Poi'pu, Kaua'i
On the southwest coast of Kauai is the island's "resort town" - Poi'pu. Approximately 30 minutes by car from Lihue, this town pops up on you as you enter from nearby Koloa. When I hear "resort town" I expect a particular landscape and atmosphere - tall, skyscraper hotels, each taking up acres of land; insanely busy, tacky tourist-trap shopping sections; and an overly groomed, extensive beach with attendants, chairs, and umbrellas.
Poi'pu is none of these things. In fact, it is actually a town in which locals may want to live! One long stretch of road (Poipu Road) connects the homes, hotels, and local businesses to each other. Well-known hotel chains can be found with oceanfront property - Sheraton, Hyatt and Marriott are just some of the examples. However, dispersed among these are residential sections, with both condo or apartment-style housing as well as small to large vacation homes. Many of these homes located close to the beaches and sea appear to be rentals, with families and friends opting to stay here rather than at a hotel. The streets a quiet early in the morning as well as late in the evening, but during the day, when the sun is at its hottest, traffic is heavy as crowds gather at the small public beach.
Poi'pu has two shopping complexes in its boundaries. The Poipu Shopping Village boasts the town's only Starbucks, as well as a number of upscale and high quality gift shops. A few diverse options exist for eating out as well, with a high-end, romantic restaurant at one end and a wonderful, quick and delicious low-end option tucked away in the back of the complex.
Off to the southeast of the town's single traffic circle is a collection of shops that seem to market to the time share folks - the Shops of Kukui'ula. Not only are there time share offices located in this centre, but art galleries, furniture and other housewares are found in the stores. The mall also has some highly renowned restaurants - seafood, pizza, shrimp, and burgers all come highly recommended. For the sporty or beach-inspired shopper, Quicksilver and Roxy are abundantly available throughout the three surf-centric stores.
Every Wednesday, within the open air corridor of Kukui'ula, a local farmer's market is held from 3:30 - 6pm. People come with homemade pies, jewelry, and meat dishes, and many other vendors have small tables filled with fresh, local produce grown right in their backyards. Because of the season and the limited supplies, the number of items is small, but the quality is outstanding. We watched a food vendor cook up some chicken, beef and shrimp on skewers, wrap a skewer in a corn tortilla and slather it with a red chili sauce. As this seemed like a popular snack for the people of the market, it seemed like a good idea to try one of these little treats out. Served warm, this was a perfect small meal to have while perusing the shops and vendor tables. I don't know what this snack was called, but it sure was delicious!
By far my favorite find at Kukui'ula was the Living Foods Market. Shelves and coolers are stocked with high-quality organic food and sauces, and all of the produce and meat is grown locally on the island. Fresh seafood is caught daily and brought in for sale, and a small kitchen provides tasty smoothies, stews and other yummy fare for people on the go. Prices at Living Foods are high, but the health benefits and knowing that the environmental footprint left behind by consuming these foods is low, it felt like it was the right decision for me to do most of my grocery shopping there.
Poi'pu could easily become over populated with tourists and those who work so hard to support our habits. However, it seems like the town has maintained its charm and its determination to be a green and natural habitat. Chickens, roosters and chicks run free throughout every lawn, backyard, beach and lane, keeping people entertained with their wake-up calls and mating clucks. At the beach, an old sea turtle drags herself up on land every afternoon for a nap, plunking herself down between the hoards of kids and adults who are splashing in the water or building elaborate sand castles. Nothing seems to faze her, not the screams nor the hurried crowds as people come to stand in awe of this magnificent creature.
Here in Poi'pu, land and sea are connected, and the people continue to respect their value and properties. This truly is a place to visit for those wanting a small taste of ecotourism and many opportunities to mix with the locals and hear their stories.
Poi'pu is none of these things. In fact, it is actually a town in which locals may want to live! One long stretch of road (Poipu Road) connects the homes, hotels, and local businesses to each other. Well-known hotel chains can be found with oceanfront property - Sheraton, Hyatt and Marriott are just some of the examples. However, dispersed among these are residential sections, with both condo or apartment-style housing as well as small to large vacation homes. Many of these homes located close to the beaches and sea appear to be rentals, with families and friends opting to stay here rather than at a hotel. The streets a quiet early in the morning as well as late in the evening, but during the day, when the sun is at its hottest, traffic is heavy as crowds gather at the small public beach.
Poi'pu has two shopping complexes in its boundaries. The Poipu Shopping Village boasts the town's only Starbucks, as well as a number of upscale and high quality gift shops. A few diverse options exist for eating out as well, with a high-end, romantic restaurant at one end and a wonderful, quick and delicious low-end option tucked away in the back of the complex.
Off to the southeast of the town's single traffic circle is a collection of shops that seem to market to the time share folks - the Shops of Kukui'ula. Not only are there time share offices located in this centre, but art galleries, furniture and other housewares are found in the stores. The mall also has some highly renowned restaurants - seafood, pizza, shrimp, and burgers all come highly recommended. For the sporty or beach-inspired shopper, Quicksilver and Roxy are abundantly available throughout the three surf-centric stores.
Every Wednesday, within the open air corridor of Kukui'ula, a local farmer's market is held from 3:30 - 6pm. People come with homemade pies, jewelry, and meat dishes, and many other vendors have small tables filled with fresh, local produce grown right in their backyards. Because of the season and the limited supplies, the number of items is small, but the quality is outstanding. We watched a food vendor cook up some chicken, beef and shrimp on skewers, wrap a skewer in a corn tortilla and slather it with a red chili sauce. As this seemed like a popular snack for the people of the market, it seemed like a good idea to try one of these little treats out. Served warm, this was a perfect small meal to have while perusing the shops and vendor tables. I don't know what this snack was called, but it sure was delicious!
By far my favorite find at Kukui'ula was the Living Foods Market. Shelves and coolers are stocked with high-quality organic food and sauces, and all of the produce and meat is grown locally on the island. Fresh seafood is caught daily and brought in for sale, and a small kitchen provides tasty smoothies, stews and other yummy fare for people on the go. Prices at Living Foods are high, but the health benefits and knowing that the environmental footprint left behind by consuming these foods is low, it felt like it was the right decision for me to do most of my grocery shopping there.
Poi'pu could easily become over populated with tourists and those who work so hard to support our habits. However, it seems like the town has maintained its charm and its determination to be a green and natural habitat. Chickens, roosters and chicks run free throughout every lawn, backyard, beach and lane, keeping people entertained with their wake-up calls and mating clucks. At the beach, an old sea turtle drags herself up on land every afternoon for a nap, plunking herself down between the hoards of kids and adults who are splashing in the water or building elaborate sand castles. Nothing seems to faze her, not the screams nor the hurried crowds as people come to stand in awe of this magnificent creature.
Here in Poi'pu, land and sea are connected, and the people continue to respect their value and properties. This truly is a place to visit for those wanting a small taste of ecotourism and many opportunities to mix with the locals and hear their stories.
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