Sometime between day and night, the light in the sky softens, tiki torches flicker and palm fronds rustle in the tradewinds. Welcome to sunset on Kauai, the relaxing transition from bright afternoon to starlit evening. If there’s any question whether clients should visit the Garden Island, these five sunset activities provide the answer — and then some.
Allerton Garden Sunset Tour
Fashioned by philanthropist Robert Allerton from the 1930s onward, Allerton Garden takes its rightful place among the National Tropical Botanical Garden collection. With its artistic groves of bamboo, flowers, fruit trees and fountains, it charms guests any time of day.
However, the sunset tour allows clients to step into the house where Allerton entertained celebrities such as first lady Jacqueline Kennedy and actor John Wayne. The three-hour tour culminates in end-of-day drinks and dinner on the lanai.
www.ntbg.org
Champagne Sabering
As part of a brand-wide ritual, St. Regis Princeville invites guests to gather in its elegant bar as the sun approaches the sea. There, a dapper sommelier lifts his saber and, in one fell swoop, uses it to open a bottle of champagne, a tradition dating back to the Napoleonic era. Afterward, everyone raises a complimentary glass of bubbly in a toast while admiring orange-hued views of Hanalei Bay and Mount Makana (nicknamed Bali Hai)
www.princeville.com
Capt. Andy’s sunset sail from Poipu sets a blissful tone for the evening.
Credit: 2018 Capt Andy’s Sailing AdventuresLuaus Galore
Hawaii’s most famous meal has been around for centuries, but it never loses its modern-day appeal. During a sunset-timed luau, clients learn Hawaiian crafts, try tropical cocktails, dig into a buffet of favorite local foods and marvel at a live Polynesian show. Kauai presents several luau options, from hotel offerings at Sheraton Kauai Resort, Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, Kauai Marriott Resort and Courtyard Kauai at Coconut Beach, to attraction-based bashes at Kilohana and Smith’s Kauai.
Poipu Sunset Sail
Usually, Capt. Andy’s Sailing Adventures departs from a harbor 25 minutes west of Poipu. But on Thursdays, it runs sunset sails from Kukuiula Small Boat Harbor, a convenient launching point in the heart of Poipu’s hotel and resort community. During two magical hours, live Hawaiian music serenades passengers as they sip cocktails, savor pupus and watch for dolphins, with whale sightings in the winter months. The vessel — a 55-foot sailing catamaran — is a teak-trimmed beauty.
www.napali.com/sail/sunset
Sunset Golf Cart Tour
Armed with a map and an ice chest for drinks, clients climb aboard their personal golf cart and explore the fairways at day’s end. On the north shore, self-guided tours of Princeville Makai Golf Club lead guests to views of landmarks such as Hanalei Bay, Kilauea Lighthouse and Anini Reef.
Princeville Makai’s sunset golf cart tour leads to stunning ocean and mountain views.
Credit: 2018 Princeville Makai Golf ClubAt Poipu Bay Golf Course to the south, a golden glow settles over the mountains and ocean as visitors roll merrily along in their cart, occasionally spotting Hawaiian monk seals and green sea turtles
www.makaigolf.com
www.poipubaygolf.com
