Flashback Friday: Kauai, HI (the falls hikes)

As the month of March comes to an end, I wanted to end Flashback Fridays with one of the best memories of our marriage. Our honeymoon in Kauai, Hawaii. It was a once in a lifetime trip that we really took the time to plan, save and enjoy. We will call this post a glimpse since there is so many places I want to show you guys in case you ever visit this wonderful place.

So why that island? We choose Kauai for two main reasons.

1. There were not as many families (kids in general) or spring breakers that traveled to that island. Don't get me wrong, I love kids. And we could party with the best of them but we really wanted a quiet, relaxing trip where were weren't surrounded by kid attractions and keg kills. This island was recommended more for honeymoons and adults.

2. We wanted some adventure off the beaten path. Again, I realize that every island in Hawaii offers adventure activities and volcanoes etc. but we picked Kauai because it was known as the garden island. In fact most of the island is an official nature preserve so people are limited to where they can live. We couldn't even visit part of the island without going by helicopter (which we did) or boat. That meant more adventures for us like riding a helicopter, zip lining and horseback riding.

Now when I say off the beaten path, I meant off the beaten path. We hiked some great and challenging paths. The most notable one was the Hanakapi'ai Beach Hike.  The first time we tackled this hike, we just did the first two miles to the beach.

Eventually we tackled the other 2 miles of the hike to see the Hanakapi'ai Falls Hike. It wasn't always easy or safe but it was worth it.

I recommend a few things for anyone who wants to tackle this hike. First, make sure you allot enough time aka sunlight. Tim and I were in good shape when we did this hike but since it was uphill, rocky and other people were going up it, it look us about 45 minutes just to go 1/2 mile.

I also recommend sturdy hiking shoes. There are a lot of rocks, mud and steep hills so proper shoes really helped us. Don't get too attached to the clothes you are wearing either. See that red, muddy clay in the pic above? Well lets just say that it got everywhere.

Also, bring water and snacks if you are going for the long haul. We brought PB&J sandwiches and ate them at the falls. It really was a highlight on the trip.

So that is where I will leave my story for now. I have sooo many pictures and things to share but I will be here all night if I try to fit it in this post. Has anyone tackled a big hike or trail on a vacation? We were really proud and didn't feel a single twinge of guilt when we chowed down that night. :)