Captivating Kaua'i - Day 2 ( Waimea Canyon )

As an oldest of Hawaiian islands, Kaua'i has been mostly changed by the forces of erosion, and that has resulted in natural wonders like Waimea Canyon and NaPali Coast. We had already witnessed the beauty of NaPali Coast. It was a clear day so we decided to go to Waimea Canyon and Koke'e State Park.

Directions :

• From Lihue, drive southwest on Kuhio Highway (HI-56), which turns into Kaumualli Highway (HI-50), into Waimea.Turn right on Waimea Canyon Drive (HI-550).
• The road travels through the canyon area and ends at Pu'u o Kila Lookout.

A long and winding road first leads to the main lookout, Waimea Canyon Lookout. Located on the island’s west side, Waimea Canyon is 10 miles long, a mile wide and about 3,500 feet deep. The canyon was carved thousands of years ago by numerous floods and rivers flowing down from the summit of Mount Waialeale. The scenery was awesome , truly indescribable !

Waimea Canyon

The next stop was Puu Hina Lookout. It offers the best views down the Canyon toward the ocean. The view of Niihau is great on a clear day.

We continued our journey to Kalalau Lookout. Kalalau Lookout is the highest elevation you will reach in Kauai by road. The Pacific Ocean beneath the Na Pali Cliffs - One of the most famous sights in the Pacific.  We were looking down at fluffy white clouds, deep blue sea , ,sky and spectacular dark green cliffs. Can anything be more wonderful than this ?

View from Kalalau Lookout

Well let me tell you this if you are lucky you can get to see the double rainbow as well !!

Located at the furthermost point on the road from Waimea into Kokee State Park, the Pu'u o Kila Lookout offers a jaw dropping panoramic view of Kalalau valley. And if the weather is clear you can see scenic views overlooking the Alaka'i Swamp and Mt. Wai'ale'ale. 

Panoramic view of Kalalau valley from Pu'u O Killa lookout

For detailed information on this drive, please refer :'
http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/drives/kauai/west.htm


Few Tips:

• Try to plan your trip on a clear day, otherwise you'll encounter limited visibility and miss out on the canyon's vibrant colors.
• The elevation makes the air 10-15 degrees cooler than in the valley and by afternoon many areas are often shrouded in clouds.So of possible start in morning.
• No gas stations are located along this road - be sure to fill up before starting the trip.
• Best viewing of the Kalalau Valley is in the early morning.
• Excellent bird watching opportunity in morning at Kalalau lookout
• For those who love hiking, there are some really good hiking trails in Kauai, for more information visit http://www.hawaii-guide.com/kauai/list/hiking_trails .

After the wonderful experience, sadly it was time to go back to hotel. The next day was the last day at Kauai, and according to our plan we were to visit Kauai Hindu Monastery ,Kilauea Lighthouse and few beaches ...Coming up next !!

- Dhara Desai