Tour Hawaii Activities

Poipu Kauai - Watersports, Snorkeling, Fishing, Beaches

Poipu, Kauai. Beaches, Fishing, Whale watching, Snorkeling, Horseback riding, sun, wind, and beautiful scenery. So, I was tooling around down in Poipu on the island of Kauai the other day. I cruised by all the beaches talking with some of my old surfing and fishing buddies along the coast. I have to tell you that the verdict is in... and the consensus (from the South Shore gang anyway) is that Po'ipu is the best place to spend a whole day while on Kauai.

Here are some links to Activities on theSouth Shore:
Scuba and Snorkeling Touirs.
Deep Sea Charter Fishing
ATV Tours on the South Side

It's easy enough; take along a towel, drinking water, sunscreen, and swimming attire (yeah, you gotta wear clothes down there), reef walkers or tennis shoes, and be ready to blow your mind. Oh, do not forget your camera! This is the stuff of postcards, really. The South Shore of Kauai, the places we can access anyway, runs about five miles from Maha'ulepu on the east end to Kukui'ula (the small boat harbor and Spouting Horn) and Lawa'i Kai on the west, with beaches and activities (horseback riding, snorkeling, scuba) along the way.

Here's how WE do it... Depending where you are staying, just get down to Po'ipu. Maybe you'll drive through the Tunnel of Trees to get there. That landmark was planted in the 1800's as a tribute to our sister cities in Australia and to act as a windbreak for adjacent pastures and farmland. The trees are all Eucalyptus Robusta. Get through that windy road and find yourself in Koloa. You can get all the supplies you'll need for the day here - soup to nuts as they say. Just keep following the road until you get to the traffic circle. You'll know it when you get there - and take the leftmost exit it'll be a right turn). Drive all the way to the end, then keep going on the old cane haul road. When you finally reach the end, follow it to the right and go some more to the end - then - to the left. The road is pretty bad so you may have to walk at some point. You are now in Maha'ulepu.

At the very, very end of the dirt road, you be at a great beach - Maha'ulepu. The name describes the area famous for the pounding surf and the great battles fought there. This was where Kamehameha was first defeated in an attempted invasion.

From there, walk toward the east (either along the sea or on the dirt path there to the left) to the most isolated beach on the south side - Hau'ula. You, sun, wind, water. That's it. Hope you have a fishing pole with you because this spot is a favorite for all us local fishermen. Spend some time looking for shells then make your way back to Maha'ulepu. Here's where you will likely see the Hawaiian Monk Seal ('ilio kai or ocean dog) lounging in the sand. Stay away from these creatures, they bite and are protected by the US government. If you walk along the beach here, around the point, you will find a nicely protected space for snorkeling. Do that for sure. You'll probably be the only ones in the water here.

Maha'ulepu - Horseback Riding
After a bit, round up the troops and drive back toward the west. On the way out of Maha'ulepu, on the wide cane haul road, you'll see a sign on the left - "CJM Stables." If you're into it, drive in and see Jimmy. The horseback ride tours are perfect for young folks and his horses are all very calm. Even for the green horn.

Just past the end of the dirt cane road, on the ocean side (makai in Hawaiian) is the Grand Hyatt Resort - all that golf course and shoreline - Turn in to the first entrance and drive down to the end. You are now at Keoneloa Bay (Long Sand) a.k.a. Shipwreck Beach. When I was a kid, there was a large vessel up on the rocks there - The hurricanes have taken it away, but the nickname remains. Great swimming here on a calm day, and a great place for the local surfers. If you don't want to get back in the water, or if it's too rough, just walk to the left along the sand and climb up the sea cliff there - Whew!

Bodysurfing, Restaurant, Comfort stations
Okay - so we are driving still toward the west - You'll pass a restaurant in case you need a bite or to wet the whistle, but turn left at the Poipu Beach sign - (there is a big rock wall with a carved sign the says Manokalanipo Park Manokalanipo was a great ali'i or chief of Kauai) Go there. Brennecke's Beach for body surfing, Po'ipu Beach for lounging and the children, Showers and comfort stations, and a restaurant and convenience store for refreshments and snacks.

Drive Along the coast as much as you can - From Po'ipu Beach, You'll have to go back out on the main road. drive west again and take the first left back to the seaside - The shoreline here is famed for the great surf spots and good scuba diving areas. When you hit the sea wall, directly ahead of you is the surf spot "Cow's Head." Just to the right (west) is the old Koloa Landing. Back in the 1800's, the cattlemen of Koloa would swim the cattle out to awaiting vessels. Sometimes sharks would get involved and all that would remain would be a cow's head... hence the name of the surf spot.

Keep Driving. Get to the traffic circle. If you haven't eaten already or need to rent some snorkel gear and get in the water, take the right and pull in to Kukui'ula store. Paul and the gang will help set you up with food and refreshment, and the dive shop there will take care of your under-water needs.

Now, drive through the traffic circle and go right through toward Spouting Horn. Along the coast, you'll pass several more surf spots... "Prince Kuhio," "Centers," "Left's", "Acid Drop," "Heroin," Great breaks for the experienced surfer... but on the inside of the reef, the snorkeling is fabulous. Just watch out for the wana, the spiny sea urchin. Don't try to pick them up, and do NOT step on one. Ouch!!!!

Continue your drive west past the Kukui'ula Small Boat Harbor (where you can go charter fishing) until you get to the Spouting Horn. You'll know it. Story goes, that back before WWII, the spout from this natural wonder would blast so high, that during times of high surf, several acres of sugar cane would get saturated with salt water and die off. The sugar plantations went in and blasted the rocks with dynamite, and you can still see the crater today. What remains however, is a spout that reaches over 100 feet high on a good day, and you can still hear the voice of Mo'o the serpent and Kanaloa (the god of the sea) when the waves crash into the shore.

Walk across the street and enter the grounds of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens. On these grounds are some of the most exotic plants, water features and fountains. The mansion there is one of Queen Emma's summer palaces. This tour is well worth the time, and riding the trolley will give the legs a nice break. You'll also get the see one of the most idyllic bays on Kauai - Lawa'i Kai Bay - so beautiful.

So, there you have it. Po'ipu and Kauai's South Shore in one day. Have a great time and don't forget the sunscreen and water.

Enjoy your time on the South Side... Aloha

And remember, we're always just a shout away.

Michael

The Kukuiula Small Boat Harbor just outside Poipu is a nice spot for a picnic or catch a boat for a Deep Sea Fishing Charter.

The Spouting Horn on the South side of Kauai - just outside of Poipu, and past the Kukuiula small boat harbor. The water spews out of this natural blow hole sometimes upwards of 100 feet.

And right across the road you'll find the entrance to the National Tropical Botanical Gardens; a world renowned and impressive collection of rare tropical and exotic plants. Take a tour.