Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Poipu Resort Area
MAKAWEHI POINT Like a ship's prow, Makawehi Point juts out to sea
on the east side of Keoneloa Beach (known locally as Shipwreck Beach), which
lies in front of the Hyatt Regency Poipu. This 50-foot-high sand-dune bluff
attracts a variety of people: pole fishers, whale-watchers, those who just like the
panoramic views of the Pacific, and daredevils who test their courage by leaping
off the cliff into the waves. (Don't try it.)
The trail head begins on the east end of Shipwreck Beach, past the Hyatt. It's
an easy 10-minute walk up to Makawehi Point; after you take in the big picture,
keep going uphill along the ridge of the sand dunes (said to contain ancient
Hawaiian burial sites), past the coves frequented by green sea turtles and endan-
gered Hawaiian monk seals, through the coastal pine forest, and past World War
II bunkers to the very top. Now you can see Hauupu Ridge and its 2,297-foot
peak, the famously craggy ridgeline that eerily resembles Queen Victoria's pro-
file, and, in the distance, Mahaulepu Beach, one of the best looking in Hawaii.
Inland, three red craters dimple the green fields; the one in the middle, the
biggest, Pu'u Huni Huni, is said to have been the last volcano to erupt on
Kauai—but it was so long ago that nobody here can remember when.
Western Kauai
WAIMEA CANYON TRAILS On a wet island like Kauai, a dry hike is hard
to find. But in the desert-dry gulch of Waimea Canyon, known as the Grand
Canyon of the Pacific (once you get here, you'll see why—it's pretty spectacu-
lar), you're not likely to slip and slide in the muck as you go.
Canyon Trail You want to hike Hawaii's Grand Canyon, but you don't think
you have the time or it's too much for the kids? Well, then, take the Canyon Trail
to the east rim for a breathtaking view into the 3,000-foot-deep canyon. Park
your car at the top of Halemanu Valley Road. It's located between mile markers
14 and 15 on Waimea Canyon Road, about a mile down from the museum.
Walk down the not very clearly marked trail on the 3.5-mile round-trip, which
takes 2 to 3 hours and leads to Waipoo Falls (as does the hike below) and back.
We suggest going in the afternoon, when the light is best.
KOKEE STATE PARK At the end of Highway 550, which leads through
Waimea Canyon to its summit, lies a 4,640-acre state park of high-mountain
forest wilderness (3,600-4,000 ft. above sea level). The rainforest, bogs, and
breathtaking views of the Na Pali coastline and Waimea Canyon are the draw at
Kokee. This is the place for hiking—among the 45 miles of maintained trails are
some of the best hikes in Hawaii. Official maps of all the park's trails are for sale
for 50¢ at the Kokee Natural History Museum ( & 808/335-9975 ).
A few words of advice: Always check current trail conditions; up-to-date trail
information is available on a bulletin board at the Kokee Natural History
Museum. Stay on established trails; it's easy to get lost here. Get off the trail well
before dark. Carry water and rain gear—even if it's perfectly sunny when you set
out—and wear sunscreen.
For complete coverage of the state park, see p. 374.
Halemanu-Kokee Trail This trail takes you on a pleasant, easy-to-moderate
2.5-mile round-trip walk through a native koa and ohia forest inhabited by
native birds. The trail head is near mile marker 15; pick up the Faye Trail, which
leads to this one. The Halemanu-Kokee links Kokee Valley to Halemanu Valley
(hence the name); along the way, you'll see a plum orchard, valleys, and ridges.
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