“Puff the Magic Dragon Lived by the Sea and Frolicked in the Autumn Mist in A Land Called Hanalei”.
Our guests will head to the North Shore, where they’ll enjoy the tour of their choice in Hanalei…Biking, Kayaking or Snorkeling.
Then, we’ll gather at “Kauikeolani”, a private estate for lunch, lawn games, relaxation and camaraderie for our special day on the North Shore in “A Land Called Hanalei”.
Hanalei Bicycle Beach Cruise
Departing from the Kayak Kauai Outbound shop in Hanalei, this three hour “soft pedal” guided tour takes in the manicured grounds of
Wai‘oli with its quaint church and mission house. Gaze “mauka” towards the sculptured Namolokama Range and count the many cascading
waterfalls. It is for the beauty of Hanalei that Puff the Magic Dragon lives here and why his home has been a favorite for many
Hollywood settings. Lower your gaze and a quiltwork of green iridescent taro patches provide secure havens for waterbirds such as
the Hawaiian Stilt and the Gallinule.
Hanalei imbibes an endless supply of fresh water. Makai, towards the sea, we cruise past graceful island homes to the expansive bay of Hanalei, summer home to a colorful fleet of sail boats and winter home of the big surf. Landmark Hanalei Pier, used as a set in the movie South Pacific, affords a grand perspective of the bay and the distant Bali Hai. Delight in a reviving swim.
Na Pali Snorkel Expedition
Ride in superior comfort as the 48-foot “Na Pali Explorer” takes you on a guided expedition along the Na Pali Coastline where
dolphins, green sea turtles and other marine life make their home. Enjoy a morning voyage offering excellent snorkeling and
swimming. Learn the fascinating history of Kaua‘i as told through myths and legends of the ancient Hawaiians and you’ll come to
understand why this island is known as “The Garden Island!”
Blue Lagoon Kayak Tour
A three hour guided tour along the most scenic Hanalei River and Bay Reef Lagoon accompanied by your charming water-borne natural
historians. This safe enjoyment of the land, water, fauna and flora are genuinely interpreted.
Highlights are a view of Bali Hai (Makana Peak) and the sweeping “South Pacific” panorama. Bird and turtle watch, snorkel and look for colorful reef fish. Wade by a sandy beach. The more adventurous can paddle out and surf kayak.
“Kauikeolani”
The historic plantation home of Albert Spencer Wilcox, successful turn-of-the-century sugar planter and fourth son of missionaries
Abner and Lucy Wilcox, stands as it has for a hundred years. Nestled amidst 75 acres of virgin Kaua’i land, hosting a swaying grove
of coconut palms planted by Albert himself, and two natural fish ponds stocked with mullet, Samoan crab and native shrimp, the
stately home looks out upon an arresting view of the Bay and beyond to its encircling wall of towering, deeply gullied mountains.
Listed on the Hawaiian Register of Historic Places, the sprawling residence is surrounded by a spacious lawn punctuated with a variety of palms, plumeria and other tropical shrubbery. The home consists of a meandering layout of seven bedrooms, five bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, library and parlor, as well as many sitting, storage and utility rooms. Almost all of the rooms open directly onto the breezy 12-foot-wide covered verandah with softly cushioned wicker benches, chairs and tables, and winds around three sides of the home and through its very center. There is no denying its inherent charm and plantation-style gentility.
The home came to be called “Kauikeolani” in honor of Albert’s wife Emma. In addition to the main home, the estate consists of cottages for servants’ quarters, a blacksmith shop, laundry house, boat house, and garage. Eventually, the Wilcox Estate became completely self-contained…with cows, pigs, chickens, fish, tropical fruits and vegetables for food, and even a windmill to pump water from the natural springs.
Narrated tours throughout the home and gardens will provide a relaxing view of days gone by.
