A Hike and a Sinkhole and an Oasis

We started our last (sunny!) day with a five mile walk/hike that took us

past the jumping cliff just outside the resort; up and down sandy ledges and paths and through a unique forest of pine "shrubs"; past lava ruins where the sand had turned to sandstone; 

along the edge of the golf course; beyond horse stables and a rodeo ring; back to one more sandy beach

where a solitary house sits at the edge of the water with the best location on all of Kauai.

We were turning around just as someone came out of the trees so we decided to continue further

just a bit so we weren't walking so close to him.

Glad we did, because we encountered the most amazing sinkhole/oasis!

We'd taken this walk before eight years ago but had turned around at the same spot

so what came next was all new to us.

We walked into the trees on a path through another little forest and came to a sign pointing directions to a bridge and a cave. We crossed the bridge first and discovered a wetlands and forest preserve and 

native tortoises that were being reintroduced back into (the fenced) area. 

Back across the bridge we followed the sign to the Makauwahi cave.

We were surprised that it was "closed" with a fence across the small opening

but had official hours from 10-5. We were too early.

But upon looking through the fence could see light at the other side and wondered if you could see the cave from up above. I wondered if it was a bit like the ice caves in Pagosa.

When we followed a trail up to the top of a cliff, we discovered an oasis!

The perspective is off in the above picture, but years and years ago, the top of the sandstone cliff had collapsed, creating a sinkhole. When you crawl through the cave, you'd come out into this grassy, lush space! It was pretty magical and I'm super glad we got to see it from above, at the very least.

A tree full of birds. Why do you think they only like this one?

Back at the resort, we had the afternoon to sunbathe and read

before taking our red-eye flight home.

I'm not dying to get back to Kauai. 

I think it's wonderful and beautiful and magical.

But in the winter, I need to be confident that my sunny vacations

are going to be warm! 

That being said, we've seen beautiful places each day and 

have had a wonderful week here!