Peter and I enjoyed eight days in Kaua'i recently...great weather..good birding and hiking and more. We headquartered in Kapaa on the eastside coconut coast and enjoyed the hometown atmosphere and less crowded conditions compared to Poipu. There is a beautiful seaside paved path from Kapaa toward Anahola Beach that is wonderful for cycling and walking. A three mile hike up the east trail to the top of Sleeping Giant afforded great views of the coastal plain from Lihue north. For more photos go to the link below:
https://picasaweb.google.com/117619508186210444760/Kauai2013
Birding at Kauai's National Wildlife Refuges at Kilauea Point showed the Red-footed Boobies looking for nesting material while the Laysan Albatross were busy courting. At the Hanalei wetlands native NeNe geese were gathered in great numbers along with lots of waterfowl.
Limahuli Gardens (left) near Ha'ena are part of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens (NTBG) focusing on native Hawaiian agricultural practices. Original terracing for taro-growing and native plants are featured in part of the garden. Another section includes plantation-era plants and an archaeological site. Threatened and endangered species feature in another section--less than 50 specimens of some species exist in the world, so the NTBG is doing its part to preserve these rare plants.The garden is on 17 acres, but a total of 985 acres is in the preserve and continues to be studied for cultural sites and rare plants. Don't miss this learning experience if you are on Kaua'i!
