Kauai

Mathilde Agoustari

Judiciously named the "Garden Island," Kauai abounds in natural vegetation, thanks to its frequent rainfalls that shower the mountainous areas. Rainfall does not last long though and is mostly concentrated in the north, allowing for near-perfect weather year-round. You may find yourself going back and forth more than once along the island's circular main road, traveling from almost desert dry in the south to tropical wet in the north. Within one day, you can make it to the southernmost and northernmost tips of this bountiful, beloved island.

Starting south, treat yourself to the rich Hawaiian flora with a visit to one of the luxurious botanical gardens open to the public for a small fee. You will need half a day to visit any of them. If your time is limited, Allerton Garden is a good choice to experience a feast for the eyes of rare and endangered plants. You will get a load of historical and botanical anecdotes. Located in Poipu, it is one of three gardens that belong to the National Tropical Botanical Garden headquartered in Lawai, along with McBryde Garden and the Limahuli Garden. The latter is located in Haena State Park at the far end of Highway 56, beyond Hanalei Bay in the north. Visit http://www.ntbg.org for details.

At the park's entrance, a tram will take you on a 15-minute ride into the Lawai Valley. Get your camera ready for the short stop where you'll catch the best view of deep-purple bougainvillea, a favorite of Hawaii's Queen Emma, cascading down the cliff to a private beach framed by tall palm trees.

The tram drops its passengers by a wildly contorted tree called kiawe. The mesquite used for barbecues comes from this tree. Its large branches curve down to touch the ground and then shoot out again. Queen Emma planted them when Allerton Garden was her retreat.

You'll get a fresh perspective on palm trees as your guide tells of the 2,800 varieties-not each and everyone, but a number-and how palm-tree leaves are shaped either like feathers or fans.

Hawaii's islands are about 2,200 miles from anywhere else, so birds have to travel far to bring in seeds that create such lush and varied gardens. Medicinal plants abound in the park. You'll learn about: Noni, the aspirin of the ancients; Desert Rose, unassuming but toxic; Feet Bush, with leaves soft as a lamb but with a sharp point that grows out when the leaves come off; Angel Trumpet, a hallucinogen; and the Koa plant, used for wooden bowls.

After this storm of scientific names, you'll find refuge under seemingly ancient-looking trees, oddly called Moreton Bay Figs. Not so ancient, these trees with roots as tall as an average person take only a couple of decades to reach their gigantic size. Awith pools cascading into ponds cascading into streams and rivers, you will encounter a graceful sculpture and the elegant guesthouse, which survived a hurricane thanks to the huge dunes created by the sand that blew off the beach.

After this long garden walk, cooling off in the inviting Hawaiian blue water is in order. Before, you may want to get some lunch in Old Koloa Town. Driving down Route 520 (Maluhia Road), you will pass through the Tunnel of Trees, which is lined with mature Eucalyptus shading more than a mile of country road. The enchanting town of Koloa was the site of Kauai's first sugar plantation, built in the 1830's; the remnants of its old buildings have been converted into shops and restaurants, brightly painted in red with white trims. A few restored historical buildings dot the town, along with the Koloa History Center. The stone mill stack from Grove Farm, the Koloa Hotel, which was Kauai's first hostelry, and the Yamamoto Store are now museums. For a reasonably priced lunch, Da'li Deli and Café offers gourmet sandwiches and other tasty items served in a relaxed space. For dessert, do not miss Lappert's Aloha Ice Cream, reputed to be the best on the island.

If you are looking for a special gift, head back to Highway 50, via Route 530, to the Hawaiian Trading Post in Lawai, where you can view the finest shellwork collection. More expensive and finely made than your average leis, the shells from the nearby island of Ni'ihau are crafted into necklaces that take months to make and which are one of the last traditional Hawaiian art forms.

Now you have earned that refreshing swim. Kauai offers forty-three white-sand beaches. Some of the best ones are so well hidden that looking for them is like going on a treasure hunt. Not too far, on the western outskirts of the town of Hanapepe, follow the sign that points makai (toward the sea) down Route 543 and you will find the locals' favorite, Salt Pond Beach Park, where swimming is usually safe yearround. On the way, you will drive by salt pans carved into the red earth, where some of the drying beds date back to the 1700's. Reef and tide pools waiting to be explored protect the eastern end of the beach. From here, like in a live postcard, the long crescent of white sand mixed with the tiniest seashells stretches along the opalescent shallows, against the backdrop of tall palm trees waving in the soft breeze.

If you prefer wilderness, drive back past Poipu and along Poipu Bay Golf Course to Maha'ulepu Beach. You have probably heard of Poipu's famous beaches located near the southernmost tip of Kauai-favorites for snorkeling and scuba diving. Popularity brings crowds, so why not try a more remote beach? You'll drive across private land on a long dirt road and through a gate, which, beware, closes at 6pm for the night. Soon, you will reach the parking lot. Across sand dunes, the long beach stretches with few people to disturb the sense of isolation. On the eastern end, a cave offers protected swimming, while surfers will find their bliss at the other end.

Now it is off to the north, where you might be chasing a few rainbows. Kilauea marks the boundary into the north shore where the National Wildlife Refuge houses the dramatic 52-foot Lighthouse at Kilauea Point, built in 1913. The lighthouse, not in service since 1976, is situated at the northernmost point of the Hawaiian Islands. An easy walk along the narrow peninsula leads you down to the lighthouse, which is open for a nominal fee from 10am to 4pm, except on federal holidays. Look around for the diverse colonies of permanent and migrating seabirds: the great frigate bird, Iwa, gliding across the skies with its eight-foot wings; the red-footed Booby; the Hawaiian State bird, Nene; or the Laysan Albatross, Moli. Bring your binoculars to catch sight of humpback whales, spinner dolphins and Hawaiian monk seals (the dog that goes in rough water). The latter derives its name from the folds of its skin that look like a monk's hood, and is known for spending time alone or in very small groups. To see more fauna and flora, reserve a one-mile guided walking tour by calling (808) 828-0168.

Just a short driving distance brings you to Princeville, about nine-thousand acres of planned, luxurious development of fine resorts, golf courses and restaurants, overlooking Hanalei Bay against the backdrop of Mt. Makana. In 1853, King Kamehameha IV gave Robert Wyllie, a Scotsman, a large estate on Kauai's northern shore. Wyllie started a coffee plantation on the site and later renamed the green bluff by the ocean Princeville, but the plantation did not thrive for long. A local's favorite spot to view the sunset is the Princeville Hotel on the extreme point of the rugged peninsula. The elegant hotel is well worth a visit for its splendid architecture and views. If you can find a seat on its small terrace, enjoy a luscious fruit cocktail while watching the surfers perform their wild tricks on top of giant ocean waves. Or, better yet, treat yourself to High Tea in the posh salons. Beaches in this area are not great for swimming, except in a few pockets where you can snorkel when the sea is very calm. Pali Ke Kua, also called Hideways, which requires a small trek down, and Queen's Bath, a natural pool of ocean water carved into a lava platform, are good options.

When you leave Princeville, do not miss the Hanalei Valley Lookout across the main road, a pastel display of soft-shaded patchwork of fields several miles deep scarred by the silvery waters of the Hanalei River snaking down into the ocean. In the back of Hanalei Valley, Hawaii's first settlers reorganized the land into vast terraces, where they planted taro, which they had brought from their homeland. Breadfruit is the main staple in most Polynesian islands, but in Hawaii it is taro. Depending on rainfall, you may catch the striking sight of a dozen waterfalls.

Ten miles before Road's End, you'll arrive in Hanalei Bay, famous for its spectacular beauty. If this is your first visit, don't go back home without seeing Hanalei, or Crescent Bay, a long half-moon of sandy beach hugged against a sheer cliff at one end and narrowing into a rocky point on the other. The western end offers a calmer shoreline for swimming.

There is shopping galore in Hanalei, particularly at the Ching Young Village Shopping Center and at the Hanalei Center, where you are sure to find something to take home, from Hawaiian-style clothing to antiques to jewelry. Enjoy a plethora of art selections at Kahn Galleries, where the finest Hawaiian artists are represented. Kauai Exotix sells fresh flowers from their farm, which you can have sent anywhere in the United States.

Moderately priced Sushi Blues and Grill located in the Ching Young Village offers Asian-style dishes, which you can taste to the sounds of live music on Wednesday and Sunday nights. For a finer dinner, try upbeat Postcards, located in an old plantation home fronted with an inviting, covered veranda; this restaurant features healthy concoctions of vegetable and seafood dishes. Desserts are made from scratch by the chef.

There is so much more to see and do in Kauai. Take a few extra days and fly over the Napali Coast by helicopter, or kayak/sail along its coastline or hike its famous trail if you are more adventurous. Also, drive up Waimea Canyon to Kalalau Lookout, where you can catch the stunning view of the knife-edged cliffs. There are numerous hiking trails here.

The Hawaiian language has only eleven letters, but enough to make words like ua (rain) considered a blessing, for after it comes the rainbow, anuenue. Blessed be the ua, the anuenue and all that makes Kauai the "Garden Island," and a treat for all.

Freelancer Mathilde Agoustari lives in San Francisco. She is a frequent contributor to the ASU Travel Guide.