Maui: The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of.
Written: Sep 05 '02 (Updated Apr 01 '03)
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Pros: A gorgeous island with lots to do for everyone.
Cons: It is 5500 miles away from Massachusetts!
The Bottom Line: Maui was a dream come true. If I could only go back to one island, this would be it. (I think!)
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| jo.com's Full Review: Maui |
Maui was the first island we went to in June 2002 during out 3-week visit to Hawai’i. Also known as The Valley Isle I thought it was the most beautiful of the 4 we visited. It is 727 square miles, has 120 miles of shoreline and more than 80 beaches. (Frommer’s) The flowers are absolutely gorgeous and don’t look real. Of course each island has its own very different personality so comparing them truly isn’t fair. Get used to the geckos (little lizards – some really tiny, none are really big but they are everywhere), the fact that the language only has 12 letters and the narrow roads.
The first thing you want to do after landing at the airport is pick up brochures. There will be dozens and most of them will come in handy. We stayed at a bed and breakfast in Lahaina. The bed and breakfast is called Garden Gate and was wonderful. This is the West Coast. Farther up north is an upscale, very expensive area called Kaanapali and of course Hana is on the East Coast. I will take you through our vacation on Maui. If what we did I would recommend I will say so and vice versa.
Day 1 found us driving to beaches. We headed south on Route 30. There is a wonderful brochure you can get at the airport called Maui magazine and in it you can see which beaches have showers, restrooms, which ones are good for snorkeling and picnicking.
Our first stop was Honalua-Mokulaia Conservation District. This is a bit confusing because the Conservation area is separate from the snorkling area. The Hoalua-Mokulaia Conservation site has no signs. It is located 2.1 miles after Office Road. You'll see other cars and a painted sign. We got a bit lost finding it. The snorkeling was good. You'll walk down about 100 steps and somewhat slippery rocks to the water.
Our next stop was D.T Flemings Beach Park where you can picnic and find restrooms. Although it is supposed to be kid friendly my notes say that the waters were rough and although we didn’t intend to snorkel here anyway, we were not impressed with this beach. Skip it.
At this point we were heading south where eventually Route 30 becomes 340 (the numbers change back and forth) but it is an inside road called Honoapiilani Highway which is Route 30 again. It is the strip of road from the northern side of the island and then heading south that is the narrowest road I have ever seen. Since this was our first day we were not aware that our rental agency would not have been happy to find us here. It is one lane so you have to pull over where there really are no pullovers to let another car by.
This is also a good time to remind you to be glad that the mini-van you wanted wasn’t available. At one point, a van attempting to pass us almost went off the road. Here off the road usually means down a cliff, but he managed to make his way by.
We took a little detour onto Route 32 into Queen Ka’ahumanu Center and had lunch at Koko Grill and Bar where for $7.95 we got salads. It wasn’t bad and won the “best value award” for the years 1992-1996. This was 2002 so I really can’t say this is a must place to eat!
We got back on Route 30 and headed south and then back north again. You want to stop in Lahaina Center, if not then at some time during your stay. There are free weekly hula shows and other types of entertainment (One night we saw a group of children singing and dancing.). Here you will find Hilo Hattie where you will get some of your souvenirs as well as Hard Rock Café, the Gap and Banana Republic! There is also a Post Office close by. Just ask someone where it is if you need stamps. If it is closed, don’t worry because there is a stamp machine outside. There is plenty of parking and your ticket will be stamped at any store in which you go even if you don't buy anything.
Before having a wonderful dinner at Kobe Japanese Steakhouse on 136 Dickenson St. (You will find coupons for this restaurant in various pamphlets.) in Lahaina you will want to go to the Smokehouse Bar and Grill across from a Safeway Supermarket (Route 30) and don’t have a drink (I’m using it as a landmark) but pull into the right of the Bar onto a beach/rock area. You will be treated not only to an amazing sunset but seals playing right in front of you.
I already wrote an epinion on Day 2, which was our drive on the Hana Highway, so I won’t review that again. It is a must do, though, in my opinion.
The following day was a day we were looking for snorkeling beaches and again used Maui magazine as a guide. The first thing I did though was to call my dermatologist (This is where a change of cell phone plans may be a good idea before you leave home.) for a prescription for my heat rash. You will find many Longs Drugs. The one I went to which was convenient to the beaches was at 1215 South Kihei Road in Kihei. The prescription was ready for me within an hour and there was no problem with them taking my insurance.
On our map there were several beaches within driving range that listed snorkeling. Our plans changed a bit, though. We stopped at Kamaole Beach, which wasn’t worth the stop. By accident we then found Wailea Beach. Although it is listed in the magazine you really have to search a map for the beach itself in the town of Wailea.
The way to find it is to go to the upscale area of hotels to the Four Seasons and at the blue shoreline access sign, which points to Wailea Alanui Drive. This is a public beach so don’t let the hotels intimidate you. Granted you won’t be sitting on a fancy lounge but you will be enjoying soft brown sand and warm water. We ended up spending the day here. The snorkeling wasn’t great, but there were fish (There actually are fish almost everywhere.). The waves started getting high late in the day so if you have children go early. This is a good time to have a beach mat rather than beach towels because this sand sticks to your skin and it will not shake out easily from a towel. There are restrooms and outdoor showers here.
From this beach you want to walk the mile through Wailea Point. It is a public area but the public is limited to a paved walkway, which is worth the walk. The grounds and views are beautiful. You will end up at Polo Beach Park another beach you could have gone to had you not gone to Wailea Beach. Wailea is the nicer of the two, though, so go to Wailea, not Polo Beach.
Front Street parallels Route 30 and this is where you will find “the strip.” There is a park and a library on the street (Use these as landmarks.) and that is a terrific place to watch the sunset.
My impressions at this point of Maui other than its beauty were (from my notes) that there were many health food stores, many mainland hippies and many happy and friendly Hawaiians. Maui is a good place to start eating Taro chips, which are so delicious, you’ll buy your first of many bags most likely in ABC store (a convenience type store on every corner on every island).
On Friday we went to Haleakala National Park. I have not reviewed that yet but will so I won’t review it here. IThis is more than a must go. This is one of the reasons you have come to Maui. Go early – we left at 7:00am. If you can go even earlier or stay overnight, seeing the sunrise here is very popular.
Friday night is a popular night for activities in Lahaina Center so that is where you should find yourself. You can take a walking tour of Lahainatown. You will find some live music in the restaurants and bars on the weekends here and some during the week, but not a huge amount. I found it to be a fairly quiet, peaceful island. Even Lahaina seems to close at 10:00pm, which was fine for us.
Miscellaneous Information not already covered
The liveliest of bars/restaurants, which we did not go into, but heard, is called Whale’s Tale but even that was quiet after 10:00 pm.
The Post Office I mentioned is open until 4:15. If you are staying in a hotel you can get your postcards mailed from there but since we were in a Bed and Breakfast, that was information we would have liked to have had. But as I said after going back to the car for the correct change, we got our stamps.
Along with Maui magazine and other guidebooks make sure you have 101 Things To Do which you can get online and by mail. http://www.mauigateway.com/~rw/thingtodo.htm It is a large magazine and you will also find it at the airport and on stands on the streets.
Taking off your shoes before entering many establishments is a custom. Watch for that depending on where you go.
Don’t buy the inexpensive chocolate covered Macadamia nuts, though you will be tempted to. At $1.89 for 5 ounces that was too good of a bargain. What we got was really a ball of chocolate with the essence of nut, so spend the extra money and buy some good quality chocolate covered nuts if you like them.
Although you won’t buy anything in Celebrities (One of the many stores on Front Street.) and you may even be treated shabbily, especially if your limousine isn’t parked outside, go in. You will be treated to signed records from very famous artists as well as other memorabilia that the owner has in his gallery. (I hate to plug the place, really, but it was a fun store in which to look.)
In conclusion:
Enjoy Maui. It would be hard not to. Although the snorkeling is not the best and gorgeous beaches (Although Frommer's lists Kapalua Beach "as the stuff of dreams." We slept through that dream and missed that beach.) are yet to come on other islands, the Hana Highway, Haleakala National Park and the gorgeous flora make this a very special island.
Feel free to leave me a comment or ask any questions. Other Hawaii reviews you may be interested in:
Traveling to Hawaii on a Budget
The Westin San Francisco Airport Hotel
Aloha Airlines
Garden Gate Bed and Breakfast in Maui
Maui
LahainaTown Maui
Hana Highway in Maui
Haleakala National Park in Maui
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Hawaiian Airlines
Puff the Magic Dragon Lived in Kauai
Waimea Canyon on Kauai
Poipou Beach Area, Kauai
Na Pali Coast, Kauai
Hideaway Cove Villa, Kauai
Royal Kona Resort,The Big Island
The Island of Hawaii - The Big Island
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park on the Big Island
Oahu
USS Arizona Memorial on Oahu
DiamondHead State Monument on Oahu
Polynesian Cultural Center,Oahu
Wailua River State Park in Kauai, Hawaii
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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