Lihue & Kalapaki, Kauai, Hawaii
Lihue and Kalapaki are the vacation rental hub of Kauai, Hawaii. This is where you begin Kauai; this is where you begin it all. Kauai is almost paradise and you may want to see the landmarks of people who lived in paradise long ago. Menehune Fish Pond is a striking example of the ingenuity. The story goes: the Menehune were a tribe of small people. They stood in a 25 mile line, passed rocks hand-to-hand, and created a wall 900 feet long and five feet high. They did this feat in one night! In Hikina a ka la Heianu, Hauola is a site to learn more about the indigenous peoples. It is one of two refuges on the island. If a Hawaiian had broken a kapu or belonged to a defeated army, they would try to get to this sanctuary. Once they went through holy rites, they would be free to go home. A certain set of sacred stones at Pohaku Ho'ohanau was a place where women gave birth to ensure they're children would be royality. Every ancient, it seems, has had some reverence for the sun; here is no different. Hikina Akala Heiau, named for the rising sun, is a sacred site built around 800 A.D. At the north end of Lydgate State Park, it is where the view of the sun rises for all of Kauai. Whatever fascinates you about the history of Kauai and Hawaii you can find at the Kauai Museum. Knowing more about the history of Kauai may just make all you see here that much wealthier. And if you are cinematic history buff, "South Pacific" and the 1976 remake of "King Kong" were shot on Kauai. The beginning scene of "Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark" was also shot in Huleia National Wildlife Refuge. Like all of the island of Kauai, Lihue and Kapaki have the white sands and clear blue waters of beaches. Kalapaki Beach, Ninini Beach, Hanama'ulu Beach Park are hotbeds for sunning, surfing, and snorkeling. If camping is your bag, set up grounds in Niumalu Beach Park. To prove his manhood, natives used to jump off the 200 feet high Wailua Falls. While the rest of Kauai may be harder to find a Daiquiri and a dance club, Lihue and Kapaki have city life, hundreds of restaurants and shops. Here you can see Nawiliwili and Niumalu Harbor and leave these ports to fish and tour the island. Here you can do just about all the sports and leisurely activities Kauai has to offer: helicopter, plane, cruise tours, ATV rides, tennis, golf, whale watch, camp, mountain bike, kayak, scuba dive, snorkel, sunbathe, windsurf, and surf; all of which will leave you, your family, and friends wishing you could come back, because one time on Kauai is never enough.
