Kauai Day 6: the Na Pali coast hike

self portrait while Josh talks with some French dude in the background
Aloha, it’s time for another Kauai blog entry! By gum, I might just finish out these posts by the time June is over, yippee-ki-yi-bloop! We are up to Day 6. Per my notes, on Day 6 we had breakfast from the Passion Bakery (guava bread rolls, mmmm…), then embarked on a 4 mile hike on the stunning Na Pali coast. Here’s a self-portrait with Josh talking and a French dude in the background. The French dude and the woman he was with had on matching outfits (what is with couples and matching outfits on vacation? Ugh), and they trailed behind us for much of the hike.

Joshy on the Na Pali coast hike
Joshy on the trail–the steep, ridiculously muddy trail. It’s a miracle that neither one of us fell during the course of this hike. We passed a middle-aged woman who had fallen and evidently sprained/broken her ankle. On the way back down, we witnessed a helicopter rescue pick her up. Ouch!

huge tropical plants
The Na Pali coast is ridiculously lush.

purple flowers
These purple flowers were lovely.

start of the hike
The start of the hike.

tropical scene with vines
I love the vines.

view from the helicopter landing mud
Standing on the helicopter “pad” (a square of mud), viewing the trail behind us.

the beautiful Na Pali coast
The further up the trail you hike, the more aqua the water becomes.

so much red mud
It’s been over a month, and the red mud stains still haven’t come out of our socks and hiking boots. Worth it? Yes.

Na Pali hike 1
Beautiful.

roots ferns and water
The hala trees have cool roots.

getting closer to the beach
Almost to the beach!

The hike is either 4 miles or 11 miles, and although my crazy husband was up for the 11 mile hike I wasn’t interested. Fortunately (or not?), the 11 mile hike was closed to due to flooding. Phew!

lush scene
We had to take off our shoes and cross a thigh-deep river to get to the beach…more about that later.

aqua waters
Siiiigh, so beautiful!

Coming up next: we make it the beach! An extremely good-looking Park Ranger! And not-so-great shave ice in Princeton!

2 thoughts on “Kauai Day 6: the Na Pali coast hike

  1. O, gawd it looks divoon!!! One day I am going to swan about Hawaii, I swear!
    A good looking Park Ranger?! Bring him ON!!!
    XXX

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