Nāpali Coast, Kaua’i – Pristine and hauntingly beautiful, the Nāpali Coast is a 16-mile-long stretch of soaring green-clad cliffs, white-sand beaches, turquoise coves and gushing waterfalls. Each of the five major valleys – Kalalau, Honopu, Awa‘awapuhi, Nu‘alolo and Miloli‘i –…
Kīlauea, Kaua‘i – Kīlauea and nearby Moloa‘a are known for the fertile land and abundant small farms that blanket the landscape, producing fruit, chocolate, cheese and more. As a city girl, I sometimes forget that this is where food comes…
Hanalei, Kaua’i – The town of Hanalei wraps around its namesake bay, flanked by three magnificent mountains – twin-peaked Hīhīmanu, pyramidal Māmalahoa and soaring Nāmolokama (4421ft). The three emerald giants are famously laced with waterfalls and often adorned by rainbows.…
Princeville, Kaua’i – There is a reason they call Kaua’i the Garden Island: today was the first of many garden tours to come over the next two weeks. Princeville Botanical Gardens is a private property in the Anini Stream valley.…
Princeville, Kaua’i – Princeville is the North Shore’s tourist hub, where swanky resorts and sprawling golf courses dominate the landscape. Indeed, the centerpiece of the Princeville peninsula is the Makai Golf Club. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., the 18-hole…
Princeville, Hawai’i – Appropriately, this Thanksgiving weekend has provided many reasons and reminders for me to be grateful. I feel super fortunate to have so many opportunities for joy and wonder and love in my life! Turkey Trot The WHOLE…
This article is adapted from the new Lonely Planet guide to Cancún, Cozumel and the Yucatán Peninsula, now available from Lonely Planet. (I didn’t adapt it, but I did research and write the part of the brand new book. Read…
Even before first light, the growl of howler monkeys echoes through the trees. A lumbering tapir retreats into the cover of the forest for its daily rest, while a pair of scarlet macaws emits an unsonorous squawk and alights in…
Last year I spent two weeks in Coastal North Carolina working on the new version of Lonely Planet’s guide to Georgia & the Carolinas. Upon my return from Alaska, I was happy to see that this beauty is now an…
If you like to drink coffee, you’re going to love Costa Rica. Thanks to its rich volcanic soil and varied topography, this small country produces coffee beans with impressive depth and a variety of flavors. And, in true Costa Rican style,…