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A New Side of Los Angeles

When most travellers consider a trip to LA - it's all about bright lights, world class shopping, celebrities and Hollywood - but did you know that there is a whole new side to the City of Angels? (And we're not talking about East Side - West Side!) Los Angeles is well known for many ground breaking cultural innovations, inspiring major literary pieces and works of art, being home to outstanding architectural achievements and offering a number of unique experiences for the nature lover. Discover a whole new side to Los Angeles.

Bookworm heaven

Pic by chillihead

If you're a literary buff - LA is certainly drool-worthy having inspired some of the greatest works of fiction in history including the likes of Raymond Chandler, Evelyn Waugh and James Ellroy. In true Los Angeles fashion, there are a number of literary tours that take you through some of the most noteworthy landmarks in the area that were frequented by your favourite writers.

*Spend some time at the LA Central Library - not only is it one of LA’s greatest architectural achievements, but a young Charles Bukowski spent many of his days holed up in its Central Reading Room.

Adventure traveller's dream come true

Come to LA at the right time of year and you can surf in the morning and snowboard in the afternoon! There are plenty of great natural landscapes to explore during the time you spend in the area. Partaking in ocean sports and hiking the nearby mountainous terrain are some of the favourite pastimes enjoyed by the locals and many visitors will revel in the spectacular scenery of Malibu Creek State Park, the Santa Monica mountains and of course endless stretches of postcard perfect beaches.

*For those who are so inclined, spend your morning surfing and then hire a car and head to Big Bear, a few hours' drive outside the city that offers the best skiing conditions in Southern California through the winter months of Nov. - Feb.

Around the Food World in a Day

Pic by VirtualErn

When it comes to cultural hot spots, LA has a diverse gathering of communities and cultures from all corners of the globe - which is a haven for gastronomists and food lovers. In addition to countless Mexican restaurants, there is a large sampling of Asian inspired cuisine due to the city's close proximity to the Pacific. Forget going round the world, there are plenty of local food tours to satisfy your palette - including the LA dumpling tour or a visit through Thai Town or Little Tokyo.

Qantas operates cheap flights to Sydney from Los Angeles and back. Los Angeles is a great starting point for those looking to travel through the rest of the States or if they're looking to make the most of their Hawaii holidays.

What side of LA do you want to see?

Kauai’s Two Secrets

Have you ever been on vacation just in an effort to get away? And then did you find that once you got there everybody else in the world was on vacation there too? You may have thought that you had chosen a safe place because the guidebooks told you it was the least crowded. You may have also discovered that everyone else read the same information and thus turned the least crowded spot into the most crowded spot. Kauai, Hawaii’s Garden Island, has several “secret” spots (how secret can it be when its official name says it is secret?) that actually are not overcrowded.

Secret Beach

Located on Kauai’s north shore this beach is a true getaway. It is best not to expect total seclusion, but you will find plenty of elbow room at Secret Beach. First of all, most lodging on the island is located on the south and east shores and they each have plenty of beaches for their guests so not too many make the trip up north. Access to secret beach takes a little effort, but it is well worth it. A little jaunt down a dirt road off of highway 56 leads to a small parking area, which then leads to the beach access trail. This trail is a little tricky because it is fairly steep and slow going, but only takes about 10 minutes to get down. Don’t pack too much with you to the beach because coming back up will be a bit of a work out. These factors help keep the beach comparatively empty. A little extra effort for a lot of extra space!

(Picture provided by Author)

Once down the trail, you will find the beach in front of you and to the right. It is an expansive beach that sits between black lava rock on either side. The sand here almost looks groomed - it is clean - no debris, no garbage, just the hot sand and you. The waters give slow rolling waves with a decent break on the shoreline. Swimming and boogie boarding are fun things to do in the ocean here. Walking the beach and getting a good tan are very relaxing as you can do it without extra company.

Secret Lava Pools

Instead of going right off the trail to Secret Beach, take a left (with shoes or sandals) towards the Secret Lava Pools. Here, there are several boulders and an area where the flowing lava met the shore to create a hard rock shoreline. These can be safely walked over to reach the pools, but be careful as it can be slippery and walking too close to the edge isn’t advisable. You will see puddles of water in many of the lava rock holes where there are fish and crabs living. Often fish will jump from one puddle to another as you approach which is highly entertaining.

Continue on the rocks for a few minutes until you get to a point where they take a turn back towards the south and eventually to a neighboring beach. At this bend there are a few areas where the lava rock gives way to tranquil pools. These are safe for swimming most of the year and provide a secluded getaway. After taking a dip, you can wash off in a fresh waterfall just down a few steps further south. The pools offer a perfect combination of seclusion, fun, and beauty.

(Picture provided by Author)

Wherever you find yourself on Kauai these two secrets will help you get away from the more crowded areas. Hopefully you can turn your vacation into a true getaway and enjoy the serenity.

This article was contributed by Jake Garrett from the Villas at Poipu Kai. The Villas are beautiful Poipu vacation rentals on the south side of Kauai.