Over the last few years I have been exploring the world and
crossing many vacation spots off my bucket list. From: Puerto Rico, Aruba,
Curacao, St Thomas, Dubai, Paris, Spain, Italy and many other destinations I've
been having a blast! When I was a little girl watching National Geographic and
travel documentaries I knew I had to visit Hawaii. The impressive mountain
terrain and white sandy beaches were too alluring to pass up and last week I
was able to explore Maui and Honolulu on a week long holiday.
After a stop-over in beautiful Vancouver and about 11 hours
of flying from Toronto I finally arrived in Maui at our beach front resort, close to Wailea on Kihei Road. From our room we had beautiful views of the
coastline and mountains.
(Resort: Mana Kai Maui)
(View from our balcony)
Wailea is a picturesque place to stay while in Maui; there
are a variety of great resorts along the beach and the area is lush and colorful. The landscaping is beautifully groomed and big African banyan trees form a
thick canopy above the roads. If you like to shop, there is a selection of
high-end stores as well as souvenir shops,
restaurants and bars.
Compared to Honolulu the atmosphere in Maui is more relaxed,
there is less hustle and bustle and the beaches are less crowded. Renting a car
is the best way to see the islands, rentals are affordable and you can cruise
the well kept roads at a leisurely pace while enjoying the scenery. If you drive past
Wailea along the water you will begin to see different terrain as large, jagged volcanic rocks jut out of the soil and create a dark base around the mountains.
(Maui's Coast: on the way to Hana)
Our first outing was the popular drive to Hana. The road to
Hana is a winding journey that hugs the coastline and cuts through the thick
green rain forest. You can purchase a CD guide to narrate your journey, provide interesting historical information and suggest great places to stop along the way.
(The road to Hana, scenic photo)
As we made our way up and around the steep green cliffs the
plunging views of the deep blue water and coves below were impressive! Many parts of the road are only wide enough for one car to pass at a time and there are over 56 bridges to cross. I will
admit to getting car sick with all the turns and twists but the trip was well
worth it.
In the rain forest the air was thick and humid, laden with
the heavy scent of ripe fruit and thickets of bamboo and flowering plants. We hiked
our way to the Twin Falls where travelers swim in the cool
flowing water.
(The rain forest)
(bamboo)
Local fruit stands can be found by the roadside selling homemade banana bread, Hawaiian shaved ice, fresh coconut, pineapple, smoothies and more!
On the road to Hana there is a lot to see and do including:
nature trails, parks, caves, gardens, beaches and quaint towns. If you enjoy
getting off the resort and experiencing the land and nature then the day trip
to and from Hana is definitely worth it!
(Waianapanapa Black Beach: Maui)
There are many great beaches to choose from in Maui but a
favorite among the locals is Big Beach. The waves were a bit rough the day I visited
but that didn't keep me from getting in! The beach is beautiful with golden sand and sparkling water.
(Big Beach: Mekena Road-Wailea in Maui)
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One of the most popular things to do while in Hawaii is
participate in a good old fashion luau. I wanted to attend the best of
the best so after reading many travelers reviews and recommendations I booked
the highest rated luau in Maui called The Old Lahaina Luau. The atmosphere was
great at the site and there were traditional Hawaiian arts, crafts and
dancing.
Although the open bar was
fantastic the small buffet left much to be desired. The assortment of food was poor and lacked flavor and the show was mediocre and void of the fire spinners we
longed to see. Being on the beach under a canopy of stars and tiki torches
while watching the hula dancers do their thing did make for a good night but
for $109 per person we got less than expected.
Mia thai drink: popular in Hawaii (contains rum, Curacao liqueur and lime juice)
One of the most interesting things I did in Maui and a once
in a lifetime experience was watching the sunset at Haleakala National Park. Waking up at 3am to drive ten thousand feet above sea level in the pitch dark
was a bit unnerving but once at the summit the view was like none I have ever
experienced. I found myself standing on a mountain peak so high I was looking
down on the clouds! Although it was freezing up there, watching the sun rise
and driving back down through the sky was exhilarating! Haleakala is Hawaiian for House of the Sun.
(Haleakala National Park)
After having a great time on the quiet island of Maui I took
a short 37 minute flight to the busy city of Honolulu. I stayed in the popular
area of Wikiki Beach on Kuhio Avenue which is a shopper’s paradise and walking
distance from everything on the city’s coast. Here you will find an abundance
of malls, shops, craft markets and well known restaurants like The Cheesecake
Factory, IHOP and The Hard Rock Cafe. The stores are open early and stay open
late so it is a great place to spend the evening.
I recommend stopping for a refreshing Hawaiian ice
I did a little shopping and purchased a cute fall bag from Forever 21 among other goodies and souvenirs!
(nail polish from: ABC Store)
The world famous Waikiki Beach is a great place to swim and
bask in the sun. Although it can get quite crowded it is picturesque.
(Waikiki Beach)
I like to shop but I wanted to get away from the busy
city and experience more of the tropical island vibe so we drove to the east
side of the island towards Lanikai along the Windward Shore. This side of the
island is exactly what I pictured when I think of Hawaii, in fact a lot of
popular TV shows and films were shot here like Lost, Pirates of the Caribbean
and Jurassic park. The beaches along this shore are less crowded and the
landscape is wild and incredible!
I highly recommend stopping at the Byodo-In Temple tucked
away in a bountiful valley at the base of rugged mountains. The temple is
surrounded by thick green forest and coy ponds. I felt like I was in a scared, ancient
spot in Thailand and for just $3.00 entry this was one of my favorite stops.
Waimanalo Bay Beach is a pristine spot to spend the day. The waves can get quite rough so swimming is not always advisable, it
is however great for surfing, one of Hawaii’s most popular pastimes. Further up
the coast from Waimanalo, Lanikai beach ranked one of the best beaches in the
world has calmer water better for swimming and just as scenic.
Overall I highly enjoyed my stay in Hawaii, you get the best
of both worlds; great city life, shopping and just a short drive along the
coast provides seclusion, relaxation and gorgeous beaches. I definitely plan to
return and explore some of the other islands in the future.
~Aloha!
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