Saturday, November 23, 2024
After waking up at 06:30, I showered and dressed. At around 07:00, we drove to the Oakland airport for our Hawaiian Airlines (HA flight #67) to Lihue, Kauai. Our plane departed on time, at 09:45. The flight was smooth, with some periods of turbulence.
Since there were no movies on the plane (but there was free Starlink Wifi), I initially read Rudyard Kipling's Kim on my Kindle and then took out my iPad Pro to practice music sight reading and guitar frets.
Due to strong headwinds, our flight took about 6 hours, and we landed at Lihue Aiport at 14:00.
When we landed, we ordered a Lyft car to take us to the Marriott Kauai Beach Club resort. Since our villa was not ready, we headed to Duke's Canoe Club for lunch.
We made it to Kauai! 😀
Since we were not very hungry, we ordered the following items from Duke's Canoe Club:
- Appetizer: Macadamia Nut Hummus
- Boris: Ahi Poke Bowl, Iced Tea
- Inna: Ahi Poke Bowl, Iced Tea
The hummus was delicious, and the Poke bowls were pretty good (though portions were tiny). While we were finishing up, a Hawaiian band with a few guitar players and a female vocalist was set up nearby.
We listened to the Hawaiian band (from Honolulu) for a few songs. They sounded good and sang a medley of Hawaiian favorites.
Once our room was ready, we returned to the Waialeale Tower #211. I called the front desk to get our luggage, and we changed into our swimwear and headed to the beach. Our room was on Kalapaki Beach, with a nice balcony and beautiful views of the surrounding cliffs.
Our villa included two rooms (#211 and #212) linked by a door. Both rooms had TVs and beds. One room had two twin beds, while the other had a coach/folding bed combo.
We headed to the beach (where there was an ongoing girl's Volleyball Tournament). We swam in the ocean for half an hour and then tried the hot tub in the nearby pool. After sunset, we returned to our room to rest and prepare for dinner. (Inna had made reservations at Duke's at 20:00).
I connected my portable Nvidia Shield to the room's TV. I had to reset the remote control (which was not working initially) and try to connect to the wireless internet (which required a browser). I used my iPhone as the Hot Spot to download the Nvidia Shield's Browser app and then switched to the Sonesta Internet. I could not access all of my Plex movies and shows from my home server)
At 17:55, we headed to Duke's nearby but were interrupted by a fire show by Hawaiian performers. They flung torches for a long time to the beat of a Taiko drum. It was fun to watch, and there was a large crowd.
We ended up walking around and going upstairs for dinner at Duke's. After sitting down (we also watched the fire show from upstairs), we ordered the following items at Duke's:
- Appetizer: Calamari (excellent)
- Boris: Prime Rib (12 oz), Hot Tea
- Inna: Coconut Braised Seafood, Hot Tea
The Calamari was excellent, but my Prime Rib was uninspiring (it didn't taste as delicious as my homemade steak). Inna's Coconut Braised Seafood was delicious.
Sunday, November 24, 2024
I woke at around 08:00, showered, shaved, and dressed. While Inna was sleeping, I walked downstairs to purchase the weekly SUP Surfing rental from Kauai Beach Boys ($275/week).
I noticed a few people walking with coffee cups and decided to investigate. I found the Jammin Banana Bakery & Cafe with a long line. I didn't want to wait, so I stopped by ABC Stores to purchase Chobani yogurt for Inna and me. (ABC Stores don't have much of a selection of yogurt).
After returning to our room, I told Inna about the coffee shop. I decided to try SUP surfing while Inna went to the beach to swim and relax.
I rented an NSP Cruising 9'8" SUP from Kauai Beach Boys (which I had previously rented a few years ago). Most of the other SUPs are much longer and heavier.
I wonder whether I should purchase an inflatable 8'8" Honu Bondi Surf SUP to take everywhere (instead of renting the oversized touring SUPs). Both Oahu and Kauai need a better selection of surfing SUPs.
The waves were tiny, and I managed to ride one. I spent about 90 minutes SUP surfing and felt that I had forgotten all the techniques. I finished at around 10:30 and found Inna on the beach. She joined a Yoga class while I rested and read my Rudyard Kiplinger's Kim book.
At 11:30, when her Yoga class finished, Inna went for a long swim while I rested. We then returned to our room to shower and get ready for our car rental from Island Cars. Inna found a $40/day deal, and we decided to have a car to travel around the island.
Our little Hyundai Accent was a bit beat up, but it was good enough to get from point A to point B. We first drove to Fish Express to purchase some authentic Hawaiian Poke, which we ate on our balcony.
I started to develop a severe migraine and took some Excedrin (which helped eventually). After lunch, we walked over to the Jammin Banana Bakery & Cafe. Inna ordered a latte and a mocha, and we shared a chocolate banana bread.
We returned to our room, where I rested while Inna swam in the ocean. There was a light shower outside, but it did not last long.
For dinner, we decided to dine at Lilikoi Bar & Grill nearby. We ordered the following items:
- Appetizer; Bulgogi Kimchi Fries
- Boris: Fish & Chips with Salad, 16-oz Bikini Blonde Draft beer
- Inna: Macadamia Nut Crusted Opakapaka, Virgin Lava Flow
The portions were huge, and my Fish & Chips were delicious (and the included salad was excellent). Inna's Opakapaka was also good (but had too much sauce).
After dinner, we returned to our room and rested.
Monday, November 25, 2024
Since Inna had an early morning work meeting, we woke at 07:00. Inna joined her work meeting while I took a shower.
I decided to walk to the nearby Jammin Banana Bakery & Cafe to get some breakfast items. I picked a Brekkie Bagel with eggs and an apple pie. I also purchased a 12-oz latte and a mocha for Inna and me.
After breakfast, I headed to surf on Kalapaki Beach on the NSP Cruise 9'8" SUP. Initially, there were few waves and no wind, but the wave size improved. I surfed about 10 waves in about 3 hours. It was relatively quiet, though other SUP surfers, surfers, and one foil surfer were all competing for the same small wave.
Here is a GoPro Hero11 video of the SUP Surfing:
After I finished at noon, I drove the Kia Accent to Fish Express to purchase our lunch (two Poke bowls). I selected white rice with 3 popular poke combinations. They were delicious!
When Inna had time to break from work, we walked to the nearby Jammin Banana Bakery & Cafe for dessert. We ordered a latte and a mocha for Inna and me and shared some scrumptious banana bread.
After dessert, I rested in the room for an hour while Inna swam at Kalapaki Beach. We met up later on the beach and enjoyed the clear Kauai ocean waters and the jacuzzi in the Marriott Hotel.
We decided to try Oasis on the Beach at Waipouli Beach Resort for dinner, about 15 minutes away from Marriott (by car). After a short drive, we parked and strolled to the beach, where we sat at our table. We were worried about the ominous clouds, but it never rained.
After looking at the menu and talking to the waiter, we ordered the following items:
- Appetizer: Garlic Ciabatta Roll, Roasted Tomato Soup, Caprese Style Tomato Salad
- Boris: Seared Ahi with Taro, Kirin Beer
- Inna: Lobster Pasta, Keiki Seasonal Soda
- Dessert: Oasis Terrine
I liked the freshly baked Ciabatta Roll, the roasted tomato soup, and the caprese salad. My freshly caught Ahi was also delicious with mashed purple taro. Inna's Lobster gnocchi were not bad, but they were not exceptional either. The Oasis Terrine was tasty (but small). It turned into a costly dinner.
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Since Inna had an early morning work meeting, we woke at 07:00. Inna joined her work meeting while I took a shower and shaved.
I decided to walk to the nearby Jammin Banana Bakery & Cafe to get some breakfast items. I picked a Brekkie (cheddar bagel with plain cream cheese and eggs) and an apple pie. I also purchased a 12-oz latte and a mocha for Inna and me.
After breakfast, I headed to surf on Kalapaki Beach on the NSP Cruise 9'8" SUP. Initially, there were few waves and no wind. I surfed about 10+ waves in about 3 hours. It was relatively quiet, though other SIP surfers, surfers, and one foil surfer were all competing for the same small waves.
After I finished at noon, I drove the Kia Accent to Fish Express to purchase our lunch (two Poke bowls). I selected white rice with 3 popular poke combinations. They were delicious!
After lunch, we walked to Kalapaki Beach to swim in the beautiful Pacific Ocean. We then swam in the Royal Sonesta Pool and relaxed in the jacuzzi.
For dinner, we decided to try Cafe Portofino. Inna made dinner reservations for 18:45, and we arrived right on time.
After sitting down, we ordered the following items from the menu:
- Appetizer: Antipasto Portofino (nice portion)
- Drinks: Pellegrino
- Boris: Fettucini Bolognese
- Inna: Scampi Al Limone
- Dessert: Profiteroles (delicious)
We had a lovely time at
Cafe Portofino, and our waitress was attentive. We also enjoyed the beautiful live music by the keyboard player and vocalist. She sang a medley of Hawaiian and other popular favorites.
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Since Inna had an early morning work meeting, we woke at 07:00. Inna joined her work meeting while I took a shower and shaved.
I decided to walk to the nearby Jammin Banana Bakery & Cafe to get some breakfast items. I picked a cheddar bagel with plain cream cheese (Brekkie is unavailable on Wednesdays) and an apple pie. I also purchased a 12-oz latte and a mocha for Inna and me.
I paddle-surfed for 2.5 hours and caught about 6 waves. The waves were not as consistent as yesterday.
After I finished at noon, I drove the Kia Accent to Fish Express to purchase our lunch (two Poke bowls). I selected white rice with 3 popular poke combinations. They were delicious!
We saw the Holland America Zaandam depart the port at Lihue and head out to sea. Holland America does many cruises between the Hawaiian Islands.
After lunch, we walked to Kalapaki Beach to swim in the beautiful Pacific Ocean. We then swam in the Royal Sonesta Pool and relaxed in the jacuzzi.
For dinner, we decided to dine at Lilikoi Bar & Grill nearby. We ordered the following items:
- Appetizer; Bulgogi Kimchi Fries
- Boris: Fish & Chips with Salad, 16-oz Bikini Blonde Draft beer
- Inna: Blackened Seared Ahi Tuna, Virgin Lava Flow
I really liked my
Fish & Chips (Mahi-mahi) entree. Inna's Ahi was also delicious.
Thursday, November 28, 2024
Happy Thanksgiving!
Since Inna was on Thanksgiving break, she could sleep a bit longer. While she slept, I woke up, showered, and shaved. I decided to walk to the nearby Jammin Banana Bakery & Cafe to get some breakfast items. I picked a Brekkie (cheddar bagel with eggs and plain cream cheese) and an apple hand pie. I also purchased a 12-oz latte and a mocha for Inna and me.
After breakfast on our room's balcony, I walked down to Kauai Beach Boys and rented the NSP Cruising 9'8" SUP. Many more surfers were on the bay, and a new cruise ship was docked in port: NCL Pride of America.
The waves looked larger, though there was also much more wind. I paddle-surfed for 45 minutes before suddenly breaking a paddle. After replacing the paddle, I paddled back out and surfed a few more waves.
At 10:45, I paddled back to shore and met Inna on the beach. We decided to drive to Wailua Canyon.
Wailua Canyon, also known as the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” is a breathtaking natural landmark on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Carved by the Wailua River and centuries of erosion, it stretches approximately 14 miles long, a mile wide, and over 3,600 feet deep. The canyon showcases dramatic red and brown cliffs interwoven with lush green vegetation and cascading waterfalls.
We reached the unmarked lookouts after an hour's drive from our Marriott Hotel in Lihue. We walked on a short trail to admire the beauty and take photos. Then, we returned to Lihue. We tried to eat lunch at a few recommended restaurants, but all were closed due to the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Luckily, Fish Express was still open (until 14:00), so we could purchase our lunch (two Poke bowls). We drove back to our hotel and enjoyed the fresh Hawaiian poke.
At 14:50, I decided to surf for another hour, so I walked down to Kauai Beach Boys and rented the 9'8" SUP. I managed to surf another 6-8 waves before tiring out.
After dropping off the SUP, I found Inna on the beach. We rested a bit, and I read my book, Rudyard Kiplinger's Kim.
Inna went out for a short swim, and after she returned, we swam in the pool and warmed up in the jacuzzi. We decided to eat dinner at the nearby Alisa Sushi Bistro. Initially, Inna booked a different Thai restaurant (very far away), and tables were available in Alisa. There was a special Thanksgiving menu that Inna decided to order from, while I picked from the main menu.
- Drinks: Alisa Draft Beer (so-so)
- Boris: Shrimp Wonton Soup, Avocado Green Curry with Chicken
- Inna: Thanksgiving Day (Pad Thai with Turkey), Pumpkin Pie
Although my Green Curry was delicious, the overall dinner was uninspiring. In addition, I didn't like the Wonton soup or the Alisa beer.
Friday, November 29, 2024
While Inna slept, I woke up, showered, and shaved. I decided to walk to the nearby Jammin Banana Bakery & Cafe to get some breakfast items. I picked a Brekkie (cheddar bagel with eggs and plain cream cheese) and an apple hand pie. I also purchased a 12-oz latte and a mocha for Inna and me.
After breakfast on our room's balcony, I walked down to Kauai Beach Boys and rented the NSP Cruising 9'8" SUP. Many more surfers were on the bay, and a new cruise ship was docked in port: NCL Pride of America.
I surfed for 90 minutes. There were a lot of surfers out—much more than on previous days. I surfed a few waves, but the size and frequency of the waves were inconsistent. At around 10:30, it started raining, and I returned to shore.
For lunch, I drove to Fish Express to purchase my favorite Hawaiian poke. I bought two poke bowls with white rice and 3 varieties of poke (with edamame and imitation crab toppings).
After lunch, we stopped by Jammin Banana Bakery & Cafe for a mocha and a latte with some pastries. We enjoyed quietly sitting outside the cafe, observing all of the surfers.
Around 15:00, I decided to surf some more and returned to Kauai Beach Boys, where I rented the NSP 9'8" SUP. I paddled out and caught some suitable waves, but it was very crowded (and the waves were initially much bigger).
After surfing for one hour, I paddled back to shore and joined Inna in swimming in the ocean and the pools.
At around 16:45, we returned to our villa, showered, and dressed for dinner. Inna had made reservations at a highly rated Beach House restaurant in Poipu, and we did not want to be late (it was a 25-minute drive).
Once we arrived, we found parking nearby and walked to the Beach House. It looked crowded, with many people taking photos of the gorgeous sunset on the lawn. After sitting down, Kristy, our waitress, handed us the menus. She was very friendly and provided excellent service (even when I absent-mindedly spilled a glass of water).
We ordered the following items:
- Appetizer: Goat Cheese Salad
- Boris: Seared Ahi, Paradise Cider
- Inna: Lobster Seafood Pasta, Virgin Mai Tai
- Dessert: Tiramisu
Kristy split the
Goat Cheese Salad for us (a nice touch), and we enjoyed it very much. My
Seared Ahi was exceptional, and Inna's
Lobster Seafood Pasta was fantastic. We really enjoyed our dinner here - this was the
best restaurant in Kauai (so far). The food and the service were a cut above the rest.
Saturday, November 30, 2024
While Inna slept, I woke up, showered, and shaved. I decided to walk to the nearby
Jammin Banana Bakery & Cafe to get some breakfast items. I picked a Brekkie (cheddar bagel with eggs and plain cream cheese) and an apple hand pie. I also purchased a 12-oz latte and a mocha for Inna and me.
We had made plans (in advance) to visit beaches on the North Shore and stop by Limahuli Gardens at noon (Inna pre-purchased tickets for a garden tour at noon). After eating our breakfast on the balcony, I noticed that there were a lot of foil surfers in the water. There was major competition, making it difficult to surf in the area. I decided to drive to the North Shore earlier (we had to check out our room anyway).
We started our drive to Anini Beach at around 09:25, and it took us about 50 minutes to reach it. There was large surf on the water, and no swimming signs were posted everywhere. After a short stop, we decided to continue our drive west (toward Limhauli Gardens), stopping at Ha'ena Beach (for another look).
The parking lot at Ha'ena Beach was full, but we found an empty spot. We talked around, reminiscing about swimming there a few years ago (in July) when the ocean was calm. It looked treacherous with 5-6 foot waves crashing everywhere. It was definitely not swimmable.
We continued our drive to
Limahuli Garden, where we parked our Kia Accent. We showed our tickets (there was no cell reception on this part of Kauai) and started to walk around the gardens.
We enjoyed learning about all of the native and endangered Hawaiian plants. The tour took us about one hour, and it was difficult going in the scorching heat.
After the tour, we decided to eat lunch at Hanalei (on the way back to Lihue). We initially planned to stop by the
Hanalei Bread Company, but it was closed. Instead, we ended up eating at
The Terrace. We ordered the following items:
- Appetizer: Coconut Shrimp
- Boris: Blackened Mahi-mahi Sandwich (with salad), Guava Lava Cider
- Inna: Poke Bowl, Lychee Mint Refresher
My Blackened Mahi-mahi was excellent but I didn't like the salad. Inna's Poke Bowl was very good too. I liked the Guava Lava Cider, too!
After lunch, we thought about getting coffee and dessert but the nearby
Wishing Well Coffee & Tea had shaved ice, ice cream, and coffee, but not pastries or other desserts. There was a long line for shaved ice and I convinced Inna to return to Lihue earlier (so that I could surf and she could swim).
On the way back to Lihue, we briefly stopped at the
Hanalei Valley Lookout, which has a gorgeous view of the valley below. We returned to our Marriott Hotel at 16:00 and quickly walked to our new room #305. It was almost identical to our suite #211 - except that it had a pull-down bed (instead of the two separate double beds).
I quickly changed into my surfing gear, and walked to
Kauai Beach Boys, hoping to surf for an hour on the NSP 9'8" SUP. However, the lady at the container told me that the foiling competition was still going (it started at 08:00) and it was not allowed to surf, while the competition was ongoing.
Instead, I decided to go for a swim with Inna and we swam from Kalapaki Beach to the last house on nearby Hale Pale Kai (a distance of 0.183 miles = 960 feet each way). It was a decent aerobic workout. After the swim, we relaxed in the nearby pool and I returned to our room (while Inna stayed at the pool).
I needed to run some errands to the nearby Costco Gas (fill up my Kia Accent with gas and purchase a few items from Costco). Unleaded 87-octane gas was $4.79/gallon at Costco. If filled up with $40 worth of gas. There was a Black Friday sale on an Apple iPad Pro 13 M4/256GB and it would be cheaper to purchase in Kauai (Hawaii tax rate is 4.5% vs 9% in California). I decided to use my Phobio gift card to purchase the new iPad. I really wanted the larger screen size. After I returned, it was almost dinner time and Inna was waiting for me in our room.
For dinner, Inna made reservations at Duke's for 18:45. After a short walk there, we sat down upstairs and ordered the following items (while listening to live music downstairs):
- Appetizer: Calamari
- Boris: Ahi Steak
- Inna: Ahi Steak, Guava Daiquiri
- Dessert: Hula Pie (ice cream)
We both liked the Calamari appetizer and the delicious Ahi Steak. Inna's Daiquiri made her smile and giggle. For dessert, we finally tried the Hula Pie - it was enormous and delicious!
Sunday, December 1, 2024
Last Day on Kauai!😞
I woke up early at 07:00. I decided to walk to the nearby
Jammin Banana Bakery & Cafe to get some breakfast items. I picked a Brekkie (cheddar bagel with eggs and plain cream cheese) and an apple hand pie. I also purchased a 12-oz latte and a mocha for Inna and me.
After we finished our last breakfast on our balcony, we packed our suitcases and called the bell desk to pick up our luggage (and put it into temporary storage). I packed a small backpack with a change of clothes (as did Inna). I decided to try SUP surfing again, while Inna checked out of the room (#305) and picked up the keys to the hospitality suite.
My NSP 9’8” paddle-board was available to rent and I was one of the first paddle-boarders on the water (although a few surfers and foilers were out surfing too). The waves were taller and more frequent, with sets coming in regularly. The wind was quite low and it was a perfect time to surf. I caught and surfed 10+ waves. It was one of my best days (and a nice ending to a wonderful trip).
On the NSP 9’8” SUP, I noticed that I needed to step back earlier on steeper waves (since the SUP lacks a rocker) to prevent nose-diving. On a normal surf SUP, this would not be necessary.
At around 10:30, I paddled back to shore, dropped off my board and paddle, and met up with Inna on the beach. She was stretching and doing yoga exercises. After a few minutes, we went for our last ocean swim for about 15 minutes. It was so refreshing!
After the ocean swim, we spent a few minutes waddling in the pool and then headed back to shower and change into the hospitality suite. After a quick shower, we returned to the bell desk and retrieved our luggage. We dropped about 5 minutes to the Island Cars, where we dropped off our Kia Accent. The lady working there dropped us off at the Lihue Airport, at the Hawaiian Airlines counter, and we breezed through security with our TSA Pre-check status.
We hoped to find something suitable to eat for lunch, but Lihue Airport doesn’t seem to offer much variety (or quality). We ended up eating at Starbucks, but the food and coffee left a lot to be desired. My coffee tasted like toxic sludge and my turkey panini sandwich was barely edible. The Starbucks was also quite dirty inside with unclean tables and food remnants on the floor. It was a bit disappointing and disgusting. Lihue Airport should select better-quality restaurants.
Our Hawaiian Airlines Flight HA68 took off right on time at 13:40
Kauai Trip Report
Highlights
Lowlights
- Small waves at Kalapaki Beach
- A limited selection of surfing SUP boards at Kauai Beach Boys (most are 10' cruising boards)
- The Kia Accent (rented from Island Cars) had noisy breaks and non-working wireless locks. The air-conditioning was also quite weak (when returning from our long drive to Limahuli Garden).
