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! 😀 It was so nice to be back. It looked like nothing had changed.
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. I initially made AVIS reservations through Costco Travel.
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 took lots of photos (to avoid being blamed for the damage later on. In general, 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
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 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.
Here is a short GoPro Hero 11 mini video clip of my SUP surfing 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).
After dinner, we returned to the Marriott Kauai Beach Club and walked around the property to get a few more steps.
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: Organic 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 bowls. 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.
- 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
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 Nawilliwilli 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 poke bowls:
- Boris: White rice with 3 scoops of poke: Salmon, Ahi with Maui Onion, Ahi with 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 isalnd traffic (due to construction) 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 a 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 cocktail 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.
The Star Dinner menu was as follows:
- 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 (better than I had expected), 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 also able to capture a few photos. The crew also spotted bottlenose dolphins, but unfortunately, we were unable 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 (on January 18, 1778). This was the first recorded contact between Europeans and Polynesians.
Cook initially named the islands the “Sandwich Islands” after the Earl of Sandwich. Later that voyage, he visited other islands, including Hawaiʻi 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 diesel engines were quieter). We were very fortunate with the weather, as it was raining on Kauai (but not during our cruise).
Wednesday, December 24, 2025
I woke at 07:00 after hearing my alarm. I showered and dressed. We decided to try the Jammin' Banana Bakery & Cafe's scrambled eggs (instead of our usual plain Greek yogurt with berries). I purchased two scrambled egg combos and two cappuccinos. It took 15+ minutes to make the eggs, and the cappuccinos were cold by the time the eggs were ready. Next time, we will stick with plain Greek yogurt with berries for breakfast.
On Kalapaki Beach, I saw many wing foilers already on the water, due to the high tide at 6:00, but the wind was lighter than on Tuesday. I rented my usual 9'8" NSP 160-liter SUP and paddled out into the bay.
I had an excellent two-hour SUP surfing session, capturing a few clips with my chest-mounted GoPro Hero 11 Mini. (I used the Gemini-recommended video settings for the GoPro Hero 11).
GoPro Hero11 Core Video Settings
Aspect Ratio: 8:7 (This is the "Full Sensor" mode. It captures the most vertical information, which is critical for SUP so you can see both your feet/board and the horizon without choosing one or the other.
Resolution: 5.3K (Highest detail; allows you to crop into 4K later for Instagram or YouTube without losing quality.)
Frame Rate: 60 fps (Gives you smooth motion and the ability to slow down your footage by 2x for those "milky" wave-face shots.)
Digital Lens: Wide (In 8:7 mode, this is the most natural view for capturing the scale of the wave.)
HyperSmooth: On or AutoBoost (Essential for the vibration of the board hitting the water.)
ProTune Settings (The "Secret Sauce")
To get that vibrant Kauai look while preventing the bright sun from washing out the sky and water:
Setting Recommendation Why? Bit Rate High Maximum data for the best image quality. 10-Bit Color On Smoother gradients in the sky and ocean; prevents "banding." EV Comp -0.5 Critical. Protects the highlights (clouds/white water) from being blown out. White Balance 5500K (or Auto) 5500K is "daylight" and keeps colors consistent; Auto is fine for beginners. ISO Min/Max 100 / 400 Keeps the image clean. In bright Kauai sun, you don't need high ISO. Sharpness Medium Low is better for pro editing; Medium looks great "out of the box." Color Natural Keeps the Kauai greens and blues realistic without being oversaturated.
For lunch, I drove to Fish Express to purchase freshly prepared poke. I selected the following poke bowls:
- Boris: Sushi rice with 3 scoops of poke: Spicy Ahi, Ahi with Maui Onion, Ahi with Crabs
- Inna: Organic greens with 3 scoops of poke: Spicy Ahi, Ahi with Maui Onion, Ahi with Crabs
I also stopped by Costco to pick up another container of plain Greek yogurt (we were running a bit low) and would run out soon. In addition, I briefly stopped by Target to pick up two candles to mark my mom's and mother-in-law's passing many years ago.
Inna had made plans for a 2.5-hour guided tour of the beautiful Allerton Gardens, and we needed to start driving at 13:45 to arrive by 14:30. Once there, we parked our car and applied mosquito repellent, as we were told that mosquitoes were quite numerous. (The mosquito repellent worked as we did not get bitten. Note, we brought a water bottle along, which was very handy.
🌿 What It Is
Allerton Garden (also called Lāwa‘i-kai) is a world-class botanical garden on Kauai’s south shore, part of the nonprofit National Tropical Botanical Garden system. It sits beside Lāwaʻi Bay in a lush valley carved by Lāwaʻi Stream. The garden blends breathtaking tropical flora with artistic landscape design and historical layers. Wikipedia+1
🌺 History & Background
The valley where Allerton Garden now stands was once a retreat for Hawaiian royalty — Queen Emma of Hawaii lived here briefly in the 1800s, and her bougainvillea plantings can still be seen. Hawaii Files
In 1937–38, Robert Allerton and his adopted son/architect John Gregg Allerton purchased the property and transformed it into a richly designed garden estate filled with tropical plants collected from around the world, statuary, water features, fountains, and artful “garden rooms.” Wikipedia+1
After the Allertons passed away, the property became part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, ensuring its preservation and public access. Wikipedia
🌴 What You’ll See
Allerton Garden is known for:
Intricate garden “rooms” – thoughtfully designed plantings, pools, and water features that feel like intimate spaces within the larger garden. Go Hawaii
A towering Moreton Bay fig tree with enormous roots — famously featured in Jurassic Park and several other films. Premier Kauai
Golden bamboo groves, heliconias, gingers, palms, and other vibrant tropical plants. Premier Kauai
Sculptures, fountains, reflecting pools, and artistic elements set into the natural landscape. Go Hawaii
🎬 Pop Culture
The garden has been used as a film location for major movies and TV shows — including Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean, Magnum P.I., and others — thanks to its dramatic, cinematic scenery.
📅 Visiting & Tours
Guided tours are the primary way visitors experience Allerton Garden. These tours are about 2.5 hours long, richly narrated, and take you through hidden corners of the garden with insights into plants, design, and history. National Tropical Botanical Garden
There are special experiences like sunset tours and twilight garden tours that explore quieter, magical times of day and sometimes include areas not seen on standard tours. Hawaii Adventure Center
The gardens are typically open Tuesday through Saturday, and reservations in advance are recommended. Premier Kauai
🌿 Tips for Visiting
Wear comfortable walking shoes — paths can be uneven and involve a bit of walking. National Tropical Botanical Garden
Bring water, sunscreen, and insect repellent for a comfortable tour. Hawaii Adventure Center
Arrive early to enjoy the cooler morning light and quieter ambiance.
🌼 Nearby Gardens
Allerton Garden sits alongside National Tropical Botanical Garden’s McBryde Garden, which focuses more on conservation, native Hawaiian species, and self-guided walking paths — so you can easily combine both in a single visit.
After visiting the gardens, we stopped by to see the famous Spouting Horn, nearby (and the beautiful sunset).
For dinner, Inna reserved the Table at Popu for 18:15. Once we arrived, we had to wait for about 20 minutes before being seated, as the hostess was busy.
Once seated, service was exceedingly slow. We almost thought about paying for drinks and leaving. We reluctantly ordered the following items:
- Drinks: Virgin Mojito Minor, Koloa Mai Tai
- Appetizer: House Salad
- Boris: Blackened Ahi
- Inna: Macademia Nut Baked Ono
- Dessert: Bailey's Cheesecake
My Blackened Ahi was well prepared. Inna's Macnut Baked Ono was also decent. Bailey's Cheesecake was also pretty good (with a generous portion). However, table service was exceedingly slow, and the whole dinner took an hour longer than necessary. I don't recommend Table at Popu if you are in a hurry.
Thursday, December 25, 2025
Mele Kalikimaka! ("Merry Christmas" in Hawaiian)
I woke at 07:00 after hearing my alarm. I showered, shaved, and dressed. Being Christmas, I was not sure whether the Jammin' Banana Bakery & Cafe would be open. Luckily, it was, and I ordered two 16-oz cappuccinos. Inna quickly made breakfast with plain organic Greek yogurt and various berries.
On Kalapaki Beach, I saw many wing foilers already on the water, due to the high tide at 6:00, but the wind was lighter than on Wednesday. I rented my usual 9'8" NSP 160-liter SUP and paddled out into the bay.
I had another excellent two-hour SUP surfing session, capturing a few clips with my chest-mounted GoPro Hero 11 Mini. It was one of my best days for catching waves, but it started to get very busy by 11:00, and I had to be extra careful not to run into other surfers.
Here is another GoPro Hero 11 mini video recording of my SUP surfing on Kalapaki Beach:
For lunch, I drove to Fish Express to purchase freshly prepared poke. I selected the following poke bowls:
- I Boris: Sushi rice with 3 scoops of poke: Spicy Ahi, Ahi with Maui Onion, Ahi with Crabs
- Inna: Organic greens with 3 scoops of poke: Spicy Ahi, Ahi with Maui Onion, Ahi with Crabs
We sat on our balcony, at #306 overlooking the beautiful Nawilliwilli Bay and enjoying the delicious Hawaiian poke.
We noticed an NCL Pride of America cruise ship was in port (from 09:00). It was planned to stay overnight and depart at 17:30 on December 26, 2025.
After lunch, we returned to the beach, where I read 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith on my Kindle. At some point, Inna and I did another ocean swim (for about 20 minutes).
Inna had made prior dinner reservations at The Beach House in Poipu for 17:45, and we started our drive at 17:00, arriving right on time. It was very difficult to find parking, but I managed to find a space a few blocks away on the road.
Our waitress, Michaela, was amazing and made us feel right at home. She made excellent suggestions, and we ordered the following items from the dinner menu:
- Drinks: Mokeypod Mai Tai, Draft Lighthouse Lager
- Appetizer: Goat Cheese Salad, Small Focaccia
- Main: Surf & Turf Duo (split)
- Dessert: Lemon Ricotta Cake, Chocolate Mochi Cake with Ice Cream
Inna's Monkeypod Mai Tai drink was very strong, and she felt slightly intoxicated after a few sips. The Goat Cheese Salad was small but delicious. The Surf & Turf Duo ( a combo of prime center-cut filet, sea scallops, mashed potatoes) was excellent and more than enough for the two of us.
For dessert, we tried the Lemon Ricotta Pancake, but it was awful. Michaela, our wonderful waitress, took it back, and we tried the Chocolate Mochi Cake, which was slightly better (at least the ice cream was delicious). Next time, skip desserts at the Beach House.
Friday, December 26, 2025
I woke at 07:00 after hearing my alarm. I showered and dressed. I stopped by Jammin' Banana Bakery & Cafe for two 16-oz cappuccinos. Inna quickly made breakfast with plain organic Greek yogurt and various berries. The organic raspberries from Costco seemed to be going bad.
On Kalapaki Beach, I decided to try the BIC 9'6" 140-liter SUP, but it was too hard to maintain balance on it. After struggling for 30-minutes, I paddled back and rented my usual 9'8" NSP 160-liter SUP and paddled out into the bay.
I had another excellent two-hour SUP surfing session. The waves were smaller than on Thursday, and there were many beginner surfing lessons on the way. It was a good day for catching waves, but it started to get very busy by 11:00, and I had to be extra careful not to run into other surfers.
For lunch, I drove to Fish Express to purchase freshly prepared poke. I selected the following poke bowls. I also stopped by Texaco to fill up my Kia Forte (so that I could return it to Avis tomorrow afternoon). (Note, gasoline prices on Kauai are similar to California, at $4.95/gallon; it cost me $36 to fill up 1/2 tank of my Kia Forte).
- Boris: Sushi rice with 3 scoops of poke: Spicy Ahi, Ahi with Maui Onion, Ahi with Crabs
- Inna: Organic greens with 3 scoops of poke: Spicy Ahi, Ahi with Maui Onion, Ahi with Crabs
We sat on our balcony, at #306 overlooking the beautiful Nawilliwilli Bay and enjoying the delicious Hawaiian poke. We had avocado toppings available today.
After lunch, we stopped by for two cappuccinos and banana bread at Jammin' Banana Bakery & Cafe. The banana bread was delicious (and the cappuccinos were delicious as usual).
I decided to SUP surf some more, while Inna returned to the beach. I surfed the NSP 9'8" for another hour. The surfing area of Nawilliwillio Bay was extremely crowded with surfers, kayakers, and wing foilers. I had some difficulty catching waves and navigating around all the surfers.
I returned to the beach and joined Inna, resting, relaxing, and reading. I completed 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith and started the next book in the series: Espresso Tales.
Inna had made dinner reservations at Duke's Canoe Club for 17:45, and we walked there. While we walked to Duke's, we saw the NCL Pride of America cruise ship departing from Nawilliwilli Harbor.
After being seated upstairs, with a view of the bay, we looked at the menu and ordered the following from our Canadian waiter:
- Drinks: Volcano (non-alcoholic), Duke's Mai Tai
- Appetizer: Coconut Shrimp
- Boris: Coconut Braised Seafood (shrimp, fish, lobster)
- Inna: Coconut Braised Seafood (shrimp, fish, lobster)
- Dessert: Hulu Pie
Duke's Mai Tai was excellent, but the Volcano (non-alcoholic version of Lava Flow) was too sweet. The Coconut Shrimp appetizer was delicious (5 large shrimp). The Coconut Braised Seafood was excellent, too. We ordered the gigantic Hulu Pie as our final dessert, and it was fabulous (and full of calories).
The local band (which normally starts playing at 18:00 finally started around 18:30 with "Island Style" by John Cruz. It was a very nice "twangy" rendition of the song, perfect for an acoustic guitar.
After dinner, we walked for 2 miles to burn off some calories and help our digestion. Returning to our room, we started packing for our departure tomorrow.
Saturday, December 27, 2025
I woke at 07:00 after hearing my alarm. I showered, shaved, and dressed. I stopped by Jammin' Banana Bakery & Cafe for two 16-oz cappuccinos. Inna quickly made breakfast with plain organic Greek yogurt and various berries.
We had to check out of the room by 10:00. As our Alaska flight departs at 16:45, we decided to put our luggage into storage and use the complimentary host room to shower & change before the flight.
After our usual breakfast of yogurt and berries, we packed our luggage and took it to the bell desk for storage. While Inna went to sit by the pool, I decided to SUP Surf one last time (for about an hour).
Although the waves were a bit small, I managed to catch a few nice rides.
I returned the NPS 9'8" SUP and joined Inna on the beach. After resting, we decided to eat an early lunch at Duke's. I ordered the cheeseburger (as fish & chips was using marlin instead of Ahi), and Inna ordered the fish.
After lunch, we returned to Kalapaki Beach for a 30-minute swim and a short stint at the large pool.
At around 14:00, we decided to use the owner's suite to change out of our swimsuits into our travel clothes for a long flight back to San Jose, California. At 14:45, we picked up our luggage and loaded our Kia Forte. We drove about 10-minutes to Lihue Airport, where I dropped off the car at the AVIS Car Rental.
We quickly went through security and waited for our Alaska Airlines direct flight to San Jose. The flight boarded on time, at 16:05. We took off at 16:50 and landed in San Jose at 10 past midnight PST.
The flight was very smooth. Although we were given a few snacks and drinks, I liked the dinner that was served to first-class passengers. The economy premium section we were sitting in did not get any dinner served.
I ordered Lyft.com to take us home (as UberX was charging twice as much). I couldn't believe how cold it was outside. After 72 degrees Fahrenheit on Kauai, 42 degrees Fahrenheit felt awfully cold.
Kauai Trip Review
Highlights
- SUP surfing on Kalapaki Beach/Nawilliwilli Bay
- Touring the amazing Allerton Gardens
- Seeing the spectacular Na Pali Coast with Captain Andy's Kauai Boat Tours
- Dining at the following fine restaurants:
- Eating fresh Hawaiian Poke from Fish Express
- Enjoying the beautiful Kalapaki Beach, with a beautiful view of Nawilliwilli Bay
- Relaxing and swimming on Kalapaki Beach
- Listening to live Hawaiian music at Duke's Canoe Club and at Hualani
Lowlights
- When cruise ships arrive (almost daily), the beach gets overrun with cruise passengers.
- Not being able to check out late (13:00 would make it so much easier)
Links
- Airlines
- Car Rental
- Costco Travel
- AVIS Car Rental
- Shopping
- Costco
- Hotels
- Marriott Kauai Beach Club (in Lihue)
- Restaurants & Cafes
- Hualani (excellent food, service, live music)
- The Beach House (excellent food & service, skip dessert)
- Naisla Kitchen & Cocktails (excellent, but noisy)
- Duke's Canoe Club (live nightly music, Hulu pie)
- Fish Express (fresh Hawaiian poke for lunch)
- Jammin' Banana Bakery & Cafe (cappuccinos, breakfast)
- Table at Popu (very slow service)
- SUP Rentals
- Kauai Beach Boys (SUP rentals)
- Activities
- Allerton Gardens (world-class gardens)
- Captain Andy's Kauai Boat Tours
- Spouting Horn
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