One of our close friends offered us the opportunity to stay at the Marriott Beach Club on the Hawaiian Island of Kaua'i. We decided to rent one week, from July 2 - July 9, 2022. As I had some Alaska points available from canceled trips to Boston, I could re-use them to purchase the 3 airline tickets from San Jose to Kauai, Hawaii.
Saturday, July 2, 2022
I didn't sleep perfectly and woke up at 04:40 (before the 04:45 alarm) to brush my teeth and get dressed. Once everyone was dressed and ready, we headed downstairs.
At first, I tried to order UberX for a ride from home to San Jose Airport, but the price was $60! I tried Lyft.com, and the price was $30! I ordered Lyft, and the Hyundai driver arrived in 15 minutes. When we reached the airport, we queued up in a very long line to get past security. Thankfully, we did not have any bags to check in (and my boarding passes were generated by the Alaska Airlines app on my iPhone).
We boarded Alaska Airlines Flight #302 around 06:30 and departed on time at 07:00. While on the plane, Inna and Alex managed a few hours of sleep, while I could not sleep due to some bloating (due to my colitis).
At first, I tried to listen to Audible's book - Three Men on the Bummel - a hilarious account of the bicycling adventures of 3 Englishmen in Germany. However, due to the noise of the aircraft, I could not hear the words clearly and decided to listen to my favorite downloaded songs on Spotify.
I also continued by reading William P. Barr's memoirs of his time as the Attorney General under President Trump - One Damn Thing After Another.
During the flight, we were offered tea, biscuits, and snacks. I ordered black tea but saved the biscuits for a later time.
We landed at Lihue International Airport around 09:40. After deplaning, we called the Marriott Beach Club for our complimentary hotel shuttle. We waited about 15 minutes before we spotted one and boarded it.
After being dropped off at our hotel, we checked in and were told that our room was not ready (as the check-in time is usually at 16:00, and we arrived at 10:30.) We changed our travel clothes into swimsuits and put our bags into temporary storage.
At first, we explored the nearby Kalapaki Beach. Inna found some lounges in the shade (with trees providing most of the shade). However, I just remembered I must bring the room key to get beach towels. I returned to the bell desk to get the room key and returned to the beach.
As we were all tired and hungry (with the 3-hour time change), we decided to eat lunch at nearby Duke's. After sitting down and looking at the menu, we ordered the following items:
- Boris: Fish & Chips
- Inna: Poke with Veggies
- Alex: Burger with Fries
- Dessert: Hula Pie
After lunch, we stopped by the Kauai Beach Boys next door and rented a longboard for $45 daily. Alex was the first to head out into the surf. He surfed for 2-hours while I watched him and took a few photos with my Nikon P900 Ultrazoom.
Alex was doing well, catching many waves and having a few nice rides. After he returned to shore, it was my turn.
Alex's board was gone when I walked to the surf rental place, so I tried the Surftech 10' longboard. Big Mistake! The Surftech was super floaty but difficult to turn and extremely heavy. I had a difficult time getting it to surf.
After surfing for about an hour, I returned to the beach, and Alex went for another surfing session. After he returned, we decided to check into Hotel Room #473 on the 4th floor (and called the bell desk to bring up our luggage).
After taking showers and changing into dining clothes, we ate dinner at Cafe Portofino. It was not very busy but had a breathtaking view over the beach.
The ratings for Cafe Portofino could have been more favorable (3.7/5.0), and I had my doubts. During our dinner, a lyre player came in to play various popular melodies. After looking at the menu, we ordered the following items:
- Appetizer: Mozarella Caprese
- Boris: Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken
- Inna: Freshly Caught Fish (Marlin)
- Alex: Fettuccine Bolognese
- Dessert: Chocolate Mousse
Inna loved her Freshly Caught Fish, and I thought my Fettucini Alfredo was halfway decent.
However, Alex loathed his Fettuccine Bolognese. However, the Chocolate Mousse dessert was rich and decadent, and everyone enjoyed it.
After dinner, we returned to our Marriott Beach Club Room #473 on the 4th floor of the Kahili Wing.
Sunday, July 3, 2022
After a long sleep, I woke around 07:30, showered, and shaved. I planned to pick up my Turo Rental - a 2020 Hyundai Soul. We planned to drive to Poipu and surf at Poipu Beach Park, stopping by for rental boards at Nukumoi Surf Co.
I received a text message at 08:50 from Aakara that the 2020 Yellow Hyundai Soul was ready to be picked up. Alex and I gathered our things and walked to the nearby hotel parking lot to look for the car.
We found the car, and after taking photos and checking it for damage, we sat down and drove to Poipu to explore the famous beach and surfing spot.
We looked at the waves at Poipu Beach, broken up by the gusty 20-knot wind. A few surfers were trying to catch waves, and many snorkelers and swimmers were also on the beach. Alex decided to try it, and we stopped by Nukumoi Surf to pick out a surfboard.
Alex chose a 6' NSP Fish shortboard with 35 liters of volume, and after signing the damage waivers and getting a piece of wax, we walked back to Poipu Beach. While Alex paddled out to the surf break, I sat at the picnic table with my Nikon P900 camera, hoping to capture a few surfing snapshots.
I saw Alex attempt many waves, but the unfavorable conditions there looked edible. A few other surfers managed to score some rides. I snapped a few photos, but there were no exceptional surfing shots.
After about an hour, Alex returned to the beach, and we decided to drop off the surfboard and return to Marriott in Lihue. On a positive note, renting the shortboard for one hour only cost us $10.
After returning to the Marriott, we located Inna's lounge chair (she was absent), and I decided to try paddle surfing. I rented a 9'8" 164-liter paddleboard from Kauai Beach Boys and paddled out from Kalapaki Beach.
I tried standing up but felt unsteady, so I paddled out, sitting cross-legged or on my knees. I quickly made my way past the break and caught one excellent wave. I saw two more great rides, but my feet and knees were acting up. I do recall needing to learn to stand up properly.
I also realized that my J-stroke technique needed to be entirely correct. I watched the following video to refresh my memory:
After about 45 minutes of surfing, I returned to shore and caught up with Alex and Inna. After a few minutes of rest, we ate lunch at Duke's - our favorite restaurant nearby. Duke's was busy, and we had to wait about 15 minutes before being seated.
While at Duke's, we ordered the following items:
- Boris: Fish & Chips, Iced Tea
- Inna: Fish & Chips, Kalapaki Mai Tai
- Alex: Korean Street Taco, Hula Pie Shake
- Dessert: Hula Pie
Inna loved her Kalapaki Mai Tai drink but felt "drunk" afterward. We both liked our Fish and chips. And Alex liked his Korean Street Tacos. The Hula Pie was excellent (as always)!
After lunch, Alex decided to try SUP surfing and rented a stand-up paddleboard for one hour. He caught one wave but had yet to see the others.
He decided to try surfing again and rented a 9'2" hardtop longboard from the Kauai Beach Boys. He surfed much more successfully on it, scoring multiple waves.
While Alex was surfing, Inna was thirsty, and I stopped by the nearby Kukui's Bar for a Mai Tai and a glass of water. Inna didn't want the Mai Tai, so I ended up drinking it, while she enjoyed the iced cold water.
When Alex returned from his surfing session, he checked out the hot tub. Inna joined it while I rested in the lounge.
For dinner, Inna made reservations at nearby Lilikoi. At around 18:55, we walked over and sat at a table. We ordered the following items:
- Appetizer: Bulgogi Fries
- Alex: Macadamia Crust Opakapaka, Iced Tea
- Inna: Macadamia Crust Opakapaka, Iced Tea
- Boris: Blacked Ahi Burger, Iced Tea
- Dessert: Lilikoi Cheesecake
We had an excellent waitress, and I enjoyed the Blackened Ahi Burger. Inna liked her Macadamia Crust Opakapaka.
The Lilikoi Cheesecake was delicious.
Monday, July 4, 2022
Happy Independence Day, USA!
After a long sleep, I woke at around 06:45 but returned to sleep, finally waking up at 09:00. I took a shower and dressed. Since it was raining in Lihue, Alex and I decided to check out the other surfing spot - Kiahuna Beach - by the Sheraton Hotel in Poipu.
We drove our little yellow Kia Soul to Poipu and stopped briefly to look at Kiahuna Beach. Alex and I saw many beginners surfing, but there were no nice waves for intermediate and advanced surfers.
We also stopped by briefly at Poipu Beach, but the waves looked broken by the 20-knot wind. Although it was sunny, surfing here did not look very favorable. We decided to return back to our Marriott Kauai Beach Club in Lihue.
For some reason, when we arrived, both Alex and I were really hungry. We decided to eat lunch at Duke's nearby. After sitting down, we ordered the following items:
- Appetizer: Nachos
- Alex: Virgin Volcano, Fish & Chips
- Inna: Lava Flow, Cajun Fish Taco with Guacamole
- Boris: Iced Tea, Macadamia Nut & Herb Crusted Fish
- Dessert: Twisted Hula Pie (Mint Lappert's Ice Cream)
My Macadamia Nut & Herb Crusted Fish was edible, but I prefer Fish & Chips. Inna liked her Lava Flow and Cajun Fish Taco. The Twisted Hula Pie with Mint Lappert's Ice Cream was delicious!
After lunch, I rented Alex a 6' 28-liter NSP shortboard so he could surf the whole day. He ended up surfing for 3 hours, catching many waves. He liked this lower-volume board, as it turned easier and duck-dived better.
I rented a Hoe Nalu 10'6" surfing SUP, hoping to learn how to stand up on it. I still had difficulty standing, but I improved later in the day.
At around 17:30, we returned to room #473, took showers, and changed into dinner clothes. Inna made reservations at Lilikoi nearby for dinner at 18:30.
We planned to meet our friends when we arrived at Lilikoi, but they were running late. We ordered some drinks and met up with our friends. We ordered the following items:
- Appetizer: Bulgogi Fries, Artichoke & Spinach Dip
- Alex: Virgin Daiquiri, Paradise Heat Burger
- Boris: Iced Tea, Shrimp Scampi
- Inna: Pina Colada (with Bacardi rum), Kauai Poke Bowl
- Dessert: Chocolate Cheesecake
We hoped to see the July 4th fireworks but only witnessed private explosions. Too bad!
Alex was scheduled to try e-foiling with Benny (eFoil Kauai) in Nawiliwililli Small Boat Harbor in the morning. Benny was planning to teach Alex how to operate the Lift eFoil so that he could understand how to either wing foil or surf foil in the future.
At around 09:00, I drove Alex to the Nawiliwililli Small Boat Harbor (about 10 minutes away by car) and immediately noticed Benny with the two Lift eFoils in his truck. After Benny unloaded the two eFoils, he added the large battery packs to each of the eFoils and carried them to the launching pad on the water.
Alex put on a floatation vest and a wireless helmet with 2-way communication. This way, Alex would be able to hear all of Benny's instructions. Benny explained some of the basics of the eFoil, and then they were off the dock, gliding prone on the eFoils.
I followed them (taking photos with the Nikon P900 Zoom). The lesson lasted 60 minutes (from 09:30 to 10:30 ), during which Alex learned to fly the foil. Alex did very well and mastered the basics of controlling the eFoil during the flight.
After the lesson, we returned to the Marriott to meet with Inna on Kalapaki Beach. Since it was too early for lunch, I decided to practice my SUP surfing skills. I rented the same 10'6" Hoe Nalu hardtop SUP from the Kauai Beach Boys ($30/hour).
I could paddle out to the waves for the first time while standing up! I was even able to catch one nice wave while standing fully. It's still hard for me to stand up on the board. I need more practice standing up and doing pivot turns.
When my one hour of SUP rental was over, I rented the SUP to the Kauai Beach Boys, and we decided to eat lunch at Duke's. After waiting 15 minutes, we sat down (Alex was late returning from the hot tub) and ordered the following items:
- Appetizer: Calamari
- Alex: Virgin Volcano, Cheese Burger
- Boris: Iced Tea, Fish & Chips
- Inna: Fish & Chips, Kalapaki Mai Tai, Lava Flow
- Dessert: Twisted Hula Pie (Lappert's Mint Ice Cream)
Both Inna and I liked the Fish & Chips. However, Inna's Kalapaki Mai Tai was too strong, and she exchanged it for a Lava Flow. Although the Calamari was uninspiring, the Twisted Hula Pie was delicious, as expected.
After lunch, we decided to drive around Kauai to visit nearby beaches. Inna wanted to see the Queen's Bath, but the tide needed to be corrected, and she was not ready for a long hike. Alex was interested in seeing Hanalei Beach, and we stopped there first.
There was not much car parking at Hanalei Beach, and we snapped a few photos before moving on. It's a good-looking beach.
We continued our drive westward until Tunnels Beach. We wanted to stop there but could not find parking, so we continued a mile further until we reached Haena Beach. We waited 10 minutes until a car pulled out, and we could park our 2020 Hyundai Soul.
We spent an hour at Haena Beach, first sitting in the shade and then swimming on Haena Beach. The water was clear, and I could see underwater coral. Due to strong currents, we did not swim far out.
At around 18:00, we decided to return. We cleaned our feet in the watering station, noticing the many shampoo bottles littering the facility. It's disappointing to see people disrespecting Kauai's natural harmony.
Returning to the Marriott Beach Club Kauai, we stopped at a Hanalei Valley Lookout to take photos. We considered stopping elsewhere to dine, but something else was available on OpenTable. We decided to try sneaking into Duke's.
While Alex and I returned to our hotel room, Inna walked to Duke's and added us to the dinner waiting list. In about 15 minutes, we received a message that our table was ready.
After being seated, we ordered the following dinner items (some from Taco Tuesday's menu):
- Alex: Steak Quesadilla
- Boris: Coconut Shrimp pupu (small plate)
- Inna: Furikake Ahi
- Dessert: Pono Pie
I woke up at around 08:00, showered, and dressed for the beach in the morning. Inna and I strolled to the beach around 09:00. I exchanged our wet beach towels and picked up two glasses of water.
We found some unclaimed beach lounges and moved them to the shade next to a tree on the beach. While Inna was reading her book, I watched SUP surfing videos to learn how to surf better.
At around 11:30, I rented the Hoe Nalu 10'6" SUP and surfed for one hour. I could stand up half the time - a significant improvement from yesterday. I caught one wave while standing, moving into the surfing stance, and still standing after the ride.
At 12:30, we decided to eat lunch at Duke's. After waiting for 15 minutes, we sat down and ordered the following items:
- Appetizer: Hot Chicken Wings
- Alex: Virgin Volcano, Fish & Chips
- Boris: Iced Tea, Cheeseburger,
- Inna: Iced Tea, Poke Bowl
- Dessert: Twisted Hula Pie (Mint Lappert's Ice Cream)
Inna disliked her Poke Bowl but liked the Hot Chicken Wings. My Cheeseburger was delicious, and the Twisted Hula Pie was excellent.
When we finished lunch at 14:00, Alex rented the Hoe Nalu 10'6" SUP and went SUP surfing while Inna and I swam in the ocean.
At around 15:00, we returned to our hotel room, changed, and drove to the Allerton Garden at Sunset Tour in Poipu.
It took us about 30 minutes to reach Allerton Garden. After checking in, we wore our COVID masks and boarded a bus that drove us to the gardens.
Our tour guide, Ron Takayama, categorized plants into 3 broad categories: native, canoe (brought by early Polynesians in ocean-going canoes), and foreign (invasive) species of plants growing on Kauai. We saw many interesting plants and locations for blockbuster movies, such as Jurassic Park and Pirates of the Caribbean.
At the end of the tour, we were given a Bento box with prepared food. For me, Inna pre-selected cooked shrimp with purple taro. Alex's Bento box came with Ahi.
We had some free time to walk around the large property. We strolled to the beach, observing a lone Wavestorm surfer trying to catch shorebreak waves. The trees around the property were beautiful.
After returning to Marriott, we stopped by for ice cream at our local ice cream shop - Skinny Mike's Ice Cream and Shaved Ice.
Inna and I shared a cup with Kona (coffee) and Macadamia Nut ice cream. The Kona coffee was too weak (compared to Lappert's), but the Macadamia Nut ice cream was creamy and delicious.
Alex tried a Sundae made with s'mores brownies, topped with Macadamia nut ice cream. He really enjoyed it.
Thursday, July 7, 2022
In the morning, I woke early due to gas and a bloating feeling in my stomach. I went back to sleep a few times, waking up at 08:30. I saw another overcast summer day in Kauai as I opened the shades.
I enjoyed the cooler, overcast climate in this Southeastern part of Kauai, as it is much drier and more relaxed than in Poipu or Maui's Wailea. I don't need to apply so much sunscreen.
At around 09:00, we walked down to Kalapaki Beach and found a few empty lounges on which we spread towels. We also stopped to pick up a few more fresh towels (to provide extra shade).
I continued reading One Damn Thing After Another: Memoirs of an Attorney General by William S. Barr, finishing later in the day.
At around 11:00, Alex returned to the beach after doing his Northeastern Algorithms homework. He relaxed a bit on the beach and enjoyed the hot tub.
At around 11:30, I tried SUP surfing and rented a Hoe Nalu 10'6" SUP for one hour. I enjoyed trying to catch the waves (though the waves were relatively small).
For lunch, we stopped by our favorite Duke's and ordered the following:
- Appetizer: Crab Wontons
- Alex: Korean Street Taco,
- Boris: Fish & Chips
- Inna: Korean Street Taco
Alex and Inna loved the Korean Street Tacos, and I enjoyed my Fish & Chips. Inna liked the Crab Wontons, too.
After lunch, Alex used my Hoe Nalu 10'6" SUP for one hour. After he returned, I decided to try again, and SUP surfed for 2 more hours. I started getting better at catching waves, though I still fell too many times.
At 17:45, I returned to our hotel room. I needed to send a few emails about AVAC Sunday Tennis, and I also needed to prepare the 2020 Kia Soul for drop-off at Marriott's parking lot. After filling the Kia with gas at Texaco, I wiped it down (after rain) to clean its hood. I locked the key in the glove box and sent messages to Aakara that the car was ready for pickup.
Inna made dinner reservations at Duke's for 19:00, and we hurried there. On the way there, we were caught in a solid tropical shower. Luckily, we could make it to Duke's before getting soaked.
Dinner at Duke's was served upstairs, and we ordered the following items off the menu:
- Appetizer: Macadamia Nut Hummus
- Alex: 10oz Prime Rib, Tropical Slushie
- Boris: Coconut Shrimp Entree, Hot Tea
- Inna: Mojito (Grey Goose, Fresh Pineapple), Coconut Braised Seafood
Inna liked her Mojito (made with Grey Goose vodka) and raved about her Coconut Braised Seafood. I wanted my Coconut Shrimp Entree, and Alex enjoyed his Prime Rib dinner. The Macadamia Nut Hummus was delicious, but the portion was tiny.
After dinner, we stopped by for ice cream at the local, down the street, Skinny Mike's Ice Cream and Shaved Ice. Inna and I shared one Macadamia Nut ice cream scoop, while Alex had two similar flavors.
Friday, July 8, 2022
I woke at 08:30, showered, shaved, and dressed for the beach. Inna and I strolled to the beach, looking for unused lounge chairs. We found a few and arranged them under a tree for shade. Unlike most other days, today was quite sunny with some clouds.
At around 10:00, I rented the Hoe Nalu 10'6" SUP and surfed it for two hours. I started getting the hang of SUP surfing but had problems catching the waves. Since the Hoe Nalu does not have much nose rocker, I would easily stuff its nose into the wave. I decided to try a lighter and smaller board next time.
After SUP surfing, I returned to meet Inna and started reading an autobiography about Robert E. Lee. I heard much about this great Southern Civil War General but knew very little about him.
At around 13:00, we met with Alex, who was busy finishing his Northeastern homework, and stopped by Duke's for lunch. We ordered the following items:
- Appetizer: Panko Crusted Calamari
- Alex: Korean Steak Street Tacos,
- Boris: Korean Steak Street Tacos, Iced tea
- Inna: Korean Steak Street Tacos, Iced tea
- Dessert: Twisted Hula Pie (with Lappert's Ice Cream)
I really enjoyed the Calamari, but the portion was tiny. The Korean Steak Street Tacos were also delicious.
After lunch, I rented an NSP 10'2" SUP while Alex rented a longboard for surfing. I surfed for 3 hours, getting much better at catching waves and standing upright. I did get sunburn on the tops of my feet (I forgot to apply suntan lotion).
Alex surfed very well, catching all the waves for 4 hours (from 14:00 - 18:00.)
At around 18:30, we returned to our hotel room, showered, changed, and prepared to head out for dinner. Inna made dinner reservations at Duke's for 19:15.
After arriving at Duke's, we were quickly seated and ordered the following dinner items:
- Appetizer: Nachos
- Alex: Virgin Volcano, Coconut Braised Seafood
- Boris: Iced Tea, Coconut Braised Seafood
- Inna: El Patron (Margarita), Coconut Braised Seafood
During dinner, we saw a beautiful sunset overlooking Kalapaki Beach, and we especially enjoyed listening to Hawaiian renditions of the following songs by a live singer/guitar player.
In a voice that reminded me of IZ, he sang the following songs while strumming his guitar:
- IZ's What a Wonderful World
- Ed Sheeran's Perfect
- Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah
- Van Morrison's Brown-Eyed Girl
I really enjoyed the Nachos and especially the Coconut Braised Seafood. It was exquisite and is the best dish at Duke's.
What a fantastic ending to a beautiful Hawaiian vacation.
Saturday, July 9, 2022
After waking up at around 07:30, I showered, shaved, and packed all my belongings. By about 09:00, we were ready to drop off our sealed bags for storage at the hotel's bell desk.
Once the luggage was safely stored, I had to make one final stop at the Marriott Service desk to check out of our room and settle my last bill. There was nothing unusual in the bill, and the checkout process was painless.
While I was doing so, Inna and Alex went to the beach. Although the waves were small, Inna thought Alex might enjoy one last Hawaiian surfing session. Alex rented a longboard from the Kauai Beach Boys and surfed for an hour.
I was considering SUP Surfing but was not feeling very well and decided against it. Instead, Inna dragged me to the ocean and swam around for about 20 minutes. It was so pleasant to swim in the clear Pacific Ocean.
After our swim, Inna checked out the hot tub while I rested on the lounge chair and enjoyed the beautiful tropical scenery on this fine, sunny Hawaiian day.
Alex returned in a bit and decided to enjoy the hot tub. I had to return to the Kauai Beach Boys to close my surfing tab and pay the final bill ($300 for 4 days of surfboard and SUP rentals).
At around 11:30, we gathered our belongings and went to the Owner's Hospitality suite, where we could shower and change into regular clothes. This suite was instrumental due to all Marriott suites' strict 10:00 checkout time. We did not want to waste a beautiful day!
After showering, we returned to the Bell desk to retrieve our luggage and board the hotel shuttle to the Lihue airport. We did not have to wait long for the shuttle and boarded in a few minutes.
Once at the airport, we queued up in a long line to get through security. We must have waited at least one hour until we reached our gate. Since our Alaska flight was delayed, we decided to stop for a quick lunch at the airport cafe.
The chicken sandwiches that were ordered were very expensive and could have been better. After lunch, we walked to our gate and boarded the plane as Group C.
The 5-hour flight to San Jose was uneventful. I did feel quite thirsty on the plane and was happy to drink sparkling water. During the flight, I continued reading the Robert E. Lee biography (completing about 8 chapters).
After we landed in San Jose, we disembarked and needed to order a car to take us home. UberX was charging a crazy $80 for the short drive home, so we selected Lyft, waiting about 20 minutes for a cheaper car (for $40+).
Although happy to be home, I missed Kauai already.
Kauai Trip Report
Highlights
- Surfing and SUP Surfing at Kalapaki Beach
- Eating lunch and dinner at Duke's
- Coconut Braised Seafood, Hula Pie, Nachos, Fish & Chips
- Visiting Allerton Gardens
- Alex's eFoiling session with Benny from eFoil Kauai
Lowlights
- Check-in time at Marriott was 16:00 (making it inconvenient to access our clothes on Saturday morning)
- Checkout time at Marriott was 10:00 and could not be postponed for an hour.
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