Guest User
June 11, 2024
Poipu beach area has more sunshine than north part of island. The hotel itself is nice and steps from good beaches. On the right side there are nice waves where there is also surfing. On the left side is quieter with snorkeling and less waves ideal with smaller children. We saw turtles and a seal on the beach resting! The restaurant for breakfast is very good but a little pricey. The staff is very polite and valet staff very friendly. Nearby driving distance of 5 minutes is Grand Hyatt. We were considering that, and we did have dinner there. The hotel is much grander with multiple pools, but no one is on the beach swimming. i believe the waves are much bigger there. So, if you want to be on the beach swimming, Koa kea is a better option. It's not as grand but the cost is lesser as well. Nearby are markets with nice restaurants. The Koloa thai bistro was really good. It does rain more in this island so we could not do the Napali coast sunset cruise and did ziplining instead which was amazing at koloa zipline. The north part of the island has some more greenery and is quieter. Waimea canyon was worth the drive and there is a coffee plantation and other small towns along the way including inspiration for Lilo and Stich. Overall, a great trip and we have to come back for Napali coast due to rain. Koa Kea is in a good location for exploring various parts of Kauai. One interesting part is the chickens roam freely on this island and it reminded me of my visits to other countries villages!