Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [447]
The adjacent McBryde Garden is less manicured and fancy than Allerton Garden, showcasing palms, flowering and spice trees, orchids and rare native species, plus a pretty stream and waterfall. For budget watchers, the self-guided tour (adult/6-12yr/under 5yr $20/10/free) allows you to the vast grounds without watching your clock.
MOIR GARDENS
If cacti are your fancy, this modest garden (742-6411; Kiahuna Plantation, 2253 Po′ipu Rd; admission free; sunrise-sunset) on the grounds of the Kiahuna Plantation condo is worth a look-see. It’s a low-key, approachable collection of mature cacti and succulents, interspersed with winding paths, a lily pond and colorful shocks of orchids.
The gardens, established in the 1930s, were originally the estate of Hector Moir, manager of Koloa Sugar Plantation, and Alexandra ‘Sandie’ Knudsen Moir. The Moirs were avid gardeners who switched from flowering plants to drought-tolerant ones that could naturally thrive in dry Po′ipu.
A sideshow rather than a showstopper, it’s worth a stroll if you’re staying nearby or dining at the restaurant.
SPOUTING HORN BEACH PARK
It resembles a geyser, but Spouting Horn is really a hole at the top of lava cave. When ocean waves pound the shore, they flood the cave and exit through the hole, erupting skyward as a fountain. The waves are unpredictable, so you might need to wait for some action. Fountains are typically under 30ft and last only seconds, but they can reach twice that height during high surf.
To get here, turn right off Po′ipu Rd onto Lawa′i Rd and continue for 1.75 miles.
PRINCE KUHIO PARK
The simple green space honoring Kaua′i’s Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana′ole, born around here in 1871, is looking forlorn nowadays. The lawn is often brown and dry, and visitors rarely enter the grounds, which contain the ruins of an ancient Hawaiian heiau and fishpond. That said, no local would discount the prince’s considerable contributions to Hawaii and the Hawaiian people. He was the Territory of Hawaii’s first delegate to the US Congress and he spearheaded the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, which set aside 200,000 acres of land for indigenous Hawaiians, many of whom are still waiting for it.
KOLOA LANDING
Koloa Landing, at the mouth of Waikomo Stream, was once Kaua′i’s largest port. In the 1850s farmers used it to ship Kaua′i-grown sugar, oranges and sweet potatoes, and it was the third-busiest whaling port among the Hawaiian Islands, surpassed only by Honolulu and Lahaina, Maui. The landing waned after the road system was built and it was abandoned in the 1920s. Today only a small boat ramp remains.
Underwater, it’s another story: Koloa Landing is popular for snorkeling and the best shore-diving spot on the South Shore. Its protected waters reach depths of about 30ft and it’s generally calm all year. See underwater tunnels, a variety of coral and fish, sea turtles and monk seals. The best sights are located toward the west.
ART 103
For local art that goes beyond the no-brainer, easy-sell tropical motifs, visit this classy new gallery (www.art103.com; Kukui′ula Village, Ala Kalanikaumaka Rd, Suite 102/103; noon-8pm Mon-Thu, 11am-9pm Fri & Sat, noon-6pm Sun, also by appointment). Owner and art photographer Bruna Stude (www.brunastude.com) has assembled an impressive collection by both emerging and established names. The adjoining annex, A+, is modeled after museum shops, and offers more affordable drawings, ceramics, fiber art and other collectibles. Everything is original – no commercial giclée (fine cut) prints.
Activities
DIVING
The Po′ipu coast offers the island