These Two Seniors Explored Kaua’i

I’ve always felt as an Editor that being onsite gave one a distinct advantage over reading about a site.  That’s us. My wife and I celebrated our 52nd wedding anniversary on Kaua’i in September. These seniors had been to Hawai’i twice before but never to Kaua’i.

Part of the Hawaiian archipelago, Kaua’i is the last large island of the chain. It’s nicknamed “the Garden Island”  thanks to the tropical rainforest covering much of its surface. The dramatic cliffs and pinnacles of its Na Pali Coast on the north shore have served as backdrop for major Hollywood films, while 10-mile-long Waimea Canyon and the Nounou Trails traversing the Sleeping Giant ridge are hiking destinations.

Kaua’i is green everywhere with a world record of 400 inches of rain in parts of the island. This video captures the flavor of Kaua’i with all the hiking trails, waterfalls and amazing green scenery in every direction.

These Seniors Spent Time At The Botanical Garden

My wife and I visited a well known Botanical Garden on the north shore called Limahuli in a 1,000 acre valley. Limahuli means “turning hands” in Hawaiian, and was one of the first places on Kauai settled by ancient Hawaiians.

We saw remnants of original houses built high up on the side of the mountain. The Garden is known as a living Hawaiian landscape through a native forest walk. It allowed these seniors to learn about ancient Hawaiian plants and culture in the spectacular beauty of their natural setting.

Set in a lush tropical valley, surrounded by towering peaks, sculpted by eons of wind and rain, Limahuli Garden offered visions of incomparable natural beauty and intriguing antiquity. We stepped into a place where ancient knowledge blends with contemporary practices.

Limahuli Beacons Senior Travelers

These seniors enjoyed the two hour walk, reading the different plaques identifying the plant, tree or shrub we were viewing. We learned a lot about kalo (taro to many) that was a chief food to Hawaiian people for generations.  They still eat poi today made from the corm of the plant. The site is watered by the Limahuli Stream, a virtually pristine stream, one of the few remaining in Hawai’i.

We spent six days in Kaua’i, took a bus tour of the island, an airplane ride over the island, and thoroughly enjoyed exploring the island in a rental car. We stayed at the Sheraton Kaua’i resort near  Poi’pu, perhaps the most famous beach in Kaua’i. We enjoyed a luau right on the beach and we meandered over to the nearby Grand Hyatt for a mai tai and enjoyed seeing that famed resort.

The Beach House is “the place to dine” on the south shore, and we discovered another restaurant right next to the Sheraton called Keoki’s Paradise. Hawaiian Airlines took us direct from Phoenix to Honolulu and on to Lihue. Meet you tomorrow in Lihue.  jeb