Kauai North Shore

I haven\'t been surfing too long. This year will be my 3rd winter. I went to Kauai last December. I\'ve been to Maui and the Big Island for my honeymoon previously. I have to say that Kauai is the best island by far. It\'s got a very small population and not commercialized like Maui is now.

Hanalei Bay is probably the most beautiful place that I\'ve ever been and the waves can get pumping in the Winter there. I surfed some decent size for me at the time but nothing over head. The Bay has reef point on one end which can be fun just fall flat. The famous pier is in the middle of the Bay which has a sand bottom and usually has way smaller waves. The other end of the bay has some reef which leads into the famous Pinetrees beachbreak where Andy Irons learned to surf. The bay is amazing and surrounded by beautiful lush cliffs. You have the right idea staying in that area. It does get a good amount of rain which usually passes but it\'s a very lush area with waterwalls around different corners. The drive into Hanalei is a very small paved road weaving thru the lush forests and waterfalls. You pass over one lane bridges and the ride to the end of that road is great. You will pass other surf spots and come up to the entrance of the Napali coast (cool hikes). I went not long after Andy Irons died and it was sad to see all the signs saying \'We miss you AI\', etc. along that entire stretch. I wonder if they are still there. There are also some spots on the Eastern side which had a good amount of people but not crowded by any means.

As for things to do, the island has a dry side (south side) which has caynons similiar to the Grand Canyon. That is pretty cool. I also recommend going on a whale tour but November may be a bit early. They also have a jurrasic park tour if you are into that since it was filmed there or just make the drive yourself like we did. We also saw all the waterfalls which were great including a kayak tour thru the river there which then we hiked to a secluded waterfall that you can swim in.

You should stay on the north side close to the bay if you will be surfing most of the time and just get a rental car. We stayed in the Hanalei Bay Resort which has amazing views overlooking the bay. It\'s a timeshare place but they also rent rooms. It\'s in the expensive princeville area but it\'s not a top notch hotel like all the other expensive ones. It\'s really reasonable but old and has great views. Just watch out for the roosters which are overtaking the island and crow all night, lol. Now, if you have the money you can stay at the really nice hotels in that area. The crazy thing is that the Hanalei Bay resort has a walkway to the beach that is shared by one of the 4 star hotels. I suggest using trip advisor to see pics of the different hotels from actual people and what they say about it.

For food, of course a laua is great. I also recommend the Hanalei Dolphin restaurant which is amazing and right on the Hanalei River. The best thing is to get a book from the library or Barnes & Noble on Kauai. They have some amazing drives with secluded beach spots (including caves to check out) and the water color is insane. Just watch out for the man-of-war jellyfish.

Sorry for rambling but we actually considered moving there if we could. We are hoping to get back there some day. You will love this entire island especially the small town of Hanalei and the scenery. Also, they have some board rental places in Hanalei if you want to check them out instead of forking out the board bag fees. I haven\'t been to Costa Rica or any Central American countries where the surf is probably pumping and secluded too. All I can say is if you go to one of the Hawaiian islands, Kauai is hands down the best if you like the secluded (not many people) vibe and great place to surf in the winter. Just know that some swell they get there will scare the crap out of you.

Hope this helps.

 

I haven't been to kauai but oahu and maui were amazing. I wish I could move there...who wants to donate to the super fish foundation???

 

Motivated has it right. My wife and I went to Kauai on our honeymoon. We stayed just south of Hanalei at The Princeville Resort. We ate each night at the Dolphin as well and it was the best ever. We surfed at pine trees and it was small since we were there in June but it was still waist high and peeling. It is the most beautiful place ever!