Get to Know Kauai —Virtually

Jan 01, 2011

Clients looking for the ultimate way to visit Kauai now have a new resource right at their fingertips.

Called the Kauai GPS Tour Guide, it’s an iPhone app that talks to vacationers as they drive around the island. Using the GPS built into the iPhone, the tour guide knows the exact location of the travelers and clues them in on must-see/must-do activities in the area, such as hidden beaches, scenic lookouts, historic sites, beautiful hikes, farmers markets and special attractions.

A product from Hawaiigaga.com, the Kauai GPS Tour Guide is the first app of its kind available to Kauai visitors. It was developed by island residents who know the island intimately and can direct clients to spots that other resources might not know about.

“It’s like having an island resident driving with you to tell you about the island,” explained HawaiiGaga.com developer James Pretorius. “With a guidebook, you’re constantly flipping through pages trying to figure out where you are and what’s around you. The tour guide instantly tells you about hidden places and guides you to difficult-to-find attractions.”

The tour guide includes more than 200 points of interest and uses a real human voice rather than a computer-generated one. The application also includes comprehensive beach and snorkeling guides, weather and surf forecasts, driving directions, Kauai background information for tourists, detailed ocean safety guidelines and select activity and restaurant recommendations.

Available since early December 2010, the tour guide app costs $5.99.

HawaiiGaga.com is a travel website that showcases Hawaii’s beaches, attractions, vacation rentals and tourist activities. The site also includes comprehensive condo guides, a large collection of aerial and panoramic photos, interactive maps and virtual tours to help vacation planners make informed travel decisions. Started in 2008, the website receives nearly 300,000 visitors per year.