7 Secrets of the 7 Sacred Pools

 
 7 Sacred Pools are located on the far southern edge of Maui, on Rt 31, just past Milemarker 42.   You'll find parking on the ocean side of the road.  What some secrets of visiting this hidden gem?

1.  Oheo Gulch is the best hike on Maui!

It's 4 miles, roundtrip, with an elevation gain of 650'.
It's also 2 1/2 hours of pure natural bliss -- ferns,  tropical flowers -- all ending at Waimoku Falls, a 400' gush over a sheer lava cliff!  
There's also an infinity pool! 


By the way, that's ME, the tiny speck in hot pink at the base of the Falls!

 

2.  Bamboo talks!
Have you ever been totally ensconced in a grove of bamboo, with each stalk so fat and round that you could barely wrap your hand around any one...
with the forest 100' tall and so dense, you were in deep shade, at 1pm...
where, if you stood silently, the only sound you would hear was the tinkle of the stalks -- "chink chink chink"-- hitting one another, in the slight breeze?   It brings to mind heavy wooden chimes. 
Fun facts:  Bamboo grows 3 feet a day! 
Imagine.... how would this bamboo-engulfed trail feel, if you got caught out there as dusk fell, on a windy night?  

3.  You don't have to hike at all, if you don't want to (or can't).
Most of the pools are right by the road.  This sounds awful, but it's not.  The pools are lovely, the sea view sprawls out before you, and the crowd makes for entertaining people-watching.   (might want to read #5 below, though) 

4. Pedal a bike -- I mean, make a smoothie.  Actually, you do both at the same time, on the bike-powered blender at Laulima Farm's Organic Fruit stand!   Try the Coconut Latte!   
It's only 2 miles from Oheo Gulch, in Kipahulu.
One reviewer says it this way:
harmonious non irradiated beyond orgasmic, I  mean organic sun drenched goodness.

5.   There is reportedly a "shark's den", where the stream spills out into the ocean at the lower Pools.  I'm not sure what a shark's den actually is, but I'd recommend steering clear of the strong current, anyway.

6. The road to Hana is only 60 miles, but can take as long as 4 hours, one way!  It's serpentine, cliff-side, and sprinkled temptingly with waterfalls and sea vistas -- so you just TRY  and not succumb to a photo stop or two.
Suggestion?   Plan to stay in Hana for at least one overnight.  I can reserve you a treehouse! 

7. You may have the pleasure of witnessing some nude sunbathers.  Native Hawaiians seem to shun clothes! 

--------------photos censored by the management of TLT ----------

Aloha!

Island Dreaming: zap me to KAUAI!

11 miles of 400-foot mud slides, a jungle full of mosquitos, and...did i mention... a 15-hour flight to the trailhead?!  This is Kauai's storied Na Pali trail.

But follow us...  we're taking the shortcut!
It's still no walk-to-the-beach, but the 2-mile version of the Na Pali trail generously rewards you with coastline vistas for your heart-pumping work, and at the end, gives you a beach, and even a waterfall!

The trail's a sort of goat path -- a simple, steep, and often rutted path

 -- and it takes you from the carpark just past Hanalei Beach, on Kauai's north coast and straight up into tropical jungle.   Dense palms cast a cool shade, and we kept serpentining up and down,  back and forth, along the cliff, with dizzying dropoff glimpses of crashing waves through the fronds.

Take a gallon of water, and take breaks!  After almost an hour in the tropical heat, dripping and flushed, we moaned as we read the warning sign on the beach:  Dangerous Rip!  Sure enough, you could actually see the current rush westward, and we had to console ourselves in the shallows along the shore.

Itching... not from bugbites but for more jungle trekking?
Head straight up the cleft of the valley from that wild beach to the Hanakapiai Waterfall.











 It's another 2 miles inland, on a well marked trail that's not as steep yet full of surprises -- deep stream crossings and even a random band of native pig hunters.

The challenges are real.  You will slip on tree roots, suck into mud, and drip sweat!   It's imperative that you respect the rip tides at the 2-mile beach!   But somewhere between the blue surf and the emerald jungle, we inhaled the earthy jungle pungence and felt -- even the 8 year old amongst us! -- exhilarated!

As a blogger posted a few years back,
"The lesson learned is to not let others fears and limitations stop you from searching to find your own."


Logistics of "doing" the Na Pali, or Kalalau, trail:

*flights usually connect through Oahu, cost about 800 dollars and about 15 hours (you'll definitely need a fully charged Kindle and Ipad!)





*you'll need a rental car to get from the airport up to the north shore







*there are 2 campgrounds along the trail:   Hanakoa (a little past the halfway point) and Kalalau Beach at the 11-mile end.  Permits are required for both and cost $20pp/night: http://www.hawaiistateparks.org/camping/permit_napali.cfm

*respect the sacred archeological sites along the trail

*consider a zodiac tour one-way!  It'll save your time and legs.  You may even decide to tackle the entire 11-mile stretch!  Captain Andy's the guy for you:  http://www.napali.com/kauai_rafting/

*don't miss the great public campground near the trailhead at Hanalei town.  It's like Woodstock on the Beach, and a great venue to grill fresh Hawaiian green mussels, enjoy a cold Kona, and meet some new hippie pals.

Pomaika`i 

That's Hawaiian for "Good Luck"