They don't call Kauai "The Garden Isle" for nothing; everywhere you look, there is greenery and flowers in bloom.
We stayed at Waimea Plantation Cottages. As the name suggests, it is situated on the grounds of an old sugar plantation, and the cottages themselves are updated former quarters for the plantation employees. The benefits of this are obvious once you step inside, for you'll find a working kitchen, dining room, and up to five bedrooms (we stayed in a two-bedroom cottage, because all the single bedroom units were already rented out). We saved a good deal of money by cooking our own lunches and dinners. If you're not in the mood to cook, the Waimea Brewing Company is right next to the front office, serving decent food and house as well as imported beers.
As with many homes and cottages in Hawaii, the cottages are meant to be enjoyed with all the doors and windows open, and a great cross breeze keeps you quite comfortable even on the hottest days. If you prefer to relax in the open air, the back porch has several chairs on which you can enjoy a good book, listen to some music, or just enjoy a frosty cold beverage.
About five minutes' drive from Waimea is the town of Hanapepe, a small collection of galleries catering to the local artists. On Friday evenings, the galleries open late, allowing a leisurely perusal of the oils and watercolors on display, as well as a selection of sculpture and folk art produced both locally and from neighbor islands.
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It should be noted that the management maintains a strict noise curfew at 9:00 PM, in order to preserve the peace and quiet that many vacationers seek when reserving a cottage for their trip. Bright lights are also discouraged on the commons and beach, because the remoteness of the town of Waimea from big city lights makes it ideal for stargazing, but only if you can keep your night vision.
Oh, yeah, how about those beaches? There are a number of great beaches for tanning, snorkling, surfing, parasailing, or just splashing around in the waves. On the North Shore, there are a few beaches reknowned for the beachcombing treasures to be found there, as well. Of course, some of the best beaches are ones where there aren't too many other people around, but since this is a tourist mecca, the isolated beaches tend to be a good ways off the beaten path. Luckily, the Waimea Plantation Cottages feature its own section of beach, as well, and Chris and I took advantage of the opportunity to kick off our shoes and walk along the sand most mornings we were there. Photos of our walks are below:
The biggest draw of Hanapepe, at least from the standpoint of a devoted shutterbug, are the hills in and around the town, because year round they explode with color, as different varieties of bougainville bushes festoon the hillsides with brilliant colors. It's worth the walk to see them (believe us when we tell you that it doesn't have the same impact when seen whizzing by at 45 mph.)
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