Paging Alan...

Alan: I found an old post where you stated that the east side was more commercial than say the south side.

How so?? More stores or what?

I%26#39;m still trying to decide whether to stay on the east side or the south.

If you%26#39;re familiar with Maui -- I liked staying in Kihei. And there were alot of shops etc. there. I didn%26#39;t like Kaanapali.

Paging Alan...

Don%26#39;t know about Maui, but I do know that the East side of Kauai is the more commercial. Lihue and Kapaa are the population hubs of the island. The airport is there, so are most businesses. Nawiliwili Harbor is also closeby. Whether you stay North or South, travelling thru this area can be challenging especially at pau hana (end of work day). I usually suggest the South to anyone who visits Kauai for the first time. It is just nearer to most sites and activities. The north shore is a must, but can be experienced in one day trip. When we go for two weeks we usually split our time between north and south, but that%26#39;s just what works for us. Hope this helps. Harry

Paging Alan...

The east side is where most residents of the island live, in Kapaa and Wailua. Kapaa is often described as being ';quaint'; with a lot of stores and shopping lining Kuhio Hwy. It%26#39;s where you will find the most traffic in the morning and late afternoon, but it%26#39;s also the area you%26#39;re most likely to find good deals on lodging. Keep in mind, that the population of Kauai is still only about 60,000 so it%26#39;s not like being in Waikiki or Honolulu. The great thing about the east side is the central location. You can get to the north or south shores in 30-45 minutes or less depending on the time of day and traffic.

KukuiNut, what I mean by more commercial is that there are more stores, more traffic and more crowds. The whole stretch of highway on the east side is lined with condos and hotels on the makai (ocean) side and shopping centers, mini malls and more condos on the mauka side.

The condos in the east are cheaper and less upscale than many in Poipu. I don%26#39;t like traffic and crowds and so prefer Poipu. Its also not pretentious as is Princeville.

I would say that the east side is sort of like Kihei but that all traffic passes through town rather than on a separate highway. Forcing the comparison Poipu is sort of like Wailea - more upscale with planned condo resorts. That said, it is really not fair to compare Maui to Kauai. Maui is far too built up and crowded and doesn%26#39;t have the natural beauty that Kauai has.

Alan

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