Guide to Maui, Hawaii
Hawaii- A place that captures our imagination with images of ultimate relaxation and breathtaking tropical beauty. It is really the ideal vacation in so many ways: no passports necessary but still feels like an entirely new cultural experience. No foreign language skills needed. I love trying to learn new languages, probably more than most, but sometimes its nice not worrying about being able to communicate. Gorgeous, other worldly scenery. Perfect weather and hardly any bugs.
Now that we've established it's a must go, which Hawaiian island is best? For me, Maui takes the cake. It is the island that has it all. I like to think of it as having two sides. There's adventure and exploration on the 'wild' side in rain forests and volcanic craters. On the 'developed' side, you will find ultimate convenience with entertainment, delicious food and 30 miles of beaches for snorkeling and sunbathing on the days you just want to veg out.
LAHAINA vs WAILEA
STAY __________________________________________________________________________
Use either Lahaina or Wailea as your main hub. The best resorts (Four Seasons, Grand Wailea and Kea Lani ) are in quiet Wailea. Wailea also usually has better weather and the best swimming and snorkeling beaches. If you are looking for a busy night-life, art galleries, shopping and hustle and bustle, then Lahaina is the one for you.
Frugal Tip-You don't have to stay at one of the first class resorts to enjoy the incredible, less crowded beaches in Wailea. We stayed at the Hotel Wailea which is a lot less expensive but shares the same property as the Grand Wailea. Or look for a condo on VRBO.
Warren and Annabelle's-I don't think I have ever laughed as hard or for as long as the night we went to Warren and Annabelle's magic show. It is a mix of sleight-of hand magic and the funniest comedy you will ever hear. It is a little pricey, but worth the 4 hours of fun. First, you start out in a parlor enjoying appetizers, cocktails and dessert, then the party moves into the theater for the show. We volunteered for one of his tricks and were a constant fixture in that night's show with many good-hearted jokes at our expense. I love when comedians can be funny without resorting to shocking and off-color jokes.
Kapalua Golf Course- There aren't many golf courses played on the pro tour that normal people are able to get into and play. Kapalua is one of them and definitely worth taking advantage of the opportunity. Even for a non-golfer like myself, the course was amazing just to spend time at. The mix of....
Frugal Tip- afternoon tee times are discounted because the wind starts to kick up a little.
EAT ____________________________________________________________________________
Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar-a few minutes down the road, near the Ritz, is the most amazing sushi bar. Everything was incredible and so fresh! Try the Ahi Sashimi Roll, the mango sauce is to die for. Seriously the best sushi we have ever had.
Frugal Tip- get there early, any order placed before 6pm Tuesday-Saturday is 25% off.
Seven Sacred Pools- a magical way to spend an afternoon. The Ohe'o Gulch or Seven Sacred Pools, are about 15 minutes past Hana town. There are actually dozens of pools and waterfalls which flow through the 'Ohe'o Gulch into the ocean nearby, but these ones are the biggest and most beautiful.
Pipiwai Trail and Waimoku Falls-This is supposed to be one of the best hikes on Maui and I would have to say it was otherworldly. Pipiwai is 4 miles round trip with a gain in elevation of 650 feet and several great waterfalls along the route. After hiking past several great waterfalls, the trail turns into this beautiful boardwalk through a 40 ft high bamboo forest. It was so amazing listening to the wind would blow through the bamboo making the bamboo stalks hit against each other. At the end of the hike you are rewarded with Waimoku Falls flowing down a 400-foot sheer lava rock wall. It is absolutely incredible.
Read about about all our Hana adventures here.
Tip-There is a really fun sunrise bike tour you can buy from several tour companies. They bus you to the top of the crater to watch the sunrise and bring up bikes that you can ride all the way down the mountain. P.S. It gets COLD on the top of a mountain covered in freezing cold mist. Pack accordingly.
KAPALUA
ADVENTURE ____________________________________________________________________
Kapalua Golf Course- There aren't many golf courses played on the pro tour that normal people are able to get into and play. Kapalua is one of them and definitely worth taking advantage of the opportunity. Even for a non-golfer like myself, the course was amazing just to spend time at. The mix of....
Frugal Tip- afternoon tee times are discounted because the wind starts to kick up a little.
EAT ____________________________________________________________________________
Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar-a few minutes down the road, near the Ritz, is the most amazing sushi bar. Everything was incredible and so fresh! Try the Ahi Sashimi Roll, the mango sauce is to die for. Seriously the best sushi we have ever had.
Frugal Tip- get there early, any order placed before 6pm Tuesday-Saturday is 25% off.
HANA TOWN
ADVENTURE ____________________________________________________________________
The Road to Hana- Even if you don't actually stay overnight in Hana, (you should), the Road to Hana is a must do. The famous Hāna Highway is a 68-mile long stretch of highway which connects Kahului with the town of Hāna in east Maui. Although Hāna is only about 52 miles from Kahului, it took us over 4 hours to drive as the highway is very winding and narrow and passes over 59 bridges, 46 of which are only one lane wide. It is virtually all through lush, tropical rain forest with stops all along the highway to see waterfalls or other points of interest.
Tip- don't try to do every stop, choose a few highlights or you will get burned out halfway and miss a lot of the great stuff towards the end. Here is a great list of sights to choose from.
Seven Sacred Pools- a magical way to spend an afternoon. The Ohe'o Gulch or Seven Sacred Pools, are about 15 minutes past Hana town. There are actually dozens of pools and waterfalls which flow through the 'Ohe'o Gulch into the ocean nearby, but these ones are the biggest and most beautiful.
Pipiwai Trail and Waimoku Falls-This is supposed to be one of the best hikes on Maui and I would have to say it was otherworldly. Pipiwai is 4 miles round trip with a gain in elevation of 650 feet and several great waterfalls along the route. After hiking past several great waterfalls, the trail turns into this beautiful boardwalk through a 40 ft high bamboo forest. It was so amazing listening to the wind would blow through the bamboo making the bamboo stalks hit against each other. At the end of the hike you are rewarded with Waimoku Falls flowing down a 400-foot sheer lava rock wall. It is absolutely incredible.
HALEAKALA CRATER
ADVENTURE ___________________________________________________________________
Haleakala- is a massive shield volcano that forms more than 75% of Maui. The other 25% to the west is formed by the West Maui Mountains. Inside the heart of Haleakala National Park is Pu'u 'Ula'ula (Red Hill). Here, on the tallest peak of Haleakala Crater, 10,023 feet above sea level you can have the most transformation experience watching the sun rise. As the sun begins to pierce through the fog and cracks in the crater a park ranger begins a quiet Hawaiian chant that gets louder and louder until it climaxes as the sun peaks over the mountain. There are no words to describe it but I thought it deserved its own blog post with more pictures which you can see here.Tip-There is a really fun sunrise bike tour you can buy from several tour companies. They bus you to the top of the crater to watch the sunrise and bring up bikes that you can ride all the way down the mountain. P.S. It gets COLD on the top of a mountain covered in freezing cold mist. Pack accordingly.
Maui is one of those places where there is always more to discover. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
PP
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