Travel Journal: Aloha Maui !
September 2022
My husband had never been to Hawaii, things were finally back to normal enough to travel again after Covid and timing was right. We had originally planned this trip in 2020- and that obviously changed things. Even better my husband was leaving a very stressful, toxic job and starting a new job upon our return from Maui- making for more reason to enjoy and celebrate !
After my family’s trip to Oahu in 2015, I could not wait to get back to these islands. What drew us to Maui was its reputation for being much less touristy and far more rural. We also were drawn by reading about the famous “Road to Hana” and all of the opportunities to snorkel with Mauis majestic sea turtles (Honu). Maui definitely lived up to its reputation and was far more rural, full of beautiful farming communities and much less crowded. There are parts of this island you literally cannot access without a 4-wheel drive vehicle (regular rental cars will alert the rental company if you do go off of regular roads) and it has such diverse ecosystems.
There are parts of the island that are desert, mountain peaks that can get snow all the way to lush rainforests and endless beautiful beaches to choose from. Maui has many naturally occurring and protected bays that mean it’s a great island to see many of Hawaii’s sea turtles basking in the sun on the beach or under water when you are exploring Maui’s waters. There is the famous Haleakala National Park, where through a lottery you can try to get tickets and catch the famous sunrise too ! Every local we met in Maui was so kind and welcoming and we loved every bit of the 2 weeks we spent here.
We stayed in Kihei, and rented a condo. It was a perfect way to go as it had a kitchen and lots of gear like boogie boards and beach towels for us to use. Kihei also is small and charming with lots of shopping and dining options. We were able to walk right across the street to the beach to watch sunset each night and found our favorite coffee at Lava Java Coffee Roasters of Maui. The Paia Fish market was also sooo delicious and we found some absolutely amazing Thai food all over the island. We felt it was a more slow pace affordable part of the island to stay for sure!
** It is VERY important to me in talking about Maui that I always say however, we will not be sharing photos of our time in Lahaina. This quaint, historic, beautiful town was so tragically leveled by the horrible fires of 2023, and so many lost their lives, homes and businesses. We are so heartbroken still for this community, we loved Lahaina so much that we actually changed some of our plans just to spend more time there. There are so many still suffering and without a home from this tragedy and if you would like to donate you can do so here:
https://wearelahainastrong.org/donate/
With that being said, here are our top picks for must do activities in Maui! :
The Road to Hana: Though there has always been a road leading to the small tropical town of Hana- the road was not paved and ready to welcome visitors from all around the world until the 1960’s. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is an adventure that truly embodies the saying “it is the journey - not the destination”. It is a drive through some of Maui’s must see scenery, and most remote beaches through more than 600 turns and 50 well- make you kind of hold your breath moment one lane bridges. You really need at FULL day to take this one on- and you need to start early (we did around 6 am) to beat the crowds. Oh and if you get motion sickness like me- definitely take some Dramamine - you will want it!
We recommend pre-planning what your must see attractions and places along the road are so that you can plan your day around what to see first. There is also tours available all over if you do not want to drive yourself. We recommend Gypsy or Shaka Guide apps - they talk you through each area and what it offers as well as the history so that you learn along the way and know where you are going of course ! Some of our favorite stops included Garden of Eden Arboretum, Eucalyptus Rainbow Trees, Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread (its divine), and Hana Town itself (such amazing locals, shaved ice and nature to explore). This was SUCH a unique adventure and we loved every second. This is a DO NOT MISS in Maui !
Maui Tropical Plantation: It’s a sprawling and beautiful agricultural area in the Waikapu Valley on Maui. Originally a Sugarcane Plantation, today it is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike offering many activities like tours of the farm and its many tropical plants and fruits, zip lining, restaurants and shopping. We loved our time here and bought so much fresh produce to enjoy the rest of our trip !
https://mauitropicalplantation.com/
Maui Ocean Center: A fantastic aquarium and oceanography center in Ma’Alaea that focuses on educating on and preserving Hawaii’s marine life. It has some wonderful exhibits showing the unique ecosystems that call Hawaii’s waters home as well as some on Maui’s cultural history and Hawaiian’s relationship with the sea.
Maui Brewing Company: Founded in 2005, this is Hawaii’s largest craft brewery and such a great place to dine and enjoy the brews ! They are award wining for some unique craft beers and commitment to locally sources ingredients as well as their sustainable eco-friendly practices. We loved doing their tour too !
Snorkeling: As I talked about in my post about Oahu, we have done some amazing snorkeling from The Florida Keys all the way to The Great Barrier Reef and those were absolutly amazing ! My favorite snorkeling though is in Maui. You can see beautiful reef, some of the worlds most unique eco-systems and Maui’s beautiful “Honu” Seaturtle all from snorkeling just off the beach. Of course there are even more snorkel spots you have to take boat tours to reach like the Molokini Crater. As one who gets sea-sick very easy I loved the ease of amazing snorkeling just off the beach. It was one of our most magical travel moments to swim with sea turtles above their vibrant reefs - our favorite spot for this was Kapalua Beach, it was stunning and had lots of walking paths too !
A True Hawaiian Luau- Ok they can be super touristy but we did a full on Luau this trip and honestly it was such a great experience. We enjoyed traditional Hawaiian food and dances and the one we went to included a lot of education on culture which was fantastic. The food was phenomenal and the whole experience is something you have to ray at least once while in Hawaii.
https://www.mythsofmaui.com/?utm_source=gmb%20listing&utm_medium=organic
Maui is wild and wonderful, truly an adventure destination and one of our most reassured travel memories, Definitely give it some thought when planning your Hawaiian Vacation !
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