Saturday, December 20, 2025
After waking up at 05:00, I showered and dressed. Our Southwest Airlines Flight #4736 (SJC to HNL) was originally scheduled to depart at 07:00 but was delayed for one hour (new departure time was 08:06).
I ordered UberX at around 06:00, and we arrived at the San Jose Airport around 06:30. As we were a bit sleepy and tired (from waking up so early), Inna stopped by Peet's Coffee to purchase two espressos and plain Greek yogurt (for breakfast).
Our plane departed on time, at 08:16. The flight was smooth, with some occasional turbulence before landing in Honolulu.
During the flight, I listened to my Audible book - The Brothers Ashkenazi by I. J. Singer, and also started reading 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith on my new Colorsoft Kindle.
We landed around 12:00 HST, a bit hungry. While Southwest Airlines gave us some snacks on the flight (peanuts, crackers, and coffee), they were not sufficient.
In Honolulu, we stopped by the Lahaina Chicken Company and purchased freshly baked chicken (with potatoes and green beans). The chicken was acceptable, as were the mashed potatoes, but nothing special (mediocre). Fortunately, Inna brought some cash, as these eateries (and many others) were not accepting credit cards due to an outage.
In Honolulu, we boarded Southwest Airlines Flight #558 from Honolulu (HNL) to Lihue (LIH) at 13:00, departing on time at 13:30. The flight was a short twenty-minute journey, and we landed in Lihue at 14:00.
We made it to Kauai! 😀
In Lihue's airport, we walked to the Car Rental stand, where we boarded an Avis Car Rental mini-bus to take us to the Avis Car Rental nearby.
While the Avis car check-out was quite fast, we had to wait for our white Kia Forte to be cleaned and fueled. It took an additional 30 minutes before we could start driving. The Kia was a bit rusted (with some dents). I expected a better-maintained vehicle from Avis.
Our first stop was the nearby Costco, where we purchased some groceries for our morning breakfast, including:
- Organic Greek Yogurt
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
- 2 x Taro Chips
- Honolulu Cookie Company Minibites (Guava)
- Macademia Nuts
- Beef Protein Sticks
- Havarti Cheese
We drove to our
Marriott Kauai Beach Club, parking in the free parking lot near the hotel and taking all our luggage to check in. We were assigned room #306 in the
Waialeale tower overlooking Kalpaki Beach. We dropped off our luggage and unpacked our suitcases. I assembled my Sonicake Acoustic travel guitar and tuned it, attaching a tuner and wired headphones.
I tried connecting the Nvidia Shield to the LG TV in our room, but it would not connect. I am still unsure what went wrong; perhaps the Nvidia Shield needs to be replaced.
Inna had made dinner reservations at Duke's Canoe Club for 17:45, and we walked there. It was already decorated for Christmas, and there was a musician getting ready to play.
We were seated upstairs and ordered the following items from the menu:
- Appetizer: Macadamia Nut Hummus
- Drinks: Duke' Blone Ale, Sparkling Pellegrino
- Boris: Coconut Braised Seafood (shrimp, fish, lobster)
- Inna: Macadamia Nut Herb Crusted Mahi-mahi
Although it was hot and humid, it was still quite pleasant. We really enjoyed watching the gorgeous sunset and listening to the musician playing acoustic guitar and flute, with well-known songs like
Margaritaville (Jimmy Buffett).
After dinner, we stopped by the local ABC Store to pick up bottled water, a stainless-steel water bottle, and a Häagen-Dazs ice cream bar (for me).
Later on, we were able to FaceTime with Alex, who was really enjoying his ongoing stay in Bali. We discussed his plans to extend his stay from December 25 to January 15, to give him more time.
I made some hot chamomile tea, and we enjoyed a few treats with hot tea before going to bed at 21:00.
At midnight, we were woken up to loud music from a neighboring room, and Inna called the hotel to complain. Eventually, the loud music stopped. Thankfully, we were able to fall asleep again.
Sunday, December 21, 2025
I woke at 07:00, hearing my alarm, showered, shaved, and dressed. I decided to practice the guitar for a 15-minutes before heading to purchase coffee at the nearby
Jammin' Banana Bakery & Cafe. I ordered two cappuccinos (which took 10-minutes to prepare).
Once I returned to our room, Inna had already started preparing breakfast: Greek yogurt with granola and berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries). We saw on the balcony, eating our delicious breakfast, overlooking the beautiful Kalapaki Beach.
I stopped by the
Kauai Beach Boys to purchase a one-week rental of SUPs ($275/week). I planned to SUP surf every day.
I rented a 9'8" NSP 160-liter SUP and paddled out into the bay. I was the only SUP surfer for an hour (there was an electric wing foiler out), and I enjoyed the solitude (and lack of competition for waves). I managed to catch many waves, and the conditions were much better than I expected (after checking out Surfline.com, which indicated poor conditions). I surfed on my NSP 9'8" SUP for two hours (and got quite tired at the end). At around 11:00, I started to get tired (and the bay started to get busy with surf lessons and other surfers and paddleboarders) and decided to end my session.
I paddled back and returned my paddleboard. I went to look for Inna, who was doing Yoga on the beach. I decided to relax and read my Kindle Colorsoft, returning to 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith.
For lunch, I decided to drive to
Fish Express to purchase freshly prepared poke. I selected the following:
- Boris: White rice with 3 scoops: Salmon, Ahi with Maui Onion, Ahi with Spices, and Crabs
- Inna: Organic greens with 3 scoops: Salmon, Ahi with Maui Onion, Ahi with Crabs
Our poke was excellent, and we really enjoyed our lunch on the balcony.
After lunch, we decided to walk to
Jammin' Banana Bakery & Cafe for a few coffee drinks (we were feeling a bit sleepy). We ordered two cappuccinos.
We returned to our room, where I planned to rest for a bit, while Inna returned to the beach.
I napped for an hour and then played my
Sonicake Guitar for 30 minutes, focusing on J.S. Bach. Around 16:00, I returned to the bach and waited for Inna to finish her swim. We then swam for another 30 minutes in the
Williwilli Bay. The ocean water felt pleasantly cool, and we thoroughly enjoyed our swim.
For dinner, Inna had made reservations at
Naisla Kitchen & Cocktails for 18:00. As she wanted to take a shower after the ocean swim, we called
Naisla to postpone the dinner to 18:15.
After a short 15-minute drive, we parked nearby and sat down at a table. We ordered the following items:
- Appetizer: Local Lettuce Salad
- Drinks: Sparkling water
- Boris: Jidori Chicken
- Inna: Braised Short Rib
- Dessert: Coffee Cake
The Local Lettuce Salad was excellent, as was my Jidori Chicken and Inna's Braised Short Rib. The Coffee Cake was delicious, too. Although loud inside, we enjoyed the food here (and will return again).
Monday, December 22, 2025
I woke at 07:00 after hearing my alarm. I showered and dressed. I was still not quite rested but felt better than the day before. I purchased two cappuccinos at the nearby
Jammin' Banana Bakery & Cafe.
Once I returned, Inna had already started preparing breakfast: Greek yogurt with granola and berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries). We saw on the balcony, eating our delicious breakfast, overlooking the beautiful Kalapaki Beach.
I rented a 9'8" NSP 160-liter SUP and paddled out into the bay. There were more surfers (and e-foilers out). I managed to catch many waves, and the conditions were much better than I expected. I surfed on my NSP 9'8" SUP for two hours. At around 11:00, I started to get tired (and the bay started to get busy with surf lessons and other surfers and paddleboarders) and decided to end my session.
I paddled back and returned my paddleboard. I went to look for Inna, who was doing Yoga on the beach. I decided to relax and read my Kindle Colorsoft, returning to 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith.
We noticed that
Ruby Princess docked nearby (probably on a
16-day Hawaiian Cruise from San Francisco), and the beach was full of blue towels (Ruby Princess' cruisers). Some of them were a bit loud and obnoxious, and I didn't enjoy reading my book in solitude.
I had some light swelling in my two hands and decided to stop by the local pharmacy (CVS/Longs Drugs) to purchase
Voltaren (
Diclofenac Sodium Topical cream). Inna also wanted some more ThinkSport suntan lotion (but CVS did not carry it). Afterwards, I drove to
Fish Express to purchase freshly prepared poke. I selected the following:
- Boris: White rice with 3 scoops: Salmon, Ahi with Maui Onion, Ahi with Spices, and Crabs
- Inna: Organic greens with 3 scoops: Spicy Ahi, Ahi with Maui Onion, Ahi with Crabs
After lunch, we decided to walk to
Jammin' Banana Bakery & Cafe for a few coffee drinks (we were feeling a bit sleepy). We ordered two cappuccinos.
Since the waves looked very nice, I decided to SUP surf for another hour. I had a fantastic session and caught many excellent waves. I had a few really long rides. It was so much fun!
At around 15:45, I paddled to the shore and dropped off my board. I joined Inna on the beach, and we decided to swim for 30-minutes in Nawilliwilli Bay. The swim was wonderful and refreshing.
For dinner, Inna had made reservations at
Hualani (nearby) for 17:45. It was a short, 5-minute drive there from our Marriott Beach Club.
After having our car parked by a valet, we walked downstairs to the Hualani restaurant and sat down at a cozy table overlooking the garden and the ocean. A guitar/saxophone player was entertaining everyone with his renditions of Hawaiian and Country standards, such as "Amarillo by Morning" by George Strait, "Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton, "Island Style" by John Cruz, and "Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" by IZ. The musician played acoustic guitar, ukulele, saxophone, and flute.
Regarding “ukulele”:
- In 1879, Portuguese immigrants from Madeira and the Azores islands arrived in Hawaii to work on sugar plantations.
- They brought small guitar-like instruments, especially the machete, braguinha, and cavaquinho.
- Hawaiian craftsmen adapted these instruments, resulting in a new local version.
- The word ukulele roughly translates to “jumping flea” in Hawaiian.
- One popular explanation is that it describes how a player’s fingers move quickly over the strings.
We looked at the menu and ordered the following items:
- Drinks: Black Limousine Lager (dark beer)
- Drinks: Hokuala Farm Cocktail (margarita)
- Appetizer: Honeycomb Salad, Rosemary Ciabatta
- Boris: Ginger Prawn Fettuccini
- Inna: Lemongrass-crusted Onaga
The
Black Limousine Lager was tolerable (I was expecting a lighter taste). Inna's
Hokuala Farm Cocktail was too strong (she was expecting something lighter).
Next time, skip the alcoholic drinks. The
Honeycomb Salad was delicious, as was the
Rosemary Ciabatta. The
Ginger Prawn Fettuccini was excellent with large prawns. Inna's
Onaga was excellent (a much larger portion than the one at Duke's).
During our dinner, a heavy downpour erupted outside, but it ended as quickly as it began.
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
I woke at 07:00 after hearing my alarm. I showered, shaved, and dressed. I purchased two cappuccinos at the nearby
Jammin' Banana Bakery & Cafe.
On Kalapaki Beach, I saw many wing foilers on the water already, due to high tide at 6:00, but the Surfline forecast called for strong, 18-knot easterly winds all day. The water was a little rough with bumps everywhere. It was more difficult to keep standing up with the gusty easterly winds, too.
I rented a 9'8" NSP 160-liter SUP and paddled out into the bay. I managed to catch many waves, despite the rough conditions. I surfed on my NSP 9'8" SUP for 90 minutes. At around 10:40, I started to get tired (and the bay started to get busy with surf lessons and other surfers and paddleboarders) and decided to end my session.
For lunch, I drove to
Fish Express to purchase freshly prepared poke. I selected the following pokes.
- Boris: White rice with 3 scoops of poke: Salmon, Ahi with Maui Onion, Ahi with Spices, and Crabs
- Inna: Organic greens with 3 scoops of poke: Spicy Ahi, Ahi with Maui Onion, Ahi with Crabs
Inna had made reservations for a
Star Dinner Sunset sail to the Na Pali Coast on
Captain Andy's Kauai Boat Tours for 14:00. We were warned about heavy traffic and started our drive to Port Allen at 12:45. Usually, the drive is supposed to take 30 minutes, but due to construction on the road (and lane closures), the drive took us one hour. We arrived just in time and were told to wait until 14:00 for the briefing.
At 14:00, we were split into 3 groups (for the 3 catamarans that were being chartered) and assigned to the "Red" group. We were briefed on the safety (life-jackets), dinner time, and the bar (opened on the return leg).
The 65-foot sailing catamaran has 800-hp diesels, which allow it to reach 22+ knots. The engines are very powerful but also very loud (next time, bring earplugs). As we started our cruise, there was some 4-5 foot ocean swell, and the catamaran felt a bit bouncy. Being pressed for time, we never used any sails during the entire cruise.
We found a nice table with seating in the aft section (where the galley was located) and sat there often during the cruise. From there, we enjoyed watching the Kauai coastline, with the crew pointing out the large section owned by the Robinson family (which used to grow sugar on its large sugar plantation but now makes money by leasing it out to the U.S. Navy).
We were offered various drinks. At first, Inna ordered sparkling water with lemon, but later we asked for the signature cocktail - Andy's Sneaky Tiki. The tiki was delicious!
Andy's Sneaky Tiki - Premium light and dark Koloa Rums, tropical fruit purees and a splash of Cacao-flavored Koloa Rum. Sweet, tangy, and subtly spiced.
- Goat cheese crostini, sundried tomatoes & basil, drizzled with a balsamic reduction. (V)
- Grilled spicy Hawaiian shrimp appetizer. (PESC) (GF)(DF)
- Fresh Iwikua Farms organic mixed greens, carrots, cabbage, sweet grape tomatoes & feta cheese, with papaya seed vinaigrette. (V) (GF)
- 8 oz grilled Filet Mignon, garlic mashed potatoes, grilled seasonal vegetables, and steak butter rosette. (GF)
- Tangy lime cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust topped with velvety whipped cream. (V)
Dinner was excellent, and the crostini, shrimp, greens, and filet mignon were all really delicious.
During the cruise, we spotted humpback whales and could see their spouts. Inna was able to capture a few photos as well. The crew also spotted bottlenose dolphins, but we did not manage to see them.
The crew also pointed out the landing spot where Captain James Cook first landed in Hawaii at Waimea Bay on the island of Kauai. This was the first recorded contact between Europeans and Polynesians.
- Date: January 18, 1778
- Location: Waimea Bay, Kauaʻi
Cook initially named the islands the “Sandwich Islands” after the Earl of Sandwich. Later that voyage, he visited other islands, including HawaiÊ»i Island, where he was killed at Kealakekua Bay in 1779.
The Na Pali Coast was amazing, with jutting, green cliffs strutting majestically into space, like out of some Jurassic Park movie.
We really enjoyed our cruise (but I wished the engines were quieter). We were very fortunate with the weather, as it was raining on Kauai (but not during our cruise).
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