Overview
In 1873 writer Isabella Bird described the Island of Kaua'i as having "an extreme beauty altogether its own, which wins one's love..." Known as the Garden Island due to its lush rain forests and overflowing vegetation, Kaua'i is a jewel in Hawai'i' s Island chain offering innumerable precipitous valleys, remote stretches of rugged coastlines, and waterfalls by the dozen.As far as Island size and population, Kaua'i ranks fourth in the state, with less than 6o,ooo people on an Island that's 3 miles across at its greatest width. Kaua'i's residents are dispersed among small towns, the most populated located in the Lihu'e to Kapa'a corridor on the south east side of the Island.
Along famed Na Pali Coast are spectacular spires reaching up above the tumbling surf below. The north shore offers stunning beaches with unprecedented views, along with majestic cliffs that rise to legend-rich peaks and summits leading into deeply-carved valleys.
The east side, called the "Coconut Coast," from LIhu'e north to Anahola, is both an important resort destination and the residential population center for the Island.
Kaua'i's sunny south shore offers good beaches for snorkelers and divers along the Po'ipu coastline, and Old Koloa Town, where restored buildings from the plantation days offer up their blend of small shops and restaurants.
The rural west side is hot and dry with groves of mesquite-like kiawe trees and the occasional prickly-pear cactus dotting the countryside. Popular beaches at Hanapepe Salt Ponds and Kekaha are great for swimming; further west, the 15-mile stretch of white sand from Kekaha to Polihale is a great place for a beach stroll and sunset.
Waimea Canyon, the"Grand Canyon of the Pacific," plunges 3,000 feet deep; Koke'e State Park offers a wide variety of hiking opportunities, and further inland, Mt. Wai'ale'ale, labeled the "wettest place on earth" never ceases to amaze.
Discover Kaua'i and spend your days gazing at its stretches of sand, majestic pinnacles, glorious canyons, and deep-cut valleys. Kaua'i Days presents a lively look at this beautifully diverse Island through the stunning photography and informative text of long-time Kaua'i resident David Boynton. Sure to be a favorite memento for anyone discovering Kaua'i for the first time, or rediscovering Kaua'i through new eyes.