9.21.2022. Kauai. Hawaii.

I bought my trip to Kauai back in 2019 as I was supposed to be on holiday there in the fall of 2020. This was my first real holiday since 2019 as all other "trips" I have taken are short road trips by myself or a long weekend with 2 girl friends near by in California, mostly to escape my tiny apartment for a few days. This trip has also been postponed twice. It felt like a miracle that I was actually in Kauai at all and it's been a running joke amongst my friends.

Hawaii was its own country until in 1893 when it was taken illegally, one of whom was Mr. Dole the pineapple guy, took it over by force and put its queen under house arrest and forcibly took over the country. That is likely why you may experience hostility if you were Caucasian from the locals, especially in Kauai. Locals are not typically a fan of colonialism. Please respect the culture and its people wherever you travel. 

It's so expensive in Hawaii that prices are as high as San Francisco's. The difference; however, is that there is mostly tourism there rather than an abundance of tech or finance jobs that pay a high wage. Please tip extra generously when you visit and support local businesses. Most people have multiple jobs to make ends meet and the only way to get affordable housing is if you knew someone to get in on an affordable lease.

There are only 6 ICU beds in all of Kauai. Let that sink in.

All islands of Hawaii is under one school district. It is so underfunded that it often competes with Mississippi for the worst school district in the country.

Now that I have armed you with a few very important facts, I will continue with some recommendations. I chose Kauai due to its rugged terrain and relatively smaller crowds (for Hawaii anyhow). I also love nature and tend to enjoy seeing different flora on my travels. You will need to plan months in advance to get any decent reservations and tickets. It is Hawaii after all. There is no slow season and I was told by my hotel that they are fully booked year round. Also, everyone is on island time and things may take longer. You should adjust to island time as soon as humanly possible to get into holiday mode. I had my phone on airplane mode and was off the grid almost the entire time. I highly recommend it.

After being greeted by a rooster almost immediate upon my exit at the most photogenic airport I have ever been in, For our first dinner, I opted for a sunset view at Beach House Restaurant. The food was excellent and the view was even better. Many people gathered at that beach at sunset to admire its last light. You can see why.

Beach House Restaurant
5022 Lawai Rd
Koloa, HI 96756
808.742.1424