Timbers Kaua‘i offers luxe vacation experiences inspired by Hawaii’s environment

When Hualani Duncan was asked to name the residential buildings and three of the trails at Hokuala (“rising star”), Kauai’s new 450-acre resort community, she went to each site and listened.

“I looked to akua (gods) in the heavens, pule (prayed) and meditated,” said Duncan, Hokuala’s golf sales manager, who nurtures a strong connection to her Hawaiian heritage. “I looked to the aina (land) and felt the spirit of our kupuna (ancestors). I looked to the kai (ocean) and heard the waves and currents speak. Then the names came to be.”

Huna (“hidden gem”), Leiu‘i (“enveloped in beauty”) and ‘Alohi (“shine in splendor”) were the names she was inspired to choose for the trails. Timbers Kaua‘i Ocean Club & Residences, visitors’ home away from home at Hokuala, comprise three oceanfront buildings standing no taller than a coconut tree. Duncan christened them Laola (“breath of life”), Kaiholo (“movement of the sea”) and Maliula (“enveloped in aloha”).

One more name was a surprise to her. “The resort’s executives wanted to honor me, so they named Timbers’ restaurant Hualani’s,” she said. “I was deeply touched, and what’s interesting is my name means ‘fruit of heaven.’”

Beauty, splendor, aloha, heaven — those words aptly describe a stay at Timbers Kaua‘i. Panoramas encompass the ocean, coastline, Nawilwili Bay, Haupu mountains and glorious sunrises. Accommodations are in two-, three- and four-bedroom townhome and condominium­-style residences where floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors frame the views, let sunlight pour in and allow an effortless move from indoors to large, breezy lanais.

Interiors feature gourmet kitchens, a contemporary tropical ambience and natural hues and materials — wood, stone, cotton and rattan. Amenities at some of the residences include a barbecue, carport and private pool.

And then there are the diversions.

The golf

Inhale the fragrance of plumeria and gardenias. Keep your eyes peeled for native birds, including the nene (Hawaiian goose), Hawaii’s state bird. And thank legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus for designing a breathtaking, challenging course that winds through groves of mango and guava before revealing the longest stretch (a half mile) of continuous seaside play in the state.

It’s no wonder the Ocean Course at Hokuala was lauded as Hawaii’s best golf course at last year’s World Golf Awards.

PGA professional Kellie Hines, a lifelong resident of Kauai, heads Hokuala’s golf program. In her opinion, holes 14, 16 and 18 are standouts. “At hole 14, you’ll have the ocean on your left and two green-side bunkers to contend with,” she said. “Be careful: the tradewinds blow pretty strong here, which will help your tee shot but can also push your ball toward the water.”

The undulating blue Pacific borders hole 16 all the way from the tee box to the green. “Because of the topography, you can’t see the green when you tee off,” Hines said. “And once your ball is on the green, the incredible view might disrupt your focus. You’ll want to pause to take photos of Kuki‘i Point Lighthouse, the Haupu mountain range, the surf breaking and the white-sand beach.”

The final green is on an islet in a 40-acre lagoon. “You have to hit your second shot over the water and into the wind to get to it,” Hines said. “Whether people wind up with a birdie or a quadruple bogey, they walk away with a big smile on their face. It’s as though they’re thinking, ‘Wow, what a ride!’”

The farm

Most people saw land overgrown with Guinea grass. Cody Meyer saw a blank canvas.

“I got a pick and a shovel, watered seeds and made a painting,” he said. “I’m not just a farmer; I call myself an edible landscape artist. I see the Farm at Hokuala as a picture in bright colors; I want it to be an enjoyable, aesthetic experience. And in a year and a half, that’s what it has become — it’s beautiful, it smells great and it produces delicious food.”

Flourishing on pesticide- and herbicide-free 10-1/2 acres are some 80 different kinds of fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and edible flowers. Lettuce, papaya, basil, cinnamon and nasturtiums are part of Meyer’s “picture” along with lesser-known varieties, including bilimbi, loquat, rollinia and moringa. Key crops from the beginning have been taro, sweet potato, sugar cane and other canoe plants that early Polynesian settlers brought with them to Hawaii for use as food, shelter, medicine and more.

Harvests supply Hualani’s restaurant, where options on Thursday evenings include a three-course farm-to-table chef’s tasting dinner based on what’s bountiful. No two menus have been exactly alike; think starfruit brulee, ulu (breadfruit) tostones and New York steak with braised bok choy and parsnip puree.

In keeping with Hokuala’s commitment to maintain close ties with the community, Meyer donates surplus food to Kauai Community College, Kawaikini Public Charter School, the Kauai Independent Food Bank and other nonprofits. On Mondays from 9 a.m. to noon, the public is welcome to help with weeding, planting and other farm tasks in exchange for a box of produce (to sign up, email Meyer at cmeyer@hokualakauai.com).

During the Hokuala Farm Tour and Tasting, set for Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11 a.m., guests can sample whatever is ripe and learn about canoe plants, sustainable living in modern times and how Meyer and his team transformed a once-vacant parcel into what he calls a living grocery store and pharmacy without walls.

At the end of the tour, participants pick produce to take back to their residence. “I’ve met people in their 70s who’ve never seen a carrot in the ground before; it’s the same with kids,” Meyer said. “I’d like the farm to be a model for sustainability and a gathering place that connects people with the land, encourages them to eat healthy and inspires the next generation of farmers.”

The experiences

Concierges can arrange the usual luau, snorkeling cruise and helicopter tour, but Timbers Kaua‘i offers guests much more to do and see. Consider golf scrambles; guided bike rides on Hokuala’s trails; and exclusive excursions such as hiking and picnicking in Waimea Canyon, swimming beneath waterfalls beside Hule‘ia National Wildlife Refuge and rejuvenating at a wellness retreat that includes yoga in a treehouse.

“Our recreational options combine fun, culture and a bit of exercise in spectacular outdoor settings,” said Program Manager Zach Wilczewski. “These are curated activities — things my team of kamaaina love to do and want to introduce to visitors.”

A must for foodies is the North Shore Culinary Tour, which begins with a stop at the Farm at Hokuala. From there, it’s on to Lydgate Farms, known for its cacao, from which its own brand of chocolate is made.

Next on the itinerary is Hala Kahiki, a boutique plantation where tastings include pineapple, pomelo, tangelo and rambutan. Later, you’ll lunch in Hanalei on local favorites such as poi, kalua pig and taro smoothies. The five-hour outing concludes with tea at Kauai Farmacy, which also makes tinctures, salves, balms and honeys from the 60-plus medicinal plants that it grows.

Every effort is made to accommodate customized, outside-the-box ideas, too. “Want to hit the island’s best surf spots with a pro surfer? Can do,” Wilczewski said. “Hope to hook a mahimahi with a fourth-generation fisherman? No problem. Our goal is to help make guests’ dream vacation come true, no matter what that dream might be.”

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.