Things to do / Travel Guide
As Kauai has been a trading stop for many cultures, the island offers a number of interesting historical sites.
The Menehume Ditch
Archeologists think this unique marvel of engineering may have been built by the Menehume in one night. The Menehume were a spread out people, living all over the mountainous areas of Kauai, as opposed to in a communal settlement. Legend has it that they were elf-life stone workers. According to the legend, once the Polynesians arrived, they subjugated the Menehume people and the Polynesian High Chief, Waimea, supposedly drafted them to build an aqueduct. The finished project was a large irrigation system made from smooth lava stone. The ditch carried water from the Waimea River to the taro fields found nearby. Amazingly, the heavy rocks used to build the ditch came from over six miles away in Mokihana.
Kamokila Village
Kamokila Village was home of King Kaumualii, who ruled Kauai during the late 1700s. This village has been restored and allows visitors to see petroglyphs and ruins while learning about the king of the only island not conquered by King Kamehameha.
Kauai Tree Tunnel
Cattle ranching arrived on the island of Kauai with the arrival of Walter McBryde, of Scotland, in the early 1800s. McBryde also planted Eucalyptus trees that used to form a beautiful canopy over Highway 50. Many of these trees were damaged by hurricanes, but today they are growing back into a beautiful corridor along the way to Poipu.
Russian Fort Elizabeth
In 1816, this “Russian Fort,” named after a member of the Russian royal family, was built by George Scheffer with the help of King Kaumualii. Scheffer was sent to Kauai by Russian and American naval officials to investigate the disappearance of a Russian ship, but once he arrived on Kauai, he started to meddle in local island affairs.
Officially, Kauai had pledged allegiance to King Kamehameha, but Scheffer convinced Kaumualii that he might be able to reclaim his kingdom with Russian help. When the Russians got wind of Scheffer's scheme, they sent a ship to arrest him. He escaped to Oahu and eventually made his way to Brazil. Today visitors can see remnants of the fort's stone foundation.
Kilauea Lighthouse
At the northern end of the Hawaiian Islands, the Kilauea Lighthouse stands like a beacon to sailing ships. Constructed in 1913, but no longer functional, the Kilauea Lighthouse used to house the largest lens of its kind, guiding ships to and from the Orient. From the Kilauea Lighthouse, tourists can view a nearby bird sanctuary as well as the Hawaiian monk seals that sometimes frolic and play in the sun near the shoreline.
Old Kapaa
A 19th-century plantation town, Old Kapaa is now one of Kauai's main towns, and is a center of shopping and commerce. There is a wide variety of shops found here, including everything from high-end boutiques to trinket stores.
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