Frommer's Kauai - Jeanette Foster [132]
TUBING
Back in the days of the sugar plantations, on really hot days, if no one was looking, local kids would grab inner tubes and jump in the irrigation ditches crisscrossing the cane fields for an exciting ride. Today you can enjoy this (formerly illegal) activity by “tubing” the flumes and ditches of the old Lihue Plantation through Kauai Backcountry Adventures ( 88 8/270-0555 or 80 8/245-2506; www.kauaibackcountry.com). Passengers are taken in four-wheel-drive vehicles high into the mountains above Lihue and see vistas generally off-limits to the public. At the flumes, you will be outfitted with a giant tube, gloves, and headlamp (for the long passageways through the tunnels). All you do is jump in the water, and the gentle gravity-feed flow will carry you through forests, into tunnels, and finally to a mountain swimming hole, where a picnic lunch is served. The 3-hour tours are $100 and appropriate for anyone ages 5 to 95. Swimming is not necessary, since all you do is relax and drift downstream.
WATER-SKIING
Hawaii’s only freshwater water-skiing is on the Wailua River. Ski boats launch from the boat ramp in Wailua River State Park, directly across from the marina. Kauai Water Ski & Surf Co., Kinipopo Shopping Village, 4-356 Kuhio Hwy., Kapaa ( 80 8/822-3574), rents equipment and offers lessons and guided ski. A half-hour trip costs $75; an hour-long trip costs $140.
WINDSURFING
Windsurfing lessons are available for $100 for a 3-hour session, including use of equipment (board and sail, wetsuit top), from Windsurf Kauai, in Hanalei ( 80 8/828-6838).
Especially for Kids
Surfing with an Expert If seven-time world champ Margo Oberg, a member of the Surfing Hall of Fame, can’t get your kid—or you—up on a board riding a wave, nobody can. She promises same-day results even for klutzes.
Paddling up the Huleia River Indiana Jones ran for his life up this river to his seaplane in Raiders of the Lost Ark. You and the kids can venture down it yourself in a kayak. The picturesque Huleia winds through tropically lush Huleia National Wildlife Refuge, where endangered species like great blue herons and Hawaiian gallinules take wing. It’s ideal for everyone.
Climbing the Wooden Jungle Gyms at Kamalani Playground Located in Lydgate State Park, Wailua, this unique playground has a maze of jungle gyms for children of all ages. You can whip down slides, explore caves, hang from bars, and climb all over. It’s a great place to spend the afternoon.
Cooling Off with a Shave Ice On a hot, hot day, stop by Brennecke’s Beach Broiler, across from Poipu Beach Park ( 80 8/742-7588), and order a traditional Hawaiian shave ice. This local treat consists of crushed ice stuffed into a paper cone and topped with a tropical-flavored syrup. If you can’t decide on a flavor, go for the “rainbow”—three different flavors in one cone.
Exploring a Magical World Na Aina Kai Botanical Gardens, located on about 240 acres sprinkled with some 70 life-size (some larger than life-size) whimsical bronze statues and hidden off the beaten path of the North Shore, is perfect for kids. The tropical children’s garden features a gecko hedge maze, a tropical jungle gym, a treehouse in a rubber tree, and a 16-foot-tall Jack and the Bean Stalk Giant with a 33-foot wading pool below. Na Aina Kai is only open 3 days a week, so book before you leave for Hawaii to avoid disappointment.
Experiencing a Hands-On Learning Adventure The Kauai