HAWAII

“The Aloha State” became the 50^th state in 1959, but the history of Hawaii goes back centuries earlier. Roughly 1,500 years ago, Polynesians from the Marquesas Islands first set foot on Hawaii's Big Island. With only the stars to guide them, they miraculously sailed over 2000 miles in canoes to migrate to the Islands.

The tropical paradise of Kauai basks amidst the sparkling blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, about 20 minutes by air from Honolulu. Formed some six million years ago, the island encompasses roughly 550 square miles and is the oldest and northern-most of the main Hawaiian Islands.

Below are some of my personal photos from trips to my hometown:

Spouting Horn, Poipu

This natural wonder occurs water rushes under a lava shelf and bursts through a small opening at the surface. Every wave produces another spray. Spouting Horn frequently spurts salt water 50 feet into the air. The phenomena is especially exciting at sunset when the spray becomes incandescent with the colors of the rainbow.

Dry Cave, Hanalei

Maniniholo Dry Cave (Maniniholo means "swimming Manini fish") is about 300 yards deep, and reaches to a small exit hole on the side of the mountain. The cave interior used to be larger than now, before a 1957 tsunami half-filled it with sand.

Wet Cave, Hanalei

Waikanaloa (water of Kanaloa, a god) Wet Cave is, as its name implies, underwater. It has been explored about 100 yards in by scuba divers.The two caves are located within approximately 100 yards of each other on the mauka (mountain) side of the highway after Haena and before Ke'e Beach. 

Poipu Beach

The most popular beach on the South Shore isPoipu Beach, which is fronted by Poipu Beach Park, and a few resorts. Poipu Beach was named America's Best Beach by The Travel Channel, ranking top among the 10 "best" beaches selected nationwide. This beach is a series of golden sand crescents, strung together where beach-goers will find snorkeling, swimming, a natural ocean wading pool, boogie-boarding and surfing.

Polihale

The last beach on the road, this is Kauai's westernmost point. It is an extension of Barking Sands Beach making it Hawaii's longest beach with 17 miles of sparking white sand! From the northern end of the beach, the beginning cliffs of the Na Pali can be seen.

Waimea Canyon

Waimea Canyon, on Kauai's West Side, is described as "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific." Although not as big or as old as its Arizona cousin, you won’t encounter anything like this geological wonder in Hawaii. Stretching 14 miles long, one mile wide and more than 3,600 feet deep, the Waimea Canyon Lookout provides panoramic views of crested buttes, rugged crags and deep valley gorges. The grand inland vistas go on for miles.




SOURCES:
http://www.gohawaii.com/statewide/travel-tips/history
http://www.hawaiiweb.com/kauai/html/sites/spouting_horn.html
http://www.kauai-vacations-ahh.com/articles/kauai-north-shore-adventures.htm
http://www.poipubeach.org/beaches.html
http://www.hawaiiweb.com/kauai/html/beaches/polihale_beach.html