A version of this post originally appeared on OnoYum.com:
Rolling down Koloa Road from Po’ipu, veer left onto a swath of gravel just after Lawai General Store and before the stoplight at Kaumuali’i Highway. There, find the charming vintage trailer of Dark Roost coffee, where the brews are as smooth and inviting as the tradewinds Hawai’i is known and remembered for.
For someone who spent her childhood and adolescence growing up on the The Garden Island, Na Pali Coast was always just out of reach. Between school, extra curricular activities and family travel funds prioritized for experiences off the island, Na Pali fell through the cracks.
When the opportunity arose to show a Mainland friend around my home island, we made like the smart tourists and booked a water tour of the coast. There are helicopter tours available which provide some incredible aerial views, but our tour included more intimate interactions with the elements, if you’re into that kind of thing.
The Blue Dolphin Charters experience was the perfect finale to our week long visit to Kaua’i. Captain Chad, a native of Kauai’s West side, and his crew kept us entertained, beveraged, and most of all, safe. He also reminded me of one of my club volleyball coaches by the same name, but I digress.
While no pictures, or even the most descriptive adjectives could capture that Sunday afternoon, in lieu of actually being there my best effort to illustrate the day is summarized below:
Na Pali Coast is truly a feast for all of the senses.
Just LOOK at this.
Nearly five years since my last trip home, June brought me back to Kaua’i for the anticipated (or dreaded for some…most?) high school reunion. My friends and I took our short visit to return to some of our favorite spots. Here, the first in a three-part series on my Garden Island’s must dos.
Wide open spaces at Polihale beach, Kauai.
Polihale, West side
the curious passport 