- 4,822
- Concord, CA
- kylehnat
As a child, I was deprived of real vacations. Mostly, my family either went somewhere within driving distance (which, with my mom and sister, was limited to about 300 miles), or we went to California to visit the grandparents. That was fun, except it wasn't. My sister and I would plead "can we please go to Hawaii?", to which my parents responded, "NO!". My dad lived on Oahu for a couple years growing up (U.S. Marine family), so he didn't see Hawaii as a vacation spot, and my mom felt obligated to spend vacations visiting her manipulative parents in Orange County. Naturally, as soon as the children left the house, Mom and Dad started going to Hawaii frequently. This Christmas, my sister and I were bitching about that, and my mom, feeling fiesty, quipped back "Shoosh, you little brats. Nobody is stopping you from going to Hawaii now." Touché, mother. A week later, I booked a trip to Maui. (And of course, the first thing out of her mouth when I told her about it was "why?" 
.)
Why Maui? Why not? I wanted to go somewhere a little different, and Maui is far less molested than Oahu, but still has top-notch amenities (and non-stop flights from Portland and Seattle). Also, while loitering in Barnes and Noble one day, I noticed that the Maui guidebook had more pretty pictures
. Lastly, HANA HIGHWAY. Checkmate.
So, I went for four days, and toured pretty much every part of the island. Even though I am not genetically-equipped to deal with sun, through careful use of sunscreen and common sense, I avoided sunburn while still getting a slight tan. I win.
Enough talk. Pictures! (All shots below are linked to the 1600 X 1200 originals).
Day One
I landed in Kahului with plenty of time to spare before checking into my hotel, so I drove around town for a little while, stopping at a few places. One place I really liked was the Queen Ka'ahumanu Center, Maui's main shopping mall. It has everything you'd expect at a mall, and it's open-air, which creates a very pleasant atmosphere. After poking around in a few stores, I took a short trip up the Iao Valley to see the Iao Needle. This is a good place to check out early in the trip, as it's a short drive from the airport, and gives a tantalizing taste of the lush greenery that can be found on Maui.
Within the park, there are a few little trails and gardens to explore:
The needle (giant phallus) stands tall, reaching 2000 feet into the sky:
Looking back down the valley, towards Wailuku and Kahului:
As the clouds rolled in that afternoon, I headed down to Makena (where I was staying), and found Big Beach for the first time:
I stayed at the Maui Prince hotel, which is the last resort on the South Maui coast. Very nice place to stay, with open-air lobbies, coi ponds, pools, large rooms, private patios, and beautiful grounds:
The first day I was there, it was very humid. In fact, whenever I stepped out of my car, my glasses fogged up. That's happened before, but not in 80-degree weather
. Definitely a sign of changing weather, and indeed, shortly after I checked in, it began to pour. It didn't last long, but it did wake up all the birds and bugs 
.
Day Two:
You could really tell that a couple of big planes had flown in on Friday, as there were many, many jetlagged people milling about at 5 AM on Saturday. I had trouble sleeping that morning as well, but that was more because I knew what was in store for that day. Shortly after I got up, I checked out Maluaka Beach, which is right in front of the Maui Prince. It's supposedly an outstanding beach, but I wasn't too impressed. It's kind of small and crowded, and it doesn't necessarily have that tropical feel. Nevertheless, it's picturesque:
After that, it was time for the Hana Highway. The distance from Makena to Hana is about 75 miles, but the guidebook I had said that it would take all day. I was skeptical. What's so fine-and-dandy about the Hana Highway? If you're a driver, it's one of the most intense and challenging roads you'll ever see, and if you're NOT a driver, it's simply one of the most breathtaking drives anywhere in the world. The road from Kahului to Hana starts out in the shrublands and sugar fields, then climbs its way into the hills and rainforest on the northeastern shore of the island.
Anyway, early in the journey, just east of Kahului, is apparently one of the best windsurfing spots in the world. To that point, it is always very windy in and around Kahului, as the north-easterly trade winds get funneled between the two mountains. This might explain why they can fly 767s and 777s from Kahului's 7000 foot runway. Here are some shots from nearby Hookipa Park:
The first 15 miles fly by. How can this drive take 3 hours each way? Well, when the sign says "narrow, winding road next 21 miles" it means narrow, winding road for the next 21 miles. This is where the Hana Highway gets its reputation, and this is where car enthusiasts will ruin a perfectly good pair of shorts. The road is simply breathtaking. It dips, climbs, and winds it's way through the forest, never letting you catch your breath. It's very generously called "two-lane" most of the way, and trickles down to one lane in many spots. One wrong move, and your rental car will be written off (and probably someone else's too). And all of that says nothing about the scenery, which has to be seen to be believed.
These pictures are absolute crap compared to what it looks like in person, but that should tell you something...
Had enough? No, you haven't
At the end of all that lies Hana, which is a bit underwhelming since you've just emerged from the jungle:
The journey there and back is a good six hours, and that's if you push. It's one of the most rewarding experiences I've had as a driver, and this road alone is enough justification for a trip to Maui. There are white-knuckle moments for sure, but when you're in a line of four or five like-minded drivers, it's sublime. And the brake-riding shutterbugs tend to get out of the way when a line forms behind them, so it's not too annoying. If you go, drive hard on the way there, and take your time on the way back, soaking in the scenery.
Side note: My noble rented steed, a 2006 Ford Taurus was a POS. For only having 19,000 miles on it, the car was in terrible shape. It squeaked and rattled so much, I assumed that this was not the first time she had visited Hana. However, it actually drove a lot better when pushed. I did manage to catch a nasty pothole, which made a horrifying sound. After that, a strange groan emanated from the wheel-well whenever I cranked the wheel all the way over. I mean...uh....Avis, it was like that when I got it. Moving on...
This little guy lived in the planter boxes on my patio. He did not save me money on car insurance, however:
Day Three
On Sunday morning, I got some better, more sunny pictures of Big Beach (finger cropped out of the first one
):
I tried my hand at body surfing for a little while. I caught a few waves pretty good, but many drove me straight into the bottom, and I swallowed a couple gallons of the Pacific Ocean. A well-placed rock also took a chunk of skin from between my toes. That'll smart for a while
. A lot of fun, though .
After that, it was on to Haleakala National Park, to visit Haleakala crater, at 10,000 feet. Another fabulous drive up the mountain: plenty of switchbacks and tight bends, as well as some good photo ops as you climb into the clouds.
Looking back at West Maui, Kihei, and Maalaea:
Shots from the top, well above the clouds:
Be careful not to cook the brakes on the way back down.
Day Four
On Monday, I headed over to West Maui and Lahaina, which is a very cool, little tourist trap on the western shores. From there, you have some neat beaches, great views of both mountains, and peeks at Molokai, Lanai, Molokini, and Kahoolawe in the distance. Sadly, when I got home, I discovered that my camera has started to crap out, and ruined about 30 shots I had taken from West Maui and Haleakala, leaving me with a bunch of things like this:
I was about to throw the damn thing out my window, but then I had to forgive it for this next shot: a perfect Maui sunset from Saturday:
I'm still getting a new camera, though.
After four days in Maui, here's how I break it down:
Pros
-The scenery: Simply amazing.
-The weather: Don't bother looking at the weather forecast. It'll be sunny, mid-80's, with a chance of showers at any given time at any given place (less likely on the leeward sides of the island).
-The people: Natives are very friendly, and tourists are euphoric from being in Hawaii. Everybody's happy!
-The space: If you're going to Hawaii, it's less crowded than Oahu.
-The Hawaiian language: The written language just looks relaxing (though it should be noted that Hawaiian did not originally have a written form--that was forced on them by outsiders). The place and street names are all fun to say.
Cons (Included only as minor annoyances.)
-The traffic: Traffic is terrible on the main roads, particularly during rush hour. Also, most people on the road are tourists who don't know where they're going. The less-than-intelligent traffic lights don't help, either.
-The weather: You can count on it being sunny, but you can't count on it at any given moment. The weather sometimes changes every minute, and changes every mile you travel. Patience is key. If you're at the beach, and a big cloud comes over, you have to resist the temptation to leave. It will be sunny again in 10 minutes. Or it might be pouring in 10 minutes. Who knows.
-The space: The island itself is pretty small, but everything is very spread out. It takes forever to get anywhere.
-The cost: Tourists bring lots of money, and the island knows it. Gas was also $4.08.
-The isolation: If your plane develops a problem over the Pacific Ocean, there is nowhere to make an emergency landing.
Do I recommend Maui? Yes, yes, I do. I'll certainly go back someday, and not just to replace the pictures my camera destroyed.
.)Why Maui? Why not? I wanted to go somewhere a little different, and Maui is far less molested than Oahu, but still has top-notch amenities (and non-stop flights from Portland and Seattle). Also, while loitering in Barnes and Noble one day, I noticed that the Maui guidebook had more pretty pictures
. Lastly, HANA HIGHWAY. Checkmate.So, I went for four days, and toured pretty much every part of the island. Even though I am not genetically-equipped to deal with sun, through careful use of sunscreen and common sense, I avoided sunburn while still getting a slight tan. I win
.Enough talk. Pictures! (All shots below are linked to the 1600 X 1200 originals).
Day One
I landed in Kahului with plenty of time to spare before checking into my hotel, so I drove around town for a little while, stopping at a few places. One place I really liked was the Queen Ka'ahumanu Center, Maui's main shopping mall. It has everything you'd expect at a mall, and it's open-air, which creates a very pleasant atmosphere. After poking around in a few stores, I took a short trip up the Iao Valley to see the Iao Needle. This is a good place to check out early in the trip, as it's a short drive from the airport, and gives a tantalizing taste of the lush greenery that can be found on Maui.
Within the park, there are a few little trails and gardens to explore:
The needle (giant phallus) stands tall, reaching 2000 feet into the sky:
Looking back down the valley, towards Wailuku and Kahului:
As the clouds rolled in that afternoon, I headed down to Makena (where I was staying), and found Big Beach for the first time:
I stayed at the Maui Prince hotel, which is the last resort on the South Maui coast. Very nice place to stay, with open-air lobbies, coi ponds, pools, large rooms, private patios, and beautiful grounds:
The first day I was there, it was very humid. In fact, whenever I stepped out of my car, my glasses fogged up. That's happened before, but not in 80-degree weather
. Definitely a sign of changing weather, and indeed, shortly after I checked in, it began to pour. It didn't last long, but it did wake up all the birds and bugs .Day Two:
You could really tell that a couple of big planes had flown in on Friday, as there were many, many jetlagged people milling about at 5 AM on Saturday. I had trouble sleeping that morning as well, but that was more because I knew what was in store for that day. Shortly after I got up, I checked out Maluaka Beach, which is right in front of the Maui Prince. It's supposedly an outstanding beach, but I wasn't too impressed. It's kind of small and crowded, and it doesn't necessarily have that tropical feel. Nevertheless, it's picturesque:
After that, it was time for the Hana Highway. The distance from Makena to Hana is about 75 miles, but the guidebook I had said that it would take all day. I was skeptical. What's so fine-and-dandy about the Hana Highway? If you're a driver, it's one of the most intense and challenging roads you'll ever see, and if you're NOT a driver, it's simply one of the most breathtaking drives anywhere in the world. The road from Kahului to Hana starts out in the shrublands and sugar fields, then climbs its way into the hills and rainforest on the northeastern shore of the island.
Anyway, early in the journey, just east of Kahului, is apparently one of the best windsurfing spots in the world. To that point, it is always very windy in and around Kahului, as the north-easterly trade winds get funneled between the two mountains. This might explain why they can fly 767s and 777s from Kahului's 7000 foot runway. Here are some shots from nearby Hookipa Park:
The first 15 miles fly by. How can this drive take 3 hours each way? Well, when the sign says "narrow, winding road next 21 miles" it means narrow, winding road for the next 21 miles. This is where the Hana Highway gets its reputation, and this is where car enthusiasts will ruin a perfectly good pair of shorts. The road is simply breathtaking. It dips, climbs, and winds it's way through the forest, never letting you catch your breath. It's very generously called "two-lane" most of the way, and trickles down to one lane in many spots. One wrong move, and your rental car will be written off (and probably someone else's too). And all of that says nothing about the scenery, which has to be seen to be believed.
These pictures are absolute crap compared to what it looks like in person, but that should tell you something...
Had enough? No, you haven't
At the end of all that lies Hana, which is a bit underwhelming since you've just emerged from the jungle:
The journey there and back is a good six hours, and that's if you push. It's one of the most rewarding experiences I've had as a driver, and this road alone is enough justification for a trip to Maui. There are white-knuckle moments for sure, but when you're in a line of four or five like-minded drivers, it's sublime. And the brake-riding shutterbugs tend to get out of the way when a line forms behind them, so it's not too annoying. If you go, drive hard on the way there, and take your time on the way back, soaking in the scenery.
Side note: My noble rented steed, a 2006 Ford Taurus was a POS. For only having 19,000 miles on it, the car was in terrible shape. It squeaked and rattled so much, I assumed that this was not the first time she had visited Hana
. However, it actually drove a lot better when pushed. I did manage to catch a nasty pothole, which made a horrifying sound. After that, a strange groan emanated from the wheel-well whenever I cranked the wheel all the way over. I mean...uh....Avis, it was like that when I got it. Moving on...This little guy lived in the planter boxes on my patio. He did not save me money on car insurance, however:
Day Three
On Sunday morning, I got some better, more sunny pictures of Big Beach (finger cropped out of the first one
):
I tried my hand at body surfing for a little while. I caught a few waves pretty good, but many drove me straight into the bottom, and I swallowed a couple gallons of the Pacific Ocean. A well-placed rock also took a chunk of skin from between my toes. That'll smart for a while
. A lot of fun, though .After that, it was on to Haleakala National Park, to visit Haleakala crater, at 10,000 feet. Another fabulous drive up the mountain: plenty of switchbacks and tight bends, as well as some good photo ops as you climb into the clouds.
Looking back at West Maui, Kihei, and Maalaea:
Shots from the top, well above the clouds:
Be careful not to cook the brakes on the way back down
.Day Four
On Monday, I headed over to West Maui and Lahaina, which is a very cool, little tourist trap on the western shores. From there, you have some neat beaches, great views of both mountains, and peeks at Molokai, Lanai, Molokini, and Kahoolawe in the distance. Sadly, when I got home, I discovered that my camera has started to crap out, and ruined about 30 shots I had taken from West Maui and Haleakala, leaving me with a bunch of things like this:
I was about to throw the damn thing out my window, but then I had to forgive it for this next shot: a perfect Maui sunset from Saturday:
I'm still getting a new camera, though
.After four days in Maui, here's how I break it down:
Pros
-The scenery: Simply amazing.
-The weather: Don't bother looking at the weather forecast. It'll be sunny, mid-80's, with a chance of showers at any given time at any given place (less likely on the leeward sides of the island).
-The people: Natives are very friendly, and tourists are euphoric from being in Hawaii. Everybody's happy!
-The space: If you're going to Hawaii, it's less crowded than Oahu.
-The Hawaiian language: The written language just looks relaxing (though it should be noted that Hawaiian did not originally have a written form--that was forced on them by outsiders). The place and street names are all fun to say.
Cons (Included only as minor annoyances.)
-The traffic: Traffic is terrible on the main roads, particularly during rush hour. Also, most people on the road are tourists who don't know where they're going. The less-than-intelligent traffic lights don't help, either.
-The weather: You can count on it being sunny, but you can't count on it at any given moment. The weather sometimes changes every minute, and changes every mile you travel. Patience is key. If you're at the beach, and a big cloud comes over, you have to resist the temptation to leave. It will be sunny again in 10 minutes. Or it might be pouring in 10 minutes. Who knows.
-The space: The island itself is pretty small, but everything is very spread out. It takes forever to get anywhere.
-The cost: Tourists bring lots of money, and the island knows it. Gas was also $4.08.
-The isolation: If your plane develops a problem over the Pacific Ocean, there is nowhere to make an emergency landing
.Do I recommend Maui? Yes, yes, I do. I'll certainly go back someday, and not just to replace the pictures my camera destroyed
.
). However, there is so much other eye candy in this jungle, the needle almost takes a back seat. It's almost never sunny up there, but I think the gray haze gives the place a mystical feeling that's pretty cool.
