Planning a trip to Kauai

Visitor Information

The Kauai Visitors Bureau is located on the first floor of the Watumull Plaza, 4334 Rice St., Ste. 101, Lihue, HI 96766 (tel. 808/245-3971; fax 808/246-9235; www.kauaidiscovery.com). For a free official Kauai Vacation Planner or recorded information, call tel. 800/262-1400. The Poipu Beach Resort Association, P.O. Box 730, Koloa, HI 96756 (tel. 888/744-0888 or 808/742-7444; www.poipu-beach.org), will also send you a free guide to accommodations, activities, shopping, and dining in the Poipu Beach area.

If you'd like to learn more about Kauai before you go, contact the Kauai Historical Society, 4396 Rice St., Lihue, HI 96766 (tel. 808/245-3373; www.kauaihistoricalsociety.org). The group maintains a video archive that includes material on a range of topics; they sell copies for $20 plus shipping.

To find out more about state parks on Kauai, contact the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources, P.O. Box 1671, Lihue, HI 96766 (tel. 808/274-3446; http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/rpc/projects-on-kauai), which provides information on hiking and camping and will send you free topographic trail maps on request.

For information on Kauai County Parks, contact Kauai County Parks and Recreation, 4444 Rice St., Lihue, HI 96766 (tel. 808/241-4460; www.kauai.gov/Government/Departments/ParksRecreation/ParkFacilities/tabid/105/Default.aspx).

Staying Healthy

Vog exposure: The volcanic haze dubbed vog is caused by gases released when molten lava -- from the continuous eruption of Kilauea volcano on the Big Island -- pours into the ocean. The winds then put up the "vog" and carry it around the islands. So yes, even though you are on Kauai, there can be some "vog" days. Some people claim that long-term exposure to the hazy, smoglike air has caused bronchial ailments, but it's highly unlikely to cause you any harm in the course of your visit.

There actually is a vog season in Hawaii during the fall and winter months, when the trade winds that blow the fumes out to sea die down.

Don't Feel the Burn: Smart Tanning Tips

Hawaii's Caucasian population has the highest incidence of malignant melanoma (deadly skin cancer) in the world. And nobody is completely safe from the sun's harmful rays -- all skin types and races can burn. To ensure that your vacation won't be ruined by a painful sunburn, be sure to wear a strong sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays at all times (look for zinc oxide, benzophenone, oxybenzone, sulisobenzone, titanium dioxide, or avobenzone in the list of ingredients). Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. Keep infants under 6 months out of the sun completely, and slather older babies and children with strong sunscreen frequently.

If you do get a burn, aloe vera, cool compresses, cold baths, and benzocaine can help with the pain. Stay out of the sun until the burn is completely gone.

Shark Safety

Note that sharks are not a big problem in Hawaii; in fact, they appear so infrequently that locals look forward to seeing them. Since records have been kept starting in 1779, there have been only about 100 shark attacks in Hawaii, of which 40% have been fatal. Most attacks occurred after someone fell into the ocean from the shore or from a boat; in these cases, the sharks probably attacked after the person was dead. But general rules for avoiding sharks are as follows: Don't swim at sunrise, at sunset, or where the water is murky due to stream runoff -- sharks may mistake you for one of their usual meals. And don't swim where there are bloody fish in the water, as sharks become aggressive around blood. For more on sharks, see the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources info at www.hawaiisharks.com.

Stings

The most common stings in Hawaii come from jellyfish, particularly Portuguese man-of-war and box jellyfish. Because the poisons they inject are very different, you need to treat each type of sting differently.

A bluish-purple floating bubble with a long tail, the Portuguese man-of-war is responsible for some 6,500 stings a year on Oahu alone. These stings, although painful and a nuisance, are rarely harmful; fewer than 1 in 1,000 requires medical treatment. The best prevention is to watch for these floating bubbles as you snorkel (look for the hanging tentacles below the surface). Get out of the water if anyone near you spots these jellyfish.

Reactions to stings range from mild burning and reddening to severe welts and blisters. All Stings Considered recommends the following treatment. First, pick off any visible tentacles with a gloved hand, a stick, or anything handy; then rinse the sting with salt- or fresh water, and apply ice to prevent swelling and to help control pain. Avoid folk remedies, such as vinegar, baking soda, or urinating on the wound, which may actually cause further damage. Most Portuguese man-of-war stings will disappear by themselves within 15 to 20 minutes if you do nothing at all to treat them. Still, be sure to see a doctor if pain persists or a rash or other symptoms develop.

Transparent, square-shaped box jellyfish are nearly impossible to see in the water. Fortunately, they seem to follow a monthly cycle. Eight to ten days after the full moon they appear in the waters on the leeward side of each island and hang around for about 3 days. Also, they seem to sting more in the morning hours, when they're on or near the surface.

The stings can cause anything from no visible marks to hivelike welts, blisters, and pain lasting from 10 minutes to 8 hours. All Stings Considered recommends the following treatment. First, pour regular household vinegar on the sting; this will stop additional burning. Do not rub the area. Pick off any vinegar-soaked tentacles with a stick. For pain, apply an ice pack. Seek additional medical treatment if you experience shortness of breath, weakness, palpitations, muscle cramps, or any other severe symptoms. Most box jellyfish stings disappear by themselves without any treatment.

All Stings Considered: Ocean safety -- Because most travelers to Hawaii are unfamiliar with the ocean environment, they're often unaware of the natural hazards it holds. With just a few precautions, your ocean experience can be a safe and happy one. An excellent book is All Stings Considered: First Aid and Medical Treatment of Hawaii's Marine Injuries, by Craig Thomas and Susan Scott (University of Hawaii Press, 1997).

Punctures

Most sea-related punctures come from stepping on or brushing against the needlelike spines of sea urchins (known locally as wana). Be careful when you're in the water; don't put your foot down (even if you have booties or fins on) if you can't clearly see the bottom. Waves can push you into wana in a surge zone in shallow water. The spines can even puncture a wet suit.

A sea urchin puncture can result in burning, aching, swelling, and discoloration (black or purple) around the area where the spines entered your skin. The best thing to do is to pull any protruding spines out. The body will absorb the spines within 24 hours to 3 weeks, or the remainder of the spines will work themselves out. Again, contrary to popular wisdom, do not urinate or pour vinegar on the embedded spines -- this will not help.

Cuts

All cuts obtained in the marine environment must be taken seriously because the high level of bacteria present in the water can quickly cause the cut to become infected. The best way to prevent cuts is to wear a wet suit, gloves, and reef shoes. Never touch coral; not only can you get cut, but you can also damage a living organism that took decades to grow.

The symptoms of a coral cut can range from a slight scratch to severe welts and blisters. All Stings Considered recommends gently pulling the edges of the skin open and removing any embedded coral or grains of sand with tweezers. Next, scrub the cut well with fresh water. If pressing a clean cloth against the wound doesn't stop the bleeding, or the edges of the injury are jagged or gaping, seek medical treatment.

Safety

Although tourist areas are generally safe, visitors should always stay alert, even in laid-back Hawaii. It's wise to ask the island tourist office if you're in doubt about which neighborhoods are safe. Avoid deserted areas, especially at night. Don't go into any city park at night unless there's an event that attracts crowds.

Avoid carrying valuables with you on the street, and don't display expensive cameras or electronic equipment. Hold on to your pocketbook, and place your billfold in an inside pocket. In theaters, restaurants, and other public places, keep your possessions in sight.

Remember also that hotels are open to the public and that in a large property, security may not be able to screen everyone entering. Always lock your room door -- don't assume that once inside your hotel, you're automatically safe.

Burglaries of tourists' rental cars in hotel parking structures and at beach parking lots have become more common. Park in well-lighted and well-traveled areas, if possible. Never leave any packages or valuables visible in the car. If someone attempts to rob you or steal your car, do not try to resist the thief or carjacker -- report the incident to the police department immediately. Ask your rental agency about personal safety, and get written directions or a map with the route to your destination clearly marked.

Generally, Hawaii has the same laws as the mainland United States. Nudity is illegal in Hawaii. There are NO legal nude beaches (I don't care what you have read). If you are nude on a beach (or anywhere) on Kauai, you can be arrested.

Smoking marijuana also is illegal. Yes, there are lots of stories claiming that marijuana is grown in Hawaii, but the drug is illegal; if you attempt to buy it or light up, you can be arrested.

Trouble in Paradise -- Crime & Weather

You may be in paradise, but be aware there is crime on Kauai. Always lock your bicycle (even if you're just leaving it for a minute). You are responsible if it is stolen. Remember that weather in Hawaii is not like your weather back home -- an island rainstorm can cause a flash flood. The Kauai Visitors Bureau publishes a free brochure Tips for a Safe Vacation that recommends the following:

• Never leave valuables in your car or unattended at the beach
• Do not dive into waterfalls or pools of water
• Always wear your seatbelt (the fine for noncompliance is very stiff)
• On a one-way bridge, courtesy calls for only six cars to cross, then yield to opposing traffic

For the free brochure contact the Kauai Visitors Bureau, tel. 808/245-3971.

Safety in the Surf

Before you even think about packing your bathing suit, get a copy of the free brochures Kauai Beach Guide and Tips for a Safe Vacation. It could save your life. These color brochures explain how to avoid potential dangers in Kauai's ocean environment. The power of the ocean is nothing to fool around with. The surf can increase in size in a short period of time, or an offshore rip current can carry you out to sea. Even a walk alone on the beach without paying attention to the ocean can have potentially dangerous results (like being swept out to sea).

The number-one advice is to swim at beaches where there are lifeguards and to talk to the lifeguards before entering the ocean. The Kauai Beach Guide lists all beaches on Kauai and whether a lifeguard is on duty. It also lists each beach's potential hazards, like strong currents, dangerous shorebreaks, high surf conditions, slippery rocks, sharp coral, sudden drop-offs, and waves on ledges.

In general, the north and west shores are hazardous in winter (Sept-May), with big surf. In summer, the opposite is true, and the big waves occur along the south and east shores. But hazardous conditions can occur on any beach at any time of the year. The brochure stresses the following points:

• Swim in lifeguard areas and check with lifeguards on ocean conditions before you go into the water.
• Watch the ocean at least 20 minutes before you go in. Lifeguards can show you what potential hazards to look for.
• Always (always, always, always) swim (or snorkel) with a buddy.
• Always keep a close watch over young children.

You can get these free brochures by contacting the Kauai Visitors Bureau, 4334 Rice St., Ste. 101, Lihue, HI 96766 (tel. 808/245-3971). You'll also find plenty of beach and safety tips at www.kauaiexplorer.com.

Hiking Safety

According to a survey done in 2000, 78% of the hikers in Hawaii were from out-of-state. At the same time, Hawaii's search-and-rescue teams are responding to more and more calls from injured, stranded, or missing hikers. The best thing you can do to avoid becoming a statistic is to get Na Ala Hele's (the State of Hawaii's Trail and Access Program) free brochure, Hiking Safety in Hawaii (from the State Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Wildlife, 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 325, Honolulu, HI 96813; tel. 808/587-0166; or print it off the Web at www.hawaiistateparks.org/brochures/index.cfm). This free brochure could save your life. It has comprehensive lists of trail safety tips and equipment you'll need, describes what to do in an emergency, and contains other information you should know before you lace up your hiking boots.

If you are not an experienced hiker, consider hiking with a commercial operator, or join a Sierra Club hike. If you have experience hiking, keep these tips in mind when venturing out in Hawaii:

• Remember you are a guest in Hawaii and treat the land (especially sacred cultural areas) with respect by following posted signage on the trail. Always start your hikes with clean (well-scrubbed) boots, so you don't unintentionally carry seeds into the island's fragile environment.

• Practice courtesy when on a multiple-usage trail. The signs will let you know who to yield to (hikers generally yield to horseback riders, and bikers yield to both hikers and horses).

• Plan your hike by informing others where you are going and when you should be back. Learn as much as you can about the hike (the conditions you will encounter and the degree of difficulty) before you set out.

• Hike with a partner. Never go alone. Dress in layers to protect yourself from Hawaii's intense tropical sun, carry light rain gear, have a brightly colored jacket (not only for weather, but so that if you get lost, people will be able to spot you), and bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. If you are hiking, you should wear hiking boots with traction and ankle support.

• Check the weather. Call tel. 808/245-6001. The bright, sunny day can dissolve into wind and rain, and you don't want to be caught in a narrow gully or streambed where flash flooding is possible.

• Carry water (2L per person per day), a cellphone, and a daypack (holding a whistle, sunscreen, insect repellent, a small flashlight, food, and a basic first-aid kit). Don't drink untreated stream water; leptospirosis (a bacterial disease transmitted from animals to humans, which can be fatal) is present in some streams.

• Stay on the trail and stay together. Most hikers are injured wandering off the trail or trying to climb rocks.

• Watch the time. Being close to the Equator, Hawaii does not have a very long twilight. Once the sun goes down, it's dark. Be sure to allow enough time to return from your hike, and always carry a flashlight.

• If an emergency arises (for example, if an injury or illness prevents someone from walking, bad weather hits, it's too dark to see, or you become lost or stranded), call 911 and ask for fire/rescue. Tell them what trail you are on and what happened. Make yourself visible with either bright clothing or a flashlight, and use the whistle. Stay calm and stay put. Keep as warm as you can by getting out of wind and rain and by layering clothing to maintain your body temperature.

Money Saving Packages

Booking an all-inclusive travel package that includes some combination of airfare, accommodations, rental car, meals, airport and baggage transfers, and sightseeing can be the most cost-effective way to travel to Kauai.

Package tours are not the same as escorted tours. They are simply a way to buy airfare and accommodations (and sometimes extras like sightseeing tours and rental cars) at the same time. When you're visiting Hawaii, a package can be a smart way to go. You can sometimes save so much money by buying all the pieces of your trip through a packager that your transpacific airfare ends up, in effect, being free. That's because packages are sold in bulk to tour operators, who then resell them to the public at a cost that drastically undercuts standard rates.

Packages, however, vary widely. Some offer a better class of hotels than others. Some offer the same hotels for lower prices. With some packagers, your choice of accommodations and travel days may be limited. Which package is right for you depends entirely on what you want.

Start out by reading this guide. Do a little homework, and read up on Kauai so that you can be a smart consumer. Compare the rack rates that we've published to the discounted rates being offered by the packagers to see what kinds of deals they're offering: Are you actually being offered a substantial savings, or have they just gussied up the rack rates to make their offer sound like a deal? If you're offered a stay in a hotel we haven't recommended, do more research to learn about it, especially if the franchise isn't a reliable one. It's not a deal if you end up at a dump.

Be sure to read the fine print. Make sure you know exactly what's included in the price you're being quoted, and what's not. Are hotel taxes and airport transfers included, or will you have to pay extra? Before you commit to a package, make sure you know how much flexibility you have, say, if your kid gets sick or your boss suddenly asks you to adjust your vacation schedule. Some packagers require ironclad commitments, while others will go with the flow, charging only minimal fees for changes or cancellations.

The best place to start looking for a package deal is the travel section of your local Sunday newspaper. Also check the ads in the back of such national travel magazines as Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel and Travel Holiday. Liberty Travel (tel. 888/271-1584; ww2.libertytravel.com), for instance, one of the biggest packagers in the Northeast, usually boasts a full-page ad in Sunday newspapers. American Express Travel (tel. 800/AXP-6898; www.americanexpress.com/travel) can also book you a well-priced Hawaiian vacation; it advertises in many Sunday newspaper travel sections.

Other reliable packagers include the airlines themselves, which often package their flights with accommodations. Among the airlines offering good-value package deals to Hawaii are American Airlines FlyAway Vacations (tel. 800/321-2121; www.aavacations.com), Continental Airlines Vacations (tel. 800/634-5555 or 800/301-3800; www.covacations.com), Delta Dream Vacations (tel. 800/872-7786; www.deltavacations.com), and United Vacations (tel. 800/328-6877; www.unitedvacations.com). If you're traveling to the islands from Canada, ask your travel agent about package deals through Air Canada Vacations (tel. 800/776-3000; www.aircanadavacations.com).

Excellent deals, like a rental car and 6 nights in a Kauai condo starting at $460 per person (based on double occupancy), can be found at More Hawaii For Less (tel. 800/967-6687; www.hawaii4less.com), a California-based company that specializes in air/condominium packages at unbelievable prices.

Great Deals at Hawaii's Top Hotel Chain

The Outrigger Hotel and Resorts chain (tel. 866/956-4262; outrigger.com) has hotels and condos on Kauai. They range dramatically in price and style, from the elegant Outrigger Waipoli Beach Resort & Spa to the moderate Outrigger at Lae nani. There are plenty of package deals available, including family plans, discounted senior rates, and room and car package deals.

Tips on Accommodations

Kauai offers a tremendous variety of accommodations, from ritzy resorts to simple bed-and-breakfasts. Before you book a room, read this section to find out what each option typically offers. We've included tips on how to get the best rates.

Types of Accommodations

Hotels -- In Hawaii, the term hotel can indicate a wide range of options, from accommodations with few or no on-site amenities to those with enough extras to qualify as resorts. Generally, a hotel offers daily maid service and has a restaurant, on-site laundry facilities, a pool, and a sundries/convenience-type shop (as opposed to the shopping arcades that most resorts have). Top hotels also provide activities desks, concierge service, business centers, bars and/or lounges, and perhaps a few more shops. The advantages of staying in a hotel are privacy and convenience; the disadvantage is generally noise -- due either to thin walls between rooms or to loud music from a lobby lounge late into the night.

Resorts -- In Hawaii, a resort offers everything a hotel offers and more. What you get varies from property to property, of course, but expect facilities, services, and amenities such as direct beach access with cabanas and chairs; a pool (often more than one) and a Jacuzzi; a spa and fitness center; restaurants, bars, and lounges; a 24-hour front desk; concierge, valet, and bell services; room service (often round-the-clock); an activities desk; tennis and golf (some of the world's best courses are at Hawaii resorts); ocean activities; a business center; children's programs; and more.

The advantage of staying at a resort is that you have everything you could possibly want in the way of services and things to do; the disadvantage is that the price generally reflects this. Don't be misled by a name -- just because a place is called "ABC Resort" doesn't mean it actually is a resort. Make sure you're getting what you pay for.

Condos -- The roominess and convenience of a condo -- usually a fully equipped multibedroom apartment -- make this a great choice for families. Condominium properties in Hawaii are generally several apartments set in either a single high-rise or a cluster of low-rise units. Condos generally have amenities such as some degree of maid service (ranging from daily to weekly; it may or may not be included in your rate, so be sure to ask), a pool, laundry facilities (either in your unit or in a central location), and an on-site front desk or a live-in property manager. The advantages of a condo are privacy, space, and conveniences -- which usually include a fully equipped kitchen, a washer and dryer, a private phone, and perhaps your own lanai or balcony. The downsides include the absence of an on-site restaurant and the density of the units. (The condo may be more private than a B&B or hotel but not quite as private as your own cottage, villa, or house.)

Condos vary in price according to size, location, and amenities. Many of them are located on or near the beach, and they tend to be clustered in resort areas. While there are some very high-end condos, most tend to be quite affordable, especially if you're traveling in a group that's large enough to require more than one bedroom.

Bed & Breakfasts -- Kauai has a wide variety of places that fall into this category, everything from the traditional B&B -- several bedrooms in a home (which may or may not share a bathroom), with breakfast served in the morning -- to what is essentially a vacation rental on an owner's property that comes with fixings for you to make your own breakfast. Make sure that the B&B you book matches your own mental picture of it. Would you prefer conversation around a big dining-room table as you eat a hearty breakfast, or just a muffin and juice to enjoy in your own private place? Laundry facilities, televisions, and private phones are not always available at B&Bs. We've reviewed lots of wonderful places in this guide. If you have to share a bathroom, we've spelled it out in the reviews; otherwise, you can assume that you will have a private bathroom.

There are a few things you should be aware of before you book your first B&B. You do not have the "run" of the house. Generally there is a guest area, which may have a small refrigerator for the guests' use, places to sit and read, and perhaps a television. You are not renting the house of your hosts. And generally they do not allow cooking (especially in their kitchen).

The lower rate at B&Bs can be attributed to no daily maid service. You might have to make your own bed, and unless you are staying 3 or 4 days, your sheets will not be changed.

Due to Kauai County restrictions, most of the B&Bs do not have certified kitchens, so they can only bake, not cook breakfast. Several hosts are very clever and have recipes for "baked French toast" and "baked" eggs, but generally expect a continental breakfast.

The advantages of a traditional B&B are its individual style and congenial atmosphere. B&Bs are great places to meet other visitors, and the host is generally very happy to act as your private concierge, offering tips on where to go and what to do. In addition, B&Bs are usually an affordable way to go (though fancier ones can run $250 or more a night). The disadvantages are lack of privacy, usually a set time for breakfast, few amenities, generally no maid service, and the fact that you'll have to share the quarters beyond your bedroom with others. In addition, B&B owners usually require a minimum stay of 2 or 3 nights, and it's often a drive to the beach.

Vacation Rentals -- This is another great choice for families as well as for long-term stays. The term vacation rental usually means there will be no one on the property where you're staying. The actual accommodations can range from an apartment in a condominium building to a two-room cottage on the beach to an entire fully equipped house. Generally, vacation rentals are the kinds of places you can settle into for a while. They have kitchen facilities (sometimes a full kitchen; sometimes just a microwave, minifridge, stovetop, and coffeemaker), on-site laundry facilities, and phone; some have such extras as TV, VCR, and stereo. The advantages of a vacation rental are complete privacy, your own kitchen (which can save you money on meals), and lots of conveniences. The disadvantages are the lack of an on-site property manager, no organized ocean activities, and generally no maid service. Often, a minimum stay is required (sometimes as long as a week). If you book a vacation rental, be sure you have a 24-hour contact so that when the toilet won't flush or you can't figure out how to turn on the air-conditioning, you'll have someone to call.

Home Exchange -- If you are interested in trading your home on the mainland for someone's home in Hawaii so that you can both have an inexpensive vacation, the best book to read first is Home Exchange Guide: How to Find Your Free Home Away from Home, by M. T. Simon and T. T. Baker, published by Poyee Publishing (2901 Clint Moore, no. 265, Boca Raton, FL 33496; tel. 561/892-0494; www.poyeen.com). This step-by-step guidebook first helps you determine if home exchange is right for you. It then helps you develop a strategy to get the word out. You'll utilize "surefire ways" to have a successful home exchange on both sides.

Bargaining on Prices

Rates can sometimes be bargained down, but it depends on the place. In general, each type of accommodation allows a different amount of latitude in bargaining on its rack (or published) rates.

The best bargaining can be had at hotels and resorts. Hotels and resorts regularly pay travel agents as much as 30% of the rate they get for sending clients their way; if business is slow, some hotels might give you the benefit of at least part of this commission if you book directly instead of go through an airline or travel agent. Most also have kamaaina or "local" rates for islanders, which they might extend to visitors during slow periods. It never hurts to ask politely for a discounted or local rate; a host of special rates are also available for the military, seniors, members of the travel industry, families, corporate travelers, and long-term stays.

Ask about package deals, which might include a car rental or free breakfast for the same price as a room. Hotels and resorts offer packages for everyone -- golfers, tennis players, families, honeymooners, and more.

We've found that it's worth the extra few cents to make a local call to the hotel; sometimes the local reservationists know about package deals that the toll-free operators are unaware of.

If all else fails, try to get the hotel or resort to upgrade you to a better room for the same price as a budget room, or get them to waive the parking fee or the extra fees for children. Persistence and polite inquiries can pay off.

It's harder to bargain at bed-and-breakfasts. You may be able to bargain down the minimum stay or negotiate a discount if you're staying a week or longer. But generally, a B&B owner has only a few rooms and has already priced the property at a competitive rate, so expect to pay what's asked.

You have somewhat more leeway to negotiate on vacation rentals and condos. In addition to asking for a discount on multinight stays, also ask whether the condo or vacation rental can throw in a rental car to sweeten the deal; believe it or not, they often will.

Using a Booking Agency vs. Doing It Yourself

Sometimes you can save money by making arrangements yourself -- not only can you bargain on the phone, but some accommodations may also be willing to pass on a percentage of the commission they would normally have to pay a travel agent or a booking agency.

However, if you don't have the time or money to call several places to make sure they offer the amenities you'd like and to bargain for a price you're comfortable with, consider using a booking agency. The time the agency spends on your behalf might well be worth any fees you'll have to pay.

The top reservations service in the state is Hawaii's Best Bed & Breakfasts, 571 Pauku St., Kailua, HI 96734 (tel. 800/262-9912 or 808/263-3100; fax 808/262-5030; www.bestbnb.com). The fee for this service starts at $20 to book. The staff personally selects the traditional homestays, cottages, and inns, based on each one's hospitality, distinctive charm, and attention to detail.

For vacation rentals, contact Hawaii Beachfront Vacation Homes (tel. 808/247-3637 or 808/235-2644; www.hibeach.com) or the Parrish Collection Kauai (tel. 800/325-5701 or 808/742-2000; www.parrishkauai.com). For those willing to go it on their own, Vacation Rentals by Owner (www.vrbo.com) offers a wide range of vacation rentals. Just be aware that there is no one guaranteeing your experience since you are renting directly from an owner, who may not have an agent on site to help you deal with problems with your unit. If you decide to go this way make sure you have the name and contact info of someone who can come to your unit and solve a problem like plumbing backing up at 8 pm.

Nickel-&-Dime Charges at High-Priced Hotels

Several upscale resorts in Kauai have begun a practice that we find distasteful and dishonest, charging a so-called "resort fee." This daily fee is added on to your bill for such "complimentary" items as a daily newspaper, local phone calls, use of the fitness facilities, and the like. Amenities that the resort has been happily providing free to its guests for years are now tacked on to your bill under the guise of a "fee." In most cases you do not have an option to decline the resort fee -- in other words, this is a sneaky way to further increase the prices without telling you. The only way that this obnoxious fee will ever be rescinded is if you, the consumer, complain, and complain loudly.

What to Do If Your Dream Hotel Turns Out to Be a Nightmare

To avoid any unpleasant surprises, ask lots of questions when you make your reservation. Find out exactly what the accommodations entail, particularly the cost, minimum stay, and included amenities. Ask if there's a penalty fee for leaving early. Read the small print in the contract -- especially the part on cancellation fees. Discuss the cancellation policy ahead of time with the B&B, vacation rental, condominium agent, or booking agency so you'll know what your options are if the accommodations don't meet your expectations. Get this in writing so there are no misunderstandings later.

When you arrive, if the room you're given doesn't meet your expectations, notify the front desk, rental agent, or booking agency immediately. Approach the management in a calm, reasonable manner, and suggest a constructive solution (such as moving to another unit). Be reasonable and be willing to compromise. Do not make threats or leave; if you leave, it may be harder to get your deposit returned.

Staying Connected

Telephones

Many convenience and groceries stores sell prepaid calling cards in denominations up to $50. Some public pay phones now accept American Express, MasterCard, and Visa. Local calls made from most pay phones cost 50¢. Most long-distance and international calls can be dialed directly from any phone. To make calls within the United States and to Canada, dial 1 followed by the area code and the seven-digit number. For other international calls, dial 011 followed by the country code, city code, and the number you are calling.

Calls to area codes 800, 888, 877, and 866 are toll-free. However, calls to area codes 700 and 900 (chat lines, bulletin boards, "dating" services, and so on) can be expensive -- charges of 95¢ to $3 or more per minute. Some numbers have minimum charges that can run $15 or more.

For reversed-charge or collect calls, and for person-to-person calls, dial the number 0 then the area code and number; an operator will come on the line, and you should specify whether you are calling collect, person-to-person, or both. If your operator-assisted call is international, ask for the overseas operator.

For directory assistance (Information), dial 411 for local numbers and national numbers in the U.S. and Canada. For dedicated long-distance information, dial 1, then the appropriate area code plus 555-1212.

Generally, hotel surcharges on long-distance and local calls are astronomical, so you're better off using your cellphone or a public pay telephone.

Mobile Phones

Just because your cellphone works at home doesn't mean it'll work in Kauai (thanks to our nation's fragmented cellphone system). Take a look at your wireless company's coverage map on its website before heading out -- T-Mobile, Sprint, and Nextel are particularly weak in Kauai's rural areas. If you need to stay in touch at a destination where you know your phone won't work, rent a phone that does from InTouch USA (tel. 800/872-7626; www.intouchglobal.com) or a rental car location, but be aware that you'll pay $1 a minute or more for airtime.

If you're not from the U.S., you'll be appalled at the poor reach of our GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) wireless network, which is used by much of the rest of the world. Your phone will probably work in most major U.S. cities; it definitely won't work in many rural areas. To see where GSM phones work in the U.S., check out www.t-mobile.com/coverage/national_popup.asp. And you may or may not be able to send SMS (text messaging) home.

Internet Access

It's hard nowadays to find a city that doesn't have a few cybercafes, and Kauai is no exception. Although there's no definitive directory for cybercafes -- these are independent businesses, after all -- a good place to start is www.cybercaptive.com. You can get Web access at the following places, prices range from a low of $2.50 for 15 minutes to a high of $7.50 for 15 minutes.

• In Poipu, the Business Center at the Grand Hyatt Kauai (tel. 808/742-1234) charges $7.50 for 15 minutes.
• In Waimea, Na Pali Explorer, 9935 Kaumualii Hwy. (tel. 808/338-9999), charges 25¢ a minute or $6 an hour.
• In Kapaa, try Aloha Business Services, 4-1191 Kuhio Hwy. (tel. 808/822-5195), which charges $2.50 every 15 minutes.
• In Hanalei, try Bali Hai Photo, 5-5190 Kuhio Hwy. (tel. 808/826-9181), $3 for 20 minutes.

Aside from formal cybercafes, all public libraries on Kauai offer free access if you have a library card, which you can purchase for a $10 fee. For the location of the nearest library, call the Lihue library at tel. 808/241-3222. All hotels on Kauai have in-room dataports and business centers, but the charges can be exorbitant.

To retrieve your e-mail, ask your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if it has a Web-based interface tied to your existing e-mail account. If your ISP doesn't have such an interface, you can use the free mail2web service (www.mail2web.com) to view (but not reply to) your home e-mail. For more flexibility, you may want to open a free, Web-based e-mail account with Yahoo! Mail (mail.yahoo.com). (Microsoft's Hotmail is another popular option, but Hotmail has severe spam problems.) Your home ISP may be able to forward your e-mail to the Web-based account automatically. If you are bringing your own computer, bring a connection kit of the right power, as well as phone adapters, a spare phone cord, and a spare Ethernet network cable. All hotels on Kauai (and even some of the B&Bs) offer dataports for laptop modems, and many have high-speed Internet access using an Ethernet network cable. You'll have to bring your own cables either way, so call your hotel in advance to find out what the options are.

Getting Married

Whatever your budget, Kauai is a great place for a wedding. Not only does the entire island exude romance and natural beauty, but after the ceremony, you're only a few steps away from the perfect honeymoon. And the members of your wedding party will most likely be delighted, since you've given them the perfect excuse for their own island vacation.

More than 20,000 marriages are performed each year on the islands, and nearly half of the couples married here are from somewhere else. This booming business has spawned dozens of companies that can help you organize a long-distance event and stage an unforgettable wedding, Hawaiian-style or your own style.

The easiest way to plan your wedding is to let someone else handle it at the resort or hotel where you'll be staying. All of the major resorts and hotels (and even most of the small ones) have wedding coordinators, whose job is to make sure that your wedding day is everything you've dreamed about. They can plan everything from a simple (relatively) low-cost wedding to an extravaganza that people will remember and talk about for years. Remember that resorts can be pricey -- catering, flowers, musicians, and so on may cost more in a resort than outside a resort, but sometimes you can save money because the resort will not charge a room rental fee if they get to do the catering. Be frank with your wedding coordinator if you want to keep costs down. However, you can also plan your own island wedding, even from afar, and not spend a fortune doing it.

If you want to plan the wedding yourself, helpful tools on the Internet include the Kauai Visitors Bureau's Official Kauai Travel Planner (for a free copy call tel. 800/262-1400), a great source of information for weddings, accommodations, and activities; information from Hawaii Visitors and Conventions Bureau website, www.gohawaii.com; and the Kauai Wedding Professional Association (www.kauaiwedpro.com).

The Paperwork

The state of Hawaii has some very minimal procedures for obtaining a marriage license. The first thing you should do is contact the Marriage License Office (tel. 808/241-3498; www.hawaii.gov/doh, search "marriage license"). The staff will mail you a brochure, Getting Married, and direct you to the marriage licensing agent closest to where you'll be staying on Kauai. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm.

Once on Kauai, the prospective bride and groom must go together to the marriage licensing agent to get a license. A license costs $60 and is good for 30 days; if you don't have the ceremony within the time allotted, you'll have to pay another $60 for another license. The only requirements for a marriage license are that both parties are 15 years of age or older (couples 15-17 years old must have proof of age, written consent of both sets of parents, and the written approval of the judge of the family court) and are not more closely related than first cousins. That's it.

Planning the Wedding

Doing It Yourself -- The marriage licensing agents, which range from the governor's satellite office to private individuals, are usually friendly, helpful people who can steer you to a nondenominational minister or someone who's licensed by the state of Hawaii to perform the ceremony. These marriage performers are great sources of information for budget weddings. They usually know great places to have the ceremony for free or for a nominal fee.

If you don't want to use a wedding planner but want to make arrangements before you arrive on Kauai, our best advice is to get a copy of the daily newspaper Garden Island, 3137 Kuhio Hwy., Lihue, HI 96766 (tel. 808/245-3681; www.thegardenisland.com). People willing and qualified to conduct weddings advertise in the classifieds. They're great sources of information because they know the best places to have the ceremony and can recommend caterers, florists, and everything else you'll need.

Using a Wedding Planner -- Wedding planners -- many of whom are marriage licensing agents as well -- can arrange everything for you, from a small, private, outdoor affair to a full-blown formal ceremony in a tropical setting. They charge anywhere from $499 to a small fortune -- it all depends on what you want.

Planners on Kauai include Coconut Coast Weddings & Honeymoons (tel. 800/585-5595; www.kauaiwedding.com); A Simple Marriage (tel. 808/742-6115; www.asimplemarriagekauai.com); and Island Weddings & Blessings (tel. 800/998-1548 or 808/828-1548; www.weddings-kauai.com).

Getting Around

Getting Around

Unless you’re on a fairly leisurely schedule, you’ll need a car or other motorized vehicle to see and do everything on Kauai, which has one major road—one lane in each direction in most places—that rings the island except along the Napali Coast. During rush hour, from about 6 to 9am and 3 to 6pm, the road between Lihue and Kapaa—the central business district—can turn into a giant parking lot, even with a third, “contra-flow” lane whose direction is determined by time of day. Bypass roads in Kipu (when heading north from Poipu) and Kapaa (when heading south) can alleviate some of the stress, but plan accordingly.

Note: The top speed is 50mph, with many slower sections in residen-tial and business areas. Addresses in this chapter will use Kaumualii Highway for Hwy. 50 and Kuhio Highway for Hwy. 56/560, following local convention. Some addresses use a single number before a dash, which simply indicates one of five island divisions. Since highway addresses can be hard to spot (if marked at all), directions may be given with mile marker numbers, cross streets, and/or the descriptors mauka (toward the mountains) and makai (toward the sea).

The official mailing address of sites in and around Poipu Beach is Koloa, which GPS devices may require. This chapter lists them as “Poipu” to distinguish them from Old Koloa Town and environs.

By Car—All of the major car-rental agencies are represented on Kauai. At the airport baggage claim, cross the street to catch one of the frequent shuttle vans to the rental lots. Avis (www.avis.com; 800/230-4898) also rents cars from the Grand Hyatt Kauai and Princeville Airport. Be sure to book early for peak periods. Discount Hawaii Car Rental (www.discounthawaiicarrental.com; 800/292-1939) may have cheaper options for last-minute bookings; it also offers free pickup for cruise passengers.

By Motorcycle, Moped, or Scooter—Riders 21 and older with a heavyweight motorcycle license can rent a “hog” from Kauai Harley-Davidson (www.kauaiharley.com; 888/690-6233 or 808/212-9469) outside Lihue. Rates for a Sportster start at $99 for 24 hours, with unlimited mileage; bigger rides start at $179. Kauai Mopeds (www.kauai-mopeds.com; 808/652-7407) in Lihue offers two-person scooters with similar age and license restrictions; daily rates start at $75 for models with a top speed of 52mph, and $110 for those reaching 75mph. For cruising back roads (directions provided), those 18 or older with a driver’s license can rent a single-person moped with a top speed of 30mph for $65 a day.

By Taxi, Rideshare or Shuttle—Set by the county, taxi meter rates start at $3, with an additional $3 per mile; from the airport, it’s about $65 to Poipu and $117 to Princeville, plus 40[ce] per item of luggage, and $4 per bulky item. You can also arrange private tours by taxi starting at $120 for 2 hours. Call Kauai Taxi Company (www.kauaitaxico.com; 808/246-9554) for taxi, limousine, or airport shuttle service. Ride-sharing app Uber came to Kauai in 2017; pricing varies by demand, but a typical rate from the airport to Poipu is $34 and to Princeville, $63.

Solo travelers who don’t use Uber will save money taking Speed-iShuttle (www.speedishuttle.com; 877/242-5777) from the airport ($42 to Poipu, $72 to Princeville), but be aware it may make multiple stops. Pono Express (http://ponoexpress.com; 800/258-6880) offers airport cab service ($50 to Poipu) and sightseeing tours in vans accommodating one to 14 passengers; rate is by vehicle or by hour. Once in Poipu, book a free ride on the Aloha Spirit Shuttle (www.poipu-shuttle.com; 808/651-9945); Doug Bean’s 12-person open-air tram—a former Disneyland people-mover built in 1965—shuttles locals and visitors around resorts and restaurants from 6 to 10pm Sunday–Thursday; tips are appreciated. A 45-minute sunset “cruise” on Bean’s newer 22-person trolley costs $25.

By Bus—Kauai Bus (www.kauai.gov/bus; 808/246-8110) has daily service between Kekaha and Hanalei, including stops near several Poipu and Lihue hotels, the central Kapaa hotel corridor, the Princeville Shopping Center, and Hanalei. Note: There’s also an airport stop, but suitcases, large backpacks, and surfboards are not allowed on the bus. The white-and-green buses, which have small bike racks in front, run more or less hourly from 5:30am to 10:30pm weekdays, and 6:30am to 6pm on weekends and holidays. The fare (exact change only) is $2 for adults and $1 for seniors, 60 and older, and children, 7 to 18.

By Bike—Due to narrow (or nonexistent) shoulders along much of the main highway, relying on bicycles for transportation is generally unsafe. For recreational routes, including the Ke Ala Hele Makalae coastal path on the East Side, see “Biking”.

Money

Visitors are always shocked at how much things cost here, but think about it. Hawaii is among the most isolated set of islands in the world. It's some 2,500 miles to the nearest continent and nearly everything is shipped in; and if it's not shipped, then it's flown at an even greater cost.

Frommer's lists exact prices in the local currency.  However, rates fluctuate, so before departing consult a currency exchange website such as www.oanda.com/convert/classic to check up-to-the-minute rates.

Hotel rooms on Kauai are second in price to New York City. If you would like to stay on the beach, you are looking at rack rates in the $300-$350 and up range (a deal on the Internet can put you in around $250). Hotels off the beach are still expensive; expect to pay $159 to $225-plus per day. Then factor in tax (13.9%), plus (very expensive) parking of $18 to $25 a night.

It's always advisable to bring money in a variety of forms on a vacation, a mix of cash, credit cards, and traveler's checks. You should also exchange enough petty cash to cover airport incidentals, tipping, and transportation to your hotel before you leave home, or withdraw money upon arrival at an airport ATM.

Beware of hidden credit card fees while traveling. Check with your credit or debit card issuer to see what fees, if any, will be charged for overseas transactions. Recent reform legislation in the U.S., for example, has curbed some exploitative lending practices. But many banks have responded by increasing fees in other areas, including fees for customers who use credit and debit cards while out of the country -- even if those charges were made in U.S. dollars. Fees can amount to 3% or more of the purchase price. Check with your bank before departing to avoid any surprise charges on your statement.

For help with currency conversions, tip calculations, and more, download Frommer's convenient Travel Tools app for your mobile device. Go to www.frommers.com/go/mobile and click on the Travel Tools icon.

What Things Cost in Kauai US$

Hamburger $6.00

Movie ticket (adult) $9.00

Movie ticket (child) $5.50

Entry to Kauai Museum (adult) $10.00

Entry to Kauai Museum (child) $2.00

Fee Kauai Plantation Railway (adult) $18.00

Fee Kauai Plantation Railway (child) $14.00

Admission and Tour Allerton Garden (adult) $45.00

Admission and Tour Allerton Garden (child) $20.00

20-ounce soft drink at drug or convenience store $2.50

16-ounce apple juice $3.50

Cup of coffee $3.00

Helicopter ride $197

Moderate 3-course dinner without alcohol $50

Moderately priced hotel $150-$225

Calendar of Events

As with any schedule of upcoming events, the following information is subject to change; always confirm details and dates before you plan your schedule around an event. For an exhaustive list of events beyond those listed here, check www.kauaifesstivals.com or http://events.frommers.com, where you'll find a searchable, up-to-the-minute roster of what's happening in cities all over the world.

February

Annual Burns Supper, Waimea. This is a birthday celebration of Scotland's most acclaimed poet, Robert Burns, on the grounds of Waimea Plantation Cottages. The Burns Supper celebrates this special man with food, Burns's poetry, and music. A fabulous dinner under the palms follows the pipes and drums. Call tel. 808/652-0616 or 808/338-1625. First Saturday in February at the Waimea Plantation Cottages.

4th Annual All Angels Jazz Festival, Lihue. Stop by for some jazz at St. Michael and All Angels Church, 4363 Umi St., Lihue. Call tel. 808/245-3796. Early Feb.

Waimea Town Celebration, Waimea. This annual party on Kauai's west side celebrates the Hawaiian and multiethnic history of the town where Captain Cook first landed. This is the island's biggest 2-day event, drawing some 10,000 people. Top Hawaiian entertainers, sporting events, rodeo, and lots of food are on tap during the weekend celebration. Call tel. 808/338-1332. Weekend after Presidents' Day Weekend.

Captain Cook Fun Run, Waimea. The 2-, 5-, and 10K runs, with a starting time of 7am, go through the old plantation town of Waimea. Call tel. 808/338-1332. End of February.

Kilohana Long-Distance Canoe Race, Waimea. Traditional Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Racing along the Waimea shoreline is the first event of the Kauai canoe-racing season. Starting times for the races Saturday morning are 8am for single-person canoes, 9am for women, and 10:30am for men. The finish is around noon. Call tel. 808/338-1332. End of February.

March

Note: Daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March on the mainland but not in Hawaii. Be sure to adjust the time. Starting at 2am, Hawaii is 3 hours behind Pacific Time and 6 hours behind the East Coast (when it's 6pm in New York it's only noon in Hawaii).

Prince Kuhio Celebration of the Arts, Lawai. Celebrate the birth of Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, who was born on March 26, 1871, and elected to Congress in 1902. Kauai, his birthplace, starts the celebration at the memorial at Prince Kuhio Park in Lawai, and continues it with daylong festivities. Call tel. 808/240-6369 or 808/651-6966 for details. March 26.

5th Annual Kauai Orchid and Art Festival, Hanapepe. Come and see the exotic displays of tropical orchids at the Garden Island Orchid Society's Spring Fantasy Orchid Show and view Kauai's top artists' work. Popular contemporary Hawaiian music will be offered along with workshops on various art activities. Downtown Hanapepe. Call tel. 808/335-5944. Late March.

Garden Isle Artisan Faire, Poipu. Come browse through the array of handicrafts, products, and art by Kauai's artists at Poipu Beach. There's Hawaiian music all day, and plenty of food to buy. Call tel. 808/245-9021. Mid-March.

May

Kauai Museum Lei Day Celebrations, Lihue. May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii, celebrated with lei-making contests, pageantry, arts, and crafts. Call tel. 808/245-6931 or www.kauaimuseum.org for Kauai events. Celebration is held on the first Saturday after May 1.

Annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk, Lihue. Hawaii's largest single-day fundraiser, which takes place across the state, consists of a 3.25-mile fun walk (with some ambitious runners at the front of the pack). Beginning at the Kukui Grove Pavilion, the walk raises money for local charities. Call tel. 808/246-5149 or visit www.charitywalkhawaii.org. Usually the third Saturday in May.

Outrigger Canoe Season, several locations. From May to September, nearly every weekend, canoe paddlers across the state participate in outrigger canoe races. Call tel. 808/383-7798, or go to www.y2kanu.com for this year's schedule of events.

Banana Poka Roundup, Kokee State Park. This forest education fair features music, workshops, crafts, children's activities, and exhibits on ridding Kauai's native forests of this invasive weed. Kokee State Park, mile marker 15, Kokee Rd., Kehaha. Call tel. 808/335-9975; www.kokee.org. May or June.

June

Annual Taste of Hawaii, Kapaa. The Rotary Club of Kapaa holds its "Ultimate Sunday Brunch" at Smith's Tropical Paradise, 45971 Kuhio Hwy., Kapaa, where some 60 different chefs will show their culinary skills. Live music all day. Call tel. 808/783-1407 or www.tasteofhawaii.com. Generally, it's the first Sunday in June.

Obon Days & Festival, Koloa. This cultural festival honors the dead. Koloa Jodo Mission, 3480 Waikomo Rd., Koloa. Call tel. 808/742-6735. Early to mid June.

King Kamehameha Celebration Ho'olaule' and Parade, Vidinha Stadium to the County Building. Daylong festivities in Lihue feature entertainment, arts and crafts, and food. Call tel. 808/821-6895; www.kauaifestivals.com. Mid-June.

Kauai Concert Association's 5th Annual Red Clay Jazz Festival, Lihue. This daylong music extravaganza features local, state, and nationally known jazz artists, plus food and beverages at the Performing Arts Center of Kauai Community College, 3-1901 Kaumualii Hwy., Lihue. Call tel. 808/822-3148; www.redclayjazz.org. Late June.

Annual Hula Exhibition, Lihue. Na Hula O Kaohikukapulani presents an evening of chants, music, and hula at the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall. Call tel. 808/335-6466 for information. The date varies.

July

22nd Annual Concert in the Sky. Fourth of July fundraiser for Kauai Hospice at the Vidinha Stadium, Lihue. Concert and fireworks. For more information, call tel. 808/634-5890; www.kauaifestivals.com. July 4.

Koloa Plantation Days. Koloa and Poipu. This is a weeklong tribute to Kauai's plantation heritage, with events like the Sunset Ho'olaule'a, Paniolo Rodeo, Traditional Hawaiian Games, Hapa Road Walk, Paddle Fest, Miniature Golf Tournament, Craft Fair, ethnic cooking demonstrations, and a parade and festival in Koloa with entertainment, food, and crafts. Various locations around Koloa and Poipu. Call tel. 808/652-3217; www.koloaplantationdays.com. Late-July.

Obon Dance and Festival, Waimea, Kapaa, Hanapepe, and Lihue. This traditional Japanese cultural festival honors the dead. West Kauai Hongwanji, 4675 Menehune Rd., Waimea, tel. 808/338-1537; Kapaa Jodo Mission, 4524 Hauaala Rd., Kapaa, tel. 808/822-4319; Waimea Higashi Hongwanji Mission, 9554-C Kaumualii Hwy., Waimea, tel. 808/338-1847; West Kaukai Hongwanji, 1-3860 Kaumualii Hwy., Hanapepe, tel. 808/335-3195; Lihue Hongwanji, Lihue, tel. 808/245-6262. July through August.

August

Kauai Music Festival, Lihue. A 4-day celebration of the art of songwriting. Kauai Beach Resort, 4331 Kauai Beach Dr., Lihue. tel. 808/634-6237; www.kauaimusicfestival.com. Mid-July or early August.

17th Annual Kauai Cultural Festival: Heiva I Kauai Ia Orana Tahiti, Kapaa. This 2-day event features Tahitian dance and drumming competitions, as well as exhibitions and educational cultural workshops, plus local foods, arts, and crafts. Kapaa Beach Park. Call tel. 808/822-9447. Early August.

Kauai County Farm Bureau Fair, Lihue. This family-oriented fair, held at the Vidinha Stadium in Lihue, features a petting zoo, a livestock show, floral demonstrations and exhibits, food booths, and arts and crafts, along with amusement park rides. Call tel. 808/337-9944 or visit www.kauaifarmfair.com. Late August.

September

Kekaha Town Labor Day Weekend Celebration. Kekaha. Family activities with crafts, food booths, cultural displays, entertainment, and music. Faye Ballpark, Kekaha. Call tel. 808/346-2342. Labor Day Weekend.

All Girl's Koloa Rodeo, Poipu. The only all-female rodeo in the state features women competing in roping, barrel racing, pole bending, and goat tying. CJM Country Stables, a mile past the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, Poipu Road. Call tel. 808/742-6096. End of August or September.

Aloha Festivals, several locations. Parades and other events celebrate Hawaiian culture and friendliness throughout the island. Call tel. 808/240-6369, or visit www.alohafestivals.com for a schedule of events.

Kauai Mokihana Festival, several locations. This weeklong festival includes local and ethnic demonstrations, concerts, and competitions, among them a Kauai composers' contest, a hula competition, and a workshop on Kauai's heritage. Call tel. 808/822-2166. Mid- to late September.

October

Annual Coconut Festival, Kapaa Beach Park. Where would Hawaii be without coconuts? This annual event highlights the cultural, social, and historical importance of the coconut with unusual coconut foods, coconut crafts, games with coconuts, and contests. Call tel. 808/651-3273. Early October.

Eo e Emalani Festival, Kokee State Park. This festival honors Her Majesty Queen Emma, an inveterate gardener and Hawaii's first environmental queen, who made a forest trek to Kokee with 100 friends in 1871. Call tel. 808/335-9975. Early October.

Hawaiiana Festival, Poipu. This 3-day event is centered on teaching the customs, crafts, and culture of Hawaii. Held at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, it includes entertainment and a luau. For information call tel. 808/240-6370; www.nalimnahana.wetpaint.com. Late October.

November

Note: Daylight saving time ends on the Mainland, but not in Hawaii (which does not go on daylight saving time). Be sure to adjust the time, on the first Sunday in November. Hawaii will be 2 hours behind Pacific time and 5 hours behind the East Coast (5pm in New York is noon in Hawaii).

Annual Royal Paina, Lihue. The Kauai Historical Society presents its annual celebration of Hawaii's multiethnic heritage, with local entertainment and a great meal at the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club. Call tel. 808/245-3373 or www.kauaihistoricalsociety.org. Early November, but date changes from year to year.

Garden Island Range & Food Festival, Lehui. Featuring locally produced agricultural products, the farmers that raise them, and the chef's that cook with them. Kilohana Luau. Call tel. 808/338-0111 or www.kauaifoodfestival.com. Sunday before Thanksgiving.

Hawaiian Slack-Key Guitar Festival, Lihue. The best of Hawaii's folk music is performed by the best musicians in Hawaii. The show, held at the Kauai Beach Resort, is 6 hours long and only $10. For more information call tel. 808/226-2697 or visit www.slackkeyfestival.com. Mid-November.

December

Annual Lights on Rice Parade, Lihue. The lighting of the Christmas decorations on the grounds of Kauai's historic county building in Lihue is accompanied by local entertainment, Christmas caroling, and a parade down Rice Street, ending at the county building. Call tel. 808/639-8564. First Friday in December.

Holiday Hula Celebration, Lihue. A Hawaiian Christmas performance by Na Hula O Kaohikukapulani includes chants, hula, and Christmas melodies at the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club. Call tel. 808/335-6466. First Sunday in December.

Waimea Lighted Christmas Parade, Waimea. Old-fashioned Christmas parade through the tiny town of Waimea. Refreshments and entertainment. Kaumualii Hwy., Waimea. Call tel. 808/241-6500. Usually a week before Christmas.

New Year's Eve Fireworks, Poipu. Come out for the annual aerial fireworks display at Poipu Beach Park. For more information call tel. 808/742-7444; www.poipubeach.org. December 31.

Tips for Families

Hawaii is paradise for children -- beaches to run on, water to splash in, and unusual sights to see.

The larger hotels and resorts offer supervised programs for children and can refer you to qualified babysitters. By state law, hotels can accept only children ages 5 to 12 in supervised activities programs, but they often accommodate younger kids by simply hiring babysitters to watch over them. You can also contact People Attentive to Children (PATCH), which can refer you to babysitters who have taken a training course on child care. Contact tel. 808/632-0212 or visit www.patchhawaii.org/provider.

Recommended family-travel websites include Family Travel Forum (www.familytravelforum.com), a comprehensive site that offers customized trip planning; Family Travel Network (www.familytravelnetwork.com), an online magazine providing travel tips; and TravelWithYourKids.com (www.travelwithyourkids.com), a comprehensive site written by parents for parents offering sound advice for long-distance and international travel with children. For a list of more family-friendly travel resources, turn to the experts at frommers.com.

Tips for Gay and Lesbian Travelers

Hawaii is known for its acceptance of all groups. The number of gay- or lesbian-specific accommodations on the islands is limited, but most properties welcome gays and lesbians like any other travelers. Gay Hawaii (www.gayhawaii.com/Kauai) covers gay and lesbian news, a list of gay owned accommodations, links to gay events, and even a list of gay beaches.

Tips for Senior Travelers

Discounts for seniors are available at almost all of Hawaii's major attractions and occasionally at hotels and restaurants. The Outrigger hotel chain, for instance, offers travelers ages 50 and older a 20% discount off regular published rates -- and an additional 5% off for members of AARP. Always ask when making hotel reservations or buying tickets. And always carry identification with proof of your age -- it can really pay off. Frommers.com offers more information and resources on travel for seniors.

Tips for Travelers with Disabilities

Most disabilities shouldn't stop anyone from traveling to Hawaii. Thanks to provisions in the Americans with Disabilities Act, most public places are required to comply with disability-friendly regulations. There are more options and resources out there than ever before.

Travelers with disabilities will feel very welcome in Kauai. There are ramped curbs throughout the island and wheelchair-accessible rooms in most hotels.

The only travel agency in Hawaii specializing in needs for travelers with disabilities is Access Aloha Travel (tel. 800/480-1143; www.accessalohatravel.com), which can book anything, including rental vans, accommodations, tours, cruises, airfare, and anything else you can think of.

Fast Facts

Dentists—Emergency dental care is available from Dr. Mark A. Baird, 4–9768 Kuhio Hwy. (at Keaka Rd.), Kapaa (808/822-9393) and Dr. Terry Allen, 4366 Kukui Grove St., Ste. 24, Lihue (www.lihue-dental.com; 808/378-4754 weekdays 8:30am–5pm; after hours, 808/651-8404).

Doctors—Walk-ins are accepted from 8am to 7pm daily (except Jan. 1, Thanksgiving, and Dec. 25) at the Kauai Urgent Care Clinic (808/245-1532), 4484 Pahee St., Lihue. The non-urgent-care Kauai Medical Clinic (808/245-1500), part of the Wilcox Memorial Hospital complex at 3-3420 Kuhio Hwy., makai side (at Ehiku St.), Lihue, is open for appointments 8am to 5pm weekdays and 8am to noon Saturday. Kauai Medical Clinic also has branches, with varying hours, in Koloa, 5371 Koloa Rd. (808/742-1621); Kapaa, 4-1105 Kuhio Hwy., mauka side, in the Kapaa Shopping Center (808/822-3431); and Eleele, 4382 Waialo Rd. (808/335-0499). Hale Lea Medicine, 2460 Oka St. (at Kilauea Rd.), in Kilauea (808/828-2885), serves the North Shore, with urgent care and appointments offered 8am to 7pm weekdays and 9am to 5pm weekends.

Emergencies—Dial 911 for police, fire, or ambulance service.

Hospitals—Wilcox Memorial Hospital, 3-3420 Kuhio Hwy. makai side (at Ehiku St.), Lihue (808/245-1100), has emergency services (808/245-1010) available 24 hours a day, as do the smaller Mahelona Memorial Hospital, 4800 Kawaihau Rd., Kapaa (808/823-4166), and Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital, 4643 Waimea Canyon Dr., Waimea (808/338-9431).

Internet Access—Numerous cafes (including three Starbucks outlets in Poipu, Lihue, and Kapaa; www.starbucks.com) offer free Wi-Fi hotspots; many hotels offer free Wi-Fi in public areas and, if not free, for a fee in rooms. All Hawaii public libraries have free Wi-Fi but require a library card ($10 nonresidents, good for 3 months). Local branches are in Hanapepe, Kapaa, Koloa, Lihue, Princeville, and Waimea; all are closed Sunday. For details on locations, hours, and reserving a personal computer with Wi-Fi, see http://librarieshawaii.org (click on “How Do I...”).

Police—For non-emergencies, call 808/241-1711.

Post Office—The main post office is at 4441 Rice St., Lihue, open 8am to 4pm weekdays and 9am to 1pm Saturday; hours vary at the 14 other offices across the island. To find the one nearest you, visit www.usps.com or call 800/275-8777.

Weather—For current weather conditions and forecasts, call the National Weather Service at 808/245-6001. For the daily ocean report, including high surf advisories and other alerts, visit www.kauaiexplorer.com/ocean_report.

When to Go

Most visitors don't come to Kauai when the weather's best in the islands; rather, they come when it's at its worst everywhere else. Thus, the high season -- when prices are up and resorts are booked to capacity -- generally runs mid-December through March or mid-April. The last 2 weeks of December in particular are the prime time for travel to Kauai; if you're planning a holiday trip, make your reservations as early as possible, count on holiday crowds, and expect to pay top dollar for accommodations, car rentals, and airfare. Whale-watching season begins in January and continues through the rest of winter, sometimes lasting into May.

The off seasons, when the best bargain rates are available, are spring (mid-Apr to mid-June) and fall (Sept to mid-Dec) -- a paradox, since these are the best seasons in terms of reliably great weather. If you're looking to save money, or if you just want to avoid the crowds, this is the time to visit. Hotel rates tend to be significantly lower during these off seasons. Airfares also tend to be lower -- again, sometimes substantially -- and good packages and special deals are often available.

Note: If you plan to come to Kauai between the last week in April and the first week in May, be sure to book your accommodations, interisland air reservations, and car rental in advance. In Japan, the last week of April is called Golden Week because three Japanese holidays take place one after the other; the islands are especially busy with Japanese tourists during this time.

Due to the large number of families traveling in summer (June-Aug), you won't get the fantastic bargains of spring and fall. However, you'll still do much better on packages, airfare, and accommodations than you will in the winter months.

The Weather

Because Kauai lies at the edge of the tropical zone, it technically has only two seasons, both of them warm. The dry season corresponds to summer, and the rainy season generally runs during the winter from November to March. It rains everyday somewhere in the islands at any time of the year, but the rainy season can cause "gray" weather and spoil your tanning opportunities. Fortunately, it seldom rains for more than 3 days straight, and rainy days often just consist of a mix of clouds and sun, with very brief showers. The year-round temperature usually varies no more than 15°, from about 70° to 85°F (21°-29°C), but it depends on where you are. Kauai is like a ship in that it has leeward and windward sides. The leeward sides (the west and south) are usually hot and dry, whereas the windward sides (east and north) are generally cooler and moist. If you want arid, sunbaked, desertlike weather, go leeward. If you want lush, often wet, junglelike weather, go windward. Your best bet for total year-round sun is the Poipu coast.

Kauai is also full of microclimates, thanks to its interior valleys, coastal plains, and mountain peaks. If you travel into the mountains, it can change from summer to winter in a matter of hours, because it's cooler the higher up you go. In other words, if the weather doesn't suit you, go to the other side of the island -- or head into the hills.

Holidays

When Hawaii observes holidays, especially those over a long weekend, travel between the islands increases, interisland airline seats are fully booked, rental cars are at a premium, and hotels and restaurants are busier than usual.

Federal, state, and county government offices are closed on all federal holidays: January 1 (New Year's Day); third Monday in January (Martin Luther King, Jr., Day); third Monday in February (Presidents' Day, Washington's Birthday); last Monday in May (Memorial Day); July 4 (Independence Day); first Monday in September (Labor Day); second Monday in October (Columbus Day); November 11 (Veterans Day); fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving Day); and December 25 (Christmas).

State and county offices also are closed on local holidays, including Prince Kuhio Day (Mar 26), honoring the birthday of Hawaii's second delegate to the U.S. Congress; King Kamehameha Day (June 11), a statewide holiday commemorating Kamehameha the Great, who united the islands and ruled from 1795 to 1819; and Admission Day (third Fri in Aug), which honors Hawaii's admission as the 50th state in the United States on August 21, 1959.

Other special days celebrated by many people in Hawaii but that do not involve the closing of federal, state, or county offices are Chinese New Year (Jan or Feb), Girls' Day (Mar 3), Buddha's Birthday (Apr 8), Father Damien's Day (Apr 15), Boys' Day (May 5), Samoan Flag Day (Aug), Aloha Festivals (Sept or Oct), and Pearl Harbor Day (Dec 7).

Honoring the Dead: Obon festival -- The Japanese immigrants who came to Kauai brought their cultural Obon Festival, which honors the departed spirits of those who have died. During the summer months, several Buddhist temples have an Obon Festival, which usually includes dancing and food. They welcome visitors to come to the festivals and encourage people to join in the dancing.

The festival has its origins in the story of Buddha's disciple, Mokukren, who used his supernatural powers to see how his deceased mother was doing. He saw she was in the Realm of Hungry Ghosts and was suffering. Upset, he went to the Buddha and asked how he could release his mother from this realm. Buddha told him to help the many Buddhist monks who had just completed their summer retreat, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. The disciple did this and felt his mother's release. He also began to see the true nature of her past unselfishness and the many sacrifices that she had made for him. The disciple, happy because of his mother's release and grateful for his mother's kindness, danced with joy. From this dance of joy comes Bon Odori or "Bon Dance," a time in which ancestors and their sacrifices are remembered and appreciated.

Participants in the Obon Festival traditionally wear colorful yukata, or light cotton kimonos. Many Obon celebrations include a huge carnival with rides, games, and summer festival food. The festival ends with Toro Nagashi, or the floating of lanterns. Paper lanterns are illuminated and then floated down rivers symbolically signaling the ancestral spirits' return to the world of the dead. This ceremony usually culminates in a fireworks display.

Island Layout

Kauai's three main resort areas, where nearly all the island's accommodations are located, are all quite different in climate, price, and type of accommodations offered, but the range is wide and wonderful. On the south shore, dry and sunny Poipu is anchored by perfect beaches. This is the place to stay if you like the ocean, watersports, and plenty of sunshine. The Coconut Coast, on the east coast of Kauai, has the most condos, shops, and traffic -- it's where all the action is. Hanalei, up on the North Shore, is rainy, lush, and quiet, with spectacular beaches and deep wilderness. Because of its remote location, the North Shore is a great place to get away from it all -- but not a great place from which to explore the rest of the island.

Lihue & Environs

Lihue is where most visitors first set foot on the island. This red-dirt farm town, the county seat, was founded by sugar planters and populated by descendants of Filipino and Japanese cane cutters. It's a plain and simple place, with used-car lots and mom-and-pop shops. It's also the source of bargains: inexpensive lodging, great deals on dining, and some terrific shopping buys. One of the island's most beautiful beaches, Kalapaki Beach, is just next door at Nawiliwili, by the island's main harbor.

The Poipu Resort Area

Poipu Beach -- On Kauai's sun-soaked south shore, this is a pleasant if sleepy resort destination of low-rise hotels set on gold-sand pocket beaches. Well-done, master-planned Poipu is Kauai's most popular resort, with the widest variety of accommodations, from luxury hotels to B&Bs and condos. It offers 36 holes of golf, 38 tennis courts, and outstanding restaurants. This is a great place for watersports, and a good base from which to tour the rest of Kauai. The only drawback is that the North Shore is about 1 to 1 1/2 hours away.

Koloa -- This tiny old town of gaily painted sugar shacks just inland from Poipu Beach is where the Hawaiian sugar industry was born more than a century and a half ago. The mill is closed, but this showcase plantation town lives on as a tourist attraction, with delightful shops, an old general store, and a vintage Texaco gas station with a 1930s Model A truck in place, just like in the good old days.

Kalaheo/Lawai -- Just a short 10- to 15-minute drive inland from the beach at Poipu lie the more residential communities of Lawai and Kalaheo. Quiet subdivisions line the streets, restaurants catering to locals dot the area, and life revolves around family and work. Good bargains on B&Bs, and a handful of reasonably priced restaurants, can be found here.

Western Kauai

This region, west of Poipu, is more remote than its eastern neighbor and lacks its terrific beaches. But it's home to one of Hawaii's most spectacular natural wonders, Waimea Canyon (the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific"); and farther upland and inland, one of its best parks, Kokee State Park.

Hanapepe -- For a quick trip back in time, turn off Hwy. 50 at Hanapepe, once one of Kauai's biggest towns. Founded by Chinese rice farmers, it's so picturesque that it was used as a backdrop for the miniseries The Thornbirds. Hanapepe makes a good rest stop on the way to or from Waimea Canyon. It has galleries selling antiques as well as local art and crafts, including Georgio's surfboard art and coconut-grams. It's also home to one of the best restaurants on Kauai, the Hanapepe Café. Nearby, at Salt Pond Beach Park, Hawaiians have dried a reddish sea salt in shallow, red-clay pans since the 17th century. This is a great place to swim, snorkel, and maybe even observe an ancient industry still in practice.

Waimea -- This little coastal town, the original capital of Kauai, seems to have quit the march of time. Dogs sleep in the street while old pickups rust in front yards. The ambience is definitely laid-back. A stay in Waimea is peaceful and quiet (especially at the Waimea Plantation Cottages on the beach), but the remote location means this isn't the best base if you want to explore the other regions of Kauai, such as the North Shore, without a lot of driving.

On his search for the Northwest Passage in 1778, British explorer Capt. James Cook dropped anchor at Waimea and discovered a sleepy village of grass shacks. In 1815, the Russians arrived and built a fort here (now a national historic landmark), but they didn't last long: A scoundrel named George Anton Scheffer tried to claim Kauai for Russia, but he was exposed as an impostor and expelled by Kauai's high-ranking alii, Kaumualii.

Today, even Waimea's historic relics are spare and simple: a statue of Cook alongside a bas-relief of his ships, the rubble foundation of the Russian fort, and the remains of an ancient aqueduct unlike any other in the Pacific. Except for an overabundance of churches for a town this size, there's no sign that Waimea was selected as the first landing site of missionaries in 1820.

The Coconut Coast

The eastern shore of Kauai north of Lihue is a jumble of commerce and condos strung along the coast road named for Prince Kuhio, with several small beaches beyond. Almost anything you need, and a lot of stuff you can live without, can be found along this coast, which is known for its hundreds of coconut trees waving in the breeze. It's popular with budget travelers because of the myriad B&Bs and affordable hotels and condos to choose from, and it offers great restaurants and the island's major shopping areas.

Kapaa -- The center of commerce on the east coast and the capital of the Coconut Coast condo-and-hotel district, this restored plantation town looks just like an antique. False-fronted wooden stores line both sides of the highway; it looks as though they've been here forever -- until you notice the fresh paint and new roofs and realize that everything has been rebuilt since Hurricane Iniki smacked the town flat in 1992. Kapaa has made an amazing comeback without losing its funky charm.

The North Shore

Kauai's North Shore may be the most beautiful place in Hawaii. Exotic seabirds, a half-moon bay, jagged peaks soaring into the clouds, and a mighty wilderness lie around the bend from the Coconut Coast, just beyond a series of one-lane bridges traversing the tail ends of waterfalls. There's only one road in and out, and only two towns, Hanalei and Kilauea -- the former by the sea, the latter on a lighthouse cliff that's home to a bird preserve. Sun seekers may fret about all the rainy days, but Princeville Resort offers elegant shelter and two golf courses where you can play through rainbows.

Kilauea -- This village is home to an antique lighthouse, tropical-fruit stands, little stone houses, and Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, a wonderful seabird preserve. The rolling hills and sea cliffs are hideaways for the rich and famous, including Bette Midler and Sylvester Stallone. The village itself has its charms: The 1892 Kong Lung Company, Kauai's oldest general store, sells antiques, art, and crafts; and you can order a jazzy Billie Holiday Pizza to go at Kilauea Bakery and Pau Hana Pizza.

Anini Beach -- This little-known residential district on a 2-mile reef (the biggest on Kauai) offers the safest swimming and snorkeling on the island. A great beach park is open to campers and day-trippers, and there's a boat ramp where locals launch sampans to fish for tuna. On Sunday, there's polo in the park and the sizzle of barbecue on the green. Several residents host guests in nearby B&Bs.

Princeville -- Princeville Resort is Kauai's biggest project (and, some argue, a little out of place on Kauai's wild North Shore). This 11,000-acre development sits on a high plain overlooking Hanalei Bay, and includes a luxury Sheraton hotel, 10 condo complexes, new timeshare units around two championship golf courses, cliff-side access to pocket beaches, and one B&B right on the golf course.

Hanalei -- Picture-postcard Hanalei is the laid-back center of North Shore life and an escapist's dream; it's also the gateway to the wild Na Pali Coast. Hanalei is the last great place on Kauai yet to face the developer's blade of progress. At Hanalei Bay, sloops anchor and surfers play year-round. The 2-mile-long crescent beach, the biggest indentation on Kauai's coast, is ideal for kids in summer, when the wild surf turns placid. Hanalei retains the essence of its original sleepy, end-of-the-road charm. On either side of two-lane Kuhio Highway, you'll find just enough shops and restaurants to sustain you for a week's visit -- unless you're a hiker, surfer, or sailor, or have some other preoccupation that just might keep you here the rest of your life.

Haena -- Emerald-green Haena isn't a town or a beach; it's an ancient Hawaiian district, a place of exceptional natural beauty, and the gateway to the Na Pali Coast. It's the perfect tropical escape, and everybody knows it. Old house foundations and temples, now covered by jungle, lie in the shadow of new million-dollar homes of movie stars and musicians like Jeff Bridges and Graham Nash. This idyllic, 4-mile coast has lagoons, bays, great beaches, spectacular snorkeling, a botanical garden, and the only North Shore resort that's right on the sand, the Hanalei Colony Resort.

The Na Pali Coast

The road comes to an end, and now it begins: the Hawaii you've been dreaming about. Kauai's Na Pali Coast (na pali means "the cliffs") is a place of extreme beauty and Hawaii's last true wilderness. Its majestic splendor will forever remain unspoiled because no road will ever traverse it. You can enter this state park only on foot or by sea. Serious hikers -- and we mean very serious -- tackle the ancient 11-mile-long trail down the forbidding coast to Kalalau Valley. The lone, thin trail that creases these cliffs isn't for the faint of heart or anyone afraid of heights. Those of us who aren't up to it can explore the wild coast in an inflatable rubber Zodiac, a billowing sailboat, a high-powered catamaran, or a hovering helicopter, which takes you for the ride of your life.

Special-Interest Vacations

Volunteering on Vacation

If you are looking for a different type of experience during your next vacation to Hawaii, you might want to consider becoming a volunteer and leaving the islands a little nicer than when you arrived. People interested in volunteering at beach and ocean cleanups can contact the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program (tel. 808/397-2651, ext. 256) or Hawaii Wildlife Fund (www.wildhawaii.org). For ecovolunteering on land, contact Malama Hawaii, (www.malamahawaii.org/get_involved/volunteer.php), a statewide organization dedicated to malama (taking care) of the culture and environment of Hawaii. At this site you will find a range of opportunities on various islands, such as weeding gardens and potting plants in botanical gardens, restoring taro patches, cleaning up mountain streams, bird watching, and even hanging out at Waikiki Beach helping with a reef project.

Getting There

By Plane

If possible, fly directly to Kauai; doing so can save you a 2-hour layover in Honolulu and another plane ride.

There are no direct international flights into Kauai. You must go through Honolulu to clear Customs and Immigration if you are flying directly from a foreign country. From Honolulu, take an interisland plane to Lihue, Kauai.

Airlines serving Honolulu, Hawaii, from places other than the U.S. mainland include Air Canada (tel. 800/776-3000; www.aircanada.ca); Air New Zealand (tel. 0800/737-000 in Auckland, 64-3/379-5200 in Christchurch, 800/926-7255 in the U.S.; www.airnewzealand.com), which runs 40 flights per week between Auckland and Hawaii; Qantas (tel. 008/177-767 in Australia, 800/227-4500 in the U.S.; www.qantas.com.au), which flies between Sydney and Honolulu daily (plus additional flights 4 days a week); Japan Air Lines (tel. 03/5489-1111 in Tokyo, 800/525-3663 in the U.S.; www.japanair.com); All Nippon Airways (ANA; tel. 03/5489-1212 in Tokyo, 800/235-9262 in the U.S.; www.fly-ana.com); China Airlines (tel. 02/715-1212 in Taipei, 800/227-5118 in the U.S.; www.china-airlines.com); Air Pacific, serving Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific (tel. 800/227-4446; www.airpacific.com); Korean Airlines (tel. 02/656-2000 in Seoul, 800/223-1155 on the U.S. east coast, 800/421-8200 on the U.S. west coast, 800/438-5000 from Hawaii; www.koreanair.com); and Philippine Airlines (tel. 631/816-6691 in Manila, 800/435-9725 in the U.S.; www.philippineair.com).

Operated by the European Travel Network, www.discount-tickets.com is a great online source for regular and discounted airfares to destinations around the world. You can also use this site to compare rates and book accommodations, car rentals, and tours. Click on "Special Offers" for the latest package deals.

Airlines from the U.S. mainland flying directly into Lihue, Kauai, are shown here. Alaska Airlines (tel. 800-ALASKAAIR; www.alaskaair.com) flies direct from Oakland, California, and Seattle. United Airlines (tel. 800/225-5825; www.ual.com) offers direct service to Kauai, with daily flights from Los Angeles. American Airlines (tel. 800/433-7300; www.aa.com) offers a nonstop daily flight from Los Angeles. US Airways (tel. 800/428-4322; www.usairways.com) has direct flights from Phoenix to Lihue. Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays (tel. 800/742-9244; www.pleasantholidays.com), one of Hawaii's largest travel companies offering low-cost airfare and package deals, has weekly nonstop flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco. All other airlines land in Honolulu, where you'll have to connect to a 30-minute interisland flight to Kauai's Lihue Airport.

Arriving at the Airport -- Lihue Airport is a couple of miles from downtown Lihue. There is no public transportation, and there are no shuttle vans available at the airport, so you must either rent a car or hire a taxi.

Your Departure: Agricultural Screening at the Airports -- All baggage and passengers leaving Kauai, bound for the mainland, must be screened by agricultural officials before boarding. This takes a little time but isn't a problem unless you happen to be carrying a football-size local avocado home to Aunt Emma. Officials will confiscate fresh avocados, bananas, mangoes, and many other kinds of local produce in the name of fruit-fly control. Pineapples, coconuts, and papayas inspected and certified for export; boxed flowers; leis without seeds; and processed foods (macadamia nuts, coffee, jams, dried fruit, and the like) will pass. Call federal agricultural officials (tel. 808/877-8757) before leaving for the airport if you're not sure about your trophy.

Interisland Transportation

Now that the interisland ferry, Superferry, has declared bankruptcy, the only option for interisland travel between most islands is via air. There are three interisland carriers; Hawaiian Airlines (tel. 800/367-5320, 808/245-1813, or 808/838-1555; www.hawaiianair.com); go!Mokulele (tel. 888/IFLYGO2; www.iflygo.com); and Island Air (tel. 800/388-1105; www.islandair.com), which offers a flight at least every hour to Lihue.

Sustainable Travel & Ecotourism

If there is one place on the planet that seems ideally suited for ecotourism and sustainable travel, it's Hawaii, a place people visit because of the ecology -- the ocean, the beach, the mountains, and overall beauty of the place. It seems only natural that the maintenance of its environment would be a concern, both to the people who live there and the visitors who come to enjoy all its ecosystem has to offer.

In fact, Hawaii has a long history of environmental stewardship. The ancient Hawaiians not only knew about sustainability, but also practiced it in their daily lives. They had to! When the ancient Hawaiians occupied the islands they did not have the luxury of "importing" goods from anywhere else. They had the land under their feet and the ocean to gain subsistence from, and those resources had to last not only for their own lifetime, but also for the lifetimes of generations to come. So these ancient people lived in harmony with the land and sea, and had a complex social structure that managed resources and forbid the taking of various resources during certain times of the year, to allow those resources to replenish themselves.

Now fast forward to the 21st century. Today we, the current stewards of the islands of Hawaii, are just beginning to appreciate just how wise and advanced the ancient Hawaiians were. In some ways, the state of Hawaii is a pioneer when it comes to the various ways it protects and saves its natural resources (for example, Hawaii is second only to California in the number of marine reserves in the National System of Marine Protected Areas). And yet in other ways, modern Hawaii still falls short of the ancient Hawaiians, whose unique system sustained, without imports, the entire population.

Ongoing Environmental Initiatives

The State of Hawaii has several excellent stewardship programs to preserve the ocean environment and its resources, such as Marine Life Conservation Districts (an ocean version of parks -- the waters surrounding Molokini is an example), Fishery Management Areas (where what you can take from the ocean is restricted), Fishery Replenishment Areas, and Estuarine Reserves. On land, there are corresponding programs to protect the environment from the Soil and Water Conservation District to Watershed Reserves.

In the visitor industry, the majority of hotels have adopted green practices, not only to save the environment, but also to save them money. Nearly every hotel in the state will have a card in your room asking you to really consider if you need a new towel or if you can hang it up and use it one more day. Various statewide organizations have numerous programs recognizing hotels which are helping the environment, such as the Green Business Awards Program, which recently awarded Ritz Carlton Kapalua for its use of core-less toilet paper rolls in bathrooms, elimination of plastic-ware in dining areas, sustainable bamboo floors in select facilities, and sustainable dining featuring organic heirloom herbs and vegetables as well as local exotic fruit. The hotel also runs a Jacques Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment program, which teaches guests about natural tide pools, the rainforest, humpback whales, and local ecosystems through interactive activities with trained naturalists.

Every island has recycling centers (varying from collection of recyclable bottles only to places that take everything); for a list of recycling centers close to where you will be staying, visit the website of the Hawaii State Department of Health (http://hi5deposit.com/redcenters.html).

Restaurants across the state are using more local products and produce than ever. Many proudly tell you that all of their products were grown, grazed, or caught within 100 miles of their restaurant. You can support this effort by ordering local (drink Kona coffee, not a coffee from Central America; eat local fish, not imported seafood), and ask the restaurant which items on its menu are grown or raised on the island.

Below are some helpful hints travelers to Hawaii might want to keep in mind during their adventure to the islands, so that their ecological footprint on Hawaii will be minimal.

Dos & Don'ts In & Around the Ocean

• Do not touch anything in the ocean. In fact, unless you are standing on the sandy bottom where the waves roll into shore, try not to walk or stand on the ocean floor. The no-touch rule of thumb is not only for your protection -- there are plenty of stinging, stabbing things out there that could turn your vacation into a nightmare -- but also for the protection of the marine environment. Coral is composed of living things, which take years to grow, and a careless brush of your hand or foot could destroy them. Fragile habitats for marine critters can be damaged forever by your heavy foot.

• Do not feed the fish, or any other marine creature. They have their own food and diet, and they can be irreparably harmed by your good intentions if you feed them "people food" or, even worse, some "fish food" you have purchased.

• Leave the ocean and beach area cleaner than you found it. If you see trash in the ocean (plastic bags, bottles, and so on) remove it. You may save the life of a fish, turtle, marine mammal, or even a seabird by removing that trash, which kills hundreds of marine inhabitants every year. The same thing is true of the beach: Pick up trash, even if it's not yours.

• The beach is not an ashtray. Do not use the sand for your cigarette butts. How would you like someone using your living room carpet as an ashtray?

• Look at, but don't approach, turtles or Hawaiian monk seals resting on the shoreline. The good news is that the number of turtles and Hawaiian monk seals on the main Hawaiian Islands is increasing. But while visitors may not know it, both are protected by law. You must stay 100 feet away from them. So take photos, but do not attempt to get close to the resting sea creatures (and no, they are not dead or injured, just resting).

• If you plan to go fishing, practice catch-and-release. Let the fish live another day. Ask your charter boat captain if they practice catch-and-release; if they say no, book with someone else.

• If you are environmentally conscious, we do not recommend that you rent jet skies, which have a significant environmental impact.

Dos & Don'ts on Land

• Don't litter (this includes throwing a cigarette butt out of your car).

• Before you go hiking, scrub your hiking shoes (especially the soles) to get rid of seeds and soil.

• When hiking, carry a garbage bag so you can carry out everything you carried in, including your litter (and if you see other garbage on the trail, carry it out, too).

• Stay on the trail. Wandering off a trail is not only dangerous to you (you can get lost, fall off overgrown cliffs, or get injured by stepping into a hidden hole), but you could possibly carry invasive species into our native forests.

• Do not pick flowers or plants along your hike. Just leave the environment the way you found it.

General Resources for Green Travel

The following websites provide valuable wide-ranging information on sustainable travel. For a list of even more sustainable resources, as well as tips and explanations on how to travel greener, visit www.frommers.com/planning.

• Responsible Travel (www.responsibletravel.com) is a great source of sustainable travel ideas; the site is run by a spokesperson for ethical tourism in the travel industry. Sustainable Travel International (www.sustainabletravelinternational.org) promotes ethical tourism practices, and manages an extensive directory of sustainable properties and tour operators around the world.

• Carbonfund (www.carbonfund.org), TerraPass (www.terrapass.org), and Carbon Neutral (www.carbonneutral.org) provide info on "carbon offsetting," or offsetting the greenhouse gas emitted during flights.

• Greenhotels (www.greenhotels.com) recommends green-rated member hotels around the world that fulfill the company's stringent environmental requirements. Environmentally Friendly Hotels (www.environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com) offers more green accommodation ratings.

• Sustain Lane (www.sustainlane.com) lists sustainable eating and drinking choices around the U.S.; also visit www.eatwellguide.org for tips on eating sustainably in the U.S. and Canada.

• For information on animal-friendly issues throughout the world, visit Tread Lightly (www.treadlightly.org). For information about the ethics of swimming with dolphins, visit the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (www.wdcs.org).

Entry Requirements & Customs

Passports

See www.frommers.com/planning for information on how to obtain a passport. For other information, please contact the following agencies:

• For Residents of Australia -- Contact the Australian Passport Information Service at tel. 131-232, or visit the government website at www.passports.gov.au.

• For Residents of Canada -- Contact the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca).

• For Residents of Ireland -- Contact the Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affaires, 80 St. Stephens Green, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/478-0822; www.irlgov.ie/iveagh).

• For Residents of New Zealand -- Contact the Passports Office at tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand or 04/474-8100, or log on to www.passports.govt.nz.

• For Residents of the United Kingdom -- Visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency or contact the United Kingdom Passport Service at tel. 0300 222 0000 or search its website at www.ukpa.gov.uk.

• For Residents of the United States -- To find your regional passport office, either check the U.S. State Department website or call the National Passport Information Center's toll-free number (tel. 877/487-2778) for automated information.

Visas

For information about U.S. visas go to http://travel.state.gov and click on "Visas." Or go to one of the following websites:

• Australian citizens can obtain up-to-date visa information from the U.S. Embassy Canberra, Moonah Place, Yarralumla, ACT 2600 (tel. 02/6214-5600) or by checking the U.S. Diplomatic Mission's website at http://canberra.usembassy.gov.

• British subjects can obtain up-to-date visa information by calling the U.S. Embassy Visa Information Line (tel. 44 020 7499 9000) or by visiting the "Visas to the U.S." section of the American Embassy London's website at www.usembassy.org.uk.

• Irish citizens can obtain up-to-date visa information through the Embassy of the USA Dublin, 42 Elgin Rd., Dublin 4, Ireland (tel. 353/1-668-8777), or by checking the "Visas to the U.S." section of the website at http://dublin.usembassy.gov.

• Citizens of New Zealand can obtain up-to-date visa information by contacting the U.S. Embassy New Zealand, 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington (tel. 644/462-6000), or get the information directly from the website at http://wellington.usembassy.gov.

Customs

Every visitor more than 21 years of age may bring in, free of duty, the following: (1) 1 liter of wine or hard liquor; (2) 200 cigarettes, 100 cigars (but not from Cuba), or 3 pounds of smoking tobacco; and (3) $100 worth of gifts. These exemptions are offered to travelers who spend at least 72 hours in the United States and who have not claimed them within the preceding 6 months. It is forbidden to bring into the country almost any meat products (including canned, fresh, and dried meat products such as bullion, soup mixes, etc.). Generally, condiments including vinegars, oils, spices, coffee, tea, and some cheeses and baked goods are permitted. Avoid rice products, as rice can often harbor insects. Bringing fruits and vegetables is not advised, though not prohibited. Customs will allow produce depending on where you got it and where you're going after you arrive in the U.S. International visitors may carry in or out up to $10,000 in U.S. or foreign currency with no formalities; larger sums must be declared to U.S. Customs on entering or leaving, which includes filing form CM 4790. For details regarding U.S. Customs and Border Protection, consult your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, or U.S. Customs (www.customs.gov).

For information on what you're allowed to bring home, contact one of the following agencies:

• U.S. Citizens: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229 (tel. 877/287-8667; www.cbp.gov).
• Canadian Citizens: Canada Border Services Agency (tel. 800/622-6232 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca).
• U.K. Citizens: HM Customs and Excise at tel. 0845/010-9000 (020/8929-0152 from outside the U.K.), or consult their website at www.hmce.gov.uk.
• Australian Citizens: Australian Customs Service at tel. 1300/363-263, or log onto www.customs.gov.au.
• New Zealand Citizens: New Zealand Customs, The Customhouse, 17-21 Whitmore St., P.O. Box 2218, Wellington (tel. 04/473-6099 or 0800/428-786; www.customs.govt.nz).

Medical Requirements

Unless you're arriving from an area known to be suffering from an epidemic (particularly cholera or yellow fever), inoculations or vaccinations are not required for entry into the United States.