Kaua'i Part 2 -- Waimea Canyon

One of the chief tourist attractions on the island of Kaua'i is Waimea Canyon, also called the Little Grand Canyon. Though not as big as its namesake, Waimea is another of those fantastic wonders of wind and water erosion. And unlike its namesake, Waimea is green!

These pics were shot from the main overlook and only give a taste of the real scope and grandeur of this place. Not as much green as usual, according to the locals because Kaua'i is experiencing a two year drought. 

When the DH and I were here on the cruise in January, it was raining and we couldn't see anything. We definitely picked the right day to visit the canyon on this trip. Of all the days we spent, this one happened to be the most sunny and clear!

We were also lucky enough to arrive at the same time two native Hawaiians were chanting, dancing and playing a gourd drum as part of a ceremony for the canyon. Unfortunately, my pictures were too far away to see the figures, but it was fascinating to watch.

Another major attraction on Kaua'i are its waterfalls, which are still going in spite of the drought. Here's a photo of one of the more accessible one, Wailua Falls. The trail to the top of the falls was closed so we had to settle with standing at the overlook. However, you can kayak up the Wailua River for a closer look, and two couples had done just that the morning we were here. You can just see the pool at the base of the falls on the far right. One brave guy left his kayak and swam right up behind the falling water. I can only guess at how spectacular that must have been!

What are some of your favorite natural wonders?