A/C
All three bedrooms at Aikane Kauai have wall mounted air conditioners. The units however are rarely used for several reasons. First, I designed the home to take advantage of the prevailing trade winds with lots of jalousie windows and good cross ventilation. Second, the picture windows have thermal glass and the home is fully insulated. And lastly, all the rooms have high quality ceiling fans. All together, it really is a comfortable place to stay.

AIR TOURS
I personally do not recommend any air tours (helicopter, ultra-light, etc.). There is so much to see by car, hiking and sail boat.

BIKES
Outfitters Kauai rents bikes. They are located between Koloa Town and Poipu.

The roads here are generally narrow and the shoulders not always well maintained. There is some great single track mountain biking.

DISCOUNTS
I offer last minute discounts to fill gaps at Aikane Kauai. For example, if there is an open slot in the schedule within 30 days of arrival, I would be happy to offer a discount. Let me know if you want to be put on my special alert email list.

EARLY ARRIVALS AND LATE CHECK OUTS
An early check in may be fine. You are welcome to phone me at 808-742-1778 on your arrival day or send me your cell phone # so we can phone you as soon as it's ready. We can have part of the house ready so you can drop your gear off, change clothes and head to the beach with the boogie boards, beach chairs, etc. The house will be ready for sure by 3pm.

You are welcome to check out as late as you like if there is no one arriving the night of your departure. If there is a party arriving, I'll find out my arriving guests' arrival time then I can let you know how far past 10am (11am for the cottage) we can push your checkout time. It is best to phone me at 808-742-1778 while you're here as by then I can tell you for certain. Many times it works out. Guests leaving on a night flight often book to include the night of departure to have the guarantee.

KIDS/BABY STUFF
Aikane Kauai is an excellent choice for the little ones. The house is one of the closest to Poipu Beach Park with a protected lagoon and newer playground equipment with a spongy ground surface. There is a baby gate for the stairs, a pak-n-play crib and a high chair at the house. There are also little boogie boards and beach toys.

Contact Ready Rentals if you would like to rent cribs or other things. You can make arrangements directly with them for which type of crib you prefer. They will deliver and pick up.

For baby sitting, phone Jody Ascuena at 808-742-1467. Jody has a book of references, is a long-time Kauai resident and lives in Poipu.

LOCATION
Is there any construction going on near the house?

None. There is a project underway about a mile west of the house.

How about traffic?

Aikane Kauai is on a short cul-de-sac no where near any busy highways. There is a condo project across the two-lane road, single-family homes in front and behind and a very small and excellent Italian restaurant up the road.

The ride from Lihue to Poipu at the 7am to 9am or 3pm to 5pm  peak rush hours add about 10 minutes to a typical 20-25 minute ride.

CAR or 4WD?
Aikane Kauai and the Cottage are about 25 minutes or 12 miles from the airport. Steve at South Shore Cab and Limo 808-635-0312 told me in 2010 that a ride from the airport to the house costs about $50. Once you're at the house there are 3 beaches, 3 restaurants, a deli and a surf/beach ware shop within five minute walks. A public bus stop is about a third of a mile from the house.

A car is essential if staying at the Cozy Kauai Cottage.

I'd highly recommend a car to get to some of the other interesting places on Kauai such as the Waimea Canyon and the more remote beaches east of the house. You really don't need a 4WD unless you want to get to Polihale in the winter and some of the Kokee back roads.

CAR RENTALS

The cheapest places I've heard of to rent cars here is at http://rentacarkauai.com/ or  discounthawaiicarrentals.com

Disclaimer: I have not rented from these companies and have no affiliation with any company listed.

DIVING
There is very good diving on Kauai, especially around the Poipu area and also a number of dive companies. Poipu is also one of the best snorkeling areas. There is a dive shop nearby in Koloa: The Scuba Shop, phone 808-742-6522.

FISHING
For deep sea fishing try http://www.kaibear.com/

I’d recommend you wait until you get here to book and see what’s happening with the weather. If you need lures, check out http://www.markwhitelures.com/

You can shore fish just about from the house. Waves can sometimes be a hazard with the biggest ones coming in every 20 minutes or longer.

FARMERS MARKETS
Check out the Sunshine Farmers Markets, a local farmers' co‑op held outdoors around the island every day. You'll find the best from the local farms: lettuces, beautiful fresh cut flowers, bananas, papayas, herbs, squashes, legumes, you name it. The markets are open for two hours. Be sure to get there early.

All directions are from Aikane Kauai.

 FRESH FISH
Koloa has a fish market across the street from the post office. Try their seared ahi and take out lunches. A favorite place to buy fresh fish is Fish Express in Lihue. You will find them on the mauka (mountain) side of Kuhio Hwy 56 across from Wal-mart. Call ahead to check the catch. 808-245-9918. They also have sushi and other prepared foods. Ishihara Market on the west side in Waimea Town is another good choice.

KAYAKS
There are several companies that rent single and double kayaks. Outfitters Kauai (ph. 808-742-9667) is the closest. There are several companies that will deliver your kayak to the Wailua River which is very nice. Don't go on a windy or rainy day.

LIBRARY
The public library is located about a mile and a half from the house on the Poipu side of Koloa town. You'll pass right by it on your right as you leave Koloa heading for Poipu. It is on the elementary school campus. Here's how to get a card. They have computers to use along with a nice collection of DVD's and of course, books.

LUAU
I've heard Smith's is the best and the one at Kilohana is also very good. They seem a bit pricey but can be a lot of fun. I'd avoid the front row and too much alcohol unless the idea of a hula lesson on stage with cameras rolling sounds like fun.

MUST SEE/DO
Here are some of my favorite things to do on Kauai;

From the house, walk down to the ocean then right on Pe’e Road for about a quarter mile. Cut through the Embassy Suites parking lot to the coastal path which runs in front of the Hyatt and Shipwreck Beach then along the bluffs continuing east for miles. There are several more beaches along the way. Another option is to drive and park at Shipwrecks and walk from there.

There is good snorkeling by the house. Best and safest conditions are in the protected bay between Poipu Beach Park and the Marriott, a 5 to 10 minute walk. There is also another protected bay about a mile west toward Spouting Horn in front of the Beach House Restaurant.

The Na Pali coast is spectacular! 3 ways to enjoy;

1. Drive north to the end of the road and park at Ke’e Beach and take the 2 mile hike to Hanakapiai Beach from there. You may have to park in the overflow lot about a quarter mile before the beach. I also really like going to the waterfall 2 miles inland from Hanakapiai but it is usually a muddy trail. Caveats: Hankapiai Beach can be super dangerous with currents. Be careful going across the stream there.

2. View from the Kalalau lookout at Kokee State Park. There are 2 lookouts. There is a nice trail from the the second lookout, about another mile or so from the first. Take Pihea along the ridge for a mile. I also really enjoy taking Pihea to the Alakai Swamp Trail and out to the end on clear days. The views are spectacular if not cloudy. It is a demanding trail but not too bad. It’s been a favorite since my kids were little and we’d all enjoy it, mud and all!

3. The deluxe and most beautiful way is by boat. I’ve gone with Captain Andy a number of times and it’s always fun.

Waimea Canon is also excellent. You can see much just from the road. Favorite hikes are Waipo'o Falls and Awa'awapuhi.

For adventure and zip lines, check out Outfitters Kauai. My son guided for them for a couple years and I’ve been on the kayak, hike, zip line tour with my daughter. Really fun!

I've also gone on Captain Andy's Sailing Adventures a number of times and always have a great time.

You are welcome to phone me any time for more ideas. My local number is 808-742-1778.

PLACES TO AVOID
Queen's Bath (injuries, rogue waves)
Kipu Falls (injuries, drowning, car break-ins)

Use extreme caution at: Hanakapi'ai Beach/Na Pali coast, Lumahai Beach and Polihale. All are known for super strong currents and serious undertows. None of these have lifeguards.

All beaches on Kauai can be safe and all can be treacherous at times. Usually it's obvious but not always. Sometimes the biggest waves are 30 minutes or more between intervals.

Air tours of any kind.

GROCERIES
First of all, the house will be stocked with some of the basics for your arrival (i.e. soap, paper products). For groceries and other supplies, the most convenient stop and widest selection between the airport and the house is at the Kukui Grove Shopping Center. This will be on your left about a quarter mile out of Lihue on your way to Poipu. This is the home of Times Supermarket, Longs Drug Store, Macy's, CostCo, and K‑mart among others.

There are three regular grocery stores in the Koloa-Poipu area. Big Save/IGA Grocery is the biggest of the three. Turn left at the intersection where Highway 520 (Maluhia Road) meets Koloa and go 2 blocks. Big Save will be on the right. This is the opposite direction to Poipu and the house.

Part of the south side charm are the smaller "Mom & Pop" run businesses such as Sueoka Store and Kukuiula Store. Sueoka's is straight ahead where Highway 520 meets Koloa. Kukuiula Store is in a small strip center on Poipu Road about half way between Koloa and Poipu. It will be on your right. These are my favorites. The smaller grocery stores compete well on price and usually have very nice locally grown produce and also fresh fish. Most food is imported and very expensive no matter where purchased in the islands.

Brennecke's is a mini sundries store located right across the road from Poipu Beach Park. They also sell other essentials such as shave ice, sunscreen, cold drinks, beer, wine, sandwiches and muffins.

Kauai's Safeway is in Kapaa in the Kauai Shopping Village. Kapaa is about 45 minutes from the house. All stores here usually have some fresh fish. 

Health Food Stores
Poipu
Living Foods

West Side
Happy Mangos in Waimea

Kapaa and Hanalei
Papayas Natural Foods

RESORT AMENITIES
I understand the tradeoffs between a private vacation home and a resort with a pool and tennis courts. One consideration is our proximity to beach. Once you walk out of the house at Aikane Kauai, walk past 2 homes and you are at the ocean. Turn right and walk past 3 more homes to get to the first of a string of beaches. The first one is Brennecke's Beach which is more exposed and often great for body boarding. The next one is Poipu Beach which is a protected bay a very short walk across the lawn past a few picnic tables and playground equipment. After that you’ll find a bigger bay which is great for for snorkeling and swimming and is also protected. A lifeguard is stationed at Poipu Beach.

There are no public pools in the area. You'll find public tennis courts in Koloa where my kids and I play.

RESTAURANTS
Here are a few descriptions of what I think are some of the better places to eat. There is a binder at the house filled with menus.

For personal recommendations, I like Casa di Amici and it’s only a block inland from the house. Brenneckes Beach Broiler is 3 blocks from the house. The Beach House Restaurant is 5 minutes west and is on the water. A bit pricey but they have the best location. Best for sunset dining. Roy’s for gourmet dining and Keoki’s Paradise restaurants are also good in their categories. Merrimans downstairs for drinks and appetizers is very nice too. Another favorite is Brick Oven Pizza about 15 minutes away.

For truly local style food there are a couple places in Lihue: Garden Island Barbeque (lunch and dinner) and Kauai Pasta. Menus and addresses are in the house binder.

Here is a review link.

SENDING PAYMENT
Apprehension about sending payment ahead is completely understandable. I'd be concerned too! This was one of the first items addressed when I started vacation bookings in 2001 so I set up this page to let people know more about me and also include several references.

I’m also a member of the Poipu Beach Resort Association and the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.

And I’m listed in the Lonely Planet Kauai Guidebook (2009 edition) as an Editor’s Choice :)

Here is one of the sites that I’ve advertised with for 7+ years. The testimonials are supplied by guests and below that you’ll see the "owner supplied" testimonials which are transcribed out of the house guest book.

Additional ways to verify are by phone land line (808-742-1778) and physical address: 3794-D Omao Road, Koloa, HI 96756. This is nowhere near Nigeria ;-)

Aikane Kauai and the Cozy Cottage are locally owned and professionally managed with integrity, aloha and deep roots on Kauai.

SURF
Here's the link I go to for surf forecasting

The best place for board rentals is Nukumoi Surf Shop.

There are about a dozen breaks on the south side. The closest to Aikane is Waiohai (in front of the Marriott Waiohai Hotel). It is a right and left hander and would be on the softer intermediate side. It is one of the most consistent spots. There is also a fairly easy left in the same bay but tends to be fickle. There is also First Break which is thick right outside of Waiohai. There are a few others a mile west of the house. All depend on wind, tide and swell intensity.

TENNIS COURTS
The closest courts are at Kiahuna Swim & Tennis Club,
2290 Poipu Road, about a half mile from the house. Phone (808) 742-9533 for rate details.

My kids and I play at Koloa Park where you'll find 2 lighted courts. The courts are located on Maluhia Road (tree tunnel road), just outside of Koloa, heading east toward Lihue. They'll be on your right.

TIMESHARE
Walking around as a tourist in Kauai, you are almost guaranteed to run into a timeshare salesman. Don't be surprised if they try to pull you into a tour and sales presentation by offering you a free vacation, plane tickets, activity vouchers or gift certificates to local restaurants. While these free incentives can be tempting, you must ask yourself if it's really worth wasting 4-5 hours of your vacation listening to a high-pressure sales pitch. Plus, if you are actually interested in buying a timeshare here, you can find timeshare resales on many for-sale-by-owner websites and get the same property for half the price.

TSUNAMI
Hawaii has occasional natural disasters in the form of tsunamis and hurricanes. We were under a tsunami warning on March 10/11, 2011 after a devastating earthquake off Japan. There were no reports of damage on Kauai at all, only a 1.6 foot wave. We had over 6 hours of prep time.

Aikane Kauai is in a fine place if the event it had been a bad one here as the house is just beyond the tsunami zone according to the civil defense map.

The Cozy Cottage and my own home are 3 miles from the coast. I also keep a good stock of water and food on hand and would gladly open my home whenever needed. Everyone who is in Hawaii on the first working day of each month at 11.45am is familiar with siren testing and all worked as designed.

WEDDINGS
For Poipu hotels try the Hyatt Regency Poipu 808-742-1234 or Sheraton Kauai 808-742-1661. The Marriot is 20 minutes east and has a small chapel (808-260-5050).

For wedding photographers, I recommend Linc Rydell and Justin Bundschuh.

WEATHER
The weather is generally sunny in Poipu year-round. Temperatures should range from high 60's at night to low 80's during the day. We do get occasional showers and storm systems. One of the reasons Poipu was identified as the #1 beach in America by Dr. Beach (http://www.topbeaches.com/) was for the number of sunny days. http://2kauai.com/kauai_weather.htm

WILD LIFE
As with all tropical areas, we do get mosquitoes and other harmless bugs sometimes but they really aren't a problem. I've spent countless evenings enjoying sunsets, meals and conversation with family and friends on the lanai without bother. I make it a point not to have any standing water on the property.

We do a very minimal amount of bug spraying to provide you with a healthier home. The best way to deal with bugs is to keep the screen doors closed, wipe counters and not leave food out.

Local tip: Smearing a lime wedge on your skin acts has a great mosquito repellent.

The house has always been pet free. Additionally, I've been conscientious about making this a low allergen environment.

Why stay on the South Shore?
While the north shore is very beautiful, Poipu is the sunnier side of the island. It is centrally located giving you quick access to several beaches within very near walking distance, beautiful coastal walks along the wild Mahaluepu Coastline just east of the house, and shopping and dining nearby. The nearby beaches offer good swimming and snorkeling even in the winter when the famously large surf rolls in to the north coast. The lush North Shore is an hour to the NE and remote beaches, spectacular vistas and hiking at Polihale, Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park are to the west and north in the opposite direction. Imagine driving to the canyon if you were staying on the north shore; it's about 2 hours each way!

Why stay at Aikane Kauai Vacation Home?
I understand the challenge of picking the absolutely best home for the value when there are quite a few to choose from and the problem that some vacation home web sites are intentionally misleading. Here are some thoughts;

1. Rates: My rates are among the lowest in the area for such a nice newer ocean view home by a variety great beaches. Since I am the owner/manager, I decided to offer my home for a good value that people will want to return to and also recommend to their friends. Most of my bookings are returning guests and their friends.

2. Location: The house is among the handful by the beach. You won't have to drive to get to the beach from my place. Kauai has a lot of great coastline but many rocky stretches. There are a number of other homes in the area but farther inland or up on the crater. Also consider whether the home borders an arterial road or a construction site? My home is on a quiet dead-end side road with no construction nearby.

3. The house: My website purposely shows photos of the kitchen, several rooms, actual view, and surrounding area. My place is light, open and cool. It is fully insulated and has great ventilation for the tradewind days and has a/c units in the bedrooms for the occasional still nights. The house also comes fully equipped with boogie boards, beach chairs, beach umbrellas, snorkel gear, free wireless internet and lots more, about everything you may need for a great relaxing stay.

4. Me as a personal resource. You are welcome to phone me anytime for ideas and suggestions on how to get the most out of your stay. I am a life long resident and business owner. My references are posted and I have a personal stake in making sure you and your family and friends have a great time on Kauai and get good value for your money.

Convenience, location and value. All things considered it really is a great place to stay!

WINDSURF
Ted and Crystal at Sea Star Kauai (808-332-8189) for rentals. They are located a couple miles inland of Poipu. I've known Ted for many years as one of the original windsurf pioneers on Kauai. He would be able to tell you about all the spots. There is another company on the north shore-Windsurf Kauai (808-828-6838).

Kauai Vacation Rentals at Poipu Beach. Locally owned and professionally managed by Chris White, dba Kauai Vacation Properties®.