A Week Exploring the Coasts and Canyons of Kauai

We arrived in Kauai in mid-February 2020. The first day or two were spent adjusting, mostly at the resort pool under the palm trees and thatched umbrellas. It was sunny and warm, a complete shift from home, and a good way to settle in before we started really exploring.

Once we left the resort grounds, the landscape became much more rugged. We followed the coast, which was mostly volcanic rock and dramatic cliffs. The weather was changeable, shifting between bright sun and heavy cloud cover, which made the views feel different every time we stopped. The waves were constantly crashing against the shoreline, sending spray up into the misty air.

We also headed inland, away from the beaches. The highlight was hiking to a viewpoint overlooking a massive canyon. The scale was hard to capture, with layers of red earth and green vegetation dropping away steeply. A huge waterfall cascaded down the far wall of the canyon, a thin white ribbon against the immense landscape. It was a different world from the calm resort where we started the week.