Hanalei, Kauai

October 25, 2009

102509

Photographer: Marissa Jones
Summary Author: Marissa Jones; Jim Foster

The photo above shows a late afternoon view of the mountains in Hanalei, on the northern coast of Hawaii's island of Kauai – the Garden Island. Kauai, the oldest and northern-most of Hawaii's major islands, was formed 5 million years ago from a single shield volcano. The erosion of this huge shield has resulted in serrated ridge tops (as featured in the background), steep seaside cliffs, plunging waterfalls, and dramatic canyons. Hanalei Valley is a mile (1.6 km) wide and 6 miles (9.6 km) long and home to the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge. As you can see, the light just before sunset can be breathtaking. The movie classic “South Pacific” was filmed in Hanalei in 1958. Photo taken in August 2009.