Aloha!

We are Janet and Chuck Nelsen and we would like to welcome you to Kaua’i and the GARDEN ISLAND CONDO! We hope you enjoy your visit to one of the most beautiful places on earth - the Garden Island of Kaua’i.

We enjoy every moment of our visits here and were fortunate enough to have lived here for 4 years. Only the birth of our first grandchild Miley prompted us to leave the place we still consider our home.

There are so many fun and amazing things to do on Kaua’i, it is difficult to know where to begin. Much of what we enjoy you can find in “The Ultimate Kaua’i Guidebook” (from the Home page, click on Resources button). Buy it before you go and use it to help decide the things you want to do during your stay.

Hiking is a dream on Kaua’i. There are many dramatic hikes in Waimea Canyon, and hiking part or all of the Kalalau Trail near Ke’e Beach is an adventure of a lifetime. There are also several local hikes - one of our favorites is the Nounou Trail up Sleeping Giant Mountain. You can see this mountain from your master bedroom lanai!

Snorkeling is one of Kaua’i’s best treats. In the summer, on the North Shore, Ke’e and Tunnels Beaches offer excellent snorkeling. Several other beaches also can be snorkeled, but these two are your best bets. On a very calm day in summer, a strong swimmer can go outside the reef at Ke’e beach and look for turtles. Chuck has never gone outside the reef without seeing several to many Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles; take your underwater one-time-use camera, these honu are one of the world’s wonderous sights! If you see them, remember - look and photograph only, it is against the law to approach, touch or bother them! Turtles can also be seen at the west end of the rocky cove just east of Beachhouse Beach (Poipu) and at Turtle Beach in Wailua (take the public access path that runs along the north side of the Hale Awapuhi condominium on the ocean side of the Shell gas station near Haleilio Road in Wailua).

Snorkel the North Shore ONLY during the summer, it is dangerous in winter. South Shore beaches are generally safe year-round. Snorkeling near Kapa’a is usually less rewarding because the trade winds often keep the surf up and the water is somewhat murky; but if it’s calm - go for it!

For the largest variety of fish in the smallest area, go to Beachhouse Beach on the South Shore. It’s almost always safe and the number and variety of fish are tops. The beach is small so it can be a little crowded, but the fish don’t mind. An added treat here is the chance to see a Hawaiian Monk Seal. We have seen several here. Again, look but don’t touch or approach!

For swimming, boogie boarding and surfing, Kealia Beach is great and it’s only about a mile away. Your boogie boards are waiting for you at the Garden Island Condo - grab them, and head toward the ocean to Kuhio Highway (56) and turn left (north). Drive 2-3 minutes and as the road approaches nearest to the ocean you’re there! Try out your board near the shore. Don’t go out where the locals ride the big waves unless you know what you’re doing! There are often surfers here catching waves; so you can watch this famous Hawaiian sport here too! Here’s a tip: If a beach is good for surfing or boogie boarding, it’s usually not a good snorkeling beach. If it’s too “flat” to boogie board, it’s probably a good place to snorkel. Sometimes you can snorkel inside a reef, and surf or boogie board outside the reef - like at Beachhouse Beach. Fish are more often near rocky areas and not around sandy areas.

If you want to see waterfalls up close and/or swim in the pool at the base of a waterfall, there are a number of places on Kaua’i to do so. Check out “The Ultimate Kaua’i Guidebook” for Wailua Falls, Kipu Falls, Secret Falls, Hoopii Falls and the unnamed falls on the hike to Hoopii Falls. All are really cool, but be careful. If the water is high and flowing fast in any stream or river, stay out of the water and away from the falls. Having said that, we have been in the water at each spot many times. Wailua Falls is the biggest and most dramatic by far, but jumping off Kipu Falls is something you will tell about (brag about?) to your friends and co-workers many times! Remember, before you do any of these, read all the warnings about each of falls in “The Ultimate Kaua’i Guidebook”!

Kayaking on Kaua'i can range from a quiet paddle on a calm stream to an adventure of a lifetime! Several of Kaua'i's streams and rivers can be kayaked and rentals are available nearby. You can join a tour (more costly) or rent and paddle on your own (less costly.) The quiet ride is best on the Hanalei River on the North Shore. Rent from the shop just past the bridge into Hanalei Town, and they'll put it into the water for you. Paddle upstream for a quiet calm trip, or downstream to Black Pot Beach and Hanalei Bay. On a calm, summer ocean, you can surf the waves in your kayak.

If you kayak the Wailua River on the East Shore, you can paddle further, beach your kayak, and hike through the rain forest to "Secret Falls." Keep to the bank on your right as you paddle upstream, and on your left as you return downstream - you'll be close to the same bank in both directions. Stay away from the tour boats, they're bigger than you!

Ocean kayaking is available only during the summer months. Some guides will lead you from Ha'ena State Park on the North Shore to Polihale Beach on the West Shore, just short of Waimea Town - 17 miles of open ocean along Kaua'i's famous Na Pali Coast! Slip into a volcano whose side has been opened by the raging winter surf; paddle through caves that loop through the cliffs, open to the tropical skies. You may even be lucky enough to witness locals diving from the soaring cliffs. The scenery is breathtaking! This adventure is for those who are hardy and immune to sea-sickness. (Once you begin with a guided tour, you're expected to paddle for the entire journey.)

Dining

There are many good places to eat on Kaua’i. We prefer informal, local, less expensive. Some of our favorites are:

The Fish Hut in the Coconut Marketplace in Kapa’a - very informal - just a walk-up window to order and pick up your food with a few outside tables. Often there are free hula shows at five p.m.; the Keiki (children) dancers are great!
Wasabi’s for sushi (at the north end of Kapa’a). Interesting murals of the underwater scene.
Mermaids Café at the north end of Kapa’a (another walk up window, with a couple of outside tables).
Café Coco in Wailua for organic, outside dining on plastic tables and chairs with live Hawaiian music at dinner time.
Kintaro’s across from Café Coco for Japanese and sushi. A little more expensive - but after all - it’s inside with real tables and chairs!
We think the smaller and more local the better, but check out “The Ultimate Kaua’i Guidebook” and you decide! One thing - you’re on a tropical island - always try the fish! It’s fresh here!

If you are here for a week, you’ll wish you were here for a month! Heck, you’ll wish you could move here --- We did and WE DID!!

P.S. If you have any questions about Kaua’i, call us. We love to talk about our island home! 916-424-6098