The title of this post is blatantly copied from a popular book, but it’s a question many visitors ask themselves, and a few ask me. Indeed, I had to ask it of myself before I made the move, back in 2003.
So I thought I’d answer an email on the subject:
We are thinking about moving our young family to Kauai.
We absolutely love the island! We will be renting a house, as it is so expensive to buy, what is the best area to live? We are thinking Kilauea or Kapaa?? Any advice you can give us would be much appreciated. How are prices for food, gas, utilities???
First, I have written two other posts mostly on this topic. The first was way back when I started this blog, from someone who wasn’t quite as decided as the person above. Hey, Bill, if you’re still reading, leave a comment about your thoughts and eventual preparations for moving to Kauai. Then there one of my more recent posts, about having to move away. So here is my answer from the whole experience.
There is no “best” area to live, it all depends on your preferences and expectations. We chose Kapaa because it is centrally located. I think if you live in the north or south, you won’t drive the 2 hours to the other side more than a few times a year. But some people might want to live in a “smaller” place and not feel pressured to go everywhere.
In addition, Kapa’a is generally middle class (for Hawaii at least), and has the largest (and therefore somewhat more affordable) choice of housing. For these very same reasons, it is also where the most transplants end up, and so you’ll find more people like yourselves, which makes it easier to meet them. The Kapa’a area also has the most grocery stores (although the huge Safeway planned in Lihue will change that—as well as the small island feel).
One thing I recommend is to avoid the inland parts of Kapa’a if you can. This is where the most choice and least expensive housing is located, but it’s also the dampest and always a 15 minute drive to town. We rented up there for a year, but then we bought our house in the neighborhood called the Wailua Houselots, between the Sleeping Giant and Wailua Beach.
Lihu’e is nice, still centrally located, and closer to a lot of things (government offices that you’ll visit a lot at first, bigger library, the biggest gym, the only real movie theatre left, big stores such as Walmart, Kmart, Barnes and Noble, Costco, and the only mall—which is convenient even if shopping is not your thing). The southern side of Lihue is called Puhi, that’s where most of the shopping is, but it’s also the area that is being developed to look like
California.
Kilauea is closer to Hanalei and the North Shore, but it isn’t a coastal town like downtown Kapa’a. There are 2 beaches nearby, but they can only be accessed
by trail or dirt road. It is a great neighborhood, friendly and unpretentious middle-class. We had friends that lived there even though they had a long commute to Lihue. But there are only a few convenience stores there and natural foods store, which are more expensive.
You didn’t ask, but here’s my impression of the other main residential areas:
- Princeville: relatively expensive and a bit sterile, like a retirement community. Plus there is lots of construction so it seems a bit noisy. They do have a great library, a full grocery (but the most expensive on the island), and Hanalei is nearby.
- Hanalei and Haena beyond: 100% Kauai-style living, if you can afford it and overlook the vacation rentals. There are few affordable long-term rentals, but they can be had. It’s not completely overrun with tourists and shops yet, but close. Lifestyle is so laid-back, you’ll find it difficult to go visit the rest of the island. I think it would be too insular for my taste.
- Koloa/Poipu: Koloa would be a nice town but it just doesn’t seem to achieve critical mass of conveniences: small library, small groceries, small neighborhoods, lots of through-traffic. Poipu is overrun with tourists, there are only a few residential streets. Still, if you want the most sunshine and the vacation-everyday experience, this is the place. If you have to go to work and live frugally, forget it.
- Hanapepe/Waimea/Kekaha: now you’re in local territory, which means lots of friendly locals and a few resentful locals. Hanapepe is a quaint little town, very artsy, the most tourist friendly. Waimea and Kekaha are the cheapest places to live on the island, so a lot of locals have to move there. Hanapepe has the nicest beach, Waimea the least swimmable, and all 3 get very hot in the summer.
The deciding factor for you might be schools. Kilauea and Hanalei have good gradeschools, from what I’ve heard, Kapa’a and Lihu’e are decent. Near Kilauea is the private K-12 Kula School, I’ve heard decent things about it, but there’s only a few kids in each class. There are only 3 high schools, Kapa’a, Lihu’e (called Kaua’i HS) and Waimea. Unless your kids really have street smarts and something I would call a rural attitude, I’m not sure they will fit in very well. Plus academics aren’t that great, I hear they don’t have real AP classes. Kapa’a and Lihu’e have middle schools which are somewhere between the innocence of grade schools and the issues with the high schools. The west side of Lihu’e, Puhi, has the private and pricey Island School, widely recognized as the best pre-K-12 on the island–that’s where a lot of the transplant kids go, mostly haoles (ie white).
Regarding prices…
Unless you’re coming from California or the East Coast, housing costs are indeed expensive. Actually, it is somewhat less than big-city California in my experience, but without all the employment opportunities. Rents have come down a bit, but they’re hitting a floor where the landlords can’t go much lower due
to their own high mortgages. In any case, you’ll need a trust fund or some stable form of income if you expect to stay permanently. I lost my job and had
too leave—not fun.
To me, the price of food it the biggest myth. Yes, food is expensive if you eat lots of convenience and processed foods that have to be shipped from the
mainland to the local supermarket. Milk, even though it comes from small producers on the Big Island, is twice the price as California. We solved that problem by drinking soy milk, which was just as expensive until Costco arrived (about $1 per quart there).
We always go to the farmer’s market every week and buy local produce. Then just substitute all the local things into your recipes: sweet potatoes for regular potatoes, chard for spinach, etc. Eat local fruit, even from your yard and your neighbor’s (do not underestimate the value and goodness of an avocado tree at your rental property), avoid apples and store-bought fruit. We never had a big garden, but a few bananas and salad greens are healthy and don’t require too much work.
We would even buy a fair amount at Papaya’s, the biggest natural food store in Kapaa. It is overpriced (think Whole Foods but without all the glitz), but if you buy the bulk items (we baked our own bread in a bread machine) and stock up on sale items, you get can get by without spending a premium. Same goes for those things from the regular grocery that you inevitably need (beer, toilet paper, etc.): watch the sales every week and stock up. The way we cook and eat, I found it no more expensive than the mainland, sometimes cheaper.
Gas prices vary a lot, definitely more than on the mainland, but more uniform, so you don’t drive around worrying about finding the cheapest gas. They’re cheaper than downtown San Francisco, but more expensive than the California average, and significantly more than the national average. Costco has cheap gas. Contrary to California, Shell is consistently the cheapest on-island, especially the station in Wailua. If you have a Shell Mastercard that gives you 5% back on their gas, it’s as cheap as Costco and more convenient. Actually, there local newspaper hosts a web page with current prices. For comparison, it’s about $2.00 /gal in San Francisco, $1.75 outside of town, and I saw $1.55 in Texas over the holidays.
Utilities are the biggest shock, definitely 2 to 3 times more than CA, but even then, there are ways to save. Kauai has the highest electric rates in the whole country, so look for houses with gas appliances and hot water. Gas is expensive too, but more efficient and comes out cheaper. Best of all is solar hot water, as well as a covered clothesline; look for those in a house to save you at least $100/month. Then install compact fluorescent light bulbs if the rental doesn’t have them already.
That’s just an overview of the items I can think of. Feel free to ask more details in the comments. Readers, feel free to add your own examples of how Kaua’i is so expensive, or ways you’ve found to cope.
PS: I have gotten some other interesting emails and blog comments recently, I’ll answer them soon.
Thanks so much. Great info! We are arriving on Kauai the beginning of February. We are all so excited! We have a rental in Princeville…we wanted to be at Hanalei Elem. I am a bit bummed that Princelle is “a bit sterile”…Our lease is up in 5 months, that will give us time to see if Kauai works for us and where we will want to be permanantly. Preschools? My daughter will start in a few months. Thanks for the heads up on the farmers markets! Can’t wait to get there!
Thanks again,
Stacey
I too would love to move to Kauai but have realized that the dream might only become a reality in retirement, which is 30 some years away. There are just so few professional jobs on the island that it would be impossible to move at this time. In the meantime, my wife and I are stocking away as much money as possible for retirement.
Aloha,
Fred
Hello Andy,
Well, still reading, but sorry to hear about your bad luck. We had wondered about you when we heard about the layoffs at your work. Sadly, we felt it likely you were a part of the riff.
We were last in Kauai in July 2008 for our fifth trip in four years. However that streak will end this year. Once again, the economic downturn is largely responsible. We are trying to be more prudent with out spending.
So you might imagine that any preparations and dreams we have of moving to Kauai are pretty far on the back burner. I would guess that those who do have the money are finding great deals over there now. And I would guess there may be many like you who have had to retreat back to the Mainland. That’s pretty sad and I feel sorry for all affected.
Take care,
Bill
I love Kauai from the first time I see and heard about…I wish I could move there…but it is soo far away (I live in Romania) and you need a lot of paper to make for the visa…But I can dream that I am living there… :)
My nephew & 2 neices go to Island School. There are way more brown skinned children and Asians at Island School than haoles. The haoles are the minority.
5 kids in my nephew’s class also have Hawaiian/Asian mix.
Howzit!
I left Hawaii (Big Island) after Bush was elected, hoping to start a new life in Thailand. Well, I’ve spent enough time here now, and Bush is out, and thought about returning home – but not to the Big Island, but Kauai.
I have a lot of questions, and haven’t found much in the way of local chat rooms or forums for Kauai, for getting answers.
Basically, I’d like to come back, start a small recording studio, and get some lease-hold land for growing food, getting involved in a co-op, and investinf in solar energy. Possibly building the studio, barn & out buildings from recycled shipping containers.
From the little I’ve been able to find out almost all these ideas are impossible. I hear that lease-hold properties are mostly a thing of the past, (and probably any other method for obtaining a couple acres are out of my budget). I’ve heard that building permits, won’t allow for shipping containers (no matter how hurricane-proof, beautifully modified, or integrated into the landscape they are) – even though I know a couple who made a geodesic dome home out of automobile roofs there about 30 years ago that probably blew away during Eva in ’82.
As far as the music scene there, I don’t know what’s going on.
Can anyone comment on the issues raised above? Are there any active forums where real questions can be raised?
Thanks! Buzz
Hi Buzz,
Sad to say, but yes, those ideas are no longer possible on Kaua’i. I saw one lease-hold property when we were house-hunting in 2004, but none since then. There’s still some ag-land, but even in this depressed market, it has been speculated and flipped to outrageous prices. And while you can easily put a shipping container on vacant land, you won’t be able to turn it into a permitted building. The building inspectors and the county are really cracking down on that. Your best bet might be a yurt, but you still need to find the land to put it on. There used to be tent accomodations in exchange for work on the north shore organic farms, but the county cracked down on those too. But maybe if you find the person with the land, you could bring your own container to an out of the way place.
A co-op would be the way to go, but I only know of one, and it’s more of a community housing project. I don’t know the current status of the project, but here’s the contact info I found: Ileina Lane Community, Hedda Schmutz, http://www.heddaarchitecture.com/contact/. The problem is the same again, land is so expensive that it’s hard to have a grass-roots organization that starts from scratch. The other person I heard of wanting to start some sort of community was a multi-millionaire, and I don’t think he got off the ground.
I’m not much into the music scene, though I do know the north shore is more of where it’s at. There are various small artists doing concerts for friends, and a few big names who have retired here part time, not much in between that’s local. Unfortunately, Kauai is a small place, and while you’re certain to find like minded people on Kaua’i, there just aren’t that many to have any forums that I know of–though that doesn’t mean they aren’t out there. The only one I can think of is kkcr.org, Kauai Community Radio, who might have some local talent, or at least local DJs who know the scene.
Ironically, I usually think of the Big Island as a place where more of your goals are possible. There’s more land, it’s cheaper, and since it is often isolated and off the grid, alternative structures, solar/wind energy and water collecting are common. With the larger population, there’s more music too, or at least it seemed that way from the advertising when I was visiting there.
In the end, I’m perhaps not connected enough to the people and community you seek, so I can’t really tell you whether what you want is possible or impossible. Your best bet might be to visit both islands and try to make some contacts and get a feel for the possibilities.
Hi Andy – thanks for responding.
A lot of the ideas I listed in my last post were things I was going to do here in Thailand. Foreigner’s can indirectly own land here, but they could change the laws in a heart-beat, and all you’re hard work would be down the drain.
I spent just under half my life in Hawaii, mostly on Oahu. I moved to the Big Island in 2000, but left the day Bush started the War in Iraq.
My idea was to create a sustainable, green life-style.
After living Thailand almost 7 years I realize there’s no place like home, so I want to come back. But not to Oahu.
I agree with what you said about BI being the place for me to realize more of what I’m thinking. But during my 3 years I noticed one major part missing from the picture. I’ve been a Scuba diver for 48 years, boater, sailor, fisherman, and Hilo side is OK but it’s way hard to get easy access to the ocean. All kinds of lava rock cliffs with dangerous boat ramps about 30 miles apart (except for in Hilo town). Kona’s got all that but property’s way expensive. And my days as an opihi picker are long-since past!
I just wanted to set up some hurricane-proof dwellings. One for myself that would double as a recording studio (non-pro). And some more for people who want to do some farming and be self-sufficient.
It’s hard to do on Kauai because the laws don’t favor a lot of these ideas.
I don’t know what the future holds, but even if things didn’t change a bit, my ideas would do no harm. However I think Kauai, (and a lot of other places on Earth) need to get away from relying 80% or so on things from off-island, get back to the ways the Ancient Hawaiian’s did things, consider restoring the fish ponds, and stop thinking tourism and oil are forever.
I will contact the email you gave me. Here’s mine in case anyone wants to contact me. buzzer@thaivisa.com
Thanks again – Buzz
Hi Buzz,
I’m afraid the ocean around Kaua’i is not much calmer. There are only two boat docks (Nawiliwili and Port Allen) and a few more ramps (and only one on the north shore). Hanalei has awesome mooring in the summer, but you have to go back to Nawiliwili the rest of the year. Scuba-wise, there are a few spots, the only real good one being 17 miles over by Niihau (Lehua)–at least from what I’ve heard as a land-lubber. The Big Island is known to have better conditions for diving: more lava equals less dirt equals less runoff and clearer water. Truth is, Hawaii has been discovered and all the people like me who tried to move there with California salaries drove up prices. I don’t think it’s a question of laws, it’s a question of the market forces. And all the opihi is gone now too.
I too believe Kaua’i can and should be more self-sufficient, at least food and energy-wise. My wish is that the residents, native and recently-arrived, learn to live less wastefully and more in tune with land.
Hi Andy,
Sorry, in advance, for a rather long ‘comment’.
My older brother lived on Kauai for about 9 years, helped found the Nawiliwili Yacht Club, and worked as a PADI instructor there (and for many years on Oahu before that). I was a PADI instructor on Oahu. He didn’t like the diving there as much as Kona which is the best, or even Oahu, which has a lot of great spots.
Roughness of the ocean isn’t the concern. The concern is where can I get in the water? On Oahu I could go swimming by taking a short walk, or diving by driving and parking at a dive site. As I get older swimming for health has taken precedence over diving for sport.
The problem was access. If I wanted to even just go for a swim starting from where I lived in Hakalau – Big Island. The ocean was only 2 miles from my house, but, at that location, it was all a’a lava rock, or a messy stream you could get in by. The closest reasonable place to go swimming was a 1 hour round trip drive to Hilo. I wasn’t into a commute every day just to go swimming. Whereas I might go diving occasionally now, I like to swim every day. This is a ‘bottom line’ for where I need to live.
This problem about “market forces” is really true! In the 80s Japanese investors drove the prices up in Hawaii big-time, but it was happening before that… forever. And today I can’t imagine anyone on an average salary buying a home there and raising a family. Those of Hawaiian ancestry are the worst victims. If they were lucky enough to have inherited property, or received a good education and got well connected maybe they’re fairly well off, but for most that isn’t the case.
Here in Thailand is a similar problem. The foreign investor comes here and looks at a piece of land and thinks “cheap” something the Thai’s think “expensive”, so the prices go up and up, and the poor Thai’s are kicking themselves because they should have bought that land even thought they thought it expensive, or they shouldn’t have sold it off a piece at a time for pennies on the dollar. It’s a real mess, and I feel heartbroken for them, and their future.
Kauai – and virtually any other place on planet earth that you can name – needs to become more self-sufficient.
I was watching a program called “David Suzuki’s The Nature of Things” the segment was called “Cuba:The Accidental Revolution”. Prior to the breakup of the Soviet Bloc in 1989, Cuba always had someone they could trade with, get oil for their cars, medicine for the sick, food for their people and export markets to sell their sugar and mangos to, etc. That abruptly ended in 1989, and all of a sudden they had to resort to thinking. They were poor and starving, and had all their fields tied up in sugar, mangos, bananas – things for export. All huge state run farms also were energy hogs. Since then, through small, privately owned farms, they’ve turned things around amazingly. They grow huge varieties of organic food, using every trick in the book, (and inventing some new ones). These use very little energy, and being a farmer is a lucrative occupation. They have dozens of farms right in downtown Havana, making the environment better there too. If you can find it online, I highly recommend doing so.
Now, America has tasted of disaster. First the Savings & Loan debacle, now this latest recession. We’ve tasted! Hope we never have to drink it down. If we do, agricultural diversity and preparedness can only be a good thing.
I’m still hoping for a forum, or even just an individual or two that I could discuss various questions, and find out what kind of green ‘people oriented’ resources are on Kauai. Hawaii is my home, but compared to decades on Oahu, and a short time on BI, I spent only short periods on Kauai visiting my brother, except for one 2-3 month period when I was actively looking to move there around 1980.
So, I know, basically, what to expect if I moved back to Oahu, or Hilo side, but am a lot more interested in Kauai. Specifically, whether I’d fit in there well with my music, finding a place nearby for swimming or diving and my desire to live green.
I think I can do that. And plan to move there in the next few months. But the big question is about finding a place for my recording studio. This involves a lot of questions. I’ve seen some land available – but it could be junk. Then, I don’t think Hawaii would let me build as cheap as I need to (with shipping containers). I’d need to find some farmers to work with.
There’s so many questions that I really have to just set my sights in that direction and get them answered by living there for a while, meeting people, and getting them answered that way.
Still, thank you Andy. And if you or anyone who finds this wishes to comment, please do so, also you’ll find my email address in a previous comment if you wish to contact me directly.
Thanks – Buzz
Are there no geothermal energy plants that produces electric in Kauai ?
Greetings from Iceland ;)
Aloha Leif (if you ever come back to check on your post)
Gee, ur, uh… Geothermal in Hawaii? Well, there is on the Big Island. But it’s a complex issue. To do so is to disrespect the Hawaiians belief system. Specifically their much revered goddess, Pele.
They were there first, you know, and they would still be in control if it wasn’t for some hi-jinx on the part of American businessmen and military. They put the Sovereign Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani under house arrest – sort of like Aung San Suu Kyi. Thus hijacking the roots of power from the rightful leaders and owners of that land. In about 1895 this well educated and enlightened monarch wanted to restore the power of the Monarchy, and, well, it was a black day for the Hawaiians in the furtherance of American interests.
Today, if you want geothermal power there, you are going to get a lot of heat from Hawaiian activists, and even people like me. I don’t share their beliefs, but I share their heart. However, realistically, as bad as it was, the majority of the damage has been done. Now Hawaii is a State, and the rights of all have to be considered. I just wish the Hawaiians were considered with the highest priority.
Scientifically, if it didn’t offend anyone, on the surface, it seems a pretty good idea. Below the surface may be another problem. I don’t know what kind of gasses it releases into the atmosphere. I know it stinks bad! So, not being a scientist, I don’t know how ‘green’ it is.
All my information is old, however. I’ve lived in Thailand since 2003. Before that I lived about 40 minutes drive from the one geothermal station I knew about.
Hope this helps – Buzz
Hi thanks for your blog. My girlfriend and i have decided to move to kauai, we live in Chico Ca and it is something i have always wanted to do so why not while i am young (26). my questions is i have been in construction my whole life i know the economy is down but why is it like there. i can deal with hard i can’t deal with “just not gonna happen”. also i was thinking about selling my truck and buying something when i get there are the prices any different there. thank you for your time
David
Hi David, I’m sorry to bear the bad news, but construction is almost dead here, especially if you mean housing. We are hit by the economy too, and the fact that you can’t build forever on an island. No new resorts, very little housing. Lots of local construction workers with the connections to take up any jobs that may show up. If you do bigger stuff, the only project I can think of is the Kaumualii Hwy widening that’s been going on for a year–you would need to contact Kiewit Infrastructure West, the general contractor about jobs. Don’t know if it’s better to do that remotely or once you get here. There is also going to be the demolition of the old sugar mills, but I don’t know who does that. Again, the problem with construction is that there are already lots of unemployed locals in this field. That said, I know absolutely nothing more about construction than what I read in the papers and online–I have no inside knowledge of the local scene.
As for your truck and finding places to stay, look at craigslist to get an idea. The truck market is always fairly good in Hawaii, lots of people seem to have the money for them, but I don’t know if that means it’s better to sell on the mainland and rebuy here. It costs over $1000 to ship a car to Kaua’i, and gas is $4.20/gal here so factor that too.
A very good place to read about and ask questions about moving to Hawaii is the Hawaii forum on the City-Data website. I’ve been following it for a while, and the general consensus is:
I don’t want to discourage you, but I want you to be aware of everything that’s involved. If you’re determined, a hard worker, and culturally adaptable to Hawaii, you can succeed here. And you should be aware of the risk of moving back later, including the cost involved for that, and how much that will cost you overall in savings and missed time establishing your life on the mainland. But if you have the right attitude, you can make it work, whether short term or long term, and still have a great time. Just be aware that some people get into money problems, and it’s no fun being stuck in Hawaii without any friends or family.
I also want to retire to Kauai in about 4 years. I haven’t exactly convinced my husband yet. We have been there five times, mostly on the south shore, but in Anahola last May. I am trying to figure out where is the best place to live. I like the convenience of the east shore (Kapa’a, Kealia, Wailua), but we won’t be able to afford any place too close to the ocean (wish we could afford to buy a place now – the prices have really come down). I have seen homes in the Wailua House Lots area and I have two questions: how are the trade winds that far inland and how are the mosquitos? Silly I know, but if you are going to make the move of your life, you better ask the stupid questions. I appreciate this blog because it will help in convincing my husband who says Kauai is too expensive and too small. I agree with the accommodations you suggest for food. I really don’t think overall the prices are really any different than here in Jacksonville, FL if you go to the famers markets, Costco, and shop Safeway specials. Electricity is probably the biggest difference, but in Kauai you don’t need air conditioning and heat. In addition, I find property taxes in Kauai to be half of what we pay here. I keep telling my husband that size doesn’t matter because we live in the largest city in the U.S (by area) and we don’t drive to the other side of town. Besides, we are closer to our daughter and her family in Australia and have the whole Pacific to explore. It is just a matter of perspective. Sorry for dragging on.
Kim
Hi Kim, no worries about dragging on, have you seen my replies?
Personally, I’m not a big fan of living close to the ocean (within a few blocks) unless you have the view yourself. If you live inland without the view, the only advantage is that you have a shorter walk to the shore, and you still have the disadvantages of price premium, salt spray corrosion, and flood zone (tsunami or hurricane surge). If you do like to get out and walk the shoreline everyday, then it can be nice, but walking a bit further can save you lots on your mortgage. For example, the lower part of the Houselots are an easy walk to Wailua beach, but not thought of as an oceanfront neighborhood–or at least the markup isn’t as bad. The upper end of the Houselots has easy access to the Nounou East trail on the Sleeping Giant, which is very nice for walking, too.
The Houselots do get nice tradewinds, though more in the upper areas because lower down by the ocean they are slowed by land and vegetation. The upper parts of the Houselots are about 300′ elevation, so they get nice breezes and better views. In the lower areas, it depends on the house and its orientation. Mosquitoes are inversely proportional to the wind, in particular because there is standing water just inland of the beach (around the Coco Palms area). So there are more mosquitoes and less wind in those areas close to the beach, and less mosquitoes further up. Mosquitoes can be a problem in wet areas like that, but we tend to have the smaller ones here, and I don’t think they are anywhere as bad as what I hear about in Florida.
I would be very careful about island fever for your husband, since he is already showing reluctance at the idea. Island fever is both a physical limitation and a state of mind. Even if you don’t drive far in FL, and you drive everywhere on Kaua’i (and believe me, there are tons of nice little places to explore), you can still have island fever because of how you feel about being isolated in the middle of the Pacific ocean. And while Austalia is closer geographically and flights are shorter, it may still be less expensive to fly from Los Angeles. The same goes for exploring the Pacific: Tahiti is the closest destination, and it’s just as far as the mainland (2500 miles) and tickets are twice as expensive (not to mention the price of lodging). So you are mostly limited to the Hawaiian islands–again there is plenty to explore, but it really is one of the most isolated landmasses on earth. I would take an extended stay on Kaua’i first, to make sure he is comfortable with living here.
Another thing to think about when retiring to Kaua’i (or Maui or the Big Island) is that health care is limited here. We have one or two of most specialists, but not all. The hospital can do surgeries, but anything major (triple-bypass) is sent to Honolulu. It takes a while to get an initial appointment and find a doctor you like, and doctors often move away if they get island fever themselves. And finally, long-term care and nursing homes are limited here, and very expensive.
In the end, you have to balance the advantages and disadvantages, be honest about your desires and anxieties, and if you’re still positive, do a long-term stay where you can still go back at little cost. For example, consider a 6-12 month house swap.
So what you are saying is it is better to have a house on a “rim lot” versus in the crater? I wouldn’t want to be on the ocean because of the tsunami and hurricane surge threat, not to mention the maintenance. I mean we have hurricanes here too although only a 4% chance of a direct hit in any given year. One year, we had the indirect effects (lots of wind and rain) as the storms came to us from other directions over land and mainly the damage was trees blown down from saturated soil. I am assuming from what I have read that the hurricanes that hit Kauai directly tend to come from the east. Hence, the really brutal beating the island took on the east side? Although the Sheraton in Poipu was a mess for many years. We were living in walnut Creek, CA at the time and had stayed at a Poipu Makai condo the year before when the front page of our paper showed a picture of Makelena condo that was next door just flattened. I digress.
Anyway, I appreciate your comments about healthcare, but we are generally of good health. In spite of the fact that my father is a doctor, I avoid them except in cases of extreme necessity. Think about it, doctors make people sick. When you go to the doctor, they are always looking for something to be wrong with you. I am a Financial Advisor so we got long term care insurance many years ago, but the idea is to have care come to us in our home, not go into a facility.
My husband’s primary hobbies are surf fishing and photography. Can you think of a better place to do those things all year round than Hawaii? And, there are multiple islands to see as well as California as a fall back. He won’t really get island fever. You have to understand, we don’t go anywhere now except an annual vacation and an occasional night out. We are really boring!
Actually, as the dollar loses value and the price of gas goes up, the cost of going to Australia goes up significantly. The first time I went in 2003, it cost about $1000 from Jacksonville to Melbourne. The coast for a trip this year will be over $2000. The cost from Melbourne to Kauai in 2010 was 1000 and it is the same now. But more importantly, my daughter and her family will never come here (Jacksonville) to see us because the airfare alone for 4 people is over $10000 from Australia; to Kauai is half the price. Otherwise, we will have to do 24 hours of travel every other year for the rest of our lives. This is why Kauai makes sense.
I don’t know if the house swap thing will work since we have Golden Retrievers that must come with us (yeah, I know about the process to avoid quarantine), but we might consider renting. After the housing debacle, I’m not sure it makes sense to buy anyway. Our current home has only dropped in value by about 40%. We’ll see. As I said, we’ve got like 4 years to wait (unless I win the lotto – ha!ha!).
Thanks for your information on Wailua Homesteads and mosquitos. What you think about the Lawai area – not the new multi-million dollar subdivision and golf course? I want to have a garden and fruit trees.
Kim
Hi Kim,
The information I gave you was for the Wailua Houselots, which are up to a mile inland between the ocean and the Sleeping Giant “mountain.” The Wailua Homesteads are a different neighborhood, 2-4 miles inland, behind the Sleeping Giant. The Homesteads get less sun because they are often under the clouds that form as the wind blows moist ocean air up over the terrain. That also makes it rain more, probably 80-100 inches/year against 60 in/yr for the Houselots. Most areas of the Homesteads get the tradewinds, though little valleys or behind the Sleeping Giant may not. Mosquitoes are a bit worse because it is wetter there, though it usually depends on how far the house is from a stream and whether it is exposed to the tradewinds. One inconvenience of the Homesteads is the extra 10 minutes driving to the main road whenever you go to or from anywhere.
The other big neighborhood in Kapa’a is Kawaihau, which is along Kawaihau Rd, inland of the “old town” of Kapa’a. It is more like the Homesteads (cloudier, wetter, longer drive), though the lower parts are closer to the ocean and not as bad.
I’m not sure what you mean by “crater,” the only houses built in any crater on Kaua’i are some condos in Poipu. Rim lots occur anywhere there are houses next to a steep river valley. The most prominent “rim lots” on Kaua’i are above the Wailua River on Kuamo’o Road (near the Wailua Homesteads), and above the Hanapepe river in Hanapepe and ‘Ele’ele.
Hurricanes travel east to west in the Pacific, in a belt mostly south of Hawaii. So when they do hit Hawai’i they come from the SE quadrant. Iniki was traveling due north, when it passed over Kaua’i in 1991, but direction and landfall location don’t really matter because the winds are circular. I think the storm surge was worst on the south shore (Poipu and Kekaha).
I’m glad you are a careful planner, but when you say something like “the idea is to have care come to us in our home,” you need to make sure such a service is available on Kaua’i.
It sounds like your husband is compatible with the activities available on Kaua’i and travel around Hawai’i. But island fever is something like sea-sickness: you can’t imagine it and you won’t know you have it until you set foot on a boat. Your husband has visited here 5 times and he says it’s too small. Try to figure out if he’s just criticizing the idea of moving to Hawaii, or if he really felt limited. Note that the Big Island, while just as isolated, does have more open space and feels a lot less limited. It also has more land available and much cheaper, but often not as close to scenic areas as on Kaua’i.
Lawai is a nice area between the lush and wet hills in Kalaheo and the drier South shore of Koloa and Poipu. It seems to be a nice mix of sunshine and rain, not too far from the coast. But again, it depends on which part of Lawai, because there are some streets inland of the main highway that will be wetter because they’re in a valley.
Sorry it took a while to respond, but I have been busy with “stuff”.
Thanks for clarifying on “houselots” versus “homesteads”. I am just looking at “home for sale” on the internet and even though there is sometimes map reference, it isn’t a detailed terrain map. Also, I got the term”rim lot” from those ads. What can I tell you?
Our visit last May was the first time we just started aimlessly driving inland to see things. It was a very rainy two weeks so it was hard to tell what “normal” might be inland from the east shore. So I really appreciate your comments about where it might be rainier. That is why I’m not real wild about the North Shore beyond Kilaeua although I have been there on very nice sunny days. It just feels wetter.
As our next trip to Australia (going sometime this spring) approaches, I think the logic of living in Hawaii is bringing my husband around. Just the thought of 24 hours of travel makes you tired. I’m not really worried about him. We’ve got at least four years and he’ll come around. I mean, I got a new Honda Pilot and you can put your own pictures on the navigation screen (like a screen saver) and he put pictures he took in Kauai. And he doesn’t complain when I tell other people I want to retire to Kauai. One step at a time.
I have read some books about moving to Hawaii and they do indicate that elder services are available on Kauai now and improving. So we’ll be O.K. I would like to think we don’t need to worry about it for thirty years.
You have been so kind to explain things to me and answer my questions. I’ll be in touch if anything else comes to mind.
Many thanks!
KIm
Oh, I forgot to comment about the Big Island. I don’t think it is really for us. There are some nice areas however, the volcano is still active causing earthquakes and vog. We have done the earthquake thing in Northern California. Not for us I’m afraid. I’ll pay a little more for Kauai.
I love your blog…it’s so informative! I, too, plan to move to Kauai. However, my parameters are a little different: I am a single female, close to retirement. Still working actively and full time as a nurse (RN, BSN and Master’s degree). I understand that nurses still are in short supply on Kauai, thus I hope to get either a “travel” assignment, or come to Kauai and find employment on my own. How is the rental market to tie me over until I can purchase my own, small home? My future plans? I would like to find a small house with some extra space/addition/cottage to lease as B&B. Any comments/ideas are very much appreciated. Mahalo, Verena
Hi Verena, your plan sounds like a good one, but Kaua’i is small and things can change. Making the move as a single professional means that if you find work, you should be able to cover your living expenses. However, I do not know about nursing jobs, we have a very limited market, so there may or may not be open positions. There are 3 hospitals, but only one large one (and even that is not large by mainland standards), and a few clinics and care centers. You’ll have to do your research to see what jobs are available to you.
The rental market is fairly good, rents came down after mortgages came down from the real-estate bubble bursting. Just look around on craigslist for what’s available. The standard way to rent is to get a cheap hotel or vacation rental for one or 2 weeks, and then visit the places in person. It’s better for the landlord and renter if you don’t try to work remotely. For purchasing, the prices have come down from the peak, but that doesn’t mean houses are cheap. The low, low end came down from 400K to 300K, and that’s a place with issues. Also, renting out as a B&B or vacation rental is strictly controlled by the county, you need a permit and those are now limited to avoid turning residential areas into transient lodging. So that one part of your plan is unlikely to work.
Andy, thanks for the great info. I’ve been looking at property prices already and realized that it’s going to be a long search. As for work, I will try to find a travel nursing assignment, and then hopefully convert this into permanent employment. I guess, the plan to sink down a “second income leg” has to be scrapped, but I do understand that Kauai has to protect itself from speculators in the tourist business (I come from a famous tourist location myself: Innsbruck in Austria). Thus, I understand why these regulations are necessary.
As I get closer to my goal, I may have some more questions for you. In the meantime many thanks to you! I’ll keep coming back to your blog.
Verena
Aloha!
First of all, thanks a lot for your time and information. We are a young family, currently living in Portland with a 7 months baby. We just set up a date for our trip to Kauai. We are both excited and full of questions about our next adventure. We will try our best to make it happen.. We are thinking of renting first to get to know the island better, find a job and hopefully someday own a land. My husband is about to start a class for solar panels.. Do you think that will work there? And I was also thinking about house sitting instead of renting a place cause that would be just perfect to begin with. Do you know if people do that in kauai? If so, how can I get contacts or information? What is your opinion about having a food cart?
Looking forward for your reply. Thanks a lot again!! Peace
Hi Jackie. A lot of whether you can make it depends on money and attitude, but mostly money. You need some savings to tide you over until you can find a job, and you need some marketable skills to get a job. How much depends on the housing you find and how long your take to find a job. Solar installer may or may not be in demand, I do see a lot of panels around but I don’t know if the market is still going strong. Obviously, experience is better, but training is bettern than nothing. For food carts and food trucks, there seems to be a lot of them around already, in touristy and shopping areas. But I always think that good food in the right place (lunch wagon near office workers or near tourists) can sell–just remember that we do have regulations for preparing food and for vending, so make sure you follow the rules. Some farmer’s markets allow prepared foods (not the county-run markets, those are for produce only), so you can try selling at those too.
There are always some no-skills-needed jobs, but you can guess they don’t pay. Even at the base rate of $10-12/hr, it’s impossible to meet expenses here. Having a baby, unfortunately, makes it harder because it reduces your work time or increases your child-care costs. Then there is the issue of health insurance: employers must provide it when you work 20 hrs or more, so a lot of jobs are 19hrs part-time.
It’s very wise to rent for a year, because there are lots of little communities and different crowds, so you have time to find your “tribe” here and then move closer to your ideal place. I do not have an house-sitting contacts–I wish I knew a lot of rich people who needed caretakers, but then I probably wouldn’t be here writing this. Your best bet is probably the Heartbeat of Kaua’i list, an alternative-leaning listing of services wanted and offered. However, a search for “housesitting” turned up 4 house-sitters already, and no houses needed sitting. Usually house-sitting is for a few weeks or months at a time, so you’d move around a lot–good in some ways but not in others. Check craigslist as well, but watch out for too-good-to-be-true scams.
I feel the need to ask: what attracts you to Kaua’i? Did you visit here already, and if so, what was it that prompted you to make the move? What do you expect when living on Kaua’i? Your answers can help frame your attitude and see if you’d fit in, make your own way, or find it challenging. You may also have to live very frugally, so knowing your limits and your abilities to do so can help you set expectations. One website that deals mostly with relocating to Hawaii are the forums on City-Data (I’ve linked to them in a previous comment). They cover a lot of general information, such as the high cost of living, the low quality of schools, and the difference between mainlander and local attitudes. You’ll see that the Kaua’i threads aren’t that active, a lot more people move to O’ahu (for the jobs) or Big Island (for the low cost of housing)–Kaua’i has neither of those. But don’t get discouraged by some of the negativity, for people who can adapt and contribute, they can usually find happiness on any of the islands.