With every trip, my heart for the ocean grows. This past December, I had a couple of open weeks and jumped at the chance to see Kauai with my mom. I woke every morning to do yoga on the beach, grabbing a latte and watching the waves while I enjoyed the pure coconut flavored beans. During the afternoons we adventured, drove the island, explored the coastline on a boat tour and did a doors-off helicopter tour with Jack Harter Helicopter Tours (which was everything!). With my camera in tow, I stopped along our drives to capture scenes that spoke to me. I have a rule now with my friends and family that I will only stop to take a picture if I end up making a verbal reaction to seeing something: like “oh my wow!!” or “aughhhhh.” Otherwise I would never get anywhere when I am traveling.
We stayed 5 nights at The Kauai Shores Hotel. I loved their beachfront Lava Lava Beach Club restaurant and the central location to the east coast of the island. They also have two pools, but whenever I have a beachfront with lounge chairs, that’s where you’ll find me. Then we stayed 6 nights at the Courtyard Kaua’i at Coconut Beach. This is no ordinary Courtyard Marriott — it’s a stunning resort-style hotel with an amazing pool and beachfront access. These hotels were only a few minutes apart, but without knowing much about the island before going, we chose to stay centrally. If I ever make it back to Kauai, I would stay a few nights in Hanalei Bay for surfing and then a few nights on the east coast where we were and then finish with a few nights on the southern, sunny coast near Poipu Beach. There aren’t as many hotel options in the north and the south, but if you plan ahead, you can secure a stay in each of the areas of the island.
Kauai is truly different from Oahu and Maui — it is a tree paradise! Stunning jungle and tropical trees cover the lush island. And I was dying to see the Nā Pali Coast State Park. I would love to hike the trails there next time, but we were able to see the coast from a boat tour and a doors-off helicopter tour. The weather is unpredictable, and we got to see the coastline in its foggy, mysterious setting. It is an awe-inspiring and dramatic coast. We also enjoyed driving through the Waimea Canyon State Park. It’s like a lush and colorful version of the Grand Canyon. There are several lookout points along the drive so you an enjoy the canyon from different vantage points. And the curvy road is invigorating and beautiful.
My other random thoughts about my time in Kauai:
— Vanilla Coconut Lattes are amazing
— Yoga every morning is a great way to approach the day with strength, movement, and stillness
— I will always miss the ocean
— I need to research more about surf breaks before planning a surf trip (waves were either non-existent or 30 foot waves (no joke))
— It’s wonderful to hear my mom laugh. It was nice to spend time with her on vacation.
— I love being outside 90% of the day
— I still struggle with unplugging when I travel: one day I will be better at this
— Rain makes everything beautiful
— I love being surprised by the unexpected: like cactus all over southern Kauai
I hope you enjoy some of favorite travel photographs. I will have some of these for sale. In the meantime, feel free to e-mail me if you are interested in any prints. And see more of my favorites on my Travel Instagram Account.
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