Na Pali and the North Coast of Kauai

So today Aviva and I woke up early and headed up to hike the Kalalau Trail along the Na Pali coast on the northwestern side of Kauai. The trail starts from Ke'e beach and heads up over and along the magnificent, lush mountains and wends its way along a narrow trail hanging over the pacific until it descends onto Hanakapi'ai beach. We stopped there briefly for lunch and some photography, and then headed upstream another 2 miles to Hanakapi'ai falls, a 300 foot waterfall. After we got to the falls, I went  swimming - there is nothing quite like a shower in a huge fresh water falls - and then we enjoyed the sun for a few minutes. Then we headed back out, down to the beach and back up and around to Ke'e beach. The whole trail took about 5.5 hours and was glorious, lush and beautiful the whole way.

After we finished we rented some fins and snorkeled at Tunnels on the North Coast - saw parrotfish, needlefish, angelfish, puffer fish and a few trigger fish. The fish were impressive but the corals not so much, so we only snorkeled for about an hour before heading back to our place, stopping to get a teriyaki pineapple burger at Bubbas and to gawk at the lush beauty of Kauai's interior and to stare at a gorgeous sunset.

Kalalau Trail just after rounding the first peak on the trail. 

Aviva and I enjoying the trail.

Napali Coast.

Small waterfall along the Kalalau trail. 

Cairns on Hanakapi'ai Beach. 

Moss covered stones on Hanakapi'ai beach.

Trail along the Hanakapi'ai river in the eponymously named valley.

The bottom of Hanakapi'ai Falls.

 

Thats me swimming in a 300 foot waterfall!!!

More falls along the Hanakapi'ai trail - there were probably 12 falls on the way up the valley.

The interior of Kauai - incredible. 

Sunset off the West Coast of Kauai.