We met our good friends and stayed the remainder of our time at Lae Nani—a beautiful condo complex with the most breathtaking landscape on the east side of Kaua’i in a town called Kapa’a. This part of the island, where you can watch spectacular sunrises, is called the Royal Coconut Coast. It is considered a holy area where the Hawaiian royalty used to live. We explored waterfalls, chased rainbows, and went to a luau. Of the 5 previous luaus I have been to, this one was my favorite so I will post the details below.
Here are some of our unforgettable adventures in pictures.
The Royal Coconut Coast – East Kaua’i
Lae Nani Condos in Kapa’a on Kaua’i’s Royal Coconut Coast. Starfish 411 is simply the best condo we have stayed in. Look at the grounds and the view! The grounds were destroyed by past hurricanes, and a master gardener redesigned everything. It’s stunning.Waterfall hunting. First stop – Wailua Falls Next – ʻŌpaekaʻa FallsFresh coconut water by the Falls.I bought a beautiful lei from a beautiful lady who had a mobile shop set up in the parking lot. Her father was friends with Elvis!
Heading West– the Na Pali Coast
Sailing on the 55’ catamaran along the Na Pali Coast with Capt Andy’s! I am all smiles here but the trip back was rough. My motion sickness medication did not help with the white caps and the swirling sea! Lots of waterfalls, caves, and breathtaking cliffs! And Dolphins!! So many dolphins with their babies🐬 Sunny skies (calm before the rough seas)
The conch shells signal the start of the luau and the Imu Ceremony begins! Imu is an underground oven and a traditional Hawaiian method of cooking the kalua pig and rice pudding for the luau. According to Kamika Smith (general manager), they used to get the pigs right on Kauai, but since Covid the pigs now come from Oahu.Before our feast, we took a tour of the gardens, which have been in the Smith Family for over 50 years. This Wailua River Valley is a truly special place for a luau.A tour of the gardens, the Imu ceremony, dinner with entertainment, and then the “show”, complete with music from the different cultures that tell the Hawaiian history. The evening was filled with stars on the stage, and in the sky.
Exploring the North Shore
Opened in 1913, The Daniel K. Inouye Kīlauea Point Lighthouse, is situated on Kīlauea Point. It stands 52 feet tall on a rocky cliff that’s 180 feet above the ocean.Hanalei Bay on the North Shore of Kaua’i, which has served as the backdrop for Hollywood movies such as South Pacific and The Descendants.
South for some Sunshine, Sea Turtles, and Seals!
Poipu Beach I am zoomed in—the turtles were roped off and we stayed 15 feet away.So many turtles catching some rays. We heard that many more come out at night to rest on the beach. Also, while nesting season is between May-September, we saw at least 10 during our October visit to Poipu Beach.This Hawaiian monk seal was having a lazy day.Gotta have a Puka Dog! The sauces are amazing 🔥
Other Notable Adventures
The others in our group did a helicopter tour of the island and one couple went to Oahu for the day. We have done these below before, so we skipped them this time.
Good morning! The sunrise by our condo.Yoga to start the day next door at the Kaua’i Shores Hotel. The restaurant, Lava Lava Beach Club is on site and it’s really a fun atmosphere with live music every night.
A quick getaway with my sister for some tropical fun-in-the-sun in this southern Caribbean island.
We’re here! This Dutch Caribbean Island is home to 151k+ people, coral reefs, beautiful beaches, and an official language called Papiamentu, a Creole language based primarily in Portuguese & Spanish. It is also spoken on their sister islands, Aruba and Bonaire (aka The ABC Islands)Lots of “blue”💙 in the drinks! Of course! Curaçao is the home to Curacao liqueur, created when a local figured out how to use the rinds of the citrus fruit known as laraha (similar to an orange)Preparing a mid afternoon snackCrazy for coconuts! 🥥 🌴 Sunset from our balcony Day 1Sunset from our balcony Day 2Incredible dinner at Gouverneur de Rouville. We started with spicy banana soup and then shared the Caribbean Chicken and the Keshi Yena. The latter is a traditional Curacao dish – cheese stuffed with chicken, onions, olives and prunes. It was out-of-this-world delicious!Walking through a rainbow 🌈 Queen Emma Bridge, Willemstad, CuracaoThis pontoon bridge was originally built in 1888. It’s been renovated 4 times and the lighting arches were added in 1955🔒 ❤️All the locks of love!❤️ 🔒 Such a great word. Dushi in Papiamentu means sweet, nice or good. When there are roses, you stop and smell them. When there’s this on your walking path, you stop and swing!
Christina’s Journey Journal 