 PM by nirc »

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2981 on: October 11, 2019, 11:32:50 AM »
Thoughts on taking Uber vs Speedishuttle ($23/ shared ride) vs Taxi from LIH to Courtyard Marriot (Kapaa)?

Figured since landing right before Shabbos on Thursday, why bother renting a car @ that time. Instead just get ride to Hotel and return to airport on Sat night/Sun morning saving myself $100+ in rental/parking charges.

*** name changed occurred this week on the Courtyard Marriot and it's now officially a Sheraton along with a bump up to Category 5. This means that the same room now costs more $ or points. All reservations made under Courtyard Marriot name is being honored at the lower rates ***
« Last Edit: October 11, 2019, 11:51:05 AM by nirc »

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2982 on: January 10, 2020, 02:18:11 PM »
Anyone have the latest Revealed book I can borrow?
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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2983 on: January 15, 2020, 10:27:26 PM »
Has anyone here ever done the Kalepa Ridge Trail? Seems absolutely epic.

https://www.themandagies.com/kalepa-ridge-trail/
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/hawaii/kauai/kalepa-ridge-trail



This video is better, but there's a lady in a bathing suit on the thumbnail (and in the video), so I'm not embedding it - click if you wish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgRpy_yXtGU
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Offline Dan

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2984 on: January 16, 2020, 12:11:10 AM »
Has anyone here ever done the Kalepa Ridge Trail? Seems absolutely epic.
You should get in touch with my father, he's done nearly every Kauai trail.

Did you do the loop hike from Kauai Revealed? Pretty epic.
Milolii Ridge Road?
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 #2985 on: January 16, 2020, 12:57:33 AM »
You should get in touch with my father, he's done nearly every Kauai trail.

Interesting!

Did you do the loop hike from Kauai Revealed? Pretty epic.
Milolii Ridge Road?

The loop is finished as best I can tell. One of the middle parts washed out during a storm a year or two ago IIRC.

Might do Milolii, depends if we can fit it in. Schedule is quite tight, focusing on photography this time.
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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2986 on: January 16, 2020, 12:32:42 PM »
The loop is finished as best I can tell. One of the middle parts washed out during a storm a year or two ago IIRC.
Wow, shame.

Milolii is epic. And you drive right up to Na Pali glory.
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.

Offline efflpetzel

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2987 on: January 17, 2020, 09:18:29 AM »


Has anyone here ever done the Kalepa Ridge Trail? Seems absolutely epic.

https://www.themandagies.com/kalepa-ridge-trail/
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/hawaii/kauai/kalepa-ridge-trail



This video is better, but there's a lady in a bathing suit on the thumbnail (and in the video), so I'm not embedding it - click if you wish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgRpy_yXtGU

Looks amazing, go do it

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2988 on: January 29, 2020, 01:23:40 AM »
Has anyone here ever done the Kalepa Ridge Trail? Seems absolutely epic.

No. Words.

If you're in Kauai, just.... go.
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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2989 on: January 29, 2020, 01:53:48 AM »
No. Words.

If you're in Kauai, just.... go.
Waiting for a TR...
".איזהו חכם, הלומד מכל אדם"

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2990 on: February 01, 2020, 11:41:08 PM »
I think that my general disdain for hotels is well known here, especially giant resorts - I always try to stay in Airbnbs or more local boutique-style places. My personal mishigas.

I have to say though that I was blown away by the GHK's grounds though, and I can see why people love it so much. We didn't stay there, but went to their beach to look for monk seals and turtles at sunrise - struck out on both, but surprisingly ended up wandering their grounds for hours photographing birds. Those grounds put many beautiful parks to shame IMO. The saltwater lagoon looked pretty pathetic, and their beach is beyond terrible, but the gardens, waterfalls, and endless pools are just heaven. Even that little atrium where the parrots are kept was chock full of wild birds, if you knew where to look.

My favorite one of the morning:



That background isn't sky, it's one of the GHK's pools...
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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2992 on: December 12, 2020, 09:59:42 PM »

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2993 on: May 05, 2021, 02:25:12 PM »
Wow, shame.

Milolii is epic. And you drive right up to Na Pali glory.

Anyone know if this has opened up this year?
Also, what needs reservations booked in advance in Kauai, I am headed for a week in June iyH

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2994 on: July 10, 2021, 11:38:25 PM »
what happened to standard rooms at the GHK? i cant find any availability in mid-late January 2022 except for Regency Club 33,000 points and Premium Suite 50,000 points

can those with status book even if there is no apparent availability?

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2995 on: July 11, 2021, 12:39:09 PM »
what happened to standard rooms at the GHK? i cant find any availability in mid-late January 2022 except for Regency Club 33,000 points and Premium Suite 50,000 points

can those with status book even if there is no apparent availability?

Edit above post for dates, from 1/14 - 1/19.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2996 on: October 03, 2021, 10:01:47 PM »
For those that stayed in suites at the GHK, do you think they will they give me any issues with 2 adults & 3 young kids? officially the rooms are made only for 3, but I Figured can use sofa bed + rollaway for them relatively comfortably.

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2997 on: October 04, 2021, 07:37:26 AM »
For those that stayed in suites at the GHK, do you think they will they give me any issues with 2 adults & 3 young kids? officially the rooms are made only for 3, but I Figured can use sofa bed + rollaway for them relatively comfortably.
There is definitely the space for 3 kids. I dont know if they will give you issues  :-\

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2998 on: October 26, 2021, 09:33:01 PM »
Anyone in Kuaui and would appreciate some kosher foodstuffs? Leaving now and have a box of unopened food, as well as wine. Not schlepping anything to the next island.
(We already checked with Chabad)

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Re: Kauai, HI Master Thread
« Reply #2999 on: October 26, 2021, 09:39:50 PM »
Anyone in Kuaui and would appreciate some kosher foodstuffs? Leaving now and have a box of unopened food, as well as wine. Not schlepping anything to the next island.
(We already checked with Chabad)

That’s kind of you. Look forward to reading a TR.