Vacation Rental in Princeville Kauai

and Kauai Travel Guide

©B.Pruitt 2009-2011

Kauai matches almost everybody's concept of what a Pacific island paradise should be.  First of the Hawaiian Islands to be formed, first to be discovered by the Western world, Kauai is the last of the major islands to face development.

Shrouded in mist in the unpeopled heartland is Wai‘ale‘ale, the extinct volcano that gave the island a birth by fire five million years ago.  Now cool, dark and a mile high, Wai‘ale‘ale wrings moisture from the Trade Winds and stores it in the Alaka‘i Swamp.  Birds that exist nowhere else on earth, find refuge in Kauai's swamp and upland forests.  Their songs ringing and running water gurgling are all that breaks the silence of the lush wilderness.  From this high-altitude cache waterfalls plunge into lacy streams.  Joining others, the streams gain force as rivers, radiating from their fountainhead to carve valleys and canyons from crumbling lava.

Northwest of the Alaka‘i Swamp, the battle of Kauai's fiery origins against the elements’ never ceasing onslaught manifests itself in the Na Pali coast.  Cliffs form jagged ramparts rising 4,000 feet above the sea.  The sea crashes against the razor-edged cliffs, reclaiming what it spawned.  Misty days endow the wild and beautiful region with a dawn-of-creation look.

Contrasting the tropical landscapes of much of Kauai is the Waimea Canyon.  Often called "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific," Waimea Canyon offers awe-struck gazers vistas as impressive as that of its namesake.

On the dry leeward side of the island, the landscape lifts from bluff, ledge and beach through tilted sugar cane country to peak in sharp ridges.  The sunshine that attracted plantation owners lures visitors to golden beaches and low-rise resorts.   The north shore is a luxuriant ribbon of tropical vegetation, lava cliffs, primordial peaks and soft sandy beaches.

Most of Kauai's residents live on the eastern shore, in an area rich in history and legend.  Early Polynesians settled the area; their royalty made it their domain.  The independent nature of Kauai's people is the hallmark of their history.  Kamehameha the Great failed to conquer the separate kingdom of Kauai with force.

Kauai is an adventurer’s paradise waiting to be explored.  This guide is written for travelers who want to see and experience the best that Kauai has to offer.  Its detailed descriptions and accurate directions will help readers make their own discoveries.

Introduction to the Kauai Travel Guide

Disclaimer: There are inherent dangers to anyone who travels.  Any reader of the information on this website must assess all conditions and take appropriate action to ensure their own safety.  Information provided here may not reflect current or changing conditions.   Travelers should read and obey all warnings posted at the travel sites they encounter. The author and publisher of this website does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any party for any errors or omissions contained herein.