Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/439907
Kauai 17 KAUAI Whales may winter in Kauai, but with five distinct resort areas, travelers land in Lihue—the "capital" of the island—year-round. The oldest in the Hawaiian chain, the "Garden Isle" is named so for its rainforests, green valleys, and wild beauty, some of which are accessible only by sea or air. The Na Pali Coast on the North Shore is one of them. A treasure worth the 11-mile Kalalau Trail from the upscale resort area of Princeville; Hanalei Bay; and the Ka Ulu o Laka heiau, a sacred spot where hula dancing originated and is still performed today. In contrast, the Coconut Coast provides relaxed accessibility, with gentle waters for body- and windsurfing in Kalapaki Beach, and even a snorkeling lagoon popular with children at Lydgate Beach Park. On the West Side, the grand Waimea Canyon provides an awe-inspiring reason to rent a car and embark on an adventure, while the South Shore invites sunbathers to what the Travel Channel, monk seals and sea turtles have dubbed "America's Best Beach," Poipu Beach Park. To add to this jungle island's allure, in between this verdant bounty is a green of a different sort: ten golf courses, including signature courses designed by Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones, Jr., and resorts that will make you, for a moment, forget this island still mostly belongs to Mother Nature. 550 Lawai Kee Beach Wailua Falls Lumahai Beach Barking Sands Beach 56 56 50 50 50 550 580 P A C I F I C O C E A N Kaua i Channe l Kekaha Waimea Hanapepe Kalaheo Wailua Kapaa Princeville Hanalei Wainiha Lihue Anahola Haena Poipu Polihale State Park Keahua Arboretum Kokee State Park Na Pali Co ast W a i m e a Ca nyon Mt. Waialeale Mt. Kawaikini 0 5 miles 0 5 km 1 4 14 9 13 11 8 3 12 10 7 6 5 2 15