Frommer's Kauai - Jeanette Foster [2]
About the Author
Jeanette Foster has skied the slopes of Mauna Kea—during a Fourth of July ski meet no less—and gone scuba diving with manta rays off the Kona Coast. A prolific writer widely published in travel, sports, and adventure magazines, she’s also the editor of Zagat’s Survey to Hawaii’s Top Restaurants. In addition to writing this guide, Jeanette is the author of Frommer’s Hawaii; Frommer’s Hawaii with Kids; Frommer’s Maui; Frommer’s Portable Big Island; Frommer’s Honolulu, Waikiki & Oahu; Frommer’s Maui Day by Day; Frommer’s Honolulu & Oahu Day by Day; and Frommer’s Hawaii Day by Day.
Frommer’s Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations
Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state, and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (recommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see).
In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature icons that point you to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists. Throughout the book, look for:
Special finds—those places only insiders know about
Fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips more fun
Best bets for kids, and advice for the whole family
Special moments—those experiences that memories are made of
Places or experiences not worth your time or money
Insider tips—great ways to save time and money
Great values—where to get the best deals
The following abbreviations are used for credit cards:
AE American Express
DISC Discover
V Visa
DC Diners Club
MC MasterCard
Travel Resources at Frommers.com
Frommer’s travel resources don’t end with this guide. Frommer’s website, www.frommers.com, has travel information on more than 4,000 destinations. We update features regularly, giving you access to the most current trip-planning information and the best airfare, lodging, and car-rental bargains. You can also listen to podcasts, connect with other Frommers.com members through our active-reader forums, share your travel photos, read blogs from guidebook editors and fellow travelers, and much more.
Chapter 1: Best of Kauai
Note About Maps
This guide contains dozens of maps of varying sizes and complexity. If you find it hard to read a map on your device, use the zoom function to enlarge. You can also download and/or printout PDFs of all of the maps in this guide. Go to www.frommers.com/go/ebookmaps and click on the title of your guide.
Kauai
On any list of the world’s most spectacular islands, Kauai ranks right up there with Bora Bora, Huahine, and Rarotonga. All the elements are here: moody rainforests, majestic cliffs, jagged peaks, emerald valleys, palm trees swaying in the breeze, daily rainbows, and some of the most spectacular golden beaches you’ll find anywhere. Soft tropical air, sunrise bird song, essences of ginger and plumeria, golden sunsets, sparkling waterfalls—you don’t just go to Kauai, you absorb it with every sense. It may get more than its fair share of tropical downpours, but that’s what makes it so lush and green—and creates an abundance of rainbows.
Kauai is essentially a single large shield volcano that rises 3 miles above the sea floor. The island lies 90 miles across the open ocean from Oahu, but it seems