The Jurassic Coast

I've previously posted about our time on Hawaii's Big Island in April 2005. Our hike out to the lava fields of the Kilauea volcano was certainly memorable.  However, this experience was subsequently matched by an equally awe-inspiring helicopter flight over Kauai. We flew in from the Big Island shortly after 1:00pm on Wednesday 13 April, checked into our hotel, and then returned to the airport for a 4:00pm aerial tour of the island.

The 50-minute flight proved a perfect introduction to the oldest, and most dramatic, of Hawaii’s main islands. Kauai looks nothing like the classic Oahu beach scenes so often synonymous with most people's image of Hawaii. Our scenic flight took us over the rain-soaked Mt. Waialeale, the plunging ravines of Waimea Canyon and the breathtaking emerald spires of the rugged Na Pali Coast. The scenery was, at times, beyond words. 

The Na Pali Coast was a genuine highlight. It’s anecdotally known as the Jurassic Coast after appearing in Steven Spielberg’s iconic dinosaur movie. This desolate coast is almost inaccessible. There are no roads in the area and the only coastal hiking track, the Kalalau Trail, extends just 11 miles along the northwestern coast to a small remote beach at Kalalau. In essence, more than two-thirds of the Na Pali Coast is only accessible by sea or helicopter. 

I'm glad we decided to fly. The view from the air was truly magnificent. Our pilot flew over the rim of the dry and barren Waimea Canyon and into an untamed tropical landscape of soaring sea cliffs dissected by deep, and lush, green valleys. Our route took us along the coast below the cloud line before turning into a spectacular mist-shrouded valley framed by near-vertical rock walls.

The verdant landscape reflects the area’s incredibly high rainfall. More than 450 inches falls annually making it the world’s second-wettest place. Our helicopter flight included a leisurely pass over the dramatically splayed Hanakāpīʻai Falls which cascade almost 100 metres into the valley below. Our tour then finished with a circuit over the agricultural slopes of the northern Princeville region before returning along Kauai's jungle-clad eastern valleys.

While on Kauai, we hired a car and spent several days exploring every corner of the island. Our first excursion saw us venture into the Waimea Canyon State Park. A narrow, winding road follows the western rim of this dramatic canyon up to its northernmost reaches. 

The road eventually ends at the Puu o Kila Lookout, almost 1200 metres above sea level. Here you’re teased with a brief glimpse of the wild Na Pali coast. Unfortunately, on the day we visited, the area was obscured by a rising mist.  However, this still created a spectacular sight of its own.

On our second day, we ventured north to Princeville and onto the end of the road at Hā'ena State Park. I decided to hike the first couple of kilometres of the Kalaulau Trail that winds its way along the Na Pali coast. Garry chose to hang out at the beach while I ventured into the wild. After about 45 minutes of hiking, I was finally rewarded with a truly stunning cliff-edge view of the rugged coastline we’d previously seen from the air.

During our journey north we made a few detours along the way to check out the iconic Kilawea Lighthouse and the gossamer cascades of the Opaeka’a Falls. We also stopped to sample a cold Otai on the Hanalei Bay Dolphin Centre’s umbrella-shaded lawn. This is a popular Polynesian fruit drink made from a blend of water, coconut milk, and any variety of pulped tropical fruit such as coconut, watermelon, mango, and pineapple, although it’s almost always watermelon.

Kauai is certainly blessed with plenty of falls. Perhaps its most famous is the twin cascade of Wailua Falls. This scenic spot is known the world over thanks to its appearance in the opening credits of the 1970s TV show, Fantasy Island. The Wailua Falls are accessible by road so we stopped for a photo while driving to Waimea Canyon. 

I've also opened this post with an image of the Hanakoa Falls on the Na Pali Coast. This ribbon of water, dropping more than 300 metres, is accessible only via the Kalalau Trail with a special permit. Why the permit? Apparently, this particular section of the trail isn't for the faint-hearted.

Our final day in Kauai also marked the end of our Hawaiian vacation. On Friday, 15 April, after visiting the north coast, we dropped our rental car at the airport and caught an evening flight back to Honolulu. Shortly before midnight, we boarded an overnight flight back to Sydney. Although thanks to the international dateline, we missed Saturday entirely, landing at about 10:30am on Sunday morning.

I had to include this final image simply for its historical value. It’s all too easy to forget that in the pre-wifi and early internet days, we never ventured far without a trusty guidebook. Back then, the go-to book for the savvy traveller was always the Lonely Planet guide. We used it to plan almost every excursion, uncover quirky road trip detours and score a decent meal. Two decades later we still have shelves of Lonely Planet guides gathering dust in our home library. How times have changed.