? About a Serious Issue

Coming to Kaua%26#39;i next month, what do I pack?!?!?! Or should I say what don%26#39;t I need to pack, I%26#39;m horrible about overpacking and could really use some previous travelers advice. How many changes of clothes did you typically use per day? I know I mostly need the swimsuits and beach gear but what to wear to nice places to eat and how many if any long pants are needed? Jackets, sweaters and long sleeve shirts? I%26#39;ve read conflicting info about hike shoes, old tennishoes or water shoes ok or do you need serious hike boots? What type of hat do you find works best? The condos do have laundry facilities but its coin-op so I assume its community and really don%26#39;t want to spend more than one night doing laundry on vacation. Please help!

? About a Serious Issue

Travel in jeans or chinos. That gives you a pair of long pants if needed. Bring a light jacket. Most restaurants you can wear nice pants/shorts and top or sundress/skirt and blouse. Smart casual; you don%26#39;t need anything particularly dressy. I carry a pair of lightweight low heels as all-purpose nicer shoes. I usually wear sneaks or light hiking boots to travel, as they%26#39;re easier to wear than to carry. You%26#39;ll want them if you plan to do much real hiking. Mostly I end up wearing Tevas the entire trip. I don%26#39;t use water shoes of any kind.

Mostly you%26#39;ll want shorts and T-shirts or other casual tops. I wear a small baseball-type cap, as I find I need the shade over my eyes even with sunglasses. Plan on one outfit per day. If your ';nice'; clothes don%26#39;t get dirty you can probably wear an outfit more than once, assuming you%26#39;re just wearing it to dinner.

Pack one less shirt than you think you%26#39;ll need; you%26#39;ll undoubtedly buy at least one souvenir t-shirt.

Buy a pareo when you arrive; you can use it as a swimsuit coverup or a wrap if it%26#39;s chilly in the evening.

Pretty much anything you forget can be bought on-island if need be.

? About a Serious Issue

Hi AlB101:

My boyfriend and I are heading out to Kauai in about a week and a half. Our budjet is quite small, so we are hopeing to camp for the week we are there. CAmping means that the tent and sleeping bags will take up most of our luggage allowance. So I am really having to figure out the bare bones basics that I will need. I am planning on bringing only one or two of everything..so I am prepared for anything...if the weather is the same all week, I will re-use the same clothes. I am bringing 2 swim suits, 2 hiking outfits, and one nice eating-out outfit. One of my hiking outfits will include one pair of lightweight long pants and long shirt. I am bringing a rain coat as jacket. I am bringing my ';serious'; hikers, which are already well worn...I figure if they get ruined on the trip, I am due for a new pair when I get back home anyways. As for hats, I%26#39;m personally not a big fan of ball caps for sun protection..because they only shade a small area. I%26#39;m a big fan of wide brimmed hats..where the brim goes all the way around. AS for appropriate dress-wear, I%26#39;ve heard that almost all dining places in Kauai are very casual. I wouldn%26#39;t wear bikini top in a fancy restaurant..but I think shorts and t-shirt are fine in most places.

HOpe this helps! Good luck packing!

--Michelle

ALB 101,

Good question. I guess the best way I can answer you is by relating how we pack.

LIGHT is the main idea. We take only ONE carry on sized duffel each for two weeks at Poipu Kai Condos. Actually we pack the same for any place that we travel.

1. You do not have to get super dressed up to go anyplace on the island. ERica will wear a cover up, or light sun dress most of the time.

When going to the Beach House I will wear my one pair of long pants, aloha shirt, %26amp; clean tennis shoes.

Erica will have a tropical print dress, and some light wt. sandals. Toss a flower on her left ear, and that IS dressed up.

Flower: RIGHT side LOOK%26#39;N..LEFT side TOOK%26#39;N

2. Packing: My one pair of long pants, and a nice aloha shirt, and wind breaker jacket I wear on the plane. ( never really had to use the jacket, but just prepared for when we return home , or possibly up in the higher elevations of kokee ) So that takes care of the more bulky items.

3. ( 2) swim suits...(2) tank tops (2) additonal aloha shirts amd light polo.

(3) extra underwear (2) extra socks.

(2) cutoffs

(1) visor or cap (1) reading glasses

(1) sunglasses and croakies ( 1) beater tennis shoes for hiking (1) good tennis shoes for travel and going out.

(1) mask and snorkel...dive gloves..and

mask de-fogger, sunscreen (1) ULTIMATE KAUAI GUIDE BOOK

(1) Novel, and two magazines. Camera/film.

Plus toilet articles. We will purchase any additional items that we might need there.

Fins, we rent, since they are monsters and take up too much room.

4. That is about it. Poipu Kai Condos have the washer/dryer right in the individual units, so we just toss our dirty clothes in the wash, and let her rip.

5. When we HAD to hotel it, in australia, we packed the same way, and wound up washing clothes every so often, but no biggie. Did not interfere with our day. Went to the pool, or worked out, or just kicked back, or...etc. We did not post a sentry at the washing area....no worries, mates. but we did keep our eye on the time, and were there when the wash, or dry time was up.

6. Passport or photo ID...credit card..ATM card, cash, biz cards, tickets, and itinerary. Addresses for post cards.

That is about it. You might want to vary this idea a bit, but you really do not need a whole lot. Island living is really very casual and easy.

Ahhhhhhhhh...you will be on ISLAND TIME.

Denny

This is a list of things I pack for a 2-3 week trip to Hawaii. I%26#39;ve kept it on file for several years and refer to it each time we go. It%26#39;s really helped me to learn to ';pack light';. Makes traveling much easier. I overpacked the first few trips we took and ended up sending some clothing home one time because I knew I was never going to wear it and I was getting tired of hauling it around. Hope this helps.

4-5 t-shirts

2 ';dressier'; tops

1-2 pairs of capri pants

2-3 pairs of shorts

1-2 sundresses

1 sweatshirt/sweatpants

2 swimsuits

1 swimsuit cover-up

1 pair of sandals that go with everything

slippahs (flip-flops)- buy when you get there

2 nightshirts/pj%26#39;s

undies to last a week

Tevas or walking/running shoes/reef walkers

That%26#39;s about it, excluding personal items and snorkeling gear. I try to make sure what clothing I bring coordinates. Usually I can fit all my clothes in a carryon bag. I usually travel in jeans (with a little spandex for comfort) and a long-sleeved t-shirt. I leave my jacket in the trunk of my car at the airport because we usually travel in the fall and we live in the Northeast. I carry on a big tote bag that can double as a beach bag. As long as you have laundry facilities available, you%26#39;ll be fine. As someone else mentioned in another thread, no one is going to notice that you%26#39;re wearing the same outfits over again. And if they do, who cares? You%26#39;re on vacation! :)

a guy%26#39;s perspective on what to pack:

T-shirts: take 2 less than the # of days you%26#39;re staying, then buy two while there.

Tank tops: applies to and is included under t-shirts.

Slippers: one pair, old sneakers if hiking, buy tabis at Walmart if going snorkeling or tidepool exploring.

Underwear: probably one per day...if you swim all day, might not need that many; just wear your swimming trunks.

Shorts: 3 pairs outta last up to 10 days.

Jacket: none

Pants: none

Hawaiian shirt: take one for a nice dinner; if lazy like me, buy one there to avoid the thought of having to iron it.

Cameras/Laptop: a must(the latter for downloading and saving your digital pix)

Toiletries: Toothbrush, razor only. Borrow your wife%26#39;s toothpaste and deodorant...heck, you%26#39;ll be in the water so much, who really needs deodorant?

Windbreaker: only if hiking Kalaula the whole way, going on the sea, or going in a doorless helicopter.

Rashguard shirt: if lacking dark skin already, this will save you from some serious sunburns (wear while snorkeling).

Towels; ';borrow'; one from hotel or condo; buy at Walmart if desperate.

Backpack: good for days at beach. put waterproof suntan lotion and bug repellent inside; i also make a small first aid kit and keep it in there 24/7.

If you bring back anything clean in your suitcase, you packed TOO MUCH!

Kal, you pack like we do. We did a month in Australia on one carryon each.

Thanks for all the great tips! Even the guy tips, I%26#39;ll pass those on to my BF but I think I%26#39;ll leave out the part about borrowing my deodorant! :)

Only 22 days away, I better start packing :)

Denny: LOL about the flower :-)

Kauai06,

That%26#39;s MY packing list, LOL!!!!

**sniff, sniff** ';WHAT? It%26#39;s not me....';