A National Tropical Botanical Garden in Kauai, Hawaii

      National Tropical Botanical Gardens(NTBG) is located in a verdant valley on the South Shore of Kauai. Riots of colorful heliconias, ginger and other colorful tropical flowers aremingled with some of the world's most exotic trees and plants. The original owners of the Allerton Garden section of NTBG consisted of an architect and an artist. Together they fashioned entire outdoor "rooms" with flowers, plants and trees.    nother section of NTBG is dedicated to Native Hawaiian "canoe plants" or items that the first Hawaiian settlers brought from the Marquesa Islands aboard their huge outrigger canoes. Coconut palms, taro, banana and mango plants are remmnants of the first Hawaiian's food stuffs.

Several daily tours are available by contacting the NTBG visitor's center at Spouting Horn, Poipu, including self-guided, walking and guided tram excursions. Be sure to check out Lawai Beach, where Fantasy Island was filmed, and the massive banyan tree used as a prop by Steven Speilberg in the hit movie "Jurrasic Park".