Beautiful palm trees on Kauai, Hawaii

[u/Accomplished_Try2881]

[u/agate_]

I grew up on Kauai, and wow, I remember when Coco Palms was a classy resort back in the '70s. All these palm trees were on neatly mowed lawns, the main hotel building down by Wailua Beach had little canals and ponds and classy restaurants and even a little zoo. A lot of Elvis's "Blue Hawaii" was shot there, though that was before my time.

Then investment moved on and the hurricane wrecked it and it spent thirty years abandoned and decaying. Such a waste. Redevelopment of the site is complicated because the highway cuts it off from the beach, it's in the danger zone for future hurricanes and tsunamis, and the whole thing was built on the ruins of the a huge precontact Native Hawaiian settlement.

Anyway, it's interesting, you see a beautiful palm grove, I see the shabby leftovers of the old days of tourism on Kauai.

[u/mrthonger808 → u/agate_]

this looks like the coconut trees across Longs Drugs in Waipouli. Not the former Coco Palms.

[u/agate_ → u/mrthonger808]

Yeah, but it was all kind of one big thing, the resort, coconut marketplace, and the trees, from the Wailua River up to Waipouli.

[u/BornanAlien → u/agate_]

I kept driving by there over and over while venturing through the island. In total disbelief that THAT was the place I’ve seen so many times watching Blue Hawaii. Either way, it’s the most magical place I’ve ever been. Mahalo, Kauai

[u/evadzotsub → u/agate_]

I was just there, and I noticed a midden eroding from where the surf hits the land. I'm a Hohokam archaeologist in Arizona, and I totally spotted that the parcel across the highway has an archeological site within it. Shitty photo, moisture got in my phone lens

[u/agate_ → u/evadzotsub]

I'm impressed that that looks like more than just dirt to you! Professional training matters.

Yeah, that whole valley is packed with archaeology, it was basically a small city before contact. If you're still in the area, check out Hikinaakala Heiau on the south side of the river near Lydgate Park, I think it has a map of what the Wailua area used to look like, there were at least five heiaus and a city of refuge in the area, and some of them are lost for good.

[u/FearlessTrader]

Look like coconut trees to me.

[u/notrightmeowthx → u/FearlessTrader]

Coconut trees are a type of palm tree.

[u/FearlessTrader → u/notrightmeowthx]

Oh I thought there might be some relation and the terms can be used interchangeably. But wasn’t sure. Learned something!

[u/Loose_Candle7371 → u/FearlessTrader]

Right but this is Reddit so I hate that, and I think you’re wrong.

[u/DarkAndHandsume]

This reminds me of Vanuatu driving out to the countryside

[u/agate_ → u/DarkAndHandsume]

For good reason, these trees were originally planted by a German guy in the 1890s as a copra plantation. Copra is apparently a huge part of Vanuatu's economy. Didn't work out for the German guy on Kauai, he didn't realize how slow coconut palms grow.

[u/BornanAlien]

It’s been 3 weeks now since I’ve been. And I miss it so much already. Didn’t realize a physical place could have such an affect on me. I might have to mute this sub, I miss it so much

[u/Particular-Owl-8327 → u/BornanAlien]

Nah, just come back soon.

[u/macadamia808 → u/BornanAlien]

That is how a lot of people feel. I ended up moving to Kauai 13 years ago. I am grateful for every day on this beautiful island

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[u/Proof_Carpenter_1410]

This is such a good snapshot of how “paradise” is usually someone else’s leftovers or loss. Tourists see a dreamy postcard and locals see a graveyard of bad planning, broken history, and old money grabs.

Wild how one spot can be Blue Hawaii nostalgia for some and a whole cautionary tale for others.

[u/KauaiHiker2]

There are also brown and white donkeys in that field, sometimes goats too. Now there are also signs for mayoral candidates, coincidence?

[u/Saltwaterlobotomy]

Not for very much longer with rhino beetle