South Shore of Kauai, Hawaii
South Shore is among the best locations to begin your vacation. Stop by the historical center in Old Koloa Town Mall, history being integral to the Kauai experience. Old Koloa Town had Kauai's first sugar plantation, built in the 1830s. South Shore also is the birthplace of a Hawaiian royal, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole. Known as Ke Ali'i Makaainana, "Prince of People," he was in line to be king. When Hawaii was overthrown by the US, he left the country, vowing to never return. Once annexed as a state, Kuhio did return as a delegate in Congress, working to preserve the entire natural splendor you witness on Kauai. Whether you believe in folklore or not, you cannot deny the charm of stories. One natural aberration you got to see and hear its explanation is the Spouting Horn: by the surf, water is forced through a lava tube, spraying and hissing. Ancients believed a fisherman captured a lizard goddess, named Kaikapu, inside the lava tube and her hissing is her angry roar. South Shore attracts many with the National Tropical Botanical Garden, right near Spouting Horn. It is the only chartered tropical botanical garden by Congress; it has the world's largest population of dazzling, Hawaiian flora. South Shore is not without vacationers' dream beaches. Four beaches await you with their sweet blue waters, golden sands, and Pacific sun heat waves. Exclusive because of the "Hoary Head" mountain range backdrop, Kipu Kai beach can only be reached by boat. Now that's exclusive, it takes a plane, car, and boat to get here! Reefs and shallow water still Maha'ulepu beach. Privately owned, Maha'ulepu beach is untouched by any private development. Mountain bike your way here and see what 5 million years of nature taking its course looks like. Poipu Beach Park is family friendly, safe, and is blue skies for scuba diving, snorkeling, and surfing. Keep your eyes peeled for the endangered, 400 to 600 pound, Hawaiian Monk Seals. They too bask on this friendly beach. Once hidden, the secret is out on Shipwreck beach. Stay at one of the many resorts and enjoy. Every day events abound on Kauai and South Shore shares in the good times. Celebrate rich cultural heritage, honoring the Prince Kuhio, at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa. Dance hula-style, see the displays and crafts, and taste the Hawaiian seafood and fruits. Koloa Plantation Days festival hosts just about everything you'd expect on a tropical island: golf tournaments, local foods, arts, crafts, auctions, rodeos, live music, dance, parades, and more. Once you get to South Shore, check out the calendars, see what's up, and join in the fun. To get to that local and exotic flavor no vacation can do without, South Shore has many restaurants to cater to your discerning taste buds. While watching the live torch and hula dance, conch-horn and drum beat, Luau, feast off Hawaiian's choice foods, at the Grand Hyatt. Dine on organic fruit salads, drink fresh smoothies, at the Kupono Cafe. After a day of golf, eat on the green of the Poipu Bay Golf Course Grill and Bar. Those are just a few, but they are not the only ones to treat yourself, when you vacation in South Shore. You'll wish you never had to leave Kauai, because the activities and leisure here could fill up a lifetime. Take an air tour of the island, hike through miles of parks and their natural wonders, tour on cruises and sailboats, mountain bike, off- and on-shore fish, ride ATVs, horseback ride, kayak, windsurf, scuba dive, snorkel, surf, golf, camp, and whale-watch. Once you have spent your energies with all your favorite activities, lay by the pool or on the beach. And once you have spent the rest of your energies in the sun, get the royal massage treatment in one of the many spas. The next day you'll be ready to experience Kauai all over again.
