How to Get to North Kauai
Most travelers would probably be busy listing down all the wonderful sights to explore in North Kauai. For sure, they have given their accommodations some careful thought after going over all the possible options. And yet, they may miss out on one important detail that will affect not only their budget but also the entire trip to Kauai's North Shore. How exactly can they get to North Kauai?
Flying directly
Flying directly is still the best option if you can't wait to set foot on this island. It would save you and your travel companions a two-hour layover in Honolulu (plus a connecting flight to the island). Direct service to Kauai is offered by United Airlines from the west coast, while American Airlines has non-stop daily flights from LA. Direct flights coming from Phoenix are offered by America West, while SunTrips has charters from Oakland International Airport at least once a week. One of the popular travel companies, Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays, has a set of low-cost fare or package deals. They have two weekly non-stop flights coming from San Francisco and Los Angeles. This is in partnership with American Trans Air.
The other airlines land on Honolulu, where passengers have to connect to a half-hour inter-island voyage to Lihue Airport in Kauai. There are two inter-island carriers: Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airline. There would be times when the airlines would handle reservations for the connecting flight to Kauai as part of the package cost. If you want to handle them yourself, you could save some dollars by availing of inter-island coupons.
Going on a cruise to North Kauai
Actually, there is not a particular boat that could fetch you from an island and bring you straight to Kauai, but a number of cruises through the islands would make a stop in Kauai. If you'd rather go on a Hawaiian cruise, expect that you won't get to spend too much time on each island. You'd probably be in for some island-hopping.
Fighting that jet lag
Even the most experienced travelers suffer from jet lag. When you travel from north to south, the sluggish feeling you would get (and the other symptoms) would be because of the overall stress of the air journey. Traveling from east to west, in this case, your body gets confused regarding time. From your digestion to other activities in your body, they'd probably all get "out of sync."
Let us give you some crucial tips on how to combat this very inconvenient jet lag:
# Adjust your watch to the destination time even before the journey.
# Take in lots of water prior, during, and after the journey.
# Sleep well days before the flight.
# While sampling wine on board is a special experience, getting drunk is a terrible idea.
Landing at Lihue
From Lihue Airport, you may want to hail a taxi or drive a rental car to downtown Lihue (two miles from the airport) and other towns leading to North Shore Kauai. This is because there's no public transportation here. There are also no shuttle vans in the airport. You'll do better with a map that can serve as your guide to the connecting roads and highways of North Shore, Kauai. Before you get behind the wheels, at least plot the best route to your destination or call your hotel for instructions.
Departing from the airport
Agricultural screening is strict here. Both passengers and all baggage going to the mainland would be screened prior to boarding. The following would be confiscated in relation to fruit fly control: fresh avocados, mangoes, bananas, and other local products. If you want to bring processed foods such as coffee or macadamia nuts, there is nothing to worry about. They would be permitted to pass.