Poipu, Hawaii is one of the most beautiful and amazing places in the US and the Pacific. The name literally means “Crashing Waves” in the Hawaiian language which is perfectly fitting. Poipu sits on the southern side of the Hawaiian island, Kauai, and hosts a wide variety of distinct shorelines.
There are calm, lazy beaches for sea turtles to emerge from the water to bask in the sun and areas where one can snorkel and see a wide array of colorful, tropical marine life. There are also powerful cliffs where the never ending crashing of waves has shaped them over the years into their incredible displays they exhibit today. All of these beaches surrounded by lush greenery, flowering trees and plants, and topped off with breathtaking mountains to the north, full of waterfalls.
In addition to the beautiful landscapes, the sunrises are a magical time of the day and leave lasting memories for those who experience them. The colors dance on the water and highlight the cliffs and shore line in glowing yellows, oranges, purples and reds.
Even if you are typically not an early riser, its well worth the slight annoyance of getting out of bed before you’d normally like to so you can experience the mornings first light. It really shouldn’t be too difficult to do though, since the abundant supply of Kauai chickens will probably have already awoken you earlier than you needed to get up anyway.
During my last trip to Hawaii, I stayed in Poipu and was able to get up early on several mornings and get out for trail runs along the cliffs and experience the sunrises in all their glory. There is an amazing trail in the area called the Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail which runs along the southern shores and takes you along the cliffs where you can soak in the views. There are several amazing vistas to stop and watch the waves crash into the shores along the way. There are also more peaceful, sandy spots on the shore with succulents growing abundantly and tide pools to explore.
In order to share this special place and the gorgeous sunrises, I created a new piece showcasing the incredible place that is Poipu, Hawaii. In it, I hope to share one of my favorite places to soak in the sunrise along the Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail. It is a place where the beach flattens out and you are blessed with incredible views of the cliffs in the distance, along with the powerful mountains in the distance; a place that has the power to change your entire mood and outlook on life. All the stress and worries of “normal life” melt away and all you are left with is the present moment to soak in the natural worlds incredible gifts.
I hope you love this print and I hope that you get to visit this special place if you haven’t already.
Mahalo!
