Hiking Hawaiian style

BY ERIN O'DWYER

I've come to Hawaii without hiking boots. Bikini and sarong – check. Hat and jandals – sure. It's only when I arrive at our waterfront villa to find not one but five hiking books that I realise Hawaii is a secret trekking paradise.

"A stroll down a cane road shows you how the clipped grey-green carpets unfold across the plains," one hiking author writes. Another suggests: "Discover active volcanoes, lush valleys, cascading waterfalls, secluded beaches and windswept ridges."

A third boasts: "Some of the finest hikes in Hawaii and possibly the world are found on Kauai. Majestic grey cliffs, glowing jewel-coloured cathedral walls, imposing perpendicular cliffs plunging 4000 feet."

I'm staying on Kauai – the Hawaiian archipelago's oldest and northernmost island. A 45-minute flight from Honolulu, Kauai is the wettest Hawaiian island. Its volcanic peak, Wai'ale'ale, at 1569 metres, records more than 10,800 millimetres of rain annually, making it one of the most soaked spots anywhere. It's also arguably one of the most beautiful.

At sea level, with its coconut palms, white-sand beaches and smooth, rolling surf, Kauai easily lives up to Hawaii's island paradise reputation. But there is something more mysterious about Kauai. The last lava flowed 40,000 years ago, so erosion reigns here.

Jagged green peaks rake rain from the low clouds, sending white ribbons of rainwater down the mountainside. Black-lava rock tidal pools dot the island. Strawberry, guava and taro fields hide old ridge routes used by bootleggers during 1920s Prohibition times. And nearly half the island is covered by mountainous jungle, accessible only by hiking trail.

The best slice of the island's natural beauty, even for ill-prepared travellers, is at the End of the Road. The Na Pali Forest, on the north-west coast, is so impenetrable the island's main "ring road" circumnavigates only three-quarters of the perimeter. The Kuhio Highway ends at Ke'e Beach – a sparkling little cove protected by a reef and surrounded by pandanus trees and perfectly round lava rocks. It's tucked within a state park and is perfect for day walks and snorkelling. There are dry and wet caves – lava tubes that push back hundreds of metres into the cliffs. It's also the start of the Kalalau Trail – a tough, two-day, 20-kilometre hike that follows the cliffs and valleys of the Na Pali coastline.

For serious outdoors types, prepare for wet, rugged and rewarding hiking. You'll need a camping permit, backpack and all your own gear. Cattle grazing in the lush valleys as late as the 1970s means the water in the streams is not suitable for drinking, so bring plenty of bottled water, too.

For day walkers, covering the first four-kilometre stretch is the perfect option. It starts steep but it's not long before the track takes in long views of the cliffs to the north. I make it to picturesque Hanakapiai Beach in an hour. Another hour along is Hanakapiai Falls, the muddy track criss-crossing the stream below. The waters are turquoise – truly – and there are dry caves at one end of the beach for summer camping. The beach is too dangerous for swimming. A carved wooden sign halfway along the track keeps a running tally of the lives lost each year. So by lunchtime, I'm back at Ke'e Beach to wash off the red volcanic mud with a swim.

There are more than 160 kilometres of hiking trails on Kauai – including many day walks that are possible with only a water bottle and a pair of trainers. But with hired wheels and a bit more time, there's plenty to discover apart from the island's high points.

Start with the lush north coast, about 45 minutes north of the island's capital, Lihue. At every turn along the Kuhio Highway, there's something new to explore.

All the beaches have public access and are divided into top snorkelling, swimming and surfing spots. Organic-produce markets pop up in five places, each on a different day of the week. Restaurants that become candle-lit at night run fresh-fish markets from their verandas during the day. And lovers of lighthouses will want to spend time poring over the lighthouse keepers' journals at the 1913 Kilauea Lighthouse, which is notable for having the largest bivalve lens in the world, capable of sending its warning signal 32 kilometres out to sea.

In the so-called West End of the island is Waimea Canyon. It's 16 kilometres long and almost one kilometre deep in parts. Aptly described as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, its vibrant pinks, oranges and greens are reminiscent of a David Hockney painting.

From the canyon lookouts, it's an easy hour's drive east to Lihue. The capital itself is not much more than a business hub but a group of fine restaurants lines the working harbour. We stop along the way at the Kauai Coffee Company, Hawaii's largest coffee plantation, which specialises in a macadamia nut variety. Historic Hanapepe is also worth a visit.

Once a bustling riverside town with two movie theatres and three ice-skating rinks that catered for US soldiers stationed here during the '40s, Hanapepe's timber-shuttered shop-houses have been saved from dereliction by a buzzing arts scene.

Half a dozen local art galleries, restaurants and gift shops hold up the main drag, set just back from the highway. At the end of the street is a single-carriage one-way bridge – one of many on the island. We learn to give the shaka sign (little finger and thumb extended) to oncoming traffic to indicate when the way is clear.

In the dying stages of our 10-day stay on Kauai, we don't stray further than the hammock outside our villa in Princeville, on the northernmost tip of the island. It's strung beneath coconut palms, overlooking the calm waters of the crescent-shaped Hanalei Bay. The rain stays away and I set the trailblazing guidebooks to one side. I'm told there are 200 steps leading to a secluded beach at the bottom of our garden. But it's a secret to be discovered on another day.

WORLD FOOD

One in five Hawaiians has mixed cultural heritage, the largest proportion in the US. Ancestry includes Polynesian, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, Mexican and Euro-American, which means you can chow down on anything from sushi to hamburgers in Kauai.

- Brazilian and Mexican Neide's Salsa and Samba in Hanalei Bay does muqueca (fresh fish in coconut sauce), ensopado (chicken or fish stew), bife acebolado (steak and onion dish) and fajitas (grilled meat dish). Prices from US$12 (NZ$17.50).

- Sushi and sashimi The riverfront Hanalei Dolphin Restaurant in Hanalei Bay has a lounge serving gourmet sushi from freshly caught Ahi tuna and local organic greens. Prices from US$20. See hanaleidolphin.com.

- Seafood The tiny Fish Market in Kilauea has lunch platters by day and outdoor candlelit tables by evening. It's known to have the best fresh fish on the island. Prices from US$15.

- All-American Bubba Burgers has been doing hamburgers on the island since 1936. The only ingredients piled on the freshly toasted buns are grass-fed local beef, onions, mustard, cheese and relish. A Double Slopper is US$7.25. See bubbaburger.com.

- Hawaiian luau The Hawaiian version of the ground-cooked barbecue, featuring traditional fire dancing and hula. The Mediterranean Gourmet at Hanalei Colony Resort does luau every Tuesday, with Lomi Lomi salmon and kalua pork smoked in leaves. Priced from US$69 an adult. See kauaimedgourmet.com.

TRIP NOTES

STAYING THERE

Privately owned villas and condos with two bedrooms plus kitchen and laundry facilities on Kauai's north coast are available for weekly rental from about US$800 (NZ$1170) in the summer peak season from Na Pali Properties. Phone + 808 826 7272, see napaliprop.com.

WHILE THERE

- North Shore Explore the lush north coast from historic Kilauea town to the End of the Road at Ke'e Beach. For hiking information and permits, see hawaiistateparks.org. Backpacking, surfing and kayaking tours, see kayakkauai.com. Hire bikes, snorkels, surfboards and kayaks from Snorkel Depot, Hanalei Bay.

- South Shore and West End Taste 20 local coffees at Kauai Coffee Company kauaicoffee.com. Learn more about Kauai's ancient volcanic geology at the Waimea Canyon visitors lodge and museum. See kokee.org.

- All island Daytrippers can soak it all up with a one-hour helicopter or light aircraft tour of the island. From US$99. See tropicalbiplanes.com.

MORE INFORMATION

Discover Kauai. See kauai-hawaii.com.

- © Fairfax NZ News