We just got back from a last minute trip to Hawaii. We spent two weeks in Poipu on Kauai. Luckily we did not book one of the cottages on Ho'ona Road (just off the road to Spouting Horn) where we usually rent. Instead we rented in Poipu Kai, near the Hyatt.

Half of Poipu is under construction - the western half!! For years we have been wondering when the construction project along the road to Spouting Horn would start, but it kept getting stalled. It started this summer at the same time as several other major projects. The construction sites are huge - acres and acres - and currently they are dynamiting and digging. The sites are surrounded by high fences so you cannot see into them.

But you do not want to be staying anywhere in Poipu west of the Shearton. This rules out a lot of vacation rentals homes and condos in Poipu. The vacation rental sites make no mention of this (and did not mention it to me when I was booking). My guess is that people will go to Poipu this year, like we did, but won't go back for a few years. Right now is the best time to go - because once they start the building there will be a lot more traffic on the roads and noise in the area.

The noise and dirt did not affect us at all in the area near the Hyatt.

I updated my two pages on Kauai:
The Garden Island of Kauai, Hawaii
Kauai Vacation Rentals

Here are the paragraphs I inserted:

In summer 2007, several large constructions projects started in the western end of Poipu. These projects will add 4,500 homes and apartments to this area. Construction has started on the large project of homes along the road to Spouting Horn. Several other large condo/resort projects, just west of the Sheraton have started. They are redoing the intersection of main Poipu road where it meets the road to Spouting Horn, so you have to detour.

If you are staying at the Hyatt end of Poipu (Pe'e Road, Poipu Kau, Poipu Beach Park) you will not notice the construction, but if you are staying in the Spouting Horn side (Ho'ona Road, road to Spouting Horn) you will be in the middle of this dirt and noise. These projects are expected to last for five years and will greatly increase the traffic to this area.

Here is a local article about it: Star Bulletin - Development projects affecting Garden Isle style

Thank goodness I lucked out and booked our condo close to the Hyatt for the end of October! I saw no hint of any of this a couple of months ago when I was shopping for condos in Poipu.

Wow! Good to know, Pauline. I guess I missed the news that day. All of this development is getting out of control everywhere here in Hawaii. I love Poipu. I hope it won't be ruined. Thanks for the update.

We're facing that same problem here on the North Shore, with a proposed development at Turtle Bay that would DOUBLE the population of the North Shore. We can't even handle the traffic now -- it can take us 45 minutes to an hour to go the six miles to Haleiwa when the surf is up. Thanks for the info on Poipu, Pauline, and sorry that once again we missed you and Steve. Maybe sometime you'll come through HNL, and even come up to visit us. And the same, Chris, for you and Frank - hope you all have a wonderful time here (I'll think about you while we're in La Roque-Gageac eating confit and drinking Cahors wine).

I want to make sure that anyone thinking of renting a vacation rental on Ho'ona Road in Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii knows about this construction, so I am topping this thread. And I wrote about the Poipu Construction in my blog.

Chris and Frank are back from there trip and can give us an update on the situation.

I was really stunned by how HUGE the construction areas are. They still appear to be mostly digging holes and ripping up the earth. I definitely wouldn't want to stay in that area until the projects are complete. It must be very noisy, and the road detours are a pain.

A mile or two away in the area of the Hyatt, all was serene. At least until the couple with the little boys moved into the condo below us...

Hi Chris,

Alex and I will be taking a trip to Kauai Nov. 12th for a week. We'll be at the Poipu Kai. Any construction there?

Say hi to Frank!

gloria

We were in the Poipu Kai area, too, Gloria, and everything is quiet there. All the construction seems to be to the west of there.

Have fun--we loved it!

WARNING: We stayed at Poipu Kapili 51 and it was LOUD!
We averaged about 3-4 hours of sleep and left during the day all day. I feel so strongly about warning others, I am putting up a website: http://poipukapili51review.com/