It's OFFICIAL: Kauai is GORGEOUS - BUT, St. John still RULES

[lpowmacback]

My husband, 20-year old son and I just returned from a magnificent 10-day vacation on Kauai.

While Kauai is absolutely drop-dead gorgeous & has awe-inspiring sights, vistas and great adventures to be had, it can't hold a candle to St. John!!!

St. John just has that INVITING feel - I think it's a combination of things for me.... the SIMPLY DIVINE SERENE BLUE-GREEN water (that is my "bliss"), the quaint, artsy, laid back feel - the PRISTINE BEACHES... ahhhh.... can't wait to start planning my return!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If anyone has any questions about Kauai, just ask.

PS, I'll be adding my Kauai photos on PBase in the next few days - so anyone interested can click on my link below and take a peek.

[sea-nile]

50 days until Kauai for me. I can't wait to see your photos. I am afraid that I will be comparing STJ to Kauai too, but I hope that I like it.

[lpowmacback]

Oh, sea-nile - you will love Kauai and not really compare it... it's different and has it's own beauty & charm for sure!

If you have any questions at all - ASK!

Lisa

[TropicAtHeart]

We love both Kauai and St. John. They are both beautiful in different ways. I think a lot of the enjoyment of a stay in Kauai comes from a variety of things. 1. Where and what type of place you stay. 2. What season you go. 3. If you really got out to see what's there (by hiking, helicopter, etc).

Kauai is BIG with most of it untamed. A helicopter tour is a must. Summer season is the best time to see blue water and great snorkeling on the northshore. Certain areas are comparable to St. John in snorkeling, but it has to be in the summer (no waves on the north). A big lush resort is fun to stay at in Kauai if you pick the right one. A "villa" is not the same as staying at one in St. John. Hiking in Kauai is the absolute best. To hike through actual tropical jungle along a cliff overlooking the Napali coast is unforgettable, but it safest in the summer.

[Maggy]

Thanks for the report. I would love to see some photos!

We spent our honeymoon in Kauai and I would love to go back one day. Sea-nile, you are going to love it, and you don't need to compare it to STJ. It's beautiful in another way.

Our highlight of the trip was a Zodiac trip outside the Na Pali coast. It was just beautiful and a real adventure.

Back then I was totally afraid of snorkeling, and blamed my contacts, so that I could stay in the boat. Talk about bad excuse

[chicagoans]

We're taking our first trip to Kauai in December.
I'm really looking forward to it, but a part of me wishes we were going back to STJ. (I was able to use miles to Kauai; couldn't make it happen to get to STT on miles.)

I have to put myself on a strict travel budget! We are starting the process of planning an addition on the house... and of course it has grown from a simple addition to be much bigger and an almost complete gut job. That would be my gut, looking at the numbers...

Sigh... why do I keep looking at villas?

[turtlegirl]

We're going to Kauai in 36 days for the 5th time! It's our favorite island, but we don't go in winter as it's rainy with huge waves. That's why we're trying STJ January 09.
I have a feeling I'll have 2 favorite islands after January!

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[TropicAtHeart]

We're going to Kauai in 36 days for the 5th time! It's our favorite island, but we don't go in winter as it's rainy with huge waves. That's why we're trying STJ January 09.
I have a feeling I'll have 2 favorite islands after January!

Yes, you'll be hooked once you vacation on St. John. It happened to the rest of us. Don't expect the dense lushness of gardens and waterfalls that you see in Kauai. But, you'll be on the softest whitest sand possible and swim in beautiful blue WARM water.

[turtlegirl]

Yes, I am definitely looking forward to the WARM water and softer sand on STJ!

[TropicAtHeart]

St. John has the kind of sand that causes me to just lay down on it even without a towel. It's powdery. Kauai's beaches are of course beautiful gold color, but are more coarse. Love those Hawaiian waves though! St. John is more laid back than even Kauai. I guess because of the small size, no traffic lights, the people. My next stop after St. John this year is the South Pacific islands. It's a very long flight though, coming from the east coast.

[lpowmacback]

Some of my photos of Kauai are up - click on the link below and then select Kauai 2008.

Notice my attire on the last photo

[Maggy]

Wonderful photos. Those airial shots over Na Pali are fantastic. Cute Monkseal at Poipu (that's where we stayed, but I didn't see any seal on the beach).

Kauai is really beautiful.

Thanks for sharing.

[Lex]

We've been to Kauai twice and I really love it, particularly the north shore. Comparing them is like comparing mangoes and papayas. They're two different versions of paradise. I'd like to get there more frequently, but we're east coasters, so it's costlier and the travel for us is really gruelling compared to getting to the Caribbean.

[martini girl]

Lisa - your pictures are beautiful. I was browsing through your other albums...the pictures of your Lancaster trip caught my eye...the Log Cabin is one of my favorite restaurants...we live about 20 minutes from there. Such a small world!