Aloha,

A visit to the beautiful island of Kauai should be a carefree experience, where worries are left at home and guests surrender to the so called Polynesian Paralysis, a mental state, where time seems to stand still, where living in the “here and now” is finally possible…, a state of mind also known as total relaxation…

In order to ease trip preparations, the staff at The Hale Makai Cottages is committed to provide our guests with as much information as possible prior to their arrival on Kauai. Also, while already on the island, our guests frequently are in need of some local contact information, such as airline telephone numbers at the Lihue Airport, Lihue car rental contact information, local Kauai weather reports, North Shore surf conditions, Kauai road conditions, Kauai bridge updates etc.

Some unexpected events unfortunately might require the use of emergency services. The most important telephone numbers and contact information will be listed below. Even though Kauai is a very small island, it has excellent emergency facilities. The Wilcox Memorial Hospital in Lihue has a 24 hour care Emergency Room and can be reached within 45 minutes from the Hale Makai Cottages. Smaller Health Clinics on the North Shore, without 24 hour services, can be found in Kilauea, 15 to 20 minutes away, or in Kapaa, 25 to 30 minutes away.

One significant way of making the Kauai vacation a safer experience, is to be cautious in and around open waters and the surf and to always supervise children when close to the water or in the water. Since ocean conditions are constantly changing, the Hale Makai Staff suggests studying the beach advisories posted within each of the cottages prior to visiting the beaches. Using the provided hotlines for surf conditions, frequenting beaches with life guards on duty and always using common sense before entering the water will help to prevent accidents. Our advice: when in doubt visit the closest beach with a lifeguard on duty or stay out of the water. While staying at Hale Makai Cottages, the closest beach with a life guard on duty can be found at the Haena Beach Park, just a 2 minute drive from the cottages or a 20 to 30 minute walk on beach. Hanalei Bay Beach only a 7 minute car drive away, has two lifeguards on duty most days. For families with very small children an excursion to Lydgate Park in Kapaa on the East Shore of Kauai is always favorite Kauai activity. The lifeguards from Haena Beach Park patrol Tunnels Beach to Kepuhi Point about twice a day on their ATV. Kauai lifeguards are always happy to assist any visitor and will be helpful with any questions regarding various Kauai beaches and will update you on current surf conditions.

Mahalo, The HMC Staff