When people vacation on Kauai, they love to play in the ocean and explore the waves with snorkeling gear or surf boards. But at the end of a long and sandy, salty day, going back to the beach might not hold the same sway. But what if you still want to swim? How about staying at the Marvin Pool Home and enjoying a private pool and hot tub?

The Marvin Pool home is a lovely place in Princeville, the picture of simple and elegant taste. Located in a family-friendly neighborhood, this is the perfect place to rent for a vacation on Kauai with the kids. Why? Well, first of all, there is a nice pool.

For some parents out there, the idea of undertow and unknown sea life is unsettling, especially when your children could suffer a mishap. So why not give your children a fun pool of your very own to play in?! While parents can lounge in the nearby hot tub, enjoying the relaxing nature of our tropical island, children can swim all they like in the spacious pool located in the backyard.

This home also is very kid friendly with enough space for everyone without being overly large. With three bedrooms and two bathrooms, there is enough space to sleep six people comfortably. Plus, there is a fully equipped kitchen and dinning room for making and eating family dinners, TV with cable and a DVD player for movie nights at home, high speed internet for keeping up to date with the world, and comfortable places scattered all throughout the house for individuals or groups to setting down and play.

Want to leave the house? Well, luckily this home is located in Princeville, so you are close to everything from a movie rental store to a grocery store, from a children’s park to the Hanalei Bay, and from the professional golf course to spa services. There is something to do here for the whole family!

The Marvin Pool Home is one of my favorite vacation rental on all of Kauai and I hope you’ll enjoy it as well.

Maybe it’s something about living on an island that brings my mind and spirit so much closer to the lives around me. Or maybe it’s just the fact that I have grown up watching the wonders of nature. But whatever it is, I have a special place in my heart for watching the majestic whales travel along their watery paths to unknown quests.

Each year, starting in December, the Humpback whales of the region flow past my island home on their way to bringing their young into the world. They travel from Alaska so many miles away into the warm waters surrounding Hawaii, intent on creating new life. And watching their enjoyment of the water, their larger-than-life frolicking, and their congregation into family groups gives me a sense of peace, like the world is larger and more wonderful than I had ever imagined and the plans of men cannot stop the rhythms of nature.

And I know it’s not just me. Every year, hundreds of tourists come to our island to watch the whales make their journeys home. There are whale watching locations scattered all over our highest ocean cliffs and restaurants near the water that seat guests outside during the height of the whale watching season. And, as always, there are multiple rental and tour companies, offering whale watching expeditions to those who desire to see a few of these marvelous creatures up close. (Well, as up close as we can get without disturbing them.) During the months of December-April, our island becomes one of the best places on the planet to enjoy a whale migration.

So do you love watching the whales like I do? If you do, you should come and visit. The Humpbacks are starting to increase in number, and sightings are must more common now than they were last month. It’s a great time to see some of the world’s largest and most loving creatures up close and personal.

On January 15, 1929, a great man was born. This man was a man with a dream, a dream that included a completely color-blind world where those of every skin tone could live together in equality. This man was a preacher, a great orator, and one of the best activists for the civil rights movement that the world has ever known.

And then this man was assassinated.

It’s hard to believe sometimes that we ever lived in a world where people of all colors couldn’t work together, eat together, get married, live their lives together, and otherwise live in a state of equality together. Here on Kauai, I am a friend to many different people, people with different nationalities and different speech patterns and (among other things) different skin tones. In my mind, their racial differences do not change who they are to me or who they are to the world. And that is the world that I know.

But that was not always the case. Once there was a world completely different from my own, a world in which people got jobs, married, went to church, and even used certain bathrooms based upon their skin color. And Dr. King knew that this was wrong. Through his efforts, and those of others like him, my world was created. Sure, this world isn’t perfect. Here in America, there are still racial inequalities and barriers to break down. But the fact that I am a light-skinned woman marrying a very tall dark-skinned man has only been made possible because Dr. King gave his life for it.

So today, as you are perhaps off work or hearing people talk of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, keep in mind what is being celebrated: the life of a great man who changed the world.

I can’t remember if I’ve ever written about the Waipa Foundation before, which is reason enough to write about it now. After all, this is an important part of living on Kauai and truly understanding our island and our traditions.

The Waipa Foundation is a non-profit organization whose goal is to restore Waipa. They have been working toward that goal for over 20 years. So what is Waipa? Well, it is a 1,600 acre watershed area that foundation members and volunteers have been restoring.

Why are they restoring it? That is a good question. (Yes, I’m answering myself, but I’m guessing you all were thinking it.) You see, many years ago in the times of Hawaiian kings, the people of each island had a tie to the land and its resources. They lived off the land and trusted it for their livelihood. They worked hard, sharing with others, developing the cultural ways we see even today, and flourishing in the balance of their lives.

Of course, with trade, ships, flights, the internet, and a world-wide economy, many of those early traditions have been left in the past and forgotten by the newer generations. The Waipa Foundation wants to bring part of Kauai’s history back into relevance, creating an area where community can be developed, traditions can be kept, and culturally relevant teaching can be received.

How are they doing this? To begin with, the Foundation built a community center and learning center, designed to bring people together and teach them about the times when we were tied directly to the land and its resources. And of course they work hard to make sure there are activities, curriculums, and programs for all age groups, maintaining their learning sites for the community around them and the island as a whole.

If you are planning a visit to Kauai or if you are a resident who has never looked into the Waipa Foundation, I encourage you to visit one of their learning centers. You will probably learn a lot, just as I have.

Need a place to stay in 2012 when you come to Kauai? Great! I have a ton of vacation rentals to tell you about so you don’t have to stay in an overpriced hotel during your visit. (After all, we do want you to come back and visit again… and that would be hard to do if you spend your entire savings on lodging, right?) First of all, let’s talk about Hale Waileia in Princeville.

Forget staying in a tiny hotel room. This house (yes, I said house) in Princeville has all of the room you will need to truly relax and enjoy your stay. You know how they say that clutter will clutter the mind? Well, you will not have that problem with this house. Every room is highlighted with multiple windows (some floor to ceiling), so you can always see the beautiful tropical island that surrounds you. Plus you get your own private courtyard with a view of a beautiful Kauai garden.

And this house is big. We are talking about 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a spacious living room and dining room, and a fully equipped kitchen for only $1,050 a week! The master suit is large, with a king-sized bed, private bathroom, and immaculate furnishings. And the entire house has hardwood floors and updated cabinets to give it a modern yet comfy feel.

Wanna know the best part? Well, okay, the price is really the best part. But you will also be a short walk away from a world class golf course, shopping centers, restaurants, beaches, equipment rental shops, and everything else that Princeville has to offer! And, if you want something fun to do, simply use the high speed internet here at Hale Waileia and look up my blog. I’ll provide you with all of the island highlights!

Merry Christmas to all of you out there in blogland!

This year, let’s really focus on the reason for the season: family and friends coming together to celebrate and enjoy the holiday. So try not to stress about work, avoid drinking and driving, and learn to get along with your cousin Jamie. Why? Because this holiday is all about relaxing, family, Aloha, and presents!

Hehe… okay, maybe not about presents. But you know what I mean!

Merry Christmas to my readers and Happy Holidays to everyone.

Okay, maybe you just made plans to come to Kauai for the end of the year. Maybe you decided last minute and are now trying to find a nice hotel in your price range? Maybe you went to the hotel you had booked and realized just how expensive it was? Maybe your wall-mates in the room next to yours are extremely loud every night? Whatever the reason, you need to find a nice condo on Kauai to use during your stay. So have you considered Hanalei Bay Villa 15?

You know what? You probably haven’t! But you should. If you are going to be staying on the island with your small family or a couple friends, this is the place for you. Why? Well, let me list the reasons for you.

Comfort – This place is cozy. The furniture is all comfortable and nice. The style is island and the colors are fun and warm. And if you care nothing about the look, how about the fact that you get two bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, a living room, a full kitchen, a lanai, and a backyard to use. MUCH better than a hotel room, yes?

Cost – A hotel on Kauai around the holidays is expensive. Okay, it’s more than expensive; it’s like buying a car expensive. So if you want to be able to afford your vacation, a condo or vacation home is much better for you. Hanalei Bay Villa 15 is actually a cottage, so it has that homey quality that is so lack in many places. Plus, it’s only $1,330 a week! Seriously, that’s each week, not each night! Price some hotels and you’ll see how good a deal this place is.

Amenities – A hotel room will give you a mini bar (which costs money), a television (that can be heard through the walls), and a downstairs lobby and restaurant (which will be filled with the hundreds of other guests and will typically cost you money). With #15, you get views of Hanalei Bay and the mountains, a fully equipped kitchen, 2 TVs, a DVD player, a washer/dryer in your cottage, free wireless internet, and enough room to stretch out in. And the best part: you won’t have to do anything in front of a bunch of strangers.

Wouldn’t this be a great place to bring your family? Wouldn’t this be a great place for you to stay this holiday season? Don’t you want to call and book it now?