Hawaii Best Travel Blog

Kauai is known as the “Garden Isle” since it receives abundant rainfall. Indeed there is an abundance of formal tropical botanical gardens to enjoy on the Emerald Isle. There are 3 formal gardens to enjoy on Kauai which are a part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden collection in the islands. Two other gardens are part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden holdings, one is Kahanu Gardens on the Hana coast of Maui and the Kampong Garden located on Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove, Florida. The McBryde Garden is located on the south shore in the Lawa’I Valley. In addition to the lush tropical flora found in this gorgeous collection of tropical flora and fauna, you will also find more unusual plants in the Canoe Garden such as chocolate, allspice and ginger. The McBryde Garden is open daily. A 15 minute tram ride from the Southshore Visitor Center and the Garden is required with the first tram leaving at 9:20 A.M. and the last tram leaving at 2:30 P.M. Cost for adults is $20 and $10 for children 12 and under. The garden walk is a one-mile walk but allow 1 ½ to see and enjoy the garden. Most walks are unpaved or grass and there are stairs in the garden. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes, long pants and a hat. Mosquito repellent and bottled water is also advised for this hike. Call the garden Visitor Center for info on handicapped accommodations.

Also located in this beautiful valley is Allerton Garden which lies between the Pacific Ocean and the McBryde Garden. This garden was a favorite place of Hawaii’s Queen Emma and it is easy to understand why she enjoyed this beautiful place. Allerton garden, fed by the waters of Lawa’I Stream, contains many wonderful plant varieties as well as waterfalls, pools and fountains. Statues grace the grounds giving this garden the feel of a European formal garden. The garden is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 A.M. to dusk. A 15 minute ride from the Visitor Center on a tram is required with the first tram leaving at 9 A.M. and the last one leaving at 2 P.M. The paths are also unpaved or grass and contain many stairs. The same recommendations for clothing apply here as for the McBryde Garden. Cost for adults for entrance and transportation to this garden is $45 for adults with the cost for children between 10-12 is $20. Children under age 10 are not allowed on this tour. Allow approximately 2 ½ hours for the enjoyment of this garden. Book at least 72 hours in advance of when you want to take the tour at the National Tropical Gardens website. You can also book a private tour of the Allerton estate (Allerton Sunset Tour) where you can see not only the estate itself but also the guesthouse where such famous people as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis stayed in this gorgeous locale. The tour ends with hors d’ouevres on the patio at sunset. Cost for this tour is $60 for adults and $30 for children between the ages of 10-12. Again, no children under the age of 10 on this tour.

The final garden that you can tour and enjoy on Kauai is the Limahuli Garden and Preserve. This verdant valley is located on the north shore between the Pacific and Makana Mountain. Behind the Limahuli Garden is the Limahuli Preserve which is home to many of Hawaii’s tropical birds and mammals. Self-guided tours take place Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 A.M. to 4 P.M. with a guided tour at 10 A.M. The self-guided tour from the Limahuli Garden Visitor Center requires about 1 ½ hours and entails a ¾ mile walk on a loop trail. The trail can be steep in some areas so again the same recommendations for clothing and supplies apply on this trail. The guided tour lasts for 2 ½ hours. The Self-guided tour costs $15 for adults with children 12 and under free. The guided tour cost is $30 for adults and $15 for children between the ages of 10-12. No children under the age of 10 are allowed on the guided tour. Guided tours are not always offered on Saturdays so check with the organization for information.

In 1868, the first Japanese immigrants were brought to the shores of Maui to work in the sugar plantation fields. They brought with them their Buddhist religion as well and eventually erected a temple in which to worship in Lahaina. This site became home to the Lahaina Jodo Mission which you can still visit today. Although the original, wooden temple burned down, the people of Lahaina rebuilt the temple in 1968 and expanded the facility to include a 90 foot tall Pagoda, and a 12 foot high statue of Buddha. This statue, cast of copper and bronze and weighting around 3 1/2 tons was imported from Japan and is the largest statue of Buddha in the world outside of Japan. The mission was remodeled to celebrate the Centennial of the Japanese immigration to the Hawaiian Islands. Located north of town off Front Street near the Mala Wharf, you can find the Lahaina Jodo Mission at 12 Ala Moana Street. While entry into the buildings is not allowed, it is free to walk around the peaceful and beautiful grounds and admire the unique Japanese architecture.

Statue of Buddah at the Lahaina Jodo Mission

Like water falls?  Then don’t miss this gorgeous one on Kauai.  To get to Kipu Falls, follow these directions: at the 3 mile marker on Highway 50 just past the town of Puhi, turn left onto Hulemalu Puhi Bypass Road then right onto Kipu Road. At the one lane bridge, park at the dirt road on the left. The road descends steeply to the. This area can be very muddy if it has been damp so be careful on this steep hill. Follow the stream bed for a half-mile and you will come to a spur trail that cuts across a large pool fed by the falls. The falls is ringed by a 20 foot cliff and a huge Banyan tree growing at the edge of the pool. While difficult to get to, the hike to this very secluded and interesting falls is well worth the effort.  Be sure to stay off private property in the area by following the stream down to the falls area.

If you are visiting the Kona side of the Big Island, a frequent jumping off point for exploring the western part of the Big Island is the town of Kailua-Kona. If you are looking for high quality snorkeling and a little taste of history, head south down Highway 190 to the town of Captain Cook. Take Napo’opo’o Road down to the beach where you will find a beautiful and sheltered bay known as . It was here at Kealakekua Bay, that Captain Cook was killed by the natives in 1779 in a dispute over the theft of a rowboat the natives had stolen from Cook’s ship, the HMS Resolution. A white obelisk monument stands in his honor on the north side of the bay. The snorkeling in these waters are some of the best in the islands. You can also rent canoes from the shore and easily explore this beautiful bay or take a swim in the peaceful and usually calm ocean waters.