Kauai really “Revealed”

For those of you that haven’t made it to any of the Hawaiian Islands, the first bit of advice I will give is study up, save up and go. I have yet to be dissappointed by any of the three islands that we have had the pleasure of visiting and can’t tell you how relaxing it is just sitting on the beach. Now having said that I don’t sit on the beach very well, I’m usually out exploring and will do what I can to discover places that haven’t been seen before or are least likely to be regularly visited.
If you don’t have a considerable amount of time or don’t want to or have no desire to get off the beaten path there are numerous beaches on the island off Kauai that will more than satisfy your need for the tropics. I’ve had the luxury to read the Frommers and other books about Hawaii but my favorite books about the island for those of us that don’t actually live there and can’t spend time finding the best places, you need to read the “Revealed” Series by Andrew Doughty. Specifically,The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook: Kauai Revealed, was our guide as we had used the “Big Island Revealed,” on our trip to the Big Island two years ago.  I absolutely love these books and read them religiously prior to planning a trip to one of the Hawaiian Islands.  There are some negatives to these books that I’ll explain  a little later but as a whole they are wonderful.

These books give you great directions for planning where to stay, the locations for the best places to eat, well you get the point.    From the food stand point they’ll give you directions to some great places and yes when you walk up to the Raggae painted Shave Ice shack (Jo-Jo’s Clubhouse) take them for their word.  The service at Jo-Jo’s was great when we were there and the Shave Ice was even better.  Not quite as good as  Tropical Dreams Ice Cream but the shave ice on the island is wonderful.  By the way the only place to get Tropical Dreams on Kauai is at the Kilauea Video in Kilauea.  They don’t open early in the morning so plan your visit for afternoon or evening.  If you skip it, oh well, your loss.

“Revealed”, gives excellent directions to numerous trails and waterfalls throughout the island and the island truly is a garden paradise.  I will have to admit I have an affliction with the east side of all the islands, as that is where the majority of the rain falls, but the whole island was absolutely fantastic.  When they tell you to take the first dirt road or the hidden left, they mean it.  Take it and any warnings they give you to heart.

For almost all of my life I’ve done everything I could or could afford to get off the beaten track.  I’ve hiked the Rocky Mountains alone for weeks at a time and climbed the cliffs of secluded canyons just to see places others may not have tread.  This book will show you the hard to find waterfalls and toughest trails and the hole in the wall eating establishments.  But if they tell you the trail is not for the faint of heart or not properly manicured.  They’re trails people, look up the early settlers and covered wagon trails from the origins of manifest destiny.  There are a number of places throughout the book that tell you to head warnings or that certain trails are more for experts; you might want to take that to heart as well.  We ran into a group on the Na Pali Coast Trail that were sincerely angry that the trail wasn’t properly manicured.  I’m just curious, yes there are portions of the faintly worn trail that if you miss a step you could be shark bait, but did you not read any of the signs or actually read about the trail you were about to take before you took off on it.  They’re trails, not roads, go to New York if you want concrete and roads, go to the Na Pali Coastline if you want to see raw beauty.  As far as the trails are concerned, they’re trails but they’re nowhere near the most difficult in the world.  Having said that I’m not sure I would take Na Pali for my first long, 22+ mile trek round trip, hiking excursion.

When choosing places to eat, the book was spot on.  If it says the resturant has great food and exceptionally slow service, they mean exceptionally slow.  I’ve seen dead people move faster.  I have yet to be disappointed by any of the eating establishments that are recommended by “Revealed”.  And yes I do mean the hole in the walls you wouldn’t expect to pass health care inspection.  If they say its “ono” they mean it.  Did I mention Tropical Dreams Ice Cream, good, really, really good.

The “Revealed” series of books is very detailed, you just have to know the details to follow.  It would also be worth your while to get copies of the actual trail maps to go along with the book and in my case I study the details of the book in accordance with the maps.  That way I have physical landmarks to go by once I actually get on the trail.  And the maps aid in actually following the trail that sometimes disappears.  It also is advisable that if you’re going off on some of these trails to take a compass or a GPS.  I actually use the two previous and I have a personal locator beacon, Find Me Spot, just in case you get lost.  I’ll review the Spot later.

The trails, locations of waterfalls and scenic beaches are not the only details the maps in the “Revealed” books show.  You can also find the farmers markets, where they’re located and on what days the markets are actually open.  For instance, on page 46 you’ll see the farmers market close to the Kilauea lighthouse is available on Thursdays at 4:30 pm.  By the way these farmers markets are usually in a parking lot or open field.  They aren’t in grocery stores or strip malls.  But the fresh fruit, heliconias, ginger, etc., are well worth the visit.

As far as the negatives are concerned the book details several items of consideration but you have to  head their warnings.  They have constant updates on their website http://www.wizardpub.com, but it’s up to you to check the site and the local laws and current restrictions.  We ran into a couple that had passed through some government posted no trespassing signs and consequently were going back to Hawaii to fight their trespassing violation tickets they had received from the Hawaiian authorities.  Theft on the islands is their second favorite past time behind only surfing.  We have yet to visit an island that our vehicle’s weren’t broken into.  We’ve gotten to the point that the last several times we just left the vehicle unlocked and literally nothing in it.  Take theirs and our word for it.  Don’t leave anything in sight.  When we were visiting with a couple of the locals they specifically told us, when they vacation, on other Hawaiian islands, they shy away from any of the convertible’s when they visit any of the other islands because of the theft issue.  You might want to heed all of our warnings. 

Oh and make sure you get the insurance on your vehicle.  You’ll be surprised of the number of ways you’ll need it.

If you’re going to visit one of the Hawaiian Islands, I strongly suggest you read the book for the corresponding island.  Without the book you’d have missed Secret Beach on Kauai.

You can get the book by clicking The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook: Kauai Revealed

Enjoy the islands and the books.

My Blu Horizon