Frommer's Kauai - Jeanette Foster [163]
Across the street from Poipu Beach, on Hoone Road, Nukumoi Surf Shop is a pleasant surprise: It has an excellent selection of sunglasses, swimwear, surf equipment, and watersports regalia, and not just for the under-20 crowd.
In neighboring Old Koloa Town, you’ll find everything from Lappert’s Ice Cream and Island Soap and Candle Works (where you can watch them make soap and candles), to Crazy Shirts and Sueoka Store on Koloa’s main drag, Koloa Road. Walk the long block for gifts, souvenirs, sunwear, groceries, soaps and bath products, and everyday necessities. You might want to stop in at Hula Moon, 5426 Koloa Rd. ( 80 8/742-9298), which has a unique selection of gifts, especially hand-painted tiles with sayings like “I’d Rather Be On Kauai,” or “Please Remove Your Shoes.” If you are looking for a beach bag or Hawaiian-print hats, dresses, or T-shirts, Paradise Clothing, 5402 Koloa Rd. ( 80 8/742-1371), has a great selection. Another great place for island-style clothes is Progressive Expressions, in Koloa town ( 80 8/742-6041), which also has every kind of surfboard and surf accessory, as well as a great selection of sunscreens. For more stylish fashions, go to Jungle Girl, 5424 Koloa Rd. ( 80 8/742-9649), which markets their clothes, jewelry, shoes, and artwork as “island funk and flash.”
Niihau Shell Lei: The Island’s Most Prized Artwork
Because Kauai is so close to Niihau (the “Forbidden Island,” where the public is prohibited, is just offshore), it’s the best place in the state to buy exquisite Niihau-shell leis. Nothing can match the craftsmanship and the tiny shells in this highly sought-after and highly prized jewelry. Niihau is in the best position to catch the very tiny and very rare shells that roll up from the deep onto the windward shores after a big storm (generally Nov–Mar). When the shells are spotted on a beach, everyone (men, women, and children) on Niihau drops what they are doing and races down to the beach to begin the backbreaking work of collecting them.
The shells are then sorted according to size and color, and only the best are kept. Some 80% of the shells are thrown out because they are chipped, cracked, discolored, or flawed in some way that renders them imperfect. The best shells are the teeny, tiny ones. The best colors are white or the rare gold (the shells can also be yellow, blue, or red).
The shells can be crafted into anything, but leis and necklaces are the most popular items. A necklace may take anywhere from hours to years to complete. Each shell is strung with very small and very intricate knots. The patterns sometimes mimic flower leis, and the length can range from a single-strand choker to a multistrand, 36-inch (or longer) necklace. No two leis are alike. The leis are not cheap; they range from several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the length, the shells used, and the intricate work involved.
You can find Niihau shell leis at numerous locations on Kauai. One of our two favorite places is Hawaiian Trading Post, Koloa Road and Kaumualii Highway, in Lawai ( 80 8/332-7404), which carries a range of items from junky souvenirs to excellent Niihau leis. (You have to ask for them to bring out the “good stuff” from the back.) Our other favorite place to buy the leis is at www.niihau.us which is owned and operated by Niihau residents. (You can buy direct, so to speak.)
On Poipu Road, between Koloa and Poipu, there is an exceptional place you cannot miss: Pohaku T’s, 3430 Poipu Rd. ( 80 8/742-7500), only sells clothing, artwork, T-shirts, and other whimsical things designed and produced by Kauai artists. All the products either have a great sense of humor or promote awareness of Hawaii’s cultural and environmental issues. Prices