Poipu Vacation Rentals

Want a break from your Poipu Vacation Rental? Hike the Kalalau Trail June 19, 2009

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Hiking the Kalalau Trail

In order to hike the entire 11 miles (one way) of the Kalalau trail you need to be in pretty good shape. The trail is rated difficult by the Sierrra Club, a group not known for exageration when it comes to trail ratinwill takegs. When they say it’s difficult, they’re not kidding. Also, you will need a permit to camp overnight at the end of the trail before heading back a day or two later. People have been known to catch a boat to the beach at the end of the trail and then hike out. This also requires a permit.

If you’d like to experience a portion of this well known trail, then try the first two miles (one way). The trail takes you from your starting point at Ke’e Beach (the end of the paved road) to the summer sand beach at Hanakapi’ai. Swimming or wading can be dangerous, however, and is not recommended. The surf and rip currents are variable and often extremely treacherous, especially in winter when high surf conditions prevail. This four mile round trip does not have a lot of elevation gain and is relatively easy, except when the trail is wet. In that case you will need something other than tennis shoes, as the trail becomes very slippery.

If you’re looking for a little more challenge than the 4 miles round trip to Hanakapi’ai and back, take the 2-mile trail (one way) that winds on into Hanakapi’ai Valley.

After crossing the stream about a mile up the valley, the trail, which is not maintained, becomes more difficult as it meanders over rocks and fallen trees. The upper half of this trail should be hiked only in good weather to avoid dangerous flash floods and falling rocks. The reward at the end of the trail is a beautiful tall waterfall that cascades into a large pond that you can swim in. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy this eight mile round trip hike.

For more information on the trail, see this website:
http://www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dsp/NaPali/na_pali.htm
Na Pali Coast State Park: The Kalalau Trail

KauaiHerb

Poipu Vacation Rental After Hours Guide June 8, 2009

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This list will, of necessity, be rather short. That’s because, unlike Maui or Oahu, both of which have an active nightlife, there is not a tremendous amount to do after 9pm. on Kauai. After all you came to Kauai for the outdoor challenges, didn’t you? So, after a hearty day spent zip-lining, scuba diving, snorkeling, surfing, kayaking, bicycling downhill, wind surfing, kite surfing, swimming, hiking, stand up paddle boarding, beach volleyball or tennis, how much energy do you have left anyway? Just in case the answer is, “I still have some fuel left in this tank”, here all of the possibilities on the south shore.

The Point-Located right on the point where land hits water at the Sheraton Hotel. You might want to call ahead but usually there is some kind of music playing and they do have a dance floor. Some evenings a DJ is present.

Stevensons Library-Located in the Grand Hyatt. Probably the most sophisticated of spots, there’s live jazz on Friday and Saturday nights The group that plays has been doing this forever and is quite good. A monster fish tank provides a serene atmosphere. There are also two pool tables and if someone is using them, put your name in at the bar. One nice feature is that sushi can be ordered off the bar menu. Pricey, but very good.

Keoki’s Paradise-Great, large, circular bar is filled up most evenings with a lively crowd. Live music on the weekends with a small dance floor. There are also a large number of tables in the bar area serving the bar menu, which is very good. Many of the dishes are prepared at a separate, glass enclosed cooking station you encounter just inside the front entrance. Service is good and the drinks are good.

I told you the list was short. There are other restaurants with bars that go a good pre-dinner business at the bar, such as the Beach House, Casa di Amicis, Tidepools, however their bars close when dinner ends, usually at nine or ten p.m. And even the places that stay open “late” close by midnight or one a.m. After all, you’ve got to get up early the next day for some more of those challenging outdoor activities, right?

KauaiHerb

Poipu Vacation Rental Dining Guide-Lunches, Casual and Splurge Dinners June 6, 2009

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Eat A Hearty Lunch

Koloa Fish Market-Take out only. Probably the best plate lunch on the south shore. Entrees can include teriyaki chicken (called shoyu chicken); pork roast and gravy; or fish done a number of different ways including one with a lemon, caper, butter sauce (my favorite); one with a wasabi (hot mustard)sauce or shoyu. The plate lunch is huge and also includes a green salad. If you split one you’ll have room left over to share one of the huge brownies that are to die for. If the brownie isn’t healthy enough, get a bag of edame (steamed soy beans) and eat them plain or grab a container of their special sauce (which is also good for the blackened ahi–see below) and dip your beans in that. Yum, yum.

And if you want some fresh fish to grill at home, this is the place to buy it. Always very fresh. Their blackened ahi (tuna) is also very, very good.

Pizettas-Located right in the middle of Koloa Town. Has been here forever and is frequented by locals and tourists. Great pasta dishes and pizza. Also has a good full bar. Open air and casual setting.

Casual Dinners

Keokis-Hands down the best place on the south shore for fish. Served fresh right off the boat that morning, there are normally five different kinds of fish prepared five different ways, so there is literally something for everyone. Broiled, baked with macadamia nut encrusting, teriyaki style and more! Entrees are priced in the mid-twenties but include a terrific cesar or spinach salad, for which most restaurants charge extra. Mai tais are very good here, even if you’re not a fan of those little umbrellas. Don’t miss the mud pie for dessert. They’re so large, a group of four can split one.

The bar is also very active at night and features a separate bar menu. There is normally live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights.

Yum Cha-By day this is the clubhouse for the Poipu Bay Golf Course. Yes, that’s the same course where the Grand Slam of Golf was played for many years, until Las Vegas, or some other big bucks location outbid Kauai for the honors. The restaurant is located right on the 18th green, which features a large lake. Very peaceful and scenic with the ocean in the distance.

At night, the restaurant is transformed from club house to Yum Cha Asian Fusion Restaurant. Clever use of lighting, wooden screens, and other Asian accents plus Asian uniforms on the wait staff make for a great ambiance. The menu is varied and you’ll recognize Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese dishes, all excellently prepared. The pupu (appetizer) menu is very extensive, so come with a group and order a little of everything. For a different drink, try the Purple Haze. That’s hot sake with a splash of Chambourg (raspberry liquor)–quite tasty!

Spurge Dinners

Donderos-Located in the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Reservations are a must. If the weather is good, which it usually is, ask for an outdoor table and you’ll have a great view of the ocean. I have never ordered anything off the menu that was not first class, so go for it!

Tidepools-Also at the Grand Hyatt. The food is great and you’ll dine in one of the open air pavilions surrounded by water. The restaurant is literally built around a man made lagoon. Feeding the fish is not recommended, although at least once a night someone will throw some bread in the water and the very large koi will attack en mass.

Beach House-If you are not in a hurry, the food is delicious and the view can’t be beat from the only restaurant on the south shore that is right on the ocean.

Enjoy!

KauaiHerb

Poipu Vacation Rental Dining Guide-Sandwiches, Burgers, Plate Lunches & Pupus June 4, 2009

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Why on earth would you need a dining guide if you’re staying in a vacation rental in Poipu? Because no one wants to cook every night! Here are some ideas for places to go in Poipu and Koloa when you have an itch to eat out. This is by no means intended to be a definitive list and certainly reflects the bias of the author.

Grab A Snack

Puka Dog in the Poipu Village Shopping Center. My mother-in-law Virginia, who lives in Diamond Bar, California, insists on having a Puka Dog each time she visits. This is not your grandmothers hot dog! You really have to try one.

Brennecke’s Deli, located right across from Poipu Beach is the spot to go for all kinds of snacks. Grab a sub sandwich, chips and a drink or try their fabulous shave ice.

Have A Light Lunch

Poipu Grill-Look for the yellow submarine. Take out only. The hamburgers are the thing to order here. Also, don’t miss the crack fries. Not sure if the name is because they are addictive or a reference to the former establishment that was nick named “The Crack.” The name comes from the fact that there is a gap (crack) between two buildings of about four feet and this is right where the order window for Poipu Grill is located.

Brenneckes Restaurant-The only restaurant on Poipu Beach. It’s upstairs and has a great view of the ocean. Great salad bar. Good bar with many TV’s for sporting events. What’s not to like?

Sueokas-Located in Koloa Town. I’m referring to the take out snack shop, not the grocery store. Great selection of local food served as plate lunches. For those of you that don’t know, that’s a Styrofoam container with two scoops of rice, a scoop of potato/mac salad and an entree–you choose. Some people swear by the hamburgers, which are small and cheap. If you’re hungry, order several.

Keokis-Although most everyone thinks of this restaurant as a dinner house, it is open for lunch, which it serves off of a bar menu. Two terrific things to order for lunch are the chicken Cesar salad and the fish tacos. You can’t miss with either one of those!

Pupus Anyone?

This is the Hawaiian word for snack or appetizer. You can also make a meal by ordering a number of different pupus, which if you were in Spain, would be called tapas. Same concept.

Casa di Amici-Located in a residential neighborhood, so don’t be fooled by the exterior. The food here is fabulous. The blackened ahi is fantastic and my wife can’t help herself, she always orders the chile verde risotto, which I must admit is incredible. Many other choices available. There is also a full bar, so you could come in without a reservation (which is not recommended for dinner), sit at the bar, have a glass of wine and a pupu and see what you think. You won’t be disappointed.

Beach House Restaurant-The only restaurant located right on the water in Poipu. The bar is also the best place to watch sunsets and the pupu menu is very good. The dinner menu is pricey and be prepared for a long meal time, as service can be quite slow. Better to have the pupus here and dinner some where else.

Enjoy!

KauaiHerb

Five Super Ideas to Remember When Flying to Kauai June 3, 2009

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1. Although first class seats are increasingly being filled by passengers using miles to upgrade, some flights may still have first class seats available a couple of hours before flight time. Although the difference between first and coach on one flight was $500, they were offering the upgrade at the gate for $300. After two different announcements I went to the gate and said I would pay $300 for the two of us. They said no and then, just as boarding began, called our names and gave us the upgrade. It never hurts to ask. Also on www.farecompare.com, Rick Seaney has a good discussion on “YUP” fares. It’s essentially a first class seat coded as business class. If you’re a business class traveler, you definitely want to check this fare class out. You’ll find a link on the home page, right under the main blue box that says “First Class Airfare (YUP). ”

2. Overbooked Flights. In order to continue flying in these turbulent times airlines are doing everything they can to maximize profits. Many of the new and increased charges mentioned above are ways in which profits can be increased. It is only logical then to attempt to fill each plane as full as possible to maximize the revenue from each flight. In order to do that, all airlines accept more reservations than they have seats available, knowing that a certain percentage of customers will “no show” at the airport.

Based on lots of past experience, numbers are fed into a computer and out pops the number of seats to be overbooked. Sometimes they guess wrong, and that is where you, the prepared traveler, can benefit. If you know in advance you have flexibility, ask at the desk at the gate (not the check in desk) how booked the flight is. The gate agent will normally be honest and say either “we have lots of room” or “space is really tight on this flight”. If she says that space is really tight, give her your names and tell her you’d be willing to be bumped off the flight if they need seats. The longer you will be delayed, the higher the compensation.

If it’s a delay of an hour or two, you might be offered a certificate for $200 each on your next flight. Longer delays will earn two round trip tickets that can be used anywhere in the continental United States. An overnight delay will also include a hotel stay. If not offered, be sure and ask for meal vouchers, as they will also be available for overnight stays.

If you are traveling at a busy time of year and cannot afford a delay in your flight, then do some research before flying. Once you’ve booked your flight, find another flight or two that will be going to your same destination and that are departing an hour or two after your flight. Write down the airline, flight number and the toll free number to reach reservations. Program the phone number or numbers into your phone.

In the event of a flight delay or cancellation, the employees at the check in desk will begin looking for seats on other flights that you can be transferred to. With a full load of passengers, this process can take quite some time. You however, having done your research in advance, can quickly call the toll free number(s) you’ve written down and book a seat before the employees at the desk can. This will put you ahead of most all other passengers that are trying to rebook their flights.

3. Always keep your cool when dealing with airline employees. If your flight has been delayed or canceled or if you should miss your flight, do not take out your frustration on the person standing at the counter in front of you. This is NOT the person responsible for whatever problem you might have. They are, however, the best person to help you. Explain politely what your problem is and ask if they can help you. It is human nature to want to help someone who is smiling and friendly.

4. If you’re flying to a city in the U.S.; serviced by Virgin America, give them a try. They are a newer, low cost airline with fabulous aircraft and friendly flight crews. The plane interiors have mood lighting that changes during the flight. Each seat back has a television screen with many options to choose from games, to television shows to movies to music. You can also order food and drinks from this screen and they will be delivered to your seat. Pretty cool. And the best coach flight from Los Angeles to London Heathrow, non-stop, is without a doubt Virgin Atlantic! The ten hours literally fly by, thanks to an attentive flight crew, two different movies and free drinks poured out of liter bottles. The “goodie bag” at every coach seat includes an eye mask and slippers.

5. Even though flying is not like the “good old days” some carriers are doing an excellent job even in these tougher times. Hawaiian Airlines, for example, is still serving food at no cost on their flights to and from the mainland. Depending on the route and time of day, the food can range from a sandwich and bag of chips to hot pasta and chicken. Other carriers are selling food that is much improved from early attempts. Relax and enjoy your journey. Flying is still, mile for mile, the least expensive way to get to most destinations.

KauaiHerb

Top Ten Things Found Only In America May 16, 2009

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Things Found Only In America

1. Only in America……can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance.

2. Only in America……are there handicap parking places in front of a skating rink.

3. Only in America……do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.

4. Only in America……do people order double cheese burgers, large fries, and a diet Coke.

5. Only in America……do banks leave both doors to the vault open and then chain the pens to the counters.

6. Only in America……do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.

7. Only in America……do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have call waiting so we won’t miss a call from someone we didn’t want to talk to in the first place.

8. Only in America……do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.

9. Only in America……do we use the word “politics” to describe the process so well: “poli” in Latin meaning “many” and “tics” meaning “bloodsucking creatures.”

10. Only in America……do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.

KauaiHerb

Kauai Police Blotter of Yesteryear May 14, 2009

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Here’s more from the Police Blotter from 2001, published in The Garden Island Newspaper. These are factual accounts of happenings on our wonderful island out here in the middle of the ocean.

A caller reported hearing strange noises at the golf course across Kuhio Highway. Officers found a wild boar grazing on the #10 tee.
A woman called to complain that her neighbors were interfering in the argument she was having with her husband.
There was a request for police to deliver a message to a member of a visiting parachute jumping team, and it was duly noted that the message had been left taped to the airplane.
There was an urgent call for police to investigate a report of three men at the Coconut Marketplace dressed in camouflage and carrying what appeared to be live ammunition. Turns out it was three actors working on a movie being filmed near by who were taking a shopping break.
A caller from the North Shore that lives right on Kuhio Highway complained that people were stopping to use his outdoor shower.
An elderly gentleman in Lawai called to complain that someone removed his good tire and replaced it with an old flat one.
The owner of a dress shop said she has a problem because someone is looking through the racks and slipping religious literature in the pockets of all her clothing.
A 3 a.m. caller reported someone pounding on the back door of Hamura’s Saimin. Police found a young man who said his wife was craving saimin and sorry, he didn’t realize the restaurant was closed.
A caller said a man was chasing cars near the museum late at night. It turned out to be a drunk on a bicycle and because driving under the influence doesn’t cover bikes, police took him home “without incident”.
A man at a Lihue motel asked to speak to an officer because someone was playing with his mind.
A Kekaha man asked police to swing by and tell his wife to leave him alone while he repairs his boat.

KauaiHerb

Lipstick at School May 12, 2009

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According to a news report, a certain private school in Washington recently was faced with a unique problem. A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom.

That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night, the maintenance man would remove them and the next day, the girls would put them back.

Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night.

To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it.

Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror.

There are teachers, and then there are educators…

KauaiHerb