The island of Kauai rises from the ocean like the clawed foot of a beast. The sharp ridges, deep valleys and steep slopes of its North Shore sink like talons into the surrounding sapphire sea.  

It has a harsh, almost feral beauty. 

Gnarled and chiseled cliffs reach down to the sea like the claws of a great beast
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Chiseled cliffs are softened by what appears as emerald-green moss growing like fine fur over its rocky bluffs. Such stunning splendor is reminiscent of a prehistoric time:

Wild, savage, utterly primitive and pristine.

There is something ferocious and unforgiving in its primeval allure. It quickens the pulse and steals one’s breath away, simply from contemplating its rough and rugged magnificence.  

Kauai is the oldest of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands, dating back about 5 million years. One would guess that time itself would have tamed the beast, if not for man.

But no. This beast is quite untamable. 

Na Pali means “high cliffs,” and appropriately so. Some of its peaks sore close to 3,000 feet above the ocean. Over 6,000 acres of land encompass the state park that is located on Kauai’s North Shore. Waterfalls, streams, hidden pools, glorious pinnacles, rocky caves, paths and trails meandering along lush, tropical greenery is almost dizzying with its heady, oxygen-rich and earthy floral-scented air. It is a sensory experience that rejuvenates the whole being.   

The dramatic scenery is breathtaking
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EXPLORING THE NA PALI COAST

Hiking is the best way to get immersed in the enchantment of the scenery. Helicopter and sea tours also offer stunning panoramic views of the coast that has bewitched visitors with its dramatic surroundings time and again since its discovery by the first Hawaiian settlers centuries before. The 11-mile Kalalau Trail is a challenging hike that leads to the secluded Kalalau Beach. Its cliffs can be hazardous, posing a danger with flash floods, muddy trails, steep slopes and falling rocks. But the most popular part of the trail is the first two miles, and a much safer bet for any novice or family with younger children. Anything more requires planning, stamina and a strong will to traverse the lush valleys and fluted cliffs beckoning ahead.  

It is no wonder so many movies have been filmed here: films like King Kong, parts of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Jurassic Park and its sequel The Lost World, to name a few. The Na Pali Coast truly is impressive with its secluded beaches accessible only by foot or by sea.  

Stunning views abound throughout the park
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Visiting Na Pali Coast State Park might be like approaching a great beast whose ferocious nature is only matched by the immense and fathomless ocean into which it has sunk its jagged and treacherous claws. It is best to come meek and humble, facing its immense power with a sense of reverence, awe and respect.

Some wish to conquer its dominance while exploring its unspoiled majesty.

But a beast like this cannot be subdued. It can only be roused, awakening the primal being within those visiting souls.

To behold it in all its primitive glory is an experience one will not soon forget. And rightfully so. It remains striking and steadfast in a world that time itself seems to have forgotten. 

We had a few clouds but that didn't mar the friendly vibes and beautiful beaches of Kauai during the holiday season.

The holiday’s are approaching. A little too rapidly for my taste, and probably for you, too. And you may be wondering if you really want to stay home and make that turkey or Tofurky. If you really want to invite Aunt Gladys and her Barber Shop Quartet for Christmas or Hanukkah. Instead, maybe you’re thinking you’ll pack up the kids and take a little trip…

Several years ago, we were lucky enough to spend time on the Hawaiian islands for the holidays – where we learned that Mele Kalikimaka is a way to say Merry Christmas, even if the stewardess on the plane (nope, it wasn’t Hawaiian air) thought my children were uttering curse words at her. But that’s another story.

Waimea, Kauai for the Holidays

We went to the Big Island, Oahu, and Kauai that trip, and each island certainly had its own wonderful holiday flavor. We began in Kauai which is also where Hawaiian natives saw their first traditional Christmas celebration. Anchored off shore in Western Kauai in 1786, British Captain Cook celebrated in Waimea Bay, with coconut milk and pig roasted imu style. Today, the small, pleasant town of Waimea holds a glittering Christmas Parade the Saturday before Christmas, with live music, food booths, and crafts. The entire town is decorated for the month of December.

We loved the parade, and shopping at the booths, buying inexpensive locally designed ceramics and candles, fresh fruits and nuts, and wonderful fresh made candies. It was a lot more fun than browsing the chain stores in SoCal looking for something special. The mellow, happy scene included a visit from Santa – in reindeer splashed board shorts. Children of all ages enjoyed lining up for candy canes, and singing along to well known carols  – or attempting to – in Hawaiian.

Lihue, Kauai Christmas Delight

Lihue, which many travelers see only from the perspective of the airport, shouldn’t be missed over the holidays, either. The Kauai Historic County Building, its architecture interesting in its own right, sparkles with Christmas lights on both the exterior and interior. Early in December, an opening ceremony here includes a countdown to turning on the lights, and another parade concluding with the music of the Kauai Chorale. You’ll find more Christmas lights and holiday decorations along the sidewalks of the North Shore’s quaint Hanalei town.

Nothing says Christmas day like a beautiful, peaceful beach in Kekaha, Kauai.

And then there was our holiday dinner. We heard good things about Dukes in Lihue and the Sheraton in Poipu. But we were looking for something a little more island, and offering more choices for our vegan family member. So we chose a favorite of tourists and locals alike, the Hukilau Lanai in Kapaa. Wonderful, fresh fish and innovative cooking styles – sweet potato raviolis were a knock out – were combined with local, organic ingredients. They offer choices for vegans, vegetarians, and even gluten-free diets, and their keiki menu – for little ones – is very reasonable. Small tots are welcome to share a plate of their parents food at no charge.

We loved seeing surfers on Kalapaki beach in Lihue wearing Santa hats; listening to carol-singers outside our condo in Kehaka, and taking a short hike – emphasis on short – along the Na Pali coast trail from the north side. A caveat – in December, it gets dark fairly early, so if you’re planning to walk more than a short way along the trail, leave earlier than you might consider leaving. With a small child on your back or just carefully following in your footsteps, you don’t want to find yourself coming home on often slippery trails after dark.

Christmas Cruising, Bird and Whale Watching

Christmas in Kauai included a visit to this lighthouse and nearby feathered friends.

We enjoyed taking a cruise with a holiday theme, our boat upon leaving from Waimea included a wonderfully humorous elderly ukelele player who regaled the crowd with a genially Hawaiian version of the “Twelve Days of Christmas.” The song kept cropping up – at the shops in Hanalei, on a balcony over breakfast at the St. Regis, and at a Poipu luau.

You may not spot a partridge in a pear tree, but nature lovers can join in Kauai’s annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Children of all ages are allowed to help naturalists in counting native and non-native birds. We didn’t participate, but friends who did had a wonderful time, and learned a lot about the different birds that frequent the islands. The holiday season is also an excellent time to get in some whale watching. As the humpbacks migrate from Alaska to Hawaii and its much warmer seas, you’ll be able to see these amazing creatures from land or on water craft from November to May. The Kileuea Point National Wildlife Refuge and lighthouse is a great viewing spot. We found the lighthouse decorated for the season as well.

Kauai Christmas Vibe

Everywhere we found a true feeling of holiday spirit, from resort to small town, from the snorkeling rental stand in Poipu whose owner handed out homemade ‘fruit cake cookies’ to the north shore resort where we found staff members singing carols around an unused ballroom piano. The vibe on Kauai for Christmas: relaxed, home-town and filled with the good will of the season.

Our entire family loved the view from this Kauai helicopter ride.

Helicopters and toddlers…hmm. You’re probably thinking this might not be the best way to explore a Hawaiian island destination. And yet, taking the Ultimate Kauai Adventure Tour was perfect for everyone in our party – from adults to kids ranging in age from three to twenty. By taking a helicopter tour, we were able to comfortably explore the parts of Kauai unreachable by road or foot. Boats were out due to our children’s ages and safety concerns, which also ruled out the long hikes or hiking and kayaking tours to explore the unspoiled but difficult to visit, roadless Na Pali coast. So how else to see the remote and stunning Na Pali, the heart of Waimea Caynon, the often televised, dramatic Wailua Falls, or rich green Mount Waialeale? 

Everyone has to make their own choice of course, but I can’t recommend highly enough the friendly pilot, the warm staff on the ground, and awesome adventure of swirling high above these fantastic sights. Along with the fabulous scenery, we were able to hear Hawaiian legends and island lore related by our pilot. Our family filled the helicopter, so it felt like a private tour. Yes, taking a helicopter tour is a fairly major financial investment, but it is a thrilling experience, and some tour operators offer substantial discounts for a full helicopter, or even free rides for the smallest children, those under age five. 

We were nervous before boarding. None of us had ever been in a helicopter before, and we had safety worries. They were unnecessary. The good natured staff weighed us and then seated us in the ‘copter based on our weight and height. Blades already whirring overhead, we ducked inside the helicopter. The kids were all excited, not nervous at all, it was the adults and older siblings with the butterflies in our stomachs. We were strapped safely in, glass doors enclosed, cameras at the ready – and then we were smoothly aloft. We were also concerned about noise, fearing that the steady whirring of the blades could disturb toddler ears. But the noise canceling head phones carefully adjusted for all size ears truly did work. All nervousness fell away as our helicopter left from the airport area near Lihue, and soared upward. We had a great view of town and the tarot fields and lush gardens just outside of it at take off. The coast line looked beautiful from here, and we began to relax and enjoy the ride. 

The Rich Green Mount Waialeale

The little ones were absolutely exultant. They watched the scenery eagerly, and loved the sensation of ‘being like a bird.” The older kids loved the adventure too. In other words, the trip was a splurge, but it was also a true hit for the entire family. Instead of a long boat trek and worries about sea sickness and swimming safety, we were gliding across the most beautiful country side, with amazing views from all the floor to ceiling glass in the helicopter. The ride was forty five minutes, long enough to be thrilling and give us our money’s worth, but brief enough to prevent the smaller children from becoming restive. The seats were comfortable – one really could simply lean back and enjoy the ride. 

Our first airbourne ‘stop’ was Waimea Canyon, which though smaller than its Arizona cousin, rivals the Grand Canyon for breadth and depth and in simple wow factor. To fly over lush green fields and broad aqua ocean views to reach this raw slice of red and gold canyon was an exciting transition. And getting a swooping, bird’s eye view of the canyon that we’d visited by car the previous day offered a fresh and delightful perspective. The little kids even said they ‘recognized’ some of the look outs we had seen the day before. Best of all was the sensation of going briefly in, as well as over the vast gorge. 

Our next “from the sky view” as our toddle termed it, was of Mount Waialeale, which is called the wettest place on the planet. Having an average measured annual rainfall of forty feet makes this claim difficult to deny. The greenery was lush, and sweeping over it and then spinning past a series of waterfalls was another highlight. 

Approaching the Na Pali Coast by helicopter was thrilling.

But best of all was our sweeping view of the Na Pali Coast. The untouched, enormous cliffs with fan like folds was everything you see in photographs and more, and seen from an aerial perspective, the aqua sea, the emerald foliage, the tall, imposing cliffs and white sand beaches was so breathtaking that every one of us fell silent and spell bound. We took an afternoon tour, and the late afternoon sun made the coast line dazzle as we headed back toward the civilization of Lihue and the landing pad. 

While touch down was gentle, the only caveat to taking a helicopter tour with a toddler is disembarking – you do climb out of the heli while the blades are still turning over head – not that your toddler is tall enough to reach them. Still, the noise and just seeing the blades spinning might disorient or frighten some little ones. Ours thought this was the most exciting part, and the only difficult moment was getting everyone to stand still in one place for a photo in front of the helicopter. 

After the ride, we made one stop on land – the north shore’s lovely Postcards dining establishment. Located in Hanalei, this charming restaurant is housed in an old fashioned, plantation style dwelling painted in lemon and white. The restaurant neatly served our family’s diet – with vegetarian, vegan, and pescatarian options that utilized island-fresh, delicious produce and fresh catch of the day. What they don’t include on the menu is meat, refined sugar, or additives of any kind. Customizing dishes for our party was no problem, and roving ukelele musicians added to the festive atmosphere, making a wonderful conclusion to our high flying day.