Retirees' trip to Hawaii: Cruise or resort?

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This was published 7 years ago

Retirees' trip to Hawaii: Cruise or resort?

By Michael Gebicki
Looking towards the mountains of Kauai from Hanalei Bay.

Looking towards the mountains of Kauai from Hanalei Bay.Credit: Sarah Gerrity

WE 10 FRIENDS, ALL RETIRED, ARE PLANNING A HAWAIIAN HOLIDAY NEXT MAY FOR 8–12 DAYS. AN ISLAND CRUISE IS ONE OPTION BUT WE MIGHT BE BETTER OFF STAYING ON ONE OR TWO DIFFERENT ISLANDS. OUR FAVOURITE ISLAND IS KAUAI. ANY SUGGESTIONS WHAT TO DO AND WHERE TO STAY?

H. DIBBAYAWAN, BURWOOD

A cruise makes sense if it's your first time because it gives you an overview but in your case it seems you've already experienced something of the Hawaiian Islands. If others in your group have not then a cruise would work, otherwise I'd be staying on one island and if Kauai is your favourite then why go anywhere else? I have to agree, Kauai's rainforests, soaring cliffs hung with rainbows, mountains, luscious valleys and beaches make it a standout.

Assuming you're looking for resort accommodation my choice would be Princeville, a resort enclave wrapped around the western edge of Hanalei Bay. Scattered discretely among the shrubbery, the hotels here range from the studios and family-friendly condos of the Hanalei Bay Resort to the glossy St Regis Princeville Resort.

The nearby town of Hanalei is just about the grooviest place in the Hawaiian Islands, and of course the home of Puff the Magic Dragon if you subscribe to the song by Peter, Paul and Mary. As well as a strident beauty, Hanalei is also the biking, hiking, snorkelling and diving capital of Kauai.

The reason is its proximity to the Na Pali coast, the fluted green volcanic peaks that rise 1000 metres almost sheer from the sea. From Hanalei the highway continues west for another 10 kilometres through a dreamscape of green tunnels, one-lane bridges, silver streams and tiny, ramshackle general stores.

The highway ends at Ke'e Beach, where the Kalalau Trail takes up the journey around the Na Pali Coast. Rated by many as the premier walk in the Hawaiian Islands, this is a remnant of the trail carved out by the Hawaiians to reach their taro fields which lay in the coastal valleys. The Hanakapi'ai Trail is a shorter, 13-kilometre version, and there's plenty more to do in this region to keep everyone happy and occupied for the time you have available.

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