Kauai Travel Forum

We are taking (finally) the teenagers for a week-long trip to Kauai at the end of August. Don't want to do much - just sit and watch the clouds roll by. We'd like to rent a house for the six of us near the beach. Will we need a/c? and where do we want to be? Two of the kids surf, two like to hike (I'm a hiker, too).

Thanks!! Linda

You might want A/C, but it is not necessary depending on the location (windows, lana, etc). If you really like to hike then I would be on the Kapalawai side as I would think the Waimea Canyon area has got to the best hiking location on the island.

North shore or east shore is probably best. The east shore has lots of waves. The north shore near Tunnels has some beautiful terrain for hiking and is close to the Napali coast. Make sure to include snorkeling in your activities! The fish are absolutely beautiful and come up right to your face! We went in July last year. It wasn't very hot - mid to high 70's. Still a little too hot for my boyfriend so he needs the A/C. The rain comes and goes all day long - you just never know. Have a great vacation!

The ol' question on whether you need A/C or not. All I can say is that it's relative to what your current environment is like. I'll relate a couple of personal stories.

My wife and I just returned from the Big Island a couple weeks ago. Our first three nights there were spent at an oceanfront house on the east side of the island near the little town of Pahoa. The ocean breeze was strong and it was TOO chilly for us to enjoy the lanai at night.

Back on our first trip to Hawai'i in 1993, we were waiting outside for a lu'au to start at the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel. My wife was feeling chilled from the ocean breeze. I was okay with it, but she has a slightly lower tolerance. Then we met a couple from San Francisco who were complaining about how hot it was. The beads of perspiration on their foreheads reinforced their assertion.

Us? We are from Florida and accustomed to higher temps than you find in Hawai'i. Anything below 75 degrees F and we begin to reach the cool range. Toss in a strong ocean breeze and that windchill makes it cold. Others, especially from northern climates, may find it very warm there.

On Kaua'i, where we have stayed at several places around ALL sides of the island, the temps vary slightly. By that I mean that lows will be in the lower 70's and highs can be in the low 80's.

The coldest we have encountered was at the cabins in Koke'e State Park (high altitude). The warmest was at Waimea Plantation Cottages (sea level, west side). The most moderate were in Kapa'a and Lihu'e. The highest humidity was at a place we rented in Ha'ena.

As for hiking, you have some great choices on this island. The Kalalau Trail at the end of the road in Ha'ena is a must. You can hike the first two miles to Hanakapi'ai Beach without a permit. The views of Na Pali are simply spectacular. For a sampling, check out my video slideshow here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOlWDfPLVQs

There are many spectacular trails in Koke'e State Park on the west side of the island. Too many to list. The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook from Wizard Publications (www.wizardpub.com) has a very good listing of trails. It also covers every aspect of discovering this island. Get it and read it thoroughly.

I hope that helps and I hope you have a great trip.

A hui hou aku