Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge - Twelve minutes east, a headland under the 1913 lighthouse holding red-footed boobies, frigatebirds, shearwaters and the Laysan albatross. Ticketed entry through Recreation.gov, open Wednesday through Saturday from ten to four, with some Saturdays closed before federal holidays. The overlook at the end of Kilauea Road is free and always open.

Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge - The taro fields in the valley below Hanalei are managed habitat for four endangered Hawaiian waterbirds. You cannot walk in, but the overlook on the hill above town gives you the whole of it.

Albatross on the Princeville lawns - Laysan albatross nest right in this neighborhood between November and July, sometimes on ordinary grass verges. They are enormous, unbothered and federally protected. Keep well back.

Monk seals on Puu Poa - Seals come ashore on the beaches below to rest. If one is on the sand, a perimeter goes up and you give it a wide berth without exception.

Humpbacks off the bluff - The channel in front of the resort is deep and the whales come close between December and March. The bluff edge here is a better vantage point than most boats.

Waterfalls after rain - Within an hour of a hard shower the whole green wall behind Hanalei runs white with temporary falls. It is the single best argument for not resenting the weather.

The Kalalau Trail to Hanakapiai - Two miles of rooted, muddy, spectacular coastal trail from Kee Beach. Anything beyond Hanakapiai Beach requires a Napali Coast State Wilderness Park permit, day hikers included. Haena State Park entry must be reserved separately.

Okolehao Trail - Above Hanalei, a steep, slippery climb to a ridge with the valley, the taro fields and the bay laid out underneath. Two and a quarter miles up, and a genuine grind in wet conditions.

The Princeville bluff paths - Short public trails drop from the neighborhood to Hideaways and along the clifftop. Steep, root-laced and occasionally roped, and the walking is a real part of staying here.

Kayaking to the Hanalei pier and back - An easy out-and-back on flat water that ends with a swim off the pier. Good for a morning when the ocean is too big for anything else.

Golf above the ocean - Princeville's course runs along the same bluff and the holes on the seaward side are as dramatic as any in the state. Afternoon rates drop considerably.

Horseback in the valley - Rides run through ranch land between Princeville and Kilauea, out to waterfalls and pasture the road never shows you.

Waioli Huiia Church - The green mission church in Hanalei, built in 1912 next to an 1830s mission house, with services still sung in Hawaiian. The grounds are open and quiet.

Waioli Mission House - A New England frame house shipped and assembled here in the 1830s, preserved with much of its original contents. Limited opening hours, so check before driving down.

The taro of Hanalei Valley - Most of the poi eaten in Hawaii is grown in the fields below this bluff. The crop, the water rights and the families farming it are a living thing, not a heritage display.

Kilauea Lighthouse - Built in 1913 with a clamshell lens, it guided ships between here and the Orient and is now the centerpiece of the refuge. The structure alone justifies the ticket.

Limahuli Garden - Near the end of the road at Haena, a botanical garden built around restored ancient taro terraces, showing what this valley grew and how. Reservations recommended.

The one-lane bridges - The road west of Princeville crosses several. The local etiquette is that five to seven cars go, then you yield. Learning it is the fastest way to stop being a nuisance.

Hanalei Bread Company - An organic bakery and coffee house in the middle of Hanalei, open from seven until half past twelve with the kitchen closing at noon. Go before ten if you want the good pastries.

Tahiti Nui - Family-run in Hanalei since 1963, with live music, a loose atmosphere and no interest whatsoever in being polished. Worth an evening.

The Hanalei Dolphin - A long-standing restaurant on the river with an attached fish market where the counter staff will cut what you point at. The market is the better value of the two.

Kilauea Fish Market - Twelve minutes east, a small counter doing several styles of ahi poke plus plate lunches. Takeaway, eaten somewhere with a view.

Hanalei food trucks - Several park permanently on the way into town doing shrimp, tacos, smoothies and Hawaiian plates. Cheaper and often better than the sit-down options.

Cooking in - The market in Hanalei and the fish counter on the river will cover most dinners. On a rainy North Shore evening, that is not a compromise.

Ching Young Village - The heart of Hanalei since 1982, holding a supermarket, surf shops, galleries, a juice bar and barbecue. This is the North Shore's main street in one courtyard.

Hanalei's galleries - Several serious ones sit along the main road, showing Kauai painters and photographers rather than mass-produced island art. Worth an hour on a wet afternoon.

Princeville Center - Five minutes from our gate, with a grocery store, pharmacy, a few restaurants and the practical errands. It saves the drive into Hanalei for the things you actually need.

Anaina Hou in Kilauea - A community park with a botanical mini golf course, a farmers market and a regular event calendar. It hosted the national mini golf championship this year, which tells you it is not a novelty.

North Shore farmers markets - Small, weekly and scattered between Hanalei, Kilauea and Waipa. Papaya, apple bananas, avocado, flowers and whatever came in. Bring cash and go early.

Surf shops with actual boards - Hanalei's shops rent and sell to people who surf the bay every day. If you want advice on where to paddle out, ask here rather than at a hotel desk.