Honeymoon

My fiancee and I are planning our honeymoon for early July 2008. We are getting married in Honolulu and would like to spend our honeymoon in Kauai. It is our first time to Kauai and I am not really sure where to start. We are on a bit of a budget, but we don%26#39;t want total seclusion like most honeymooning couples want. We want to be close to shops, restaurants, etc. We also would prefer to be on the beach...any suggestions???

Honeymoon

hotel vs condo vs beach house? Was does ';bit of a budget'; mean ins $/night. With more info you%26#39;re likely to get a lot more help.

Hanalei bay is really nice in summer but can be pretty pricey if you want to be on the water. Alternatively, Any of the Poipu beachfront hotels/condos could also be nice.

Honeymoon

I would strongly suggest the more scenic North Shore side of Kauai. For economy %26amp; privacy you will do better renting a condo, while the Princeville Hotel has a fantastic site with beautiful Bali Hai %26amp; Hanalei Bay views if your budget %26amp; tastes can absorb their pricey small rooms. Take a look at the Hanalei Bay Resort and Puu Poa rental condos within the Princeville resort quite close to the Hotel on websites of vrbo.com and summitpacific.com that span a fairly wide price range. Each has a nice beach and is within 15 minutes drive time of numerous world-class other beaches, restaurants, shops. There is a lot of expertise amongst the contributors to this forum.

Travelgirly21,

My wife and I have traveled to kauai about 20 times since 1985 and I have compiled a file of our favs and not so favs. If you%26#39;d like to have it, drop me a line with your email addy and I can forward it to you.

I would also recommend the north shore in July. If it is really important for you to be within walking distance of shops and restaurants, you would want to stay in Hanalei, but anything there close to the beach would not be considered ';budget accomodations';.

There are a variety of condos in Princeville, but they are on the bluff above the beach and there are limited dining opportunities there and very few shops in the area. But, you%26#39;re only a 5-10 minute drive from Hanalei.

Check out this site for aerial photos and reviews:

http://wizardpub.com/kauai/kauaerials.html

If you don%26#39;t mind a short drive, you could also conisder Anini Beach or the Haena area - lots of cottages and houses to rent from individuals - check out vrbo.com. Just make sure that the rentals are legal as the state has cracked down on some illegal units in the Haena area.

You%26#39;re going to want to book soon as many of the best places are probably already booked. If you can give people a better idea of your budget and what kind of activities you are interested in, that will probably help people give you some more specific ideas.

On the South Shore look into Kuhio Shores condos. On the North shore look into Hanalei Bay Resort, Puu Poa condos or Sealodge.

Kuhio Shores are reasonably priced and you are right on the water and the Beach House restaurant is next door.

Many people prefer to be on the North shore during the summer because of the ocean activities. All the hotels and condos in Princeville are on a bluff but many (like HBR) have a beach below. It%26#39;s a 5 minute walk. HBR is a very popular spot for honeymooners because of the romantic view and reasonable options for accommodations. If you don%26#39;t require a kitchen you can find rooms (2nd part of the larger condo) for $150-200 depending on the views. HBR has a bar(great music every night) and restaurant (reopening in April) right on site so if you don%26#39;t want to leave the property you don%26#39;t have to. Just don%26#39;t rent directly through the hotel or on sites like hotels.com. The best selection of privately owned units is on summitpacific.com and VRBO. Hanalei town is 10 minutes down the road. Hanalei has rental units but they will be pricey during the summer. The best beaches are all within 15 minutes of this area.

The summer is booking up fast. If you want suggestions on the nicer places to stay at KS, HBR or Puu Poa please email me. I am happy to offer suggestions. I spent my honeymoon on Kauai and think it%26#39;s a wonderful romantic place to start out your new life. Congratulations.

I wanted to add something about the shopping question. The majority of shops are indeed in Hanalei, but a few new shops just opened in Princville. One is an adorable children%26#39;s clothing store owned by Sand People. It is Sand People Kids. For those Grandma%26#39;s wanting to bring back the Grandkids cute clothes and toys, check this place out. A new shoe store opened in this same shopping center. There is a nice jewelry store, ice cream shop, photo shop, new candle and soap store, coffee place, restaurants and of course Foodland. Believe or not in the gas station is a good place for food. So more shopping for us to do!!!