Wife and I planned a trip to kauai any advice?

[BULLBLASTER]

The wife and I are headed to kauai in December. Anybody have any must see or must do things while there?

[SemperFidelis97]

There is a ton of fantastic hiking there bring your boots, and hiking poles.  I have had some of the best fish in my life in kauai, and none of it was expensive.  Look for hole in the wall local joints instead of tourist traps.  Snorkel at tunnels beach it is absolutely amazing.

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[farmin4u_98948]

We did the zip lines at  Princeville while staying on the north shore   Hanalei is just about the end of the road. Great vibe. Went to the community church. Fun cultural exchange.  Have funnnn

[Dhoey07]

Get some fish tacos. Poipu is a really nice beach. Hanalei is nice too if you're on the north side. Lots of chickens there. You can hike the Na Pali coast for days. Kauai is a pretty chill, laid back place. Lots of good food and live music in every little bar. Bring a fly rod if ya want and toss a streamer in the Wailua river.

[farmin4u_98948]

Get some fish tacos. Poipu is a really nice beach. Hanalei is nice too if you're on the north side. Lots of chickens there. You can hike the Na Pali coast for days. Kauai is a pretty chill, laid back place. Lots of good food and live music in every little bar. Bring a fly rod if ya want and toss a streamer in the Wailua river.

Oh.   How could I have forgotten about the chickens.   Bring ear plugs cause they start EARLY

[BULLBLASTER]

Are the chickens wild?

We are staying on the north end of the island at the Westin.

We really like local restaurants and markets and things like that

[Special T]

The fish tacos at the little place closest to the end of the road on North shore. We did the ditch tube ride with the kids, it was great. Visit the Puka Dog hotdogs shack. If you like Rum and Cigars my favorite is the Island Prince Momona and thier spiced rum is good. There is a Costco and a Gluten free bakery. Farmers market was great. Find a ripe white pineapple.  We stayed at the Point of Point Poi Pu pretty much next to the  Grand Hyatt. They had a good Luau. The local Vanilla Macedonian nut coffie is to die for. Get a jeep or a convertible. You would really only need the jeep for a couple of small areas. I've been 3 times and love it.

[Special T]

Winter time is the wrong time of year for snorkeling.  The swirling sand makes for low visibility and those conditions are when most people get bit. I love snorkeling.

[skipjack]

Last time we went into took my bow.. think it was so  $100 for a license. Rented a jeep and went up in the hills and hunted goats and pigs.. they work the edge of the canyon and the trails are fun to hike.. little scarry seeing sign of big Pigs when your on a tight trail..

[sumpnz]

Last time we went into took my bow.. think it was so  $100 for a license. Rented a jeep and went up in the hills and hunted goats and pigs.. they work the edge of the canyon and the trails are fun to hike.. little scarry seeing sign of big Pigs when your on a tight trail..

Please tell me more about this.  Are the pigs/goats invasive and therefore necessary to hunt?  What did you do with the animals (e.g. donated to some local charity, take what you could eat and leave the rest, etc)?  Is it archery only, or can one bring/rent a rifle too.

We're going sometime March-May next year for 2 weeks.  Probably Kauai but not positive. 

[BNAElkhntr]

The Grand Canyons of Hawaii are neat book the eco adventure that way if the jeep gets stuck your not paying a wrecker

[BULLBLASTER]

Last time we went into took my bow.. think it was so  $100 for a license. Rented a jeep and went up in the hills and hunted goats and pigs.. they work the edge of the canyon and the trails are fun to hike.. little scarry seeing sign of big Pigs when your on a tight trail..

Pretty sure in my case that won't work out. The wifey is getting her vacation time with me after a fall of me hunting 4 states so hunting is out.   

[baker5150]

Last time we went into took my bow.. think it was so  $100 for a license. Rented a jeep and went up in the hills and hunted goats and pigs.. they work the edge of the canyon and the trails are fun to hike.. little scarry seeing sign of big Pigs when your on a tight trail..

Pretty sure in my case that won't work out. The wifey is getting her vacation time with me after a fall of me hunting 4 states so hunting is out.   

I was in the same boat a couple years ago.  I wanted to book a Goat hunt on the big island, but the wife said no since it was her vacation after I spent all hunting season somewhere other than home.

It didn't bother me much until we pulled out of the airport near Kona and I saw all the goats feeding next to the highway guard rail.  Then it was all I could think about.

[Special T]

As I remember correctly there is a native guide that can take you pig hunting with dogs. You get to sticker with a knife! It's on my to do list!

[bulldogs40]

Try and apply for a permit to overnight on the napali coast. It is ranked as one of the most dangerous hikes in the world because of some exposed cliffs but it looks amazing. Me and my fiancé had permits but the park closed due to flash flooding and we were unable to do it.

[Dhoey07]

Are the chickens wild?

We are staying on the north end of the island at the Westin.

We really like local restaurants and markets and things like that

There was a hurricane in the mid 80's that destroyed a bunch of chicken coops and they all got let out.  Now they are everywhere.

[wsmnut]

 

There is a ton of fantastic hiking there bring your boots, and hiking poles.  I have had some of the best fish in my life in kauai, and none of it was expensive.  Look for hole in the wall local joints instead of tourist traps.  Snorkel at tunnels beach it is absolutely amazing.

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Also try the small fruit stands.  Folks there can pick out some incredible fruit for you.
I thought we would OD on fresh pineapple, mango and avocado.  With fresh local fish, Yum!

[Special T]

Had the biggest best avocado from the farmers market there.

[jeffro]

The helicopter tour of Kauai is epic.
Drove to the top of the canyon, but flying thru it was 1000x better
And I would also recommend a boat tour of the NaPali coast.
Other than that, it's a tiny island and you can see it all in 3-4 days.
Golf is an option if you're  so inclined.

[nwwanderer]

If you fish, bring a  rod.  You have a chance at bonefish, o'Io, at a f.at at the north end.  Great spot for turtles and goony birds, layson albatros.  Bring optics for the critters in the canyons.  Great spot

[BULLBLASTER]

Good plan on the optics! I'll take them for sure. I don't have any of my own fishing gear but maybe I can convince the wife that I should do a charter one day.   

[sumpnz]

Good plan on the optics! I'll take them for sure. I don't have any of my own fishing gear but maybe I can convince the wife that I should do a charter one day.   

Be aware that most charters in HI you basically get to pay a bunch for the privilege of being a commercial fisherman for the day.  The boat owns the fish that are caught.  Most boats will cut enough off a fillet for each customer to have enough for dinner that night, but the rest of the fish gets sold and the money is kept by the boat.  So, don't expect to be sending home a big cooler of fish to fill up your freezer, even if you luck into a bounty of dorado, wahoo, or even a marlin. 

[Karl Blanchard]

Put her on the plane with a friend then we can go get mauled by griz in Wyoming.  That's what you guys should do.


















 

[BULLBLASTER]

Put her on the plane with a friend then we can go get mauled by griz in Wyoming.  That's what you guys should do.


















 

Does your wife want to go to Hawaii?   
I like the sounds of Wyoming! Just no grizz brawls!

[BULLBLASTER]

Good plan on the optics! I'll take them for sure. I don't have any of my own fishing gear but maybe I can convince the wife that I should do a charter one day.   

Be aware that most charters in HI you basically get to pay a bunch for the privilege of being a commercial fisherman for the day.  The boat owns the fish that are caught.  Most boats will cut enough off a fillet for each customer to have enough for dinner that night, but the rest of the fish gets sold and the money is kept by the boat.  So, don't expect to be sending home a big cooler of fish to fill up your freezer, even if you luck into a bounty of dorado, wahoo, or even a marlin.

That's crazy! And not cheap either. Most likely will be no fishing there. 

[coop2424]

Put her on the plane with a friend then we can go get mauled by griz in Wyoming.  That's what you guys should do.

I like that he is pretending she wants to spend time with him in Hawaii.  I think we all know she just wants to go somewhere warm with a beach and an ocean!!!

[WAcoueshunter]

As others have mentioned, my favorite thing about the island is the fish and fruit.  I could eat poke every day, and pretty much do when I'm there.  Even Safeway will have like thirty different kinds.  I get local fruit for smoothies and make them about every day.  There are several local farmer's markets around the island, find a schedule and hit up a nearby one to get your fruit.

There's a Costco on the island, just south of the airport.  Might be worth the stop before you head north, it's pretty far to make the commute from Princeville just to go shop.  I'd make a run before I headed north. 

We stay at the south end in Poipu.  Would be worth a drive down there one day, just be sure to avoid rush hour going in either direction.  Only one road going north and south, it can get really busy at the wrong times.  The north end is more lush, but has more rain.  The south end is in the rain shadow and generally sunnier, but not as tropical.

Head to poipu beach if you go to the south end. Right there you have world class snorkeling at poipu beach itself, baby beach is next door (no waves, good for little kids), a good surf spot just west of Poipu Beach, and a great body surfing/ boogie boarding beach at Brenneke beach to the east.  All adjoining, within about a quarter mile of each other.  Again, worth the drive to spend the day there one day, particularly if it's raining up north. 

[kingmountain]

Polihale State park, on west side of island. Road in is rough but worth the trip. Seven miles of beach between Barking Sands Mil. base and cliffs of Waimea Canyon area. During the week not many people , well worth checking out. I have watched pigs moving around in early evening, on the cliffs above.

[Old Man Yager]

My buddy just got back, he and his wife hunt hogs and some kind of goats or sheep when they go.

[daddysprad]

If you have military affiliation, Barking Sands is an amazing military beach.  Miles of sand with very few if any people.  When you walk on the sand it sounds like dogs barking

[Euro mount]

We go every other year I spend tones of time in the water hunting it's a blast get a spear gun and a snorkel set and fins . We eat fresh fish almost every day . Depending on your swimming ability and lung compasity lobster season is open then have got um in the day but mostly at night with a dive light .

[Special T]

Yes and there is no licence to purchase for ocean fishing!

[NRA4LIFE]

My wife and I just returned from Kauai on Saturday.  We own a time share there and have been to the island 8 times I think.  We love it.  There is a heck of a lot to do there.  Waimea canyon is cool.  Barking sands is a great beach (rough drive though and DON'T leave anything in your car).  Helicopter tours are very cool, but a bit terrifying for me.  I have never hunted there but check out the regs.  You can hunt pigs, goat, sheep and blacktail deer I believe.  The farmers market at Koloa on Mondays is nice to stock up on veggies for the week.  The avocados are unbelievable.  We did a kayak trip up the Wailua river up to some falls that was really nice.  We have never tubed the ditch but I heard that was really fun.  The whole Poipu area is good fun to as is Hanalei.  The Costco is just south of Lihue and there is now 2 Safeways on the island for groceries. 

As far as food and drink go, the sky's the limit.  For a real nice dinner go to the Beach House just west of Poipu and order the Ahi roll appetizer and any fish dish that ends with "in Beur Blanc Sauce".  Simply amazing.  The Kauai Island Brewing Company in Port Allen is a must.  They're food is great and they will can beer for you right at the bar with a canning contraption.  It is really cool.  On the North end in Hanalei, have lunch at Calypsos and get the fish sandwich, again amazing.  For a great pizza, hit the Nawiliwili Tavern by the cruise ship landing.  It is really good.  Café Portofino at the Marriott right there is pretty good too for Italian. 

Have fun, it is a wonderful place to just go and chill out.  PM me for any other specifics. 

[Euro mount]

I forgot also one of the few places in the world you can catch peacock bass!