I always had this notion that Hawaii would be the ultimate place on earth and I had to feed this fantasy. I`ve fed this beast twice now and I`m a believer. Its really that good. Now don`t get the idea that Waikiki is what I`m talking about. Waikiki feels like Florida and thats not good. But Maui and Kauai are different animals altogether. And I`ll tell you why?

I arrive in sunny Poipu on the south side of Kauai and settle into a rented house. We`re here with friends and family for a month. And our first stop will be Brennecke Beach to snorkel with Sea Turtles and Monk Seals. No shite! My buddy holds onto a giant sea turtle that takes him for a ride. (totally illegal and inappropriate but we are newbys and we soon understand the reverence for marine life in Hawaii can`t allow this behavior)  I snorkel among colorful fish and notice a monk seal (almost as large as me) slide by and crawl up on the beach. He settles down among the beach crowd and suns for the rest of the day. No shite! Apparently they are birthing this year and quite often come onto shore among travellers to rest. Lifeguards immediately build barriers around them to serve and protect another endangered species but it sure is cool sharing a beach with creatures that elude Tiger sharks every day.

We aren`t there long before we start to count Humpback Whales that are constantly breaching nearby. This is truly awesome though we start to take it for granted after hourly sightings. Later in the trip my friends will encounter a Whale rising beside their boat that literally makes eye contact within 5 feet of his captive audience. This they will never forget. I missed this supernatural event because I was diving the Sheraton Cavern surrounded by giant Sea Turtles. And I mean surrounded. Four divers and 5 prehistoric gargantuan Turtles sharing a space just large enough. After this dive we spotted dolphins and all jumped into the water in snorkel gear. As I swam above them I saw so many dolphins swimming together that I lost count. A cloud of dolphins. Just another day in paradise.

Try the beaches. The Sheraton beach is great for body surfing and swimming. Try Brennecke for snorkelling, surfing, whale watching and happy hour. And save Mahaulepu beach for a special time. Its a gorgeous, pristine and timeless piece of coastline that you need to walk endlessly. The rugged shoreline beyond the beautiful beach is part of the attraction.

Another day we drive up to the Waimea Canyon and hike the very manageable Cliff trail. (there are 14 or 15 different trails to hike and I might have to try them all)  This canyon is often described as the grand Canyon of the Pacific. Its phenomenal. A piece of nature`s artistry carved out of the most ancient of the Hawaiian islands. And the Cliff trail is a fine entry into the miracle of planet earth. From the Cliff you can see out into the Napali coastline which might be the highlight (if you can pick one!) of this fantasy island. By the way, the old TV series "Fantasy Island" was filmed on Kauai and we visited the famous waterfall that backfilled the show.

The Napali coastline is an inspiration. It is a majestic and timeless piece of natural art that I doubt is duplicated anywhere on planet earth.We hiked the Kalalau trail along this coastline for a hands on view of the best of this island (you can access this trail from the north side of the island) We accessed it for a full frontal in your face view via a Catamaran boat tour but we also saw it later in the "ultimate helicopter tour". If you can stand it, do a condo tour (they offer them constantly) and get a 2 for 1 rate on the copter tour for your pain and suffering. This is the aesthetic ride of your life. It`ll cover the Napali coastline, Waimea Canyon and anything else including a vertical ascent to the wettest spot on terra firma (a mountain in the center of the island that has been measured as the wettest spot on earth).