Kaua`I

Book excerpt: Color photos fill this guide. The author lives in Kauai, one of the most beautiful places on earth. Here we focus on the southern coast of Kauai. This is the most thorough guide to this area available, with candid hotel and restaurant reviews based on detailed personal inspections. You'll find lavish beachfront resorts, intimate rain-forest B. and B.s, family-friendly condos and much, much more. Our dining reviews range from Asian-fusion cuisine to hearty, affordable plate lunches. Where to find secluded beaches; secret spots for snorkeling; the best outfitters for everything from diving to deep-sea fishing; the top galleries and shops. Family-friendly accommodations and activities; tips on how to get married in the islands; recommendations for the best honeymoon resorts and advice on finding the best airfares and package deals. Shopping, sightseeing, the beaches, parks, trails, waterfalls all the details are here. The best places for fishing, hiking, golf, tennis, scuba, ocean kayaking, along with camping, horseback riding, biking, whale-watching. The best hikes, bike trips and watersports are described, with information on the tour operators. It's here in the southern part of the island where the new and old worlds of Kaua'i converge to create a spectacle of beauty and fun that you won't get anywhere else on the island. If you love action, this is the place to be because there's plenty of it. First-class restaurants, accommodations, beaches and a tremendous number of activities await. The South Shore is the sunny side of the island, so you can feel free to work on your tan, cool off in the ocean or enjoy the trade winds blowing in from the ocean. Turning on Highway 520 from Kaumuali'i Highway (Highway 50), the first thing you'll notice is the Tunnel of Trees towering over you. After a few minutes heading down the winding road, you'll get to Koloa Town, which represents the old world of Kaua'i. The area was a prime destination for whalers who landed at Koloa Landing, as well as for sugar plantation workers, which made Po'ipu a bustling economic center. Koloa was the site of Hawai`i's first successful sugar plantation, established in 1835. There are plenty of old churches and homes (especially down Waikomo Road) that maintain the charm of this town. Po'ipu has the attractions and activities that draw visitors from all over the world. Moir Gardens is part of the Outrigger Kiahuna Plantation property. This renowned garden is worth a visit. Just west of Po'ipu, you'll see Prince Kuhio Park. National Tropical Botanical Gardens is the only tropical botanical garden with a charter from the United States Congress, and it includes McBryde Gardens and Allerton Gardens. You can walk around the grounds here at no charge and browse among the bananas, pineapples and bamboo trees, among many, many other plants -- the largest collection of native plants in existence. Spouting Horn is part tourist spectacle, part shopping destination and part natural wonder. The phenomenon of Spouting Horn occurs when incoming waves rush through a hole in the rock. Kukuiolono Park is another unforgettable sight. Kukuilono means "light of the god Lono" in Hawaiian. There's a walking loop about one mile long that goes through a lava rock garden, a Hawaiian garden and a beautiful Japanese garden with a stone footbridge, sculptures, bonsai trees and fountains overgrown with plants