Interview with a Kauai travel expert

Kauai:  Great Destinations Hawaii by Michele Bigley

The Great Destinations series of guidebooks published by The Countryman Press is unique in the universe of travel guides. Rather than a list of dry facts with no context, their travel experts are encouraged to incorporate their personality and perspective into each guide in order to communicate the true flavor of a destination. This authentic experience is quite different from other travel guides.

Michele Bigley recently authored Kauai: Great Destinations Hawaii: A Complete Guide. Michele is a passionate traveler and an expert on the island of Kauai. She has generously provided the following insights into Kauai and traveling in general.

How did your interest in travel start?
My parents were avid travelers and we used to do a cross country trip every year in the van. My interest really grew when I turned twenty and I took my first trip to Europe. That’s when I got the travel bug. I’m a travel brat, if I don’t travel at least twice a year I get grumpy.

When did you start writing about your travels?
I started writing on that first trip to Europe. I’d been keeping a journal for personal stuff, but during that trip I started keeping a travel journal. I finally had something interesting to write about. Keeping the journal also helped me to clarify my thoughts and put what I was seeing in perspective. Using that journal, I tried writing a really horrible novel that didn’t work out. I realized at that point that I wanted to be a travel writer. I’ve been writing and getting paid for it since 2000.

You have three successful online venues (Michele Bigley’s Kaui Musings, Travel Northern California with Michele Bigley, and Northern California Getaways on Examiner.com), how did you transition to a print publication?
I’ve been writing books for about three years. I submitted a proposal to The Countryman Press to write a travel guide for Oahu and didn’t get it.  That led me to the opportunity to do the Kauai guide.

You took the cover photo for your book, is travel photography an interest of yours?
Now it is! I didn’t really have an interest until I started writing guidebooks. I learned to tell stories with pictures as well as words. I still feel like I don’t know what I’m doing. It has become a hobby, and now that I have a child I’m taking pictures all the time.

How did your connection to Kauai start?
My best friend is Hawaiian and I’ve been going there since I was a teen. I’ve been plotting how to move to the islands ever since my first visit.

The emphasis on preserving the island’s ecosystem and culture comes through strongly in your book, do you have any tips for people wanting to minimize their impact on the environment and cultures of the places they visit?
My first and biggest tip is to know where you are going. Know the politics and the environment. Ask around and read up on your destination before you travel. People get hurt doing stupid things like going hiking on a trail that hasn’t been maintained. Remember that actions that are culturally okay here in California may not be okay in Hawaii. For example, there aren’t a lot of private beaches in California. But in Hawaii you may have to cross private land to get to a beach which isn’t okay unless you have permission.

Remember that the shoes you use for hiking here on the mainland may have picked up seeds that you could leave behind in Hawaii when you go hiking over there. If you forget to bring your own water bottle and wind up purchasing bottled water at your destination, make sure to take the empties to a recycling center. Just be considerate.

Do you plan on writing travel guides for any of the other Hawaiian Islands?
I hope so. I’m definitely trying to keep myself open. The Hawaii travel industry is experiencing some growing pains. I think everyone in the travel industry is in the process of reevaluating due to the economy. I’d love to write guides for a lot of places. There are so many amazing places in the world! To be a travel writer, you generally write about places you know really well; but to be a traveler, you want to go places you haven’t been.

Would you like to highlight any favorite activities or establishments from your Kauai guide?
In the back of the Kauai guide, I’ve included a short list of priority places to visit if your time on the island is limited. If I had to pick three can’t miss experiences I’d stay at the Hanalei Colony Resort, go snorkeling at Ke’e Beach, and have dinner at Postcards Café in Hanalei. Kilauea Fish Market would be next on the list. It is one of the best values around.

Where can your book be purchased?
Great Destinations Kauai is available through most major booksellers including Amazon, Borders, and Barnes & Noble. I’d suggest supporting your local book seller who can order it if it is not on their shelves. It can also be ordered from The Countryman Press website.

What should we look for from you in the future, any other travel guides in the works?
I’m currently focusing on my three web venues as well as some articles for Away.com. I’ve been very busy lately as I also teach writing. The best place to watch for anything new from me is any of my blogs. My Examiner.com site is the most comprehensive, so start there first.

Any closing thoughts you’d like to share with Examiner.com readers?
I’d say now is the time to go to Hawaii. I’ve seen some deals out there that are a steal. I’ve seen airfare specials of $99 each way from LA to Hawaii, and you can find airfares for less than $250 per person roundtrip. It is possible to stay in a hotel now for less than $100 per night. There are also bonus deals that include extra airline miles. At these prices, you could afford to go to Hawaii for a long weekend. Right now is definitely the time to go. If you’ve been saving up for a new computer or iPhone, don’t buy it. Go to Hawaii instead.

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