After a brief hiatus, the Hawaiirama Honeymoon Helper is back. Send all queries to honeymoon at hawaiirama.com and we'll try to post an answer pronto.

From Sarah: "My husband and I are spending Dec 1-7 in Kauai for our honeymoon. We plan to stay on South Shore most of the time, but want to do one night on the North Shore, as it sounds beautiful! Here's my question: what are the things we absolutely cannot miss that are still worth checking out at this time of year. My husband would probably just love to watch people surfing, if there's a good beach for that. Or any great beaches for walking? (Know that swimming is pretty much out of the question). "

Hawaiirama: "Sarah, the North Shore is fabulous. The beaches are long, wide and divine.. Driving into Hanalei is like a descent into heaven (pardon the mixed metaphor). As we've said before, be forewarned as the weather may be stormy. That said, here are a few answers for you. The best place to watch surfing -- indeed, perhaps one of the best in the state -- is from the small beach at the base of the Princeville Hotel right by the pool. The beach looks out onto a reef that breaks close to shore along Hanalei Bay. The surfbreak, also called Hanalei Bay, is one of longest in Hawaii and is a truly world-class wave. Bring binoculars for bigger days as it can break further out but in general, this is a great spot -- particularly if you are staying at the hotel, which is gorgeous, albeit pricey, property.

As for walking beaches, the North Shore has several of them. Secret's Beach is long enough for nice walks and quite secluded at the bottom of steep cliffs. The path down to this beach can be muddy and is quite a scramble in the winter. A beach with really easy access that is also great for walks is Ke'e Beach, the last one on the North Shore before the Kalalau Trail and the Na Pali Coast. It's really wide and runs for over a mile, with small rivers cutting it into a few sections. You can park in the lot and stroll right onto the sand. Another option is Hanalei Bay itself. The bay is a giant crescent stretching several miles and many of the sections are walkable, particularly at low-tide. You'll be walking by beach houses and feel closer to town but the view of the bay is jawdropping. Here's a piece on the Top 3 Walking Beaches on Kauai we did earlier this month. Also, swimming is not out of the question. There are a few spots along Hanalei bay that are quite swimming friendly in all but the largest surf. Ask for directions to the old Hanalei Pier, the most sheltered part of the bay, and you'll likely find calm waters. If you want places to stay that are more low-key, check out the Hanalei Colony Resort. It's very quiet and a bit of a drive even from Hanalei town but it back right out onto the beach and you can hear the waves when you go to sleep at night. Hope this helps and have fun!."

Princeville Hotel, Hanalei Colony Resort

—Alex, 10/25/06