Parts of Maui are crowded with tourists and bustling commercial centers, but much of island is still pristine and remote. Hana is a quirky and charming area on the east side of the island, away from the crowds. The narrow, winding “Road to Hana” is famous for its scenic views and white-knuckle curves. There is a luxury hotel and spa in Hana, but the town is small and only has around 200 residents. Maui, a.k.a. “The Valley Isle,” has beautiful waterfalls with swimming holes, black and red sand beaches, hiking, and some of the best windsurfing in the world. Haleakala, a 10,000 foot mountain that translates into “House of the Sun,” is one of the best places on the planet to watch a sunrise. The adventuresome can ride bicycles all the way down the volcano. Unlike some of the other more sleepy islands, there's plenty of nightlife in Maui. Lahaina, aside from being pretty touristy, is actually a quaint, historic whaling town. Maui is a great option for people who want a little of everything Hawaii has to offer. Car rental recommended. Direct mainland flights fly into Kahului airport; interisland flights are available to all islands.
Maui
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Which island is YOUR favorite?
Secret beach? Tastiest plate lunch? Best snorkeling ever? Tell us about it! Click on the comments link under each island to share your own Hawaii tips and read what others recommend.
4 comments:
Breakfast/Coffee:
Anthony's in Paia (apparently Laird Hamilton and Gabby Reese have breakfast there all the time)
http://www.yelp.com/biz/H5zuolQs6bansMjWvLXnBQ
Lunch or dinner:
Mama's Fish House in Paia
http://www.yelp.com/biz/wnbIRCuNvh0Gl59H5mYMQg
Kimo's in Lahaina
http://www.yelp.com/biz/Xi1rLxy0nRtnRCeLVO-Dlw
--HIKING--
My top recommendation would be Haleakala, but make sure you go on a clear day for the views. You can hike part-way down into the crater and it feels like you're on the moon. There are also ridge trails through the forests surrounding the volcano. They'll have maps of everything in the visitor center at the top.
The official Hawaii trail website has a bunch of hikes around the island with instructions on how to get to the trailheads: http://www.hawaiitrails.org/island.asp?island=Maui
These all look like ridge trails, so they'll probably have good views but they might be hot and dry if the weather is nice. I haven't hiked much on Maui, so unfortunately I can't really recommend any of these in particular.
This site lists a couple of coastal trails, which are probably nice and often start or finish at beaches where you can swim: http://www.mauimapp.com/information/hiking.htm
I've been on the Hana-Waianapanapa trail, but not since high school. Waianapanapa State Park is beautiful. If you are spending more than a couple of days on Maui you should definitely make the drive out to Hana. It's epic.
Another really nice spot along the Hana Highway is the Seven Sacred Pools. Again, I haven't been since high school so it may be crowded and blown out with tourists now, but you can hike further in to get past the crowds and eventually get to some sweet waterfalls:
http://www.hawaiiweb.com/maui/sites_to_see/OheoGulch.htm
Cafe Des Amis in Paia is better than Anthony's. Mama's is good but way overpriced.
Hiking in Maui is incredible. Seven Sacred Pools (Oheo Gulch) is still great, but yes tourists are everywhere. If you go off season, you can get it with very little people around. Hiking further up is great, but be careful when swimming in the streams and pools. Make sure there is no flash flood possibilities. Aloha!
We went to Maui for four days over New Year's this year. Since we stayed with friends in Haiku, we hit a number of "upcountry" spots that are off the tourist track and are worth sharing.
There's a new organic pizza place in Paia that is SOOOOO good. We arrived on a Friday night so it was a bit crowded, but there is a bar where you can hang and drink while you wait for a table. Check it: http://www.flatbreadcompany.com/2007Home.htm
We visited the Surfing Goat Dairy farm in Kula (on the slopes of Haleakala) and fell in love with the baby goats. They're like puppies, falling over each other and clomping up and down this surfboard in their pen. You can sit in a little covered picnic area and taste the different types of cheese (many of which are award-winners) and you can take a tour and milk the mamma goats (though we didn't). http://www.surfinggoatdairy.com/
Last stop was the Ali'i Kula Lavender farm. Beautiful gardens that you can meander through, with something like 100 different kinds of lavender and a bunch of other gorgeous tropical plants. There's a shop that sells lavender-flavored lemonade and scones and you can picnic in cute little alcoves all over the property with amazing views down the mountain. The shop also sells a gazillion different kinds of lavender-infused soaps and stuff, and everything is made with the herbs grown on the farm. Support local grown!!! http://www.aliikulalavender.com/default.aspx
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