Kauai Attractions: 

Napali Coast – 17 miles of panoramic views of the shoreline of the Pacific Ocean. Picture this: velvet green cliffs and cascading waterfalls. Does it get any better?

Waimea Canyon – Called the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” it stretches for 14 miles, one mile wide and over 3,600 feet deep! The lookouts provide panoramic views of deep valleys, gorges and vistas that for on for miles.

Kauai’s North Shore – Home to the small town of Hanalei which is filled with colorful shops, restaurants and art galleries. Hanalei is also famous for the beautiful taro fields which you will see at the foot of Hanalei’s green mountains.

Kauai’s West Side – At the end of Waimea Canyon you will find the Kalalau Valley Lookout. From there you can see the majestic Napali Coast rise from the sea. It is a beautiful spot to observe light changes which make your view look different from moment to moment.

Lihue – known for its many beaches, e.g. Kalapaki, this area is great for windsurfing and body boarding. The Lihue area also has numerous historical spots like for example Alekoko, a roughly 1000 year old aquaculture reservoir or Kilohana, a historic plantation.

Wailua Falls – Not far from Lihue you will find the Wailua Falls. These falls are best know from the tv series “Fantasy Island”. They can be seen from the roadside and are easily accessible. Morning visits are best as you might be treated to a rainbow over the fall.

Poipu beach – located on Kauai’s South side, Poipu is known for it sunny weather and beautiful beaches. It is a great place for all things vacation. Whether you want to lounge on the beach, snorkel, go shopping or try one of the many excellent restaurants. During the months of December to May it is not uncommon to see humpback whales spouting offshore.

Kauai Surfing – Poipu Beach, Nawili Harbor in Lihue, Hanalei Bay on the North Shore and Makua “Tunnels” Beach are Kauai’s surfing hot spots. You can watch surfers hit a wave or try it out yourself. November through February waves are particularly massive and surfing is best left to experienced wave riders.

Written by STEFANIE PICHONNAT

STEFANIE PICHONNAT
Stefanie Pichonnat is the Hawaiian Travel Specialist at Cumar Gold Travel, a boutique travel firm specialized in creating and customizing personalized travel itineraries. You can contact her at stefanie@aav-travel.com

in conjunction with

STEPHANIE JELLETTE

Stephanie Jellett is interning as a travel writer and social media manager at AAV Travel. You can contact her at stephanieljellett@gmail.com

Imagine sitting on a beach chair, enjoying the sun and a fresh breeze, sipping a Kona Big Wave, overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean whilesurfers are trying to catch a wave. This is one of the many experiences you can have at Turtle Bay. Talk to the staff and you will quickly understand the magic of the place. Many have left their high-paying careers in big cities to come here to find the perfect work/life balance.

Aloha!
Aloha! Is likely the first greeting you will hear arriving on O’ahu. Hawaiian’s are proud of their native language and they love it when visitors know a little bit about it. The most challenging part for English speaking people is the pronunciation. This Hawaii language guide can help with it.
Aloha and mahalo are very important. Whether you’re passing a local on the street and say aloha, or paying for dinner and thank your waiter by saying mahalo, having those two words in your vocabulary will go a long way.

Here are a few other common Hawaiian words to help you out:

• Pehea ‘oe — How are you?
• Maika’i no au — I am fine
• ‘Ono — Delicious or tasty
• Malihini — Newcomer or visitor
• KOkua — Help or need of assistance
• Kala mai ai’u — Excuse me
• Aloha au ia ‘oe — I love you

Experience Turtle Bay Resort

Under new management since 2010, millions have been invested into upgrading this unique property.Today you can expect sleek, sophisticated rooms and an overall modern, luxurious, casual surfer vibe. The resort has 452 up-scale, oceanfront accommodations. Choose from either beachfront cottages and villas or pick a guest room or suite–majority of the rooms at Turtle Bay have a stunning ocean views as well. What’s really spectacular is going to sleep to the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore–and it’s not from a sound machine that’s on repeat, you’re really listening to the soothing sounds on your front door.

Not only do you get five miles of pure beachfront beauty to walk along, the resort also has endless activities that you can keep yourself busy with, such as: horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking and tennis. You can even go to surf school and learn how to catch a wave. Water sports include: snorkeling, paddle boarding, kite surfing, kayaking and fishing. There’s also a 36-hole championship golf course designed by pro golfers George Fazio and Arnold Palmer near by. You can also learn some of the traditional Hawaiian culture by trying hula and ukulele lessons and lei making.

The Nalu Kinetic Spa will give you a multi-sensory experience: hearing waves crashing on the shore, beautiful views of the swells, and the new Wave Therapy will gently rock you back and forth as if you were floating in the ocean. It’s a great way to experience the ultimate relaxation. The spa was also named one of the nation’s top 10 Organic Spa’s in 2013–and there’s good reason for it! There are various kinds of treatments that you can choose from, whether you want a private seaside massage, body wraps, reflexology, or couples massages, you’ll be guaranteed to find something you’ll love and the treatments are reasonably priced.

Have you ever dreamed of having a private beach wedding? At Turtle Bay, you’ll be guaranteed to get just that. Ranked in the top 10 of Hawaii’s best honeymoon destinations, tying the knot beachside or at the oceanfront chapel will feel like a dream come true; it’s the perfect romantic couples escape. After ‘I Do:’ Imagine yourself, just recently pronounced man and wife. You get ready for a private dinner on your lanai with your own personal butler as you watch the sunset. Afterwards, you walk hand in hand down the beach, feeling the soft sand between your toes and listening to the soothing sounds of the waves coming on shore. You come back to your cottage and it’s decorated with rose petals leading to your own personal exotic spa….where you relax and toast to your new life together as a married couple.

Haleiwa
Just a short drive from Turtle Bay Resort, Haleiwa (pronounced hah-lay-EE-wah) is a small community and is also known as the surfing capital of the world. Though this town may be little, it definitely brings its A game! Don’t expect to find Waikiki here, expect a laid back surfer town instead. There’s no shortage of shopping in downtown Haleiwa, whether you’re looking for high-end shops or affordable authentic Hawaiian-made gifts to bring back home, you’ll be sure to find something! Surf shops, art galleries featuring local artists, and specialty shops are also located downtown. If you are into photography and want to take home a authentic North Shore souvenir stop by Clark Little’s gallery. His images are amazing!

Turtle Bay’s Webcam is a great place to catch a glimpse of the waves (heads up: the link first runs an ad before connecting with the webcam).

Or, if you like videos, check out this clip about a typical day at Turtle Bay Resort:

Have you ever stayed at Turtle Bay or visited the North Shore? Share your experiences with us, leave a comment, we’d love to hear from you! Dreamed of planning a vacation to O’ahu and its magical North Shore? We can help! E-mail us at info@aav-travel.com or visit our website at www.aav-travel.com