Marvelous Maui!

We love Maui and always enjoy sharing "pupus" (Hawaiian for appetizers) of information which we hope will enhance the visits of others. To begin your vacation you'll want to gather up all sorts of information on the island. The first place you can do this is at the airport in Kahului; there are racks in the baggage claim area with various of free brochures and booklets. Pick up any that interest you and especially get the booklets "Maui Gold' and "This Week - Maui". They have great information on sightseeing, activities, restaurants etc. They also contain maps and coupons that you may be able to use. The activities desk at your hotel (or condo) can help you with reservations and can also recommend tours, sights that shouldn't be missed, restaurants etc.

The island is divided into 2 sections, connected by a narrow isthmus, thus the nickname "The Valley Isle". Kihei is on the eastern area of Maui, which is the larger of the two parts, and Lahaina is the old whaling port on West Maui. Lahaina offers a variety of shops and restaurants. A sampling of the many good restaurants includes: Cheeseburger in Paradise (good burgers with a Jimmy Buffet ambience), Hard Rock Cafe, and Longhi's (which is excellent for dinner). For a special "treat" be sure to have some ice cream at Lapperts. It's made in Hawaii (on Kauai to be exact), and everyone who tries it becomes addicted!! A lot of fishing charters leave from Lahaina harbor if you're interested in doing some deep sea fishing. The Old Lahaina luau is very good...you'll need to make reservations if you want to go (check at the Old Lahaina Cafe).

There are several gorgeous resorts in the Kihei area and south of there (such as Wailea) and some lovely beaches. Makena Beach and Big Beach are almost to the end of the road to the south, and are usually fairly uncrowded.

Plan to drive up Mount Haleakala (the dormant volcano). The view of the crater is incredible - it's also at 10,000 feet in elevation, so take jackets since it gets pretty cool up there (yes, even in Hawaii!). They say watching the sunrise from the top is spectacular (the name Haleakala means "house of the sun"). We've never forced ourselves to get up early enough to view it, but everyone says it's worth the unreasonable hour. You can also take a tour that will drive you up the mountain in vans, then you ride down on bicycles (with VERY good brakes).

The road to Hana is something you shouldn't miss. It isn't that far in mileage; but it takes a good part of the day to drive since there are so many curves, it's a narrow road, and there are so many magnificent spots to stop. The scenery is extraordinary. If you don't want to drive, there are several tour companies that can take you - a lot of them will pick you up at your hotel. I definitely recommend taking a tour since you can enjoy the views without having to worry about driving, and the guides can tell you so much about the area (and they know all the best places to stop for sightseeing). Polynesian Adventure Tours is one we've taken several times for various trips on all of the islands, and they're very good...the guides have some great stories about local lore and legends!

The snorkeling is terrific all around Maui. If you can, take a boat out to Molokini (it's a small "islet" - a few miles off the coast). The variety of sea life is unbelievable, including manta rays and the endangered green sea turtles. You can also chose from several sailboat excursions that stop for snorkeling at various spots off the shore (they depart from both Lahaina and Maalaea harbors). There are also some sunset sails that are really beautiful (and romantic!). The humpback whales are "in residence" from December through April, so you may be able to experience that awesome sight during those months.

If you want a truly special activity, take a helicopter tour of the island. There are tours of different lengths (from 20 - 30 minutes, up to a couple of hours), and the price depends on how long the flight is. It's a remarkable way to view the island from a different perspective and see secluded areas that you can't reach by any other means.

Another fun, day-long "adventure" is Club Lanai. You take a boat (from Lahaina) to the island of Lanai. They have a private beach-front area where you spend the day. Everything is included in one price....lunch, open bar, bicycles, snorkeling, various activities, or just swinging in a hammock with a Mai Tai in your hand (sheer relaxation!).

One of our favorite restaurants is Mama's Fish House. Anyone at your hotel or condo can tell you how to get there, and you should have them make reservations for you since it's usually very crowded - try to get a window table. They have excellent food (fairly expensive, as are most of the better restaurants), and it's a very picturesque site in a beautiful location. Other favored restaurants of ours are The Waterfront and Buzz's Wharf, both in the Maalaea harbor area. Also, A Pacific Cafe has recently opened in Kihei. It's the first branch location of the original restaurant on Kauai, which is one of our most special spots. If the new one on Maui is anything like the first one on Kauai, it should be exceptional. One restaurant without a view (it's in the middle of a pineapple field!) but with delicious, uniquely-prepared food is the Haliimaile General Store (which ISN'T a store, but they do have gourmet kitchen items for sale).

There are a lot of "discount activities" booths, especially in Lahaina. Most of these offer you up to one-half off the cost of various activities (luaus, helicopter trips etc.), but the catch is you have to go to a timeshare sales presentation (which they don't always tell you right away!). If you don't mind sitting through an hour or so of timeshare selling, you can get half-price coupons to use on the activity you select; but be warned that the sales pitches are pretty high-pressure in a lot of cases!!

For a review of our "personal favorites" on the Valley Isle plus lots more photos, please visit our second Maui article, "Maui: Up Close and Personal"; and you can also take a peek at our 1998 and 1999 journeys to Maui in the "Hawaii '98" and "Hawaii '99" additions to Jan's Journeys. Above all else, be sure to take the time to relax, wind down, "hang loose", and watch the BREATHTAKING sunsets!!

You can do even more paradise dreaming with a photo reverie of Maui and Kauai...Hawaii 2000!!

Copyright © 1995 - 2008: Jan Hight
All photos are the property of Jan & John Hight and may not be copied or used in any way without our written permission.

Published -- September 14, 1995
Last Revision -- Sunday, 13-Aug-2006 03:40:00 GMT