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On any list of the world's most spectacular islands, Kauai
ranks right up there with Bora Bora, Huahine, and Rarotonga. All the elements
are here: moody rain forests, majestic cliffs, jagged peaks, emerald valleys,
palm trees swaying in the breeze, daily rainbows, and some of the most
spectacular golden beaches you'll find anywhere.
Soft tropical air, sunrise birdsong, essence of ginger and
plumeria, golden sunsets, sparkling waterfalls -- you don't just go to Kauai,
you absorb it with every sense. It may get more than its fair share of tropical
downpours, but that's what makes it so lush and green and creates an abundance
of rainbows.
Kauai is essentially a single large shield volcano that rises
3 miles above the sea floor. The island lies 90 miles across the open ocean from
Oahu, but it seems at least a half-century removed in time. It's often called
the separate kingdom because it stood alone and resisted King Kamehameha's
efforts to unite Hawaii. In the end, it required a royal kidnapping to take the
garden isle. After King Kamehameha died, his son, Liholiho, ascended the throne.
He gained control of Kauai by luring Kauai's king, Kaumualii, aboard the royal
yacht and sailing to Oahu; once there, Kaumualii was forced to marry Kaahumanu,
Kamehameha's widow, thereby uniting the islands.
Today the independent spirit lives on in Kauai, which refuses
to surrender its island to wholesale tourism, preferring instead to take care of
residents first (though it takes good care of visitors, too). A Kauai rule is
that no building may exceed the height of a coconut tree -- between three and
four stories. As a result, the island itself, not its palatial beach hotels, is
the attention-grabber. There's no real nightlife here, no opulent shopping
malls. But there is the beauty of the verdant jungle, the endless succession of
spectacular beaches, the grandeur of Waimea Canyon, and the drama of the Na Pali
Coast. Even Princeville, an opulent marble-and-glass luxury hotel, does little
more than frame the natural glory of Hanalei's spectacular 4,000-foot-high
Namolokama mountain range.
Kauai's beauty has played a supporting role in more than 40
Hollywood films, from South Pacific to Jurassic Park. But this island is not
just another pretty face: Its raw wilderness is daunting, its seas challenging,
its canyons forbidding -- two-thirds of the island is impenetrable. This is the
place for active visitors: There's watersports galore; miles of trails through
rain forests and along ocean cliffs for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders;
and golf options that range from championship links to funky local courses where
chickens roam the greens and balls wind up embedded in coconut trees. But Kauai
is also great for those who need to relax and heal jangled nerves. Here you'll
find miles of sandy beaches, perfect for just sitting and meditating. There are
also quiet spots in the forest where you can listen to the rain dance on the
leaves as well as an endless supply of laid-back, lazy days that end with the
sun sinking into the Pacific amid a blaze of glorious tropical color.
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Hotels: Hanalei Bay Resort, Princeville Resort, Lihue/Wailua
Area, Aston Kauai Beach Villas, Aston Islander on the Beach, Kauai Coconut Beach
Resort, Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club, Kauai Sands Hotel, Lae Nani Resort,
Plantation Hale Suites, Radisson Kauai Beach Resort, Poipu Area, Aston at Poipu
Kai, Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort and Spa, Outrigger's Kiahuna Plantation,
Sheraton Kauai, Aston Waimea lantation Cottages
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