USA: Kauai, Hawaii

After a disappointing introduction to the Aloha State in Honolulu, I looked forward to the Ruby Princess' [see: Ruby Princess] stop in Nawiliwili, Kauai. After all, 90% of tropical island Hollywood sets are filmed on Hawaii's "garden island" beneath its deeply eroded, green cliffs. "Exotic" does not even begin to describe Kauai.

The tour from the ship included two major sites on the island: the Spouting Horn Blowhole and Waimea Canyon. I had heard from everyone that Waimea Canyon was a "must see". Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park is the island's premier destination (and film location), but it is only visitable from a boat or helicopter. I realized I would have to settle for seeing it in the movies unless I wanted to pay $1000 for a brief helicopter ride.

We left the port of Nawiliwili where I was already impressed. The bay is sheltered by some steep and beautiful mountains that protect it from sea winds and waves. There is no comparison with the very industrial Port of Honolulu (and Nawiliwili is even a cargo port!).

The bus crossed acres of former sugar cane fields (formerly Hawaii's major industry) that lie fallow. Once Hawaii's main industry, all that remains are the former fields and forlorn sugar mills of last century. Thank God strict regulations on development in the state are in place, otherwise the land would be blanketed in condominiums. Land ownership and building construction are the two most important (and sensitive) issues in Hawaii.

The first stop was the "Spouting Horn" blowhole.

Spouting Horn is one of Kauai’s most iconic natural wonders, located on the sunny south shore in Poipu. This dramatic blowhole shoots seawater up to 50 feet into the air through a natural lava tube, creating a spectacular show with each crashing wave. The sound of the water rushing through the narrow opening creates a hissing or roaring noise, adding to the legend that a giant lizard once guarded this coast and was trapped beneath the lava rock.

https://www.kauai.com/spouting-horn

I have to admit, I found the coastline more beautiful than the blow hole. Fortunately, it was "blowing" when we visited. I have seen countless similar phenomenon in my life that were not spouting at all (due to calm seas). The Spouting Horn was nice, but not "amazing".

We all boarded the bus again and headed for Waimea Canyon.

A short time later, we stopped for a lookout over Hanapepe Canyon. It was hard for me to believe that such a grand landscape existed on a small island. I was already impressed and we had not even reached the "main event". The bus literally pulled off the road for us to see at an "unofficial" viewpoint.

Shortly after, we reached Waimea, a small town on the sea. I loved it immediately. It has not yet been touched by mass tourism and retains the air of a small town. Everything looks "normal" - if I could return to Hawaii and hang out in one place, it would be Waimea. Soon after, we followed a snaking road (with very few guardrails) toward the top of the mountains that would give us a view of the canyon below.

I felt nervous at times - it would have been easy in several spots for the bus to crash through the guardrail and deliver us to certain death. The tour guide/bus driver just prattled on, delivering a strange monologue about "life in Hawaii". I simply wished she would pay more attention to the road in some sections. She was a font of useless information delivered in a series of non sequiturs.

Best information from our guide: Hawaii became a state because President Reagan liked to watch Hawaii 5-0. I looked at the woman sitting next to me and we both laughed very hard.

Finally, we entered the Waimea Canyon State Park "view point". A lot of people were visiting (the weather was stunning in a place famous for rain), so it took time for our bus to park and offload everyone. Finally, I was free of the bus and headed to a small stairway leading to the viewpoint.

Mark Twain called Waimea Canyon "the Grand Canyon of the Pacific" - he wasn't far off. The view over the eroded mountains of Kauai (the oldest of the main islands) is awe inspiring. I understood immediately why directors often chose it for a film location. I had no words... a waterfall plummeted from one side and deep canyons cut into the mountains on the other. That view made the entire Hawaii cruise worth it. Wow.

February 2026

We all climbed back onboard and then bus slowly returned to the ship. It was a nail-biting downhill ride to the main road and then a longish ride (with traffic) back to Nawiliwili. I ate lunch on the ship and processed what I had seen. Wow.

Waimea Canyon looked exactly like my fantasy of Hawaii. After seeing it, I didn't much care what else happened on the cruise. A bonus: that little town of Waimea looked like a place to return to experience "real Hawaii".

The next day we would arrive in "famous-for-coffee" Kona - I was very excited!

Waimea Canyon: A++