The county seat of Kauai County, Lihue, Hawaii, is the second-largest city on the island of Kauai, with a population of around 6,000. The community has its own airport and lies just north of Nawiliwili Bay. The market for Lihue real estate suffered throughout most of 2009 and the latter part of 2008 as the effects of the credit crisis on the U.S. Mainland spread out to the islands. It remains to be seen whether 2010 will continue these sagging trends or whether this will be the year the market picks back up.

In the first month of 2010, there were seven homes sold in Lihue, a vast improvement from a year earlier, when there were zero homes sold in the community. January also saw the city’s condo sales double, from three to six, in addition to a single sale of vacant land, according to real estate statistics from local Kauai realtor Debra A. Jason.

The sales volume homes sold in Lihue in January was $3.1 million. There was no volume in January 2009 against which to judge, since there were no homes sold that month. The condos sold in Lihue during January brought in a total of $1.03 million, up a hefty 70% from January 2009, when that figure was just over $600,000. The median price for homes sold in Lihue in January was $375,000. The median price for sold condos was $150,000, down more than 28% from a year earlier, when the price was $210,000.

These trends reflect the bigger picture island-wide, where sales activity is up. The number of homes sold on the island in December 2009 increased almost 90% year-over-year, with sales of single-family homes up more than 300%. The market of Lihue homes for sale showed the second-most number of sales of any community on the island in January. As median prices in Lihue are down, so too, are prices down on the rest of the island. The median of single-family homes fell from more than $466,700 in January 2009 to just $375,000 in the same month this year. Condos, too, felt the heat, falling to $204,500 from $254,000 in January 2009.

Visitors interested in an engaging and unique Kauai vacation should most definitely do their research prior to arriving in the islands. Because Kauai has so many interesting things to do, it is essential that tourists plan out what destinations they’d most like to see while in Hawaii. Calculating a top ten list of things to do is the best way to prioritize plans while on Kauai. The biggest must-see is Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park. Both beautiful areas feature exquisite volcanic flows and miles of hiking and sightseeing. An alternative to hiking into the park an canyon is to take a helicopter ride. Another attraction is a tour of the Na Pali Coast by boat or zodiac. The steep cliffs along undeveloped coastline are simply amazing.

Limahuli Garden and Preserve is over 1,000 acres and covers several distinct ecological zones. Movie tours of the island are also popular and feature the sights and sets from several popular films, including Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, South Pacific, Blue Hawaii, Gilligan’s Island, Fantasy Island, and about 30 others. A ride on the Kauai Plantation Railway should also be in store in order to explore a journey through the historic backcountry and the fields of sugar, pineapple, banana, papaya, coffee, and flowers.

With a population of about 6,000 residents, Lihue is the county seat of Kauai County in the state of Hawaii and is the second largest town on the island of Kauai. The town is served by the Lihue Airport and Nawiliwili Bay. The island’s largest shopping center, Kukui Grove Center, which is home to the island’s only big department store, Macy’s, as well as K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Costco, is also located there. However, Kauai has a history of being very strict when it comes to approving major developments and having large corporations and global chains trying to establish themselves on the island in order to preserve Kauai’s beauty, something that would be threatened by overdevelopment.

Although Lihue offers a variety of dining, shopping, and entertainment opportunities, the town of Kapa’a, located just north of Lihue, is the major tourist center due to its large concentration of hotels and tourist-oriented shops. Nevertheless, Kauai is most perhaps most popular for its outdoor activities such as snorkeling, diving, hiking, kayaking, and swimming. Some of the popular natural attractions in the area include the Alakai Wilderness Area, Hanalei Bay, Ke’e Beach, Na Aina Kai Botanical Gardens, Na Pali Coast Stae Park, Wailua River, Waimea Canyon, and Princeville North Shore.