Once you image Hawaii what involves thoughts? For me, it was busy seashores and towering resorts.
Then I visited Kauai, the oldest main island within the Hawaiian chain.
That age is the important thing. It means Kauai has had the longest period of time to turn into probably the most stunning of the already beautiful Hawaiian Islands.
It is often known as the ‘Backyard Isle‘ for a cause! However that is an understatement. It is not simply stunning; it is uncooked.
As an alternative of loopy vacationer buzz, there is a profound quiet. As an alternative of a skyline, there are 4,000-foot cliffs. And sure, I’m a bit of biased now… however after in the future there, I knew I had discovered it: what felt just like the actual Hawaii.
Paradise Discovered: Sheraton Kauai Coconut Seaside Resort
I had the pleasure, no, the privilege, of staying at Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort proper alongside the Coconut Coast in Kapa’a.
As quickly as I acquired there, I knew I’d by no means need to depart.
As you stroll previous the foyer, you’re greeted with a lovely pool that offers tropical oasis vibes and a surprising view of the seashore and ocean which can be immediately in entrance of you. If you happen to didn’t assume being proper on the seashore was sufficient, then haven’t any concern.
The spectacular formation of the Sleeping Big, or Nounou Mountain, is true behind you when you stand on the seashore. Nounou Mountain known as Sleeping Big as a result of it truly seems to be like an individual sleeping on their aspect, however you understand, in large type.
When you get to paradise, what do you do? Let me inform you a number of of the issues that I did and why I cherished each second of my time in Kauai.
Getting Settled In
To start with, I can’t inform you what a reduction it was having solely quarter-hour from the airport to Sheraton Kauai Coconut Seaside Resort. I LOVE a brief commute from the airport after a protracted day of touring.
And although Hawaii seems like a very totally different nation with its personal stunning tradition, it’s nonetheless a part of the U.S., which implies you don’t want a passport and also you don’t should undergo a loopy lengthy customs line once you land!
After I arrived on the resort and made my strategy to my room, I used to be afraid I wouldn’t need to depart my room for the remainder of the day.
Certain I used to be drained from my lengthy journey day, and the loopy comfy mattress was calling my identify, however the room décor made it really feel like I used to be IN the ocean already. To not point out the unbelievable view of the ocean proper from my non-public balcony.
@traveloffpath Welcome to our room on the Sheraton Kauai Coconut Seaside Resort! 🌴 Come on in! We’re supplying you with the complete tour of our residence base on the Backyard Isle. From the views (good for that morning espresso ☕) to the post-beach-day vibes, see precisely what it is like to remain at this spot. Would you make this your property base in Kauai? Tell us! 👇 #SheratonKauai #Kauai #Hawaii #RoomTour #HotelTour ♬ Hawái – Maluma
Nevertheless, I wasn’t going to let jet lag and an unimaginable room cease me from exploring this stunning property. I used to be additionally ravenous after my lengthy journey and desperately needed some superb seafood, and I used to be not disenchanted!
Crooked Surf is the resort’s poolside and oceanfront restaurant, and so they had precisely what I wanted: Recent fish tacos that have been so good that I needed to get them organized once more after I went again for dinner later that night time.
A Good Poolside Afternoon
Fueling up with fish tacos made me able to benefit from the proper climate. So I grabbed my ebook and headed over to lie by the pool.
Little did I do know, I used to be there on the good time for poolside BINGO. I completely joined in on the enjoyable and performed BINGO whereas I soaked up the Hawaiian solar.
After an ideal poolside afternoon, I met up with my group for dinner at Crooked Surf. Though I used to be tempted to get the fish tacos once more, I made a decision to broaden my horizons and check out one of many different delicious-looking dishes: the Dynamite Bowl with tofu drizzled in Pineapple Teriyaki — YUM!
The meals was superb once more, however I’d be remiss if I didn’t inform you to get the Coconut Seaside Mai Tai. That is truly one of the best Mai Tai on the market and one of the best I’ve ever had. You’ll be glad you took my phrase for it once you order this drink!
Exploring Kapa’a City
Since my inside clock was nonetheless anticipating East Coast time, I used to be prepared to begin the subsequent day brilliant and early with a dawn run on the seashore, adopted by hitting the fitness center (gotta keep able to eat all of the native meals, am I proper?).
Actually, what a implausible strategy to begin the day! I’ve been identified to secretly choose a resort or resort by their fitness center, and I’m comfortable to report that Sheraton Kauai Coconut Seaside Resort didn’t let me down.
They’ve a terrific number of fitness center tools, and I used to be capable of get a full exercise in earlier than our group biked to downtown Kapa’a for breakfast at Java Kai.
This espresso store is so well-known for being one of the best that I had a number of family and friends telling me to go to Java Kai and the way jealous they have been that I used to be there.
The truth is, it was so good that we went again the subsequent morning to attempt their pineapple French toast on Hawaiian bread and get extra Chai Anu (which was principally like a chai icee and it was SO GOOD).
@traveloffpath Do you know Sheraton Kauai Coconut Seaside Resort has free bikes you possibly can trip to downtown Kapa’a in Kauai, HI? 🌈 #sheratonkauaicoconutbeach #kauai #hawaii #traveloffpath #travel ♬ Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride – Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu & Kamehameha Schools Children’s Chorus
Fueled up with caffeine and good meals, we have been prepared to walk across the tremendous cute city of Kapa’a and get some buying in on the market. And oh boy did we!
We shopped and shopped and shopped some extra! There have been so many cute native shops to sift by, together with a store the place you possibly can design your individual hat! I’m a sucker for these sorts of shops and ended up spending a superb portion of the day having fun with Kapa’a.
In any case that buying, we wanted to gas up once more at one of many recent fruit stands. We tried a number of distinctive Hawaiian fruits, tiny little bananas that have been so tasty, and naturally recent pineapple! So principally I ate my weight in fruit. What higher strategy to wash all of it down than with recent coconut water straight from a coconut?!
I assumed I couldn’t eat anymore, however then we discovered a chocolate store that does free chocolate tastings the place you possibly can attempt one of the best native chocolate. Simply after I thought I couldn’t get any fuller, that’s after we discovered the macadamia nut retailer simply down the road. Guess what, in addition they have free tastings! Hawaii is known for its macadamia nuts, so in fact I couldn’t say no to that both. They have been so good that I purchased some to convey residence for my household.
The ethical of the story is: be ready to buy until you drop and are available hungry to Kapa’a!
Coastal Rides and Tropical Treats
The bike trip to and from downtown Kapa’a and Sheraton Kauai Coconut Seaside Resort is not like any bike path I’ve ever seen. Many of the brief trip is true alongside the coast and the view of the ocean seems to be utterly unreal. The water regarded so recent on the best way again that I jumped off my bike and ran proper in. (The present will be sturdy although, so watch out the place you swim!*)
I spent the remainder of the afternoon ingesting tropical drinks and studying by the pool once more. The resort even has free shaved ice by the pool from 1:00 – 3:00 pm. I dare you to call a extra good day.
An Genuine Hawaiian Luau
What’s the easiest way to finish an ideal day in Hawaii? An genuine Hawaiian Luau! We attended Luau Ka Hikina proper on the resort’s open-air pavilion and the ocean proper behind us. Earlier than our Hawaiian feast formally began, we had a hula lesson from the well-known Leilani Rivera Low!
The remainder of the night was spent consuming an unimaginable Hawaiian feast with all the standard favorites —I even tried poi! (For individuals who don’t know what that’s, it’s a paste from the taro plant — very Hawaiian) Whereas we ate, Leilani and her college of gifted hula dancers carried out with dwell island music.
This was one in every of my favourite experiences to date since you actually felt the soul and keenness behind this stunning tradition that’s been handed down for a lot of, many generations.
As if everybody there wasn’t already completely amazed by the expertise of those dancers and musicians, they introduced out the insanely spectacular Samoan Hearth Knife Chief.
This was completely one of many coolest and most extraordinary issues I’ve ever seen.
The expertise, talent and bravado that goes into hearth knife dancing is unfathomable. A number of of us have been fairly probably fan-girling over the hearth chief and Leilani after the performances.
Aware Mornings and Mountain Adventures
Even after a fun-filled conventional Hawaiian night time, I needed to benefit from the dawn with the dawn breakfast menu (together with recent fruit and an acai bowl). How might you not with the solar rising over the ocean immediately in entrance of your resort?!
Sheraton Kauai Coconut Seaside Resort presents beachside morning yoga that I clearly needed to benefit from after watching the dawn. I like the thought of seashore yoga, however generally the sand turns into an excessive amount of of a problem for me.
However the yoga truly passed off on the garden proper subsequent to the seashore. So you continue to had the ocean proper subsequent to you and all of the beachside vibes with out worrying about getting sand in your eyes throughout downward canine.
A straightforward, peaceable morning with a superb stretch meant that we have been prepared for our subsequent large journey. One of many biggest adventures on the market to be actual! Mountain tubing with Kauai Backcountry Adventures the place you float down canals from an outdated sugar plantation and tunnels main underneath the mountain.
With inexperienced tropical crops surrounding you and Mt. Wai’ale’ale looming over you it feels such as you’re floating by Jurassic Park. It actually felt like a dinosaur might run out from the timber at any time on the market.
The superb journey would have been value it by itself, but it surely was made that significantly better by one of the best tour information on the market. Noah was superb and you need to completely request him as your tour information once you ebook your journey!
Unforgettable Experiences
After every little thing I’ve already talked about, would you imagine that I haven’t even instructed you my favourite factor of the complete journey? You might be shocked after I inform you it was our Ukulele lesson with the resort’s Kumu, Maka Herrod.
One of many issues which can be an absolute should after I come again to Kauai is having one other lesson with Maka. We had a lot enjoyable studying how one can play the Ukulele, and we even sounded fairly first rate in the long run! Maka is among the kindest and sweetest folks I’ve ever met and I can’t think about there’s a greater Ukulele instructor on the market.
A day stuffed with journey and studying meant we have been very excited for our goodbye dinner on the resort’s upscale restaurant, Moa Moa. The strawberry moon over the ocean was the backdrop for our dinner, making it the proper setting.
As soon as once more, I ate manner an excessive amount of as a result of every little thing was so scrumptious! The Hawaiian caprese salad was tasty and refreshing and I cherished the tropical twist to the standard caprese salad. For my essential course, I had the macadamia-crusted Mahi-Mahi, and it was phenomenal!
To high all of it off, we tried a number of of their scrumptious desserts and severely regretted not saving extra room for dessert. They have been so good that I needed to eat each final chew – particularly the molten lava cake!
A Breathtaking Farewell Hike
I hate to confess it, however I form of lied to you earlier. My favourite factor from the complete journey was undoubtedly the Ukulele lesson with Maka, UNTIL an impromptu hike to the highest of the Sleeping Big the morning of my flight.
The Nounou East Path Head was solely a few 5-minute drive from Sheraton Kauai Coconut Seaside Resort and I couldn’t resist seeing the views from the highest that I’d heard a lot about.
So I woke as much as watch the dawn on the seashore one final time after which headed to the trailhead to begin my trek to the highest. I wasn’t even 5 minutes into my hike, and it was already value it. With the lava rocks, crops, and timber, this was undoubtedly probably the most stunning I’d ever taken.
@traveloffpath Probably the most stunning hike I’ve ever performed. Sleeping Big: Nounou East Trailhead in Kauai, HI 🌈 only a brief drive from Sheraton Kauai Coconut Seaside Resort! #sheratonkauaicoconutbeach #hawaii #kauai #travel #hike ♬ SOLANA – Alex LeMirage
And that doesn’t even embody the views but. About ¼ of the best way up the mountain, I got here throughout a patch of daylight from a break within the timber. That’s after I rotated and actually gasped out loud. I used to be undoubtedly not anticipating a full view of the city beneath me and the wide-open ocean past it.
There was no manner the view from the highest was vital if this view was already right here, not even midway up the mountain, proper? Improper! Once I lastly made it to the highest, the path became a novel rocky terrain. I climbed the rocks and once more had my breath taken away. This was completely probably the most stunning and satisfying hike I’ve ever performed.
On the high of the Sleeping Big, you get a panoramic view of the island and an unobstructed view of the ocean that was getting increasingly blue because the morning solar rose larger into the sky. That is undoubtedly probably the most stunning sights on the market. I can’t start to inform you how comfortable I used to be that I made a decision last-minute to make this hike occur. It was greater than value it!
If you happen to like having a path nearly utterly to your self, then you need to begin mountaineering proper after dawn. That’s what I did, and I felt like I had the complete mountain to myself. I didn’t see a single particular person till later as I hiked down the mountain and other people began mountaineering up. Plus, it wasn’t as scorching earlier within the morning.
The Good Sendoff
The unofficial theme of this journey was journey, then eat. That’s precisely what I did after my hike. I needed to match one final native favourite meals spot in earlier than my flight out – Holey Grail Donuts.
To be utterly trustworthy, donuts are by no means one in every of my favourite issues, however these “Hawaiian grown” donuts are unimaginable! They use distinctive Hawaiian flavors from native farms and these donuts are so significantly better than anything on the market. These donuts have been the proper send-off deal with.
I actually miss Kauai a lot already. This was one place that I’ve been actually unhappy to go away behind. I can’t wait to come back again to discover extra of this attractive island and expertise extra of the gorgeous Hawaiian tradition.
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