Hiking (and Then Feasting) in Wailua
Opaekaa Falls, Wailua, Kauai.
We embarked on a bumpy off-road journey yesterday: we head up the east coast of Kauai to where the Wailua River fuses with the sea, turned right onto 580 (Kuamoo Road), and drove for a good while up the road through a quaint residential neighborhood of little homes and family farms.
On the way, we reached Opaekaa Falls (simply viewable from afar and not accessible by foot) and a spectacular view of the Wailua River and its surrounding dense forests and green peaks.
Wailua River, Kauai.
I’m in awe of Kauai each day, realizing you don’t have to leave the country or venture some place totally far off and “exotic” (culturally speaking) to discover lush, untamed places. I’m only here for a week, and I’ve explored only the south and east shores so far, so I’ve already decided to return within the next few years to venture off and do some of the more strenuous activities the island has to offer.
Mountains in the Wailua area, Kauai.
We saw white birds soaring above us at Opaekaa Falls with long, slender tails that stuck straight out behind them. These tails made these unique birds resemble manta rays in a way, the way they glided through the air. As we drove toward the mountains, we came upon other birds in the bush chomping on frogs and little snakes. It’s been nice to see the island’s wildlife happily in their habitat.
We’ve got the 2009 version of The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook, which is a handy blue bible for the island: I randomly picked a “fairly easy” hike into the jungles of Wailua and wanted to test out the accuracy of the directions and description of this hike (which is simply called the “Jungle Hike” in this East Shore section of the guide).
Beginning of a jungle hike in Wailua, Kauai.
The guidebook’s details were certainly on point, and I recommend the trail to anyone looking for a relatively unfussy hike for a sampling of Kauai’s rainforested landscape.
We set off on a dirt path and reached a turnout where we heard the gurgling noises of a healthy stream; we followed it as it flowed deeper into the jungle. We followed the narrow trail as it weaved up and around the mountain, and finally reached a secluded swimming hole with a low, wide waterfall of rocky steps.
The couple that explored these rocks took a last dip, ate snacks, and headed out, so we were able to swim and frolic in solitude. The water was much cooler here than the ocean, but the plunge was refreshing and much-deserved.
Secluded pool in Wailua, Kauai.
The day was topped off with a visit to the Smith Family Garden Luau within the Wailua River area (which is also where we embarked on our tour of the fern grotto). We went to the imu ceremony in the garden where the roasted kalua pig was pulled from the earthen imu oven, then had a feast of this tasty pig, teriyaki beef, chicken adobo, poi, and sweet Hawaiian bread.
Pig at the Smith Family Garden Luau in Kauai.
Everything at the buffet was surprisingly excellent, as I’m skeptical of big feasts for tourists at these kinds of operations. (For the record, however, my mother and aunts make much better adobo.) The luau has a open bar, so I downed the beer of the evening, Kona Brewing Co.’s Longboard Island Lager.