ArtfullyUrs

Interesting. I wasn't impress with the gay clubs/bars in Hawaii.
I am actually plan to go back to Hawaii in the fall. However, I will check out Maui and the big island, instead of Oahu....

Anyone have reccomendations ??

bocastephen

Recommendations for what - gay bars/accommodations or activities to do on the island? I have expertise in the latter, but none with the former. If it's activities, it would help to know what you're interested in doing.

Foady

Hawaii is such a fascinating place with its history and culture. I hope you enjoyed your trip to Oahu, aside from the gay bars/clubs, and I hope that you are not judging Oahu by just the gay bars/clubs (or queen's beach).

coolbeans202

I figure this is as good a place as any to post...

My boyfriend and I are celebrating our 5th anniversary on Kauai this October courtesy of a great UA Tware. Can you all offer any tips on hotels, sights to see, restaurants, etc...? We're not necessarily looking for a "gay" experience, but would prefer not to have a brick thrown at us if we steal a kiss or hold a hand. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated! We know next to nothing about the island.

bocastephen

I'd need to know your interests first - do you want a beach, are you physically active, looking for sports or just relax, looking for luxury or budget, touristy or off the beaten trail, etc.

coolbeans202

Hi Boca, we're looking for a little bit of everything. Will be there for five days and would like to relax a few days but also do some more strenuous activities (someone mentioned to me there is good kayaking?). We're leaning ever so slightly towards the budget side of things, though if something is pricier but a great value we could go for it. Does that help?

bocastephen

Sure does...let me give you a good first look, and we can go from there...

1) hotel - the best hotel is the Hyatt, down at Poipu (although there is a renovated St Regis further north, it's too far from the action). It's expensive - but - you can reduce the cost significantly buy using Hyatt Stay Certificates (make sure you find availability for Stay Cert dates before hand), or discounted Hyatt gift certificates from Costco

2) car - you need a car, no question. I'd go for a convertible if you can swing it, but a 4WD is not needed.

3) activities - the hiking on Kaua'i is some of the best in Hawai'i, but there is a caveat. During winter, Kaua'i can receive a significant amount of rainfall, which makes hiking most of the best trails somewhere between difficult and impossible, and also very dangerous. If your goal is to visit Kaua'i and explore things like hiking, kayaking Na Pali, etc., then try and go during the late spring through late summer drier season

You want to focus your hiking on two spots - Kalalau Trail on the northeast and the Koke'e/Waimea Canyon at the northwest. There is no road linking the two areas, hence my suggestion to stay at Poipu which is closer to Koke'e. (Part of) The Kalalau Trail is a good day hike which you can begin in the late morning after a nice drive along the other side of Kaua'i.

You want to experience Kalalau Lookout at Koke'e early morning (before 10am when the clouds roll in), and then head down the road to tackle the Awa'awapuhi/Nualolo loop trail which will take you most of the rest of the day. You can see Waimea Canyon on the drive up and back. Pack decent hiking shoes with good, deep grips - I cracked a couple ribs after slipping on some moist earth and landing on a rock and almost slipped and tumbled on another trail moments after the woman in front of me did her own swan dive through some muddy patches.

You can kayak the Na Pali coast, but it's a very, very strenuous trip - and should really only be done during the summer when the seas are calmer than winter. If you don't want to kayak, there are a couple good boat-based options to cruise the coast, along with helicopter trip options. Seeing Na Pali from the water or the air is a must, and the loop trail I referenced above will give you some stunning views as well (head the warnings about staying behind fences and guard rails on the trail - it's a long way down).

Driving to the other side of the island will take you through some picturesque towns, and a couple neat attractions including a working guava farm and Kilauea Lighthouse (a nice sunset spot). Lihue is the main city and there are some great local eats, including Hamura's Saimin. Great poke is available near the Poipu area as well as up near Kapa'a.

Snorkeling options are not as great as the Big Island or Lana'i, but there are a couple of beaches that are worthwhile. Also, there is a fantastic botanical garden near Poipu which is worth a tour, and there is also a nearby blowhole.

The Kaua'i Revealed book will give you some great advise as well.

You'll see a little bit of 'haole hostility' on Kaua'i - something you rarely encounter on most areas of O'ahu, Maui, or the Big Island. The Hawaiian Independence movement is strong there, the locals are pretty much anti-developer and sometimes the 'stink eye' can overflow to an unsuspecting visitor - it's nothing personal and should not be taken that way either - but sometimes the hyper-masculine posturing that accompanies it is not the best environment to be holding hands or kissing - so reasonable discretion is a good idea. You'll see lots of gay and lesbian couples, but not much display of public affection.

Hope this helps so far - feel free to ask questions here or by PM and I'll continue to answer.

Also, how long is your trip planned? If it's a full week, you might want to consider a few days on Kaua'i and a few days on the Big Island. When I go to Hawai'i for a long weekend (4 days or less), I'm one one island. When I go for a week (Saturday-Saturday), I'm on two islands.

coolbeans202

I've only had a chance to skim this so far as I'm running out the door, but thanks a ton for the help, I really appreciate it! I'm sure I'll have questions once I take a deeper read.

defiance96

Coolbeans202:

I'd be curious how your trip went! My bf and I will be headed to Kaua'i for a vacation in late-February. We have already been to Oahu and the Big Island, so we don't plan on island hopping so any advice about the garden island would be helpful! (I know the LGBT scene isn't really existant, but to be honest, that is a plus in my mind!)

bocastephen

What types of activities are you looking to do while there? Have you seen/done everything on the Big Island?

defiance96

Hi Bocastephen!

While we haven't seen/done everything on the Big Island , we won't be island hopping. Just Kaua'i this time.

We will have access from time-to-time to a timeshare property on the Big Island, so using my hotel points for another island made sense. Our first two trips to Hawaii were just one island (Big Island and Oahu), and I kind of liked the pace of it. So this trip will be about us and Kaua'i. Late Feb/Early March.

Depite knowing the caveats of winter hiking you mentioned, we would still love to do a day hike or two. I don't want something too dangerous, but we probably can handle something above average. (We got through a moderate trek in the Indian Himayalas 4 months ago.)

We also like to canoe/kayak snorkel. Yes, I know the Big Island is better for snorkeling, but it is what it is.

And quite honestly, I want as much as possible to just have some "us" time on this trip. India was the best trip we've taken together, but not at all romantic in the traditional sense.

So over 10 days, maybe 2 hikes, a few snorkel/beach days, and I think we want to do a helicopter ride and a whale watch. Would like to have a gameplan, although not over plan so suggestions are helpful. Staying at the Marriott on points. But will have a car. If there are any particularly LGBT friendly restaurants, that would be helpful, as I'd like to have at least one romantic dinner. (Although I kind of find all of my meals in Hawaii could be romantic if I tried

bocastephen

OK, my recommendations:

1) Hiking - it might be wet, but try the Nualolo-Awa'awapuhi Loop Trail. If you can, pack a couple of walking sticks (or try to find some wooden ones near the trailhead) in case the trail is wet. If it's wet and muddy, just go slow and careful, and watch the warning signs, especially at the edge of the Nualolo Cliffs trail

If the North Shore is drier, you can try a partial Kalalau Trail hike for a few hours

2) Forget kayaking Na Pali in winter, but you might give Capt Andy's a try for a catamaran cruise along the coast. Get a prescription for Scopace (tablets, not the patch - you may need to educate your Dr on the difference) and start popping the night before, and another dose an hour before sailing)

3) Beaches can be brutal during the winter with swells and rough currents, but you can try Kalapaki (near your hotel) or Hanalei Bay.

4) Do some driving and exploring - early morning (between 830-10am) is best for Kalalau Lookout, then you can double back to visit Waimea Canyon. The North Shore has some interesting spots, including Kapa'a, Kilauea Lighthouse (watch for the Nene Geese when driving).

5) I don't know any LGBT 'friendly' restaurants. I honestly never consider that in my travels. I do recommend Hamura's Saimin, Pono Market (for poke), and Mark's Place for plate lunch (mon-fri only). A lot of people rave about Merriman's, but I've never been there so I can't comment.

6) You're going to be hard pressed to find good snorkeling on Kaua'i during winter. You can try Lydgate or Poipu, but keep your expectations low (it ain't anything like the Big Island), and if the water looks a little choppy from Kona Wind action, don't bother because you won't see a thing except clouds of silt.

ILuvParis

I can't disagree with you on much here. I like the local places as much as the next guy. I think of Hamura's as stepping back in time to what Hawaii must have been like in the 1950s. However, clean, it is not. I have seen things there that would shut a restaurant down at home

There are certainly no gay restaurants but I've never encountered one that was not gay friendly. I can recommend both Merriman's and Josselin's Tapas for a special occasion (although not really romantic - Beach House is probably more romantic with the sunset), both of which are going to compare quite favorably with similarly price restaurants anywhere on the mainland. As a matter of fact, Josselin's is probably my current favorite restaurant anywhere. They have a couple of items with applewood smoked bacon vinaigrette that make my mouth water to think about.

As far as beaches go, Poipu is generally pretty calm year round. Personally, I like Captain Andy's for the Napali Coast cruise too - but it's not, as you suggest, for sensitive stomachs. If you like it wet and wild, however, it's a blast. I went about a month ago, however, and it was the calmest I've ever seen it. You just don't know.

Docklandsguy

I was wondering if anyone had any updates re Hotels, Bars.. in Honolulu?

gayste

2nd this. Going at the end of August.