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By Root 985 0

been to a funeral for his two sisters. With tears streaming down his face, he missed landfall on the south shore and got stuck in the blowhole here, where you can still hear his voice during high surf. One of Hawaii’s most famous blowholes, Spouting Horn gets its name from the loud roar created when the surf rushes to the lava shoreline and gets funneled up in the narrow chimney, which then spits out the water. Don’t be so distracted by this intense display of Mother Nature that you get too close to the blowhole; not only are the rocks slippery, but people have been killed here when large waves swept them into the ocean or into the blowhole. The main attraction here is the blowhole, as the shoreline is mainly rocks. There is a small sandy beach (most of the year) to the west, which does have good swimming when the waters are calm. However, when the surf comes up, the sandy beach disappears. If you look offshore, you can see several boats bobbing in the water; commercial dive and snorkel tour operators frequently bring their tour groups to this area. Facilities include a paved parking lot, restrooms, and vendors. Take Poipu Road toward the ocean, and veer right at the fork in the road onto Lawai Beach Road. Follow the road for about a couple of miles to the beach park.

WESTERN KAUAI

Salt Pond Beach Park

Hawaii’s only salt ponds still in production are at Salt Pond Beach, just outside Hanapepe. Generations of locals have come here to swim, fish, and collect salt crystals that are dried in sun beds. The tangy salt is used for health purposes and to cure fish and season food. The curved reddish-gold beach lies between two rocky points and features a protected reef, tide pools, and gentle waves. Swimming here is excellent, even for children; this beach is also good for diving, windsurfing, and fishing. Amenities include a lifeguard, showers, restrooms, a camping area, a picnic area, a pavilion, and a parking lot. To get here, take Highway 50 past Hanapepe and turn onto Lokokai Road.

Frommer’s Favorite Kauai Experiences

Snorkeling Kee Beach. Rent a mask, fins, and snorkel and enter a magical underwater world. Facedown, you’ll float like a leaf on a pond, watching brilliant fish dart here and there in water clear as day; a slow-moving turtle may even stop to check you out. Faceup, you’ll contemplate green-velvet cathedral-like cliffs under a blue sky, where long-tailed tropical birds ride the trade winds. .

Hiking Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Ansel Adams would have loved this ageless desert canyon, carved by an ancient river. Sunlight plays against its rustic red cliffs, burnt-orange pinnacles, and blue-green valleys. There’s nothing else like it in the islands. .

Wandering Around a High Mountain Forest. Kokee State Park, through Waimea Canyon at the end of Highway 550, is a combination rainforest and bog up around 4,000 feet. The park’s 45 miles of trails offer everything from casual nature strolls to hardy camping and hiking adventures among the redwoods. .

Strolling Through Hawaiian History. Old Waimea Town looks so unassuming that you’d never guess it stood witness to a great many key events in Hawaii’s history. This is the place where Capt. James Cook “discovered” the Hawaiian Islands, where Russians once built a fort, and where New England missionaries arrived in 1820 to “save the heathens.” A self-guided walking tour is available at Waimea Public Library, Kaumualii Highway ( 80 8/338-6848). See “Waimea Town,” in chapter 8.

Taking a Long Walk on a Short (but Historic) Pier. First built in 1910, Hanalei’s Pier was once a major shipping port for local farmers. Today, the rebuilt pier makes a great platform for swimming, fishing, and diving. It’s at Black Pot Beach where, in the olden days, local families would camp out all summer and always have something cooking in a “black pot” on the shore. Black Pot—and all of Hanalei Beach—is great for swimming, snorkeling, and surfing. .

Watching for Whales. Mahaulepu Beach, in the Poipu area, offers excellent land-based viewing conditions for spotting whales