A destination where surfing is the Sport of Kings and skyscrapers are banned
The Kaua’i Visitors Bureau is eager to host both surfing dudes and aspiring surfer dudes as well.
The bureau’s Maile Brown, in Toronto for a recent Hawaii Tourism Canada event, says her island is a great place for both surfers and those wanting to learn the sport as well.
“Surfing culture is very strong,” she said, adding Kauai has both good waves and surf shops, and is part of a state synonymous with surfing, with Hawaiian chiefs long ago loving to ride waves, leading to surfing being known as the “sport of kings.”
And surfing, she added, is only one of many reasons tourists should visit Kauai while citing the likes of “some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.”
But Brown also praised Kauai’s “absolutely stunning landscapes,” some of which appeared in the movie Jurassic Park, and which continue to attract tourists eager to see dramatic areas featured in that blockbuster. “People say: ‘I want to go there. It’s very beautiful,'” she added of movie scenes that included rainforest and waterfalls.
Kauai residents are determined to safeguard its natural side, with the island having one 14-story building but now also having a decree that no other building “can be taller than a coconut tree…We don’t want it to become overgrown,” Brown reported.
“People who are looking for that iconic Hawaii and true getaway will find it on Kauai. It’s very laid back,” she continued.
Brown said Hawaii is seeing a resurgence of interest in its pre-European settlement culture, with many now studying its indigenous language in school, with that heightened interest in the Hawaii of yesteryear welcomed by tourists. “Everybody wants an authentic experience. You want to know what the destination has to offer.”
But she added Hawaii also has an intriguing “fusion” culture that blends indigenous influences with others that arrived from elsewhere in the world.
Brown said Kauai has embraced agrotourism, citing Common Ground Kauai, which serves dinners that feature Hawaiian food and teach people how to make Hawaii’s famed leis.
Meanwhile, Brown said each Hawaiian island differs and noted that those visiting Hawaii can go “island-hopping,” combining two or more islands on their vacation.
