Re: The music used. I use Pinnacle Studio to create the video slideshows. This program includes some music along with the option to purchase additional individual musical scores. There are hundreds from which to choose. And that’s what I did here. The tune is called Until Forever. There is no artist info.
I’m not sure if it’s just a regularly tuned accoustic guitar or a Hawaiian tuned slack key. But, amazingly, it sounds like k?h?’alu. That’s why I chose it.
Now, back to the video: The N? Pali Coast sits along Kaua’i's northern shore. It is the most dramatic and awe-inspiring place on the island and draws the attention of just about all visitors who come here. This demand to see it has local businesses scurrying to supply all sorts of site-seeing services from which tourists may choose.
By air you may go by helicopter, small plane, or even an ultralight. By water you may go by sailing catamaran, large boat, hard-hulled inflatable, or — maybe — a kayak (if you have the strength and know-how).
We have enjoyed seeing this beautiful coast a couple times from a couple different angles using those services. However, one method we have joyfully employed on each of our three trips to Kaua’i was hiking.
There is no better way to experience N? Pali Coast than getting up-close and personal. And you will not find a better way than to hike the eleven-mile trail that follows this beautiful coast — from Ke’e Beach to Kalalau Valley/Beach. That trail is called the Kalalau Trail.
For day-hikers, you can freely hike the two miles to Hanakapi’ai Beach. For the more rugged among you, from that beach, you may choose to go inland an additional two miles through Hanakapi’ai Valley to Hanakapi’ai Falls. It’s supposed to be a great experience, but I’ve never done it.
That detour is an eight-mile round trip on foot in rugged terrain! Are you up to it? Most people simply choose the first two miles to Hanakapi’ai Beach.
If you’re not the big outdoors person, you do not even have to hike that far from Ke’e Beach to get some really awesome views of N? Pali. Within the first mile or so you will find enough to satisfy yourself. It’s definitely worth a look since you will not have to expend too much time or effort and you may not even break a sweat! Just don’t blame me if you get there and feel the urge to hike further. 
If you want to hike beyond Hanakapi’ai Beach along the Kalalau Trail, you will need a camping permit from the state. I’ve never done it so I am not sure about procedures, but I have read that the permits are limited and require many weeks of advance reservation.
One thing is for sure when hiking here: EVERYTHING is further than it looks! As the trail follows this zigzagged coast, everytime we came to an apex out towards the water, we could peer down the coast towards our destination. However, the view seemed like it never changed! We were hiking and hiking along yet it seemed as if we were not making any progress. This was one aspect that made it seem much further than the actual two miles hiked.
Hanakapi’ai Beach is dangerous if you plan on entering the water. Many have drowned here because of the rip currents. Be cautious.
The safest bet is to stay out of the water.
As a testament to ferocity of the ocean here, there is a hand-written sign at Hanakapi’ai Beach that reads: “In memory of all those who have drowned at Hanakapi’ai Beach, a warning of very strong and dangerous currents – most were only wading, these are just a few!” It is then followed with a short list of victims who have drowned here. Their names and hometowns kind of made me feel uneasy. I felt that it gave the place a hallowed feeling.
Coupled with the actual warning signs, they stand as reminders that Mother Nature’s rules can sometimes be tough — and deadly. Please, heed the warnings. Also keep in mind that rogue waves can also change the dynamics of what may appear to be a peaceful-looking ocean. Just keep your guard up and you shall have a great time.
Duration : 0:6:0
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way to go
I LOVE …
way to go
I LOVE KAUAI !!
Excellent music, …
Excellent music, great trail. I loved it!!!!
It’s nice to see …
It’s nice to see that others have been lured back time and again to this beautiful coast. We’ve never been there in the summer so as to be able to enjoy a kayak trip. We did, however, get to travel along N? Pali in an inflatable, hard-hulled Kodiak in Sept. 1997. Going into one of the seacaves with that boat was the highlight of that trip. Good luck on your trip!
My wife and I did …
My wife and I did this hike in July,’06. Your video is terriff. We also did the ultralight 2 days later. Spectacular!! We’re going back in July,’08 with our 2 adult kids. This time we’re doing the kayak trip along the Na Pali coast from Haena. Can’t wait,
Kauai(Hanalei) for …
Kauai(Hanalei) for nine days and Oahu (Haliewa, and some locals hate haoles there,too) Two things on the agenda, hike on the Kalalau to Honakoa and back and vist Pearl Harbor. I’ve never done that so it seemed time to do so. Congratulations on the 15 years. My wife and I celebrated 30 years in 2006 and spent one week in Hanalei and one week on Molakai. BTW- my wife takes a book and a lunch and hangs out an Hankapiai while I hike further.
BTW, good luck on …
BTW, good luck on your upcoming trip. Which island are you going to visit?
We are headed back to Hawai’i County for nine nights to celebrate our 15th anniversary next month.
I envy you. I have …
I envy you. I have wanted to do that, but my wife will not go along. It was all I could do just to get her to make it to Hanakapi’ai. But, one day…
Just remember this …
Just remember this WADAMAN808:
Without “n? haole h?p?”, Hawai’i's economy would be crap. Just remeber what it was like in months after 9-11. I was there during that time and it wasn’t pretty for you guys. Is that what you want to bring upon the people of Hawai’i? Keep making those thoughtless comments and it will happen.
When I view these …
When I view these videos I just want to go back right now!113 days until my next trip. Since 1969 I have hiked the Kalalau seven times. If you can do it, get a permit, leave EARLY and hike in for four hours and see how far you get. Remember-you have to hike back! Take LOTS of water, snacks and hat. Bring a bag a take out junk you find along the way. The really “scary” stuff is beyond Hanakoa and you probably wont get that far.
To “Wadaman808″- it’s not your valley but I respect the trash thing!
i would give …
i would give everything to see that
stupid haoles ( …
stupid haoles (mainlanders)
stay out of my family’s valley!!!!
you guys leave all your trash there and are destroying the place
There are some …
There are some places with sheer drop on one side and sheer cliff on the other. But pictures just do not do those places justice.
Yes, it is heaven …
Yes, it is heaven on earth.
BTW, did you watch my video slideshow of my ultralight flight over this same area?
Thanks for the vid! …
Thanks for the vid! Can’t believe you did some taping as you hiked along – most of the trail was pretty slippery (Thank God for Keene’s- don’t hike it without ‘em!) when we were there in August. Pics just can’t capture the beauty of this heaven on earth – we will go back again and hike the whole trail, not just the first two.
Cool! Thanks for …
Cool! Thanks for this… We are planning to hike this trail next month in March. Are there any parts that are “scarier” that what you see in your video in terms of being close to a dropoff? Thanks!
Thank you.
The …
Thank you.
The soundtrack is called Until Forever. I cannot tell you anymore than that because I used Studio to produce the slideshow and purchased the music through it. It’s one of many soundtracks they have available for purchase.
Nice editing. …
Nice editing. What’s the background music?
We cannot get …
We cannot get enough of hiking on the Kalalau Trail. We’ve been to this island three times and have hiked on it everytime.
Take a look at my ultralight flight video. It has many photos taken while over N? Pali. It gives you a good idea of the trail past where you hiked.
Thank you for this. …
Thank you for this. We just returned from Kauai and hiking the 2 mile trail (except there were a lot more people than you had). It was a wonderful experience for us and it’s fun to see your video as a reminder.