Nawiliwili Bay, Līhu’e, Kaua’i, Hawaii, United States of America

Nawiliwili Bay, Līhu’e, Kaua’i, Hawaii, U.S.A, photograph # 1 – in our rental car, we drove from the Līhu’e airport to the Waimea Canyon State Park and its spectacular cliffs; on the ocean-front road, this was a preview of what was to come in Waimea Canyon

From Honolulu on the island of Oahu in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean, we sailed 73 miles [117 kilometers] northwest to reach the northwesternmost of the larger main Hawaiian islands, Kaua’i, nicknamed the “Garden island”.  The dramatic cliffs and pinnacles of its Na Pali Coast have served as a backdrop for major Hollywood films, while 10-mile-long [16 kilometers] Waimea Canyon and the Nounou Trails traversing the Sleeping Giant mountain ridge are hiking destinations.

“Kauaʻi is Hawaii’s fourth largest island and is sometimes called the “Garden Island,” which is an entirely accurate description.  The oldest and northernmost island in the Hawaiian chain is draped in emerald valleys, sharp mountain spires and jagged cliffs aged by time and the elements.  Centuries of growth have formed tropical rainforests, forking rivers and cascading waterfalls!  Some parts of Kauaʻi are only accessible by sea or air, revealing views beyond your imagination.  More than just dramatic beauty, the island is home to a variety of outdoor activities.  You can kayak the Wailua River, snorkel on Po’ipũ Beach, hike the trails of Kōke’e State Park, or go ziplining above Kauaʻi’s lush valleys.  But it is the island’s laid-back atmosphere and rich culture found in its small towns that make it truly timeless.” — www.gohawaii.com/islands/kauai

Nawiliwili Bay, Līhu’e, Kaua’i, Hawaii, U.S.A, photograph # 2 – the red in the soil is iron from the island’s volcanic origins

Nawiliwili Bay and its port town of Līhu’e serve as the gateway to Kaua’i, Hawaii’s oldest inhabited island.  Līhuʻe is the second-largest town on Kauaʻi, following Kapaʻa, with a population of around 7,000.  Līhuʻe means “cold chill” in the Hawaiian language.  “Līhuʻe is the government and commercial center of the island, as well as a cultural and historical area.  This may be the most traveled town on Kauaʻi since it is home to Kauaʻi’s main airport (the Līhuʻe Airport) and Nāwiliwili Harbor, the island’s major commercial shipping center and cruise ship port.  Līhuʻe has a variety of natural wonders to explore.  Kalapakī Beach is the home of the Kauaʻi Marriott Resort and Beach Club and the Hōkūala Golf Resort.  Bodysurfing, SUP, surfing and swimming make Kalapakī a popular destination.  Ninini Beach is home to an automated lighthouse, in operation since 1897.  And just north of Līhuʻe, don’t forget to stop at the Wailua Falls lookout for an amazing waterfall view.” — www.gohawaii.com/islands/kauai/regions/lihue

Nawiliwili Bay, Līhu’e, Kaua’i, Hawaii, U.S.A, photograph # 3 – at Waimea Canyon State Park we met a “host” storyteller at one of the “lookouts”, a native Hawaiian who grew up in the Waimea Canyon region and regaled us with stories of native history and culture; note that the palm frond half” skirt” around his shoulders and the hallowed out gourd “helmet” are centuries old sun protection”(before chemical sun screen lotion was invented)

Nawiliwili Bay, Līhu’e, Kaua’i, Hawaii, U.S.A, photograph # 4 – one of many colorful cliff formations in Waimea Canyon State Park; see our upcoming blog post on Waimea Canyon with more details and photographs

Nawiliwili Bay, Līhu’e, Kaua’i, Hawaii, U.S.A, photograph # 5 – the wave action geysers at the Spouting Horn Park can reach 50 feet [15 meters]

Nawiliwili Bay, Līhu’e, Kaua’i, Hawaii, U.S.A, photograph # 6 – a close-up of one of the wave action geysers at the Spouting Horn Park

Nawiliwili Bay, Līhu’e, Kaua’i, Hawaii, U.S.A, photograph # 7 – sunset at Spouting Horn Park

Nawiliwili Bay, Līhu’e, Kaua’i, Hawaii, U.S.A, photograph # 8 – some of the hotels and resorts along the coast at Po’ipũ Beach, just east of Spouting Horn Park

Nawiliwili Bay, Līhu’e, Kaua’i, Hawaii, U.S.A, photograph # 9 – when we arrived at Shipwreck Beach, in the Po’ipũ region after sunset, the waning moon was just visible, along with Venus

History of Kuai’i:

“Polynesian inhabitants settled on the island about 600 to 800 C.E., as indicated by radiocarbon dating of archeological sites.  They are believed to have come from the Marquesas Islands.  A second wave arrived by sea-canoe from Tahiti around 800–1000 C.E.   Many Hawaiian traditions and belief structures derive from the culture that arrived with these Tahitians.

In 1778, Captain James Cook arrived at Waimea Bay, the first European known  to have reached the Hawaiian islands. He named the archipelago the “Sandwich Isles” after his patron, the 6th Earl of Sandwich, George Montagu.

During the reign of King Kamehameha, Kauaʻi and Niʻihau joined his Kingdom of Kawai’I, the last to do so.  Their ruler, Kaumuali’I, resisted Kamehameha for years.  Kamehameha twice prepared a huge armada of ships and canoes to take the islands by force, and twice failed, once because of a storm, and once because of an epidemic.  But in the face of the threat of a further invasion, Kaumualiʻi decided to join the kingdom without bloodshed, and became Kamehameha’s vassal in 1810.  He ceded the island to the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi upon his death in 1824.” — Wikipedia

Legal Notices: All photographs copyright © 2024 by Richard C. Edwards.  All Rights Reserved Worldwide.  Permission to link to this blog post is granted for educational and non-commercial purposes only.