Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
COASTAL HIKING
walk on the wild side
KALALAU BEACH ON NA PALI COAST, KAUAI, HAWAII
Utility is when you have one telephone, luxury is when you have two, op-
ulence is when you have three—and paradise is when you have none.
—Doug Larson, middle-distance runner who won gold medals at the 1924
Paris Olympic Games
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You've probably seen pictures of Kauai's Na Pali Coast. The crenellated, rainbow-ad-
orned, ocean-plunging cliffs had starring roles in
Jurassic Park, Thorn Birds, South Pacific,
and one of the King Kong movies. Many folks who visit Kauai take an afternoon catamaran
or helicopter tour to see this rugged 22-mile strip of undeveloped coastline, widely regarded
as one of the prettiest in the world.
That's all fine and good, and in fact everyone should get a glimpse of paradise. But what
we're recommending here is a trek along Na Pali's Kalalau Trai to Kalalau Beach, a remote
postcard-perfect beach with a spectacular waterfall and guava, mango, and papaya trees for
munching. It's devilishly difficult to get to—the 11-mile one-way hike (which takes most
hikers a day) is steep, often muddy, and shared by mountain goats—but Kalalau Beach is like
no place else on Earth.
Jackie Yellin, who has traveled around the globe, says a ten-day camping trip she recently
took to Kalalau Beach was the most unusual vacation she's ever been on. “We showered
every morning in the waterfall, slept unencumbered on the beach, and met the most interesting
people,” she recalls.
The narrow coastal trail that leads to Kalalau Beach was built through the dense jungle by
native Hawaiians, hundreds of whom once lived in the remote coastal valleys, fishing or rais-
ing taro on terraced plots. Extensive stone walls, house platforms, and temple structures can
still be found on the valley floors. The treacherous trail dips in and out of rain forest, through
five valleys, and past dozens of waterfalls and 4,000-foot cliffs. At several turns, it spills out
onto white sandy beaches.
