Kaua'i in January

[MelBay]

This would be our first trip to Hawaii, ever. Is Princeville in January risky as far as rain goes?

Is this a good place to go for your first trip?

 

[slip]

How long are you staying. Winter is the raining season and they will get much
More rain. Poipu will be sunnier and much less rain. But Princevile is great and
If your staying a while, I think it would be fine. It depends on the year. This year the rain
Is way down.

 

[jacknsara]

This would be our first trip to Hawaii, ever. Is Princeville in January risky as far as rain goes?

Is this a good place to go for your first trip?

Aloha MelBay,
We have been in Kauai for the first two weeks of January (and last week of December) for several years. You ask ... Is Princeville in January risky as far as rain goes? ... It will rain. No rain no rainbows. It is rare for rain to spoil the day although we have been in Kauai when there was torrential rain for days.
You ask ... Is this a good place to go for your first trip? ... We go every year because we really like it there, so I guess the straight answer is to ask with a question: what are you hoping for or expecting?
If you haven't already checked out or bought a guidebook, we like http://www.wizardpub.com/Kauai/kaucontents.html

Jack
p.s. if you haven't already locked in an exchange, you might want to consider a resort along the east coast of Kauai. It will always be dryer downwind. Staying central (Lihue through Kapaa) makes it easier to drive to either end of the island as well as staying put depending on the weather.

 

[daventrina]

Princeville is wet. The wettest place on the planet is just up the hill from there. Rains 4 in. month in the dry months and up to 8 in the wet months.January is a wet month. Koloa and Poipu are not much different from Princeville in January, both about 7 inches for the month (or less than 1/4 inch per day). There is a reason it is called the Garden Isle ... it's wet.

http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/...e=Princeville-Hawaii-United-States-of-America

I don't think that there is a "Bad" Island for a "first" visit.
Each Island has a different flower and slogan for a reason.
Each has a unique character, flavor and special features to explore.

We tend to favor Maui and Big Island in large part because the diving is better on those islands and we like to dive a LOT when we area there :ignore: While Kauai wasn't our first island to visit (we chose Maui) there is no reason for most people that it wouldn't be a good first trip island (unless you really like the nightlife). Be careful if you are thinking of making an only trip, because you may fall in love and have to go back.

We've been to Kauai twice and have enjoyed both visits. Had great Mahi Mahi Fish & Chips at a Bar and Grill in Kapaa. Had nice dives and Koloa Landing and Cannons. A nice sail trip up the Na Pali Coast. Spent 10 days watching whales jump in front of our lanai. Enjoyed the Grans Canyon of the Pacific. Explored the North Shore rain forests. Visited many secluded beaches. Checked out a Russian Fort. Shopped at farmers markets. Visited an art show.

Hope you get the idea. yo should enjoy exploring the Island. Like Jack said, get Kauai revealed. (hope that isn't an advertisement )

We haven't yet been to an Island we didn't like and have been to most.

 

[Dollie]

North shore ocean swimming

Princeville is the north shore where the big waves come in in the winter. Swimming in the ocean can be a problem. Most of the beaches will close when this happens, Anini might be the exception. Something to consider.

 

[MelBay]

Thank you everyone! I always appreciate the invaluable TUG collective wisdom. We are just on HOLD with RCI, so I think I'll release it and dig a little further.

I'll keep everyone posted.

 

[artringwald]

wet/dry

The key to decreasing the chance of rain on any Hawaiian island is to stay on the southwest side of a mountain range. The trade winds usually blow from the northeast, get pushed up into the cold mountain air and condense. That's why so many tourists go to Poipu on Kauai, Ka'anapali or Kihei on Maui, Waikiki on Oahu, and Kona on the Big Island.

 

[BevL]

Just got back from our very first trip to Kauai, Jan 12 to 26. We stayed at the Kauai Beach Villas in Lihue and were very glad we chose the "middle" for our first trip. We don't like moving so a week north and a week south, while it might be ideal, doesn't work for us.

We did a lot of sightseeing, even though it's a small island (compared to Hawaii where we usually go) to really see everything takes a while. We didn't have a really long drive on any day, and we liked that.

We had a lot of wind our first week, some cloud. Then one absolutely torrential day of rain, then great weather the second week. It is definitely hotter and drier on the south side of the island. North side is much more scenic.

YMMV, but I think that KBV or Pono Kai might be good choices for you with RCI. I posted sightings of some KBV weeks a few weeks ago in January, not sure if they're still there or not. That was for 2013. They bulkbank about a year ahead of time.

 

[DeniseM]

hawaiigaga.com

 

[nanc65093]

We were just on Kaua'i from 1/27 until 2/10. This was our 3rd trip to the island and it was the best weather we've had. There was one day that was a rainy day and another where it showered in the afternoon. Overall we loved it. Even though we're having a mild Minnesota winter it beats Minneapolis any old day We were one night in Kapaa and the next 2 weeks in Princeville.

Nancy