Trip Reports - The best things to do in Maui

Mrs. Jabber and I are going to Maui in a few weeks for our 10th anniversary (sans kids! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif ). Since this is our first time to Maui, I thought I'd solicit the experts for your best & favorite things to do or see on Maui. We're big on activities like hiking, biking, drinking, eating, etc, but anything interesting or off the beaten path would be great. Thanks in advance!

-- jab

ps. I guess I should also ask for things specifically NOT to do, overblown, overpriced, or just a downright waste of time.

DO:

- Haleakala Crater Summit (drive yourself....don't take a tour)
- Whale watch cruise (if you make it there in whale season)
- Tan all-over at Little Beach (Makena) south of Kihei
- Splurge on a convertible or jeep!
- Eat outstanding Italian food at Antonio's in Kihei (great food, great service, but DON'T ask for modifications to the dishes--i.e. no onions--.... Antonio may turn into the "soup Nazi" of Seinfeld fame); Antonio's has the BEST tiramasu I've ever had!

DON'T:
- Take the "bike down the volcano" tour unless you love crowds!
- Go to the top of Haleakala for sunrise (again, unless you love crowds AND the road down swapmped with bikes)

DO: Drive to Hana - don't take a tour bus. Allow 12 hours+. You'll need a very early start. Weather permitting drive all the way around the island, don't turn back at Oheo Glutch. (Ignore your rental car contract. Check the bulletin board at Oheo Gultch for road conditions). Or, spend a night in Hana and make it a 2 day trip.

DO: Use sunscreen. I've seen more lobster-red miserable tourists than you can imagine. You really will burn much faster in Hawaii than other places.

Enjoy your trip!

If you have time- hike ont the Sliding Sands Trail into Haleakala. I would skip sunrise. Bring lots of water and warm clothes and remember the altitude change from sea level to the summit will affect your ability to exercise. If you are ambitios, the USPArk Service has cabins for those who want to overnite- need to make rez far in advance and carry in food and water.
We have spent lots of time on Maui.

Overnight in Hana at the Heavenly Flora Bed and Breakfast. A beautifully decorated home on a tropical flower farm. They have a website. I think www.heavenlyflora.com (http://www.heavenlyflora.com)
We were there last year and have sent others. While in Hana, hike to the Red Sand Beach( seems to be clothing optional, a beutiful setting amidst red rock and deep blue water. And visit Waianapanapa State Park for gorgeous Black sand beach scenery.

Try to stay in Wailea- Take an early morning walk or run along the oceanside path- you will share it with other strollers or runners, but you can stop for coffee and enjou the beauty of the ocean while exercising.

And skip Lahaina unless you like to to shop for T shirts.

Let me know if you need more info.



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Great stuff so far all, keep it coming! We're staying in Napili and have already inked the deal on the Jeep. Haleakala and Hana are on the itinerary, but the specifics mentioned below are helping a bunch, especially to skip the biking but do the hiking. And my lovely wife and I both remember our honeymoon in Jamaica, so the sunscreen is already on the list. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif And while we both love Italian food, my wife tends to the high-maintenance side when ordering, so pmv your warning is greatly appreciated.

On the Hana drive, any must-see stops along the way? We're driving around the North side in the morning, and I was hoping/planning to take the south side on the way back. It looked like there were a few waterfalls, etc along the way that might be interesting.

It's threads like this that make me love this board! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

-- jab

When we did the drive to Hana, some friendly fellow had left a narrative tape in the car that points out sights along the way - I can still hear him say "turn me off now and turn me on again, when you pass the mile 13 marker..." - This may be worthwhile, because you get the background story of the road as well as pointers to some sights that are a couple of hundred yards from the road in the forest - you might have missed them otherwise...

Do: Snorkeling in Turteltown, skip Molokini, it's crowded and the water quality isn't very good, I enjoyed Turteltown much more. The catamarans leave early, but it is worth the trip. Rent your own snorkeling gear, if you plan on using it for a while. We went to Snorkel Bob's in Lahaina and for me (short-sighted) having a prescription strength mask made it a wonderful experience.

Napili is a perfect place to stay. You are about 2 miles from my favorite beach on the Island, Kapalua. It has incredible Snokeling and the reef comes very close to the shore so it's got lots of sunlight for visibility and it's a very calm current... The beach itself is beautiful as well, and usually not very crowded. The beach at Napili is also very nice for swimming, but there is no real reef.

Honolua Bay is just north of Kapalua and is a enrivonmental preserve. It's a little more difficult (no beach) for snorkleing, but it's worth it.

In Kapaulua is also an incredible sushi restaurant called Sensei. Other great restaurants are David Paul's (high end pacific rim cuisine) and Pacifico (great for sunset dining, it's on the beach). In Kahana (just south of Napili) is Roy's, which is very good but has a bit of a chain mentality to it.

For casual lunches, etc... go to the Hula Grill in Kannapalli, it's also on the ocean and has great basic lunch food. For dirt cheap and tasy lunch food in Napili, Maui Tacos is right there. There is also a great breakfest place in Napili in one of the condo developments...

While in Upcountry ...

be sure to eat at Hailemaile General Store restaurant on Hailemaile Road. Very good food.

and visit quaint town of Makawao. Some art galleries, glass blower, boutiques.

My 2 cents...

- Although not a spectacular as the Hana drive, now that they have it paved all the way, a drive all the way around West Maui is an interesting ride as well, and less time consuming. There is (or was a couple of years ago) a stretch down the side of a cliff for a few hundred yards where the road is only one lane wide.
- Tedeschi winery upcountry
- For a relatively authentic luau,including pig ceremony, try the Old Lahaina Luau
- Chocoholic bar for dessert at the Hyatt Regency
- 1/2 price pupus, including a decent ahi poke, at Makai bar at the Marriott

To each his own, I guess, but of all the things that we did on Maui, the one thing that I would most highly recommend is the bike ride down Haleakala. But you have to pick the right bike company. Go with Haleakala Bike in Haiku - - it is an "unguided tour" - - they just drop you off and you go down at your own pace, rather than in a crowd. Stop in Makawao at the Mexican restaurant for lunch.

The one thing that we felt was the most overrated was the drive to Hana. Its brutal. There are plenty of beautiful beaches that are a whole lot closer. If you do go, however, you need to pick up the cassette tape guide. A lot of the activity brokers will throw it in for free if you book something with them.

Second the recommedation for the Hailemaile General Store - the food was wonderful! Definitely worth the detour.

Sensei and Roy's are also very good; we've never managed to get to David Paul's. I guess we'll have to make a point of it next time!

We were not especially impressed with Hula Grill, although our friends who live in Kapalua like it. For a casual lunch place, we did enjoy Buzz's Wharf, at the marina at Maalaea, where the road turns around the base of the mountains, on the way to/from West Maui.

Sensei, is great fro sushi and ther are 1/2 price early dinners on some days.

On the road to Hana, a side trip down to the Keanae Peninsula is a lovely place to stop and picnic. Take the road to the end and there is a great shady spot overloooking crashing surf and black lava rocks. There is a small farm stand once you get to the bottom of the hill, run by a former taro farmer and they sell wonderful banana bread.

Napili is a good place to stay, but if the weather turns cloudy or rainy, dont assume that the sun isnt shining someplace else. Call ahead to one of the hotels in Wailea, on the dry, dry side of the island and head south- chances are there will be sun there- as well as beautiful beaches.


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My absolute Number 1 suggestion to you if you want to do something outdoorsy (aside from sitting on the beach) is to go snorkling on the Alii Nui. The two times that my wife and I have been to Maui, we've gone on this boat. It's a catamaran that leaves every day around 8 am from the marina that's half-way between Wailea and Lahaina (I forget the name of the marina). Instead of taking you to Molokini Crater where about 2,000 other people will be snorkling, they take you to a secluded spot (not far off-shore south of Lahaina) where you will be the only snorklers. It's a half-day trip and it cost us about $60 a piece. Well worth it. We saw tons of fish, including flying fish. We also saw a bunch of sea turtles. The boat only takes maybe 20 people so it's much more relaxed than one of the boats that takes 50 or 100 people. They serve food, drinks, etc. We really enjoyed it. Also, take the road to Hana. Leave early. Don't do the sunrise bikeride down the mountain -- unless you like getting up at 1:30 a.m. on a vacation.

Personal restaurant opinions -
#1 - A Pacific Cafe in Kihei
#2 - Davido's in Lahaina

The following two restaurants have good reputations but our experience was they were not as good as the above - David Paul's, Roy's.

Other suggestion - a drink at sunset at the beach bar at the Four Seasons in Wailea.

We were on Maui in September for our honeymoon.....We are saving up our miles to go back, it was amazing.
DO: road to hana (remember to bring bug spray in addition to the sunscreen), get a picnic lunch and the narrative cd before you go and ,make sure to see the painted eucalyptus trees in the kenae arboretum, on your way back eat dinner at mama's fish house; haleakala - a nice option is do drive yourself up for the sunset instead of the sunrise; great restaurant at the Grand Wailea, also Seasons at the four seasons is great; we didn't get to go snorkeling but I would reccommend it; also the best luau is the Old Lahaina Luau - you might want to spend part of the afternoon in the town.

Hope you have a great trip!

Amy

I don't usually recommend Luaus as they tend to be awful food and kitchy entertainment...but I echo what has been said about Old Lahaina Luau, I was very impressed with the food and excellent entertainment, probably the best in all the islands. The owners of Old Lahaina Luau also have another "experience" in Lahaina called "The Feast at LeLe" which I haven't done but have heard great things about.

David Pauls is a don't miss restaurant in Lahaina (make reservations).A Pacific Cafe is excellent in Kihei. My new favorite restaurant in Wailea is Tommy Bahamas(in the new Shops at Wailea), they prepare food well and the service levels are higher than most Maui restaurants.

I also like the Aquarium at Maalea Harbor, it's not the Monterey Aquarium by any stretch of the imagination, but interesting (and alot better than the aquarium at Waikiki).

Wife & I were there about this time last year and stayed at Kapalua Bay Hotel. If you want to do the snorkle/dive trips I would highly recommend booking on the Kapalua Kai - we went out on two other boats and found this to be the best hands down. Mamas Fish house...must do. Road to Hana was great...just plan on a 12 hour day if you want to venture beyond Hana to go all around the eastern part of Maui. My recommendation would be to go beyond Hana & visit Oheo Gulch and then turn around.....we just didn't really enjoy much beyond that. Rent a convertible (of course) and get yourself a CD or two of some of the "local" music....great way to get you in the mood. I recommend a CD called "meleana" by Kealii Reichel. With all the rush of trying to see everything.....find one night for a quiet meal somewhere. Almost forgot the luau....went to two and the Old Lahaina Luau was by far the best. Hope you have a great time.

Silly question here, but...
does the Old Lahaina Luau include cocktails? Other luaus do, but the Old Lahaina Luau website says nothing about alcoholic drinks.
Mahalo.

Flyerwife
All of our drinks were included. I drank Mai Tai's and my better half discovered a new favorite called a "Chi Chi". I assume that you could order whatever for free but I'm sure they had a somewhat limited bar.

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Maui is one of my favorite places. Here are some of the things I would suggest:

Have cocktails and dinner at sunset at Pacific O
http://www.pacificomaui.com/index.html

Spend a day sailing to Lanai on the Paragon
http://www.maui.net/~paragon/lanai.html

Have lunch at Mama's Fish House
http://www.maui.net/~mamas/

Take a helicopter tour of the island
http://www.sunshinehelicopters.com/

Enjoy a relaxed lunch at the club at Kapalua
http://www.kapaluamaui.com/activities/dining/plantation.html

Just drive around, explore all the little back roads, small towns and beaches and enjoy whatever happens.

Do not eat at Erik's Seafood Grotto at Kahana Falls.



[This message has been edited by Punki (edited 04-07-2001).]

PremEx2000 wrote:
>>My absolute Number 1 suggestion to you if you want to do something outdoorsy (aside from sitting on the beach) is to go snorkling on the Alii Nui.

PremEx2K, you wouldn't happen to have a little more info on the people running this trip? I'd like to contact them for my Maui trip next week... anything to avoid the crowded shores of Molo & Turtle Town.

Thanks!

PremEx2000 wrote:
>>My absolute Number 1 suggestion to you if you want to do something outdoorsy (aside from sitting on the beach) is to go snorkling on the Alii Nui.

PremEx2K, you wouldn't happen to have a little more info on the people running this trip? I'd like to contact them for my Maui trip next week... anything to avoid the crowded shores of Molo & Turtle Town.

Thanks!

I found this link by doing a quick search on the internet. I'm sure if you did a more extensive search for "Alii Nui", you'll find their phone number. Here's the link:
http://www.best4hawaii.com/maui/maui_snorkeling_cruises.htm

Thank you everyone for your fantastic suggestions! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif They've been really helpful, and I've printed them all out to take with us and refer to while we're gone. I'll be sure to write up a report when we get back.

Thanks again! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cool.gif

-- jab

Re.: Old Lahaina Luau

What is Hawaiian Seating vs. Traditional seating like?

Any cramps from Hawaiian seating?

Old Lahaina Luau has open bar included in the price, it is a bit limited in terms of beer, wine, basic mixed and tropical drinks.

The seating closest to the stage is on the ground on mats, you have to more or less sit cross-legged, if you can manage it. The seats beyond and to either side are long tables with I think 5 or 6 per side. You can get these still pretty close to the stage however. The seating assignments the times I have been there is first come first served, they show you what is available and you select.

Dont miss the pu'a ceremony when they take the pig out of the imu (in ground oven).

I would recommend both Hailemaile General Store and Mama's Fish House - great food at both. I've never been to A Pacific Cafe in Maui, but the one in Kauai is excellent, so I'd recommend it.

Molokini is crowded with snorkelers, but I felt like it was still worth it.