See Waimea Canyon from the air on a helitour.
The Poipu Beach area on southern Kauai is one of the biggest tourist draws on the island. It is not surprising, given the warm white sands, swimmable beaches and close-to-shore snorkel sites. Kauai does have more to offer, however. Explore the "Garden Island" from the air and see how many waterfalls you find. Take to the water and learn about the island's marine life. On this tropical island, it's not all about the beach.
Princeville Resort Golf
Bring your clubs or rent a set at Princeville Resort and tee off on two of the most scenic and challenging golf courses on the planet. Located on Kauai's North Shore, the resort is home to the Prince Course that is laid out over undulating hills and sits roughly 300 feet above the Pacific. The Makai Course snakes around pocket lakes and forest lands. Makai's seventh hole challenges you to hit the green with a well-aimed tee shot that travels over a cliff. If you are intimidated by both these Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed courses, there is the Woods Course. Its nine holes are just as scenic, but the greens are more forgiving. Makai Golf Club offers golf lessons, practice ranges and golf merchandise.
Princeville at Hanalei
5-3900 Kuhio Highway
Princeville, Kauai, HI 96722
808-826-5001
princeville.com
Kauai Seariders Whale Watching
Ride a speedy Zodiac out into the waters off Kauai and get a close up view of the island's annual visitors, the humpback whales. Each year these animals migrate from their feeding grounds in Alaska to the warm Hawaiian waters to mate and give birth. Between December and April the whales leap and spin and spout and are one of the biggest attractions in the islands. Kauai Seariders sends you out for your whale visit with a marine biologist to let you in on some whale secrets. Listen to whale songs from the underwater microphone. Sometimes the whales get so curious about you they swim closer for a better look.
Kauai Seariders
P.O. Box 643
Kalaheo, Kauai, HI 96741
808-332-7238
kauaiseariders.com
Safari Helicopter Tours--Waimea Canyon
Take a helicopter tour and see the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" from the air. Dip in between jagged cliffs sporting tropical vegetation and hidden waterfalls. Fly along the rugged Na Pali Coast and take in the bold contrast of red earth, green tropical jungle and deep blue Pacific waters. Take the Kauai Refuge Eco Tour and make a 30-minute stop at Olokele Canyon's Botanical Refuge overlook. There are no public roads to get into this biological preserve since it is private ranch land. If the terrain looks familiar, perhaps you may have seen some of it before, in the movie "Jurassic Park."
Safari Helicopter Tours
3225 Akahi St.
Lihue, Kauai, HI 96766
800-326-3356
safarihelicopters.com
Coconut Coasters--Family Biking
Get out in the fresh Kauai air and cycle the five-mile-long Ke Ala Hela Makalae bike trail. The name means "path that follows the coast" and that is exactly what it does all the way from Kealia to Baby Beach. Coconut Coasters offers bike rentals for both adults and children. This includes bicycles built for two, a pull-along trainer for kids that attaches to a full-sized adult bike and a covered trailer for small children. Pack a picnic lunch and take an energy break at the beach or in one of the picnic areas along the trail, including ocean front Lydgate Park.
Coconut Coasters
4-1586 Kuhio Highway
Kapaa, Kauai, HI 96746
808-822-7368
coconutcoasters.com
Tags: Kauai Seariders, Coconut Coasters, Kuhio Highway, Princeville Resort, Safari Helicopter