Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [395]
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Air
All commercial flights land at Lihu′e Airport (LIH; Map; 246-1448; www.hawaii.gov/dot/airports/kauai/lih; visitor hotline 6:30am-9pm). The small airport is simple to negotiate, and the only problem you might encounter is rush-hour traffic as you exit Lihu′e. Try to avoid arriving in the late afternoon, as traffic will be crawling in either direction.
The vast majority of incoming flights from overseas and the US mainland arrive on O′ahu at Honolulu International Airport. From there, travelers must catch an interisland flight to Kaua′i.
Here are the four interisland carriers:
go! (airline code YV; 888-435-9462; www.iflygo.com) Discount carrier.
Hawaiian Airlines (airline code HA; 800-367-5320; www.hawaiianair.com) Biggest airline with the most flights and fares comparable to go!’s.
Island Air (airline code WP; US mainland 800-323-3345, Neighbor Islands 800-652-6541; www.islandair.com) Only one or two flights to/from Lihu′e per day.
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SUPERFERRY NON GRATA
In August 2007, when the Hawaii Superferry sailed toward Nawiliwili Harbor for its first arrival, some 300 Kaua‘i protesters blocked its entry. Three dozen people even swam into the gargantuan ferry’s path, shouting, ‘Go home, go home!’ Ultimately, service to Maui (but not to Kaua′i) was launched in December 2007, but the whole enterprise was indefinitely terminated in March 2009, when the Hawai‘i Supreme Court deemed Superferry’s environmental impact statement (EIS) invalid.
Why was opposition to the ferry so furious? Many protesters were suspicious of the political process that ushered the Superferry to Hawaii – or, as they claim, Governor Linda Lingle’s disregard of state environmental laws, as she gave the Superferry a green light without an EIS. When the State Supreme Court eventually mandated an EIS, Lingle got a bill passed that changed the environmental requirements, which allowed the ferry to continue operating while the statement was being prepared.
Actually, the opponents themselves were not ‘antiferry’ but, rather, anti-Superferry. They wanted smaller, passenger-only, publicly owned and slower-moving boats. Their main concerns were nighttime collisions with whales, worsened traffic on Neighbor Islands, spread of environmental pests and plundering of natural resources by nonresidents. Indeed, during the Superferry’s brief run between O′ahu and Maui, O‘ahu residents were frequently caught taking home ′opihi (a prized edible limpet), crustaceans, algae, rocks, coral and massive quantities of reef fish.
That said, not all locals were opposed. In fact, many locals (especially O′ahu residents) viewed the Superferry as a convenient way to visit friends and family on Neighbor Islands. They also cited the need for an alternate, fuel-efficient mode of transportation between the islands (though the enormous vessels are actually gas guzzlers). They also pointed to the existing Matson barges already carrying potential pests between the islands.
For a compelling, if overwhelmingly detailed, account, read The Superferry Chronicles (Koohan Palk and Jerry Mander), which also analyzes the ferry’s ties to US military and commercial interests.
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Mokulele Airlines (airline code MW; 426-7070; www.mokuleleairlines.com) Partner with Alaska Airlines.
The following airlines fly directly to Lihu′e Airport from the US mainland:
Alaska Airlines (airline code AS; 800-252-7522; www.alaskaair.com)
American Airlines (airline code AA; 800-223-5436; www.aa.com)
United Airlines (airline code UA; 800-241-6522; www.ual.com)
US Airways (airline code US; 800-428-4322; www.usairways.com)
Sea
In late 2007, the Hawaii Superferry (www.hawaiisuperferry.com) launched its first commuter ferry, the Alakai, amid controversy. While the O′ahu–Maui route was active for just over a year, all service was indefinitely terminated in March 2009 due to legal trouble (see above for more information).
The only company running interisland cruises is Norwegian Cruise Line (800-327-7030; www.ncl.com) and its Pride