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THE GARDEN ISLAND OF KAUAI
The Garden Island of Kauai is the oldest and most geographically diverse island in the entire chain of Hawaiian islands, and is visited for its stunningly breathtaking beauty and peaceful vibe. Many Hawaii visitors feel that the Garden Island is the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of modern western civilization, allowing them a rare opportunity to retreat into a world of discovery and appreciation for the beauty of the natural surroundings and local residents whom make Kauai their home. It is a place as close to the biblical Garden of Eden as one can find, and has scenic landscapes and an array of outdoor activities that could not tire even the most ardent of naturalists and weekend warrior. The scenery on the island of Kauai is so amazing that words simply don’t do it justice. It has grassy rolling hills, valleys and waterfalls to the east, sun-drenched tropical beaches to the south, and lush coastal mountains that defy description to the north and west.
The Garden Island is only 44 miles in diameter and has a population of 65,000 full-time residents, yet attracts more than ten times this amount of world travelers annually due to the natural splendor and warm vibe that this idyllic island paradise offers all who embrace it. It has seemingly unlimited natural amenities to enjoy, regardless of where you choose to stay. However, there are 3 main tourist areas on the island where visitors to the Garden Island choose to stay:
North Shore
The quaint and lush Kauai towns of Princeville and Hanalei are situated to the north of the island, and receive the most rainfall on the island - perfect for keeping the unadulterated golf courses and beautiful surrounding cool for outdoor exercise. Many visitors love the north shore of Kauai for its rural tranquility and distance from the more traveled parts of of the island.
South Shore
The south shore of Kauai is known as the town of Poipu, which has the highest concentration of resorts and vacation rentals on the island, due to its drier weather than the rest of the island, and generally calmer ocean swimming conditions as well. It also has flatter terrain and is drier than the North Shore of the island.
Eastside
On the eastern side of the Garden Island lies the famed Coconut Coast, between the downtown area of Lihue and the town of Kapaa to the east. This side of the island is highly visited due to its convenience of amenities for visitors and locals alike. It is midway between Hanalei on the north shore and Poipu on the south shore, about a 40 minute leisurely drive in either direction. The natural beauty of the eastside of Kauai is georgeous as well. In particular, Kapaa town is the home of the stunning Wailua River, a tropical haven for kayaking, paddle boarding and canoe rides and the Wailua mountains, a tropical mountain range that offers outstanding hiking trails. The sheer magnificence and raw beauty of the Wailua region is rivaled only by the South American rainforest in Brazil, yet is still an American destination that provides the level of comfort that American travel destinations are commonly known. The town of Kapaa is also the birthplace of Hawaiian Jewelry And Gift.com, “The World’s Hawaiian Jewelry & Gift Superstore” based out of the popular Auntie Lynda’s Treasures gift shop in the Coconut Marketplace. This is the Garden Island of Kauai’s first e-commerce superstore, and is slated to become Hawaii’s Jewelry & Gift Portal representing thousands of Hawaii-based jewelry and gift shop vendors over the coming few years.
The westside of Kauai, being largely undeveloped, is considered to be “local” Kauai. It is characterized as being rural in nature and sunny and dry, with markedly less foot traffic by tourists. However, it still boasts an array of exciting attractions and activities, including Salt Pond Beach where many locals spend afternoons having BBQs and fishing, the town of Hanapepe, which is lined with many unique art galleries, a swinging bring, and an authentic taro chip factory, and staggering expanse of cliffs of Polihale.
The People
The only thing that can compare to the natural beauty of the Garden Island, is the genuine friendliness and acceptance to others by the people of Kauai. In fact, Kauai is regularly ranked as the friendliest place in the United States by visitor surveys published each year in popular international travel and vacation magazines. Some say that it is the natural beauty of the Garden Island that creates this friendliness, while resident locals know that it is the spirit of “Aloha” that is the cause of this warm and inviting manner of conduct in business and personal life. For detailed facts and information about the aloha spirit, please click here.
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