Maui - April 2014


Please see the bottom of the post for a day-by-day itinerary.

As I begin to reminisce about the magical ten days in Maui, I can’t think of a better way to have spent our honeymoon. Maui, named after a Demigod who captured the sun from the top of mount Haleakala to bring sunlight to the islands, what an appropriate name for such a magical place. With seven climate zones located on this second largest island of Hawaii, I got to experience -2 degree weather at the top of mount Haleakala on the same day as sunbathing on the beach in +35 degree paradise.

If I were to describe Maui in one word, it would be “NATURE”. From the tropical forests to the majestic Haleakala, to the hikes and waterfalls, snorkeling, breathtaking scenery along the road to Hana, extraordinary sunsets and of course the unforgettable beaches, I will never forget the unbelievable 10 days we spent here.

Maui, despite its relaxed atmosphere and a slow pace of life, hustles and bustles with activities for you to do. We began our trip with a sunrise tour on top of the Haleakala, house of the sun. As we were comfortably waiting at about 10,000 foot elevation, in -2 degree weather, in three layers of sweaters, hats, gloves and windproof jackets, (not how I imagined our trip to the tropics would begin) I began to see what would be one of the most incredible sunrises (followed by a bike ride to descend the 10,000 foot mountain along the winding roads).

There is an amazing Iao Valley trail that takes you through a rain-forest. The helicopter tour of the tropical rain-forest was one of the best ways to see this part of Maui. From dropping cliffs to cascading waterfalls, a view from the top did not disappoint. One of the most memorable days was a day trip along the Road to Hana. As we were driving (warming: narrow roads along cliff edge), we saw colour compositions of dark blues to piercing greens that never failed to fascinate. On the way to the small town of Hana, drive through the Haleakala National Park, pack a lunch, grab your hiking shoes and hike through a bamboo forest to a magnificent 181 foot waterfalls and to the seven sacred pools. Explore the small town of Hana, have lunch at Braddah Hutts BBQ Grill (best chicken and fish tacos), visit the black sand beaches, eat some banana bread on the way and enjoy the view of wind surfers at Ho’okipa beach.

One of my “must-do” items was to try surfing! There are a plethora of local shops offering lessons. You must try! I scratched that off my bucket list.

What would a trip to Hawaii be without the beaches and the sunsets. From one beach to the next, the silky white sand stretches as far as the eye can see. Every sunset is like a spectacle where everyone drops what they are doing and gathers to watch as the sky lights up in a palette of colours and a feeling of calmness settles around you. Unforgettable and absolutely a must in your lifetime!
Mahalo and Aloha!











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Day 1

  • Arrive and pick up the car. I used this site.
  • Find your hotel (I stayed in Kihei area, Kameole Beach III). If you are not staying at an all-inclusive resort, use VRBO or Airbnb to book a condo as there are many options. We stayed at this condo and were very satisfied with it.
  • Have dinner and walk on the beach.

Day 2

  • Spend the day taking it easy, relaxing and adjusting to the time difference.
  • Explore the Kihei strip of shops and restaurants.
  • Have breakfast at the Kihei Cafe.
  • Enjoy Kameole Beach III (II and I are close by) and do some snorkeling. Olowalu Bay Beach is also a great place for snorkeling.
  • Walk or drive to Wailea Beach and a Wailea shopping centre (many high-end stores) - the walk along the beach will take you through Keawakapu Beach and Ulua Beach.

Day 3

  • Sunrise Biking Tour.
  • This tour takes you to the top of mount Haleakala to watch the sunrise. It starts at 3 am., so it is best to do this at the beginning of your trip while you are still jet lagged.
  • There are two to three tour companies that offer this service. I recommend Bike-it-Maui because, I believe, it is the only tour group that offers breakfast at the end of the tour.
  • Despite having read that it is best to wear warm clothes during this tour, I was not prepared for the cold. This tour company also provides clothes (windproof jackets, hats, gloves etc) as it gets really cold at the top.
  • After the sunrise you will bike down - advance biking skills are NOT required.
  • If you are watching the sunrise without a tour, you must make an online reservation ($1 dollar per person) or they will not let you into the park. There is also a $25 dollar park entrance fee per car. The park pass is valid for 3 days so this is a good opportunity to use the pass on the Road to Hana. Save your ticket and remember which credit card you paid admission with.
  • It was also highly recommended to watch the sunset on Haleakala. You don't have to reserve or pay park admission for this. Remember that sunset is at around 6 pm. and the drive from Kihei is 1.5 hours, so give yourself enough time. Stay after the sunset for star gazing. You have never seen skies like these, completely littered with stars. If it's too much to do sunrise and sunset in one day, Day 6, 7 or 8 are good options.
  • Spend the rest of the day catching up on sleep, and on the beach. Visit Makena beach (yellow sand beach) and La Perouse Bay, which is a lava rock beach. There is some good snorkeling here as well.
  • Go to dinner in Kihei - there are several good spots - Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar and Cafe O’Lei.

Day 4

  • Iao needle lookout trail - Iao valley state park trail. This is a fairly short hike. I wouldn't really call it a hike, more of a walk along the boardwalk.
  • Go to Waihee Ridge Trail - 5 mile round trip.
  • Driving further north and around the island is one of the most scenic drives you will do.
  • Drive  to Honolua Bay - great for snorkeling, Kapalua Beach / D.T. Fleming Beach Park / Napili Bay and McGregor Point just to explore different beaches.
  • You can stop at places like Kahakuloa Head and Nakalele Blowhole (just before Honolua Bay). This part of the road was under renovation, so if it is, you can drive through Lahaina and still see these spots.
  • Lahaina - souvenir shopping and lunch (or most likely dinner if you're doing the hike) at Kimo’s.
  • Banyan Tree Park.
  • Old Lahaina Luau at sunset for dinner is another great option - traditional food and dancing performances. Reserve in advance. If you're running out of time. This would be a great option for Day 6.

Day 5

  • Road to Hana.
  • Take the back road to and go against traffic. This road gets busy with drivers as it is the most scenic road in Maui. Going through the back road will avoid traffic and take you to some of the hikes that you will most likely not have time to do if you go the way most people drive this highway. The reason why most people don't take the back road first is because it is badly paved. However, they do miss out on some of the best hikes.
  • Drive out to the Kipahulu end of Haleakala National Park at Oheo Gulch. Hike the Pipiwai trail to the Waimoku Falls and Makahiku Falls and swim in the pools (seven sacred pools). Only swim if it's safe.
  • Have lunch at the food truck - Braddah Hutts BBQ Grille, just before Hana.
  • Explore the tiny town of Hana.
  • Walk along black sands of Waianapanapa State Park and visit Kaihalulu red sand beach.
  • Mile 25, Nahiku Road - There is an amazing view of the coast. 
  • Stop at the Twin Falls Maui Waterfall.
  • At the end of the highway (or the beginning, depending on where you start), stop at the Ho'okipa Beach Park to watch some surfing. Some of the best surfers in the world practice on these waves. This can be very entertaining, so consider coming back on another day as well.
  • You can stop for dinner at the Flatbread Company close to Ho'okipa Beach.

    Tip    : it is best to have a guide-book with you on the highway or use your GPS to not miss some of the scenic spots.

Day 6

  • Helicopter Tour.
  • To book the tour (West Maui Mountains), go here.
  • After the tour, you can drive around the island from the north side if you didn't get to do it on Day 4.
  • Stop at Lahaina for lunch at Aloha Mixed Plate restaurant. This place offers amazing ocean views and authentic Hawaiian food.
  • Relax at the Kaanapali Beach. This was my favourite beach in Maui.
  • You can go back to Lahaina for dinner - Oku’s Sushi Bar.
  • Today is a good option to watch the sunset on Haleakala if you want to do a later dinner.

Day 7

  • Sailing to Lanai.
  • I did not do this trip, but I have read many positive reviews about Trilogy tours that offer the best Sailing to Lanai trips - best sailing/snorkeling trip in Hawaii. You'll spend the day (breakfast and lunch included) sailing to Lanai, snorkeling, touring the island, and sailing back to Lahaina. Plus, you still have the afternoon free to shop.
  • Today is a good option to watch the sunset on Haleakala, but check when you would get back to have enough time to drive up Haleakala.

Day 8

  • Surfing.
  • Book a lesson for the morning. Kihei has many shops that offer surfing lessons. Big Kahuna Surf Shop is the one we chose and we booked in advance. If you do the same, ask for Jessie. After a two-hour lesson, if it is your first time, you will be exhausted.
  • Visit the shop early in the trip to check the schedule of tides. The best waves are in the morning during low tide. A friend went to Maui Wave Riders in Kihei as well. Ask for Andrew.
  • In most shops if you take a lesson you're welcome to use any of their equipment for the rest of the day for free, including paddle boards. Shops close around 3 pm., so return the equipment by then.
  • Go to a little bar called Life’s a Beach which offers $5 lunches and $2 beers. Relax and enjoy.
  • You can do some souvenir shopping in the area
  • After having done one lesson, I regretted leaving this until the end. Perhaps schedule this activity somewhere in the middle to leave yourself an option to do it several more times.
  • Maui has many gorgeous golf courses. I am not a golfer, but if you are, make sure to visit one.
  • Today is a good option to watch the sunset on Haleakala if you haven't done so already.

Day 9

  • Catch your plane.

Tip: There are many other hikes to do in Maui in the Haleakala National Park. If you would like to do more hiking, here are a few sites that may be of help:

Where to Eat:

Kihei:
Lahaina:
Road to Hana:
Other:
  • Most grocery stores have a seafood counter. Get a few takeout bowls of poke (must try in Hawaii) and eat on the beach. 

Other useful sites:

  • I highly recommend getting the Maui Revealed Guidebook. It is definitely one of the best guides out there.
  • Frommers - Make sure to check out Frommer’s site above. You may find something I missed in this itinerary.
  • Maui Hawaii Printable Guide - As I was doing research for the trip, I came across the site above. It has a lot of information that you need including where to stay, eat, what to see and much more! You can download it in a PDF format.
  • This is another great blog post for recommendations.
Tip: plan one main event per day! Hawaii is all about taking it slow!