The world doesn’t get much prettier than on the North Shore of Kauai, the island’s shining star. Its superlative attractions include the Na Pali Coast, with its stunning sea cliffs; glorious beaches beautiful enough to have starred in Hollywood movies; and the Hanalei Valley, a green and lush land where the locals still grow taro much like farmers did hundreds of years ago.

All these sights will truly take your breath away as you get lost in the beauty that surrounds you on this magical shore. It’s easy to forget your cares in a setting this serene and seemingly so far, far away from all that’s familiar and stressful. Here, life is good, very good.

For proof, check into the 23-acre Princeville Resort Hotel, an ultra-fabulous facility that’s a member of Starwood’s Luxury Collection. Situated high on a bluff overlooking Hanalei Bay, the hotel caters to celebrities and the privileged who can afford to spoil themselves. Matt LeBlanc and a few of his "Friends" basked in the royal treatment here when the TV star got married on the North Shore in 2003. The hotel is located in the resort community of Princeville, which also has condominium units, a bed-and-breakfast, and two golf courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. The courses meander through the Hanalei Valley, with some holes overlooking the Pacific.

Away from the resort, there are two commercial centers—the small towns of Kilauea and Hanalei, whose restaurants and shops help keep visitors entertained. For sightseers, Kilauea also has a historic lighthouse and a 200-acre wildlife refuge with good bird-watching.

No place is perfect, so the tranquil North Shore does have one drawback: frequent rain showers. But they cool things down and help keep the landscape all that more verdant.