My sister, Barb and brother-in-law, Dave were celebrating a landmark wedding anniversary, planning a trip to Hawaii and very kindly invited me to tag along.
We were going to spend ten days seeing Maui and Oahu.
My sister is even more of a globetrotter than I am AND a discount diva like I am so did an excellent job in planning while keeping costs to a minimum.
I have to say I probably would have enjoyed the trip more had I not just broken my ankle and been in a leg immobilizer (which was very heavy to lug around) and still feeling a considerable amount of pain. That kind of put a damper on the trip for me. I concluded Hawaii is absolutely beautiful but it's one of those "Been there, done that" kind of trips that left me with no desire to return to Hawaii.
In talking to my fellow travelers since, I don't think I'm the only one that feels that way. It seems Hawaii goes one of two ways with them - either they fall hopelessly in love with it or like me, take the attitude "Meh! Ok done it."
MAUI AIRPORT & FLYING INTO HAWAII
We flew to Seattle, stayed a night in Seattle, then boarded Hawaiian Airlines for Maui the next morning.
I have to say I was really impressed with Hawaiian Airlines and it's hard to impress me with anything relating to airlines these days. What a class act! Other U.S. airlines should take their cue from Hawaiian Airlines.
There is no "cattle class" even in Economy.
Flight attendants were superb at treating their passengers like actual people and providing first class service.
Unlike most other carriers, I was actually physically comfortable in my seat, even with my clunky leg immobilizer on.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable flight start to finish.
I give Hawaiian Airlines 5 stars out of 5.
NEGOTIATING THE MAUI AIRPORT
Maui has three airports, but only one, Kahului Airport (OGG), has facilities to accommodate direct flights from the U.S. mainland.
Kahului Airport is located between Haleakala and the West Maui Mountains, three miles east of the town of Kahului. The airport services domestic overseas and interisland commercial service, and commuter/air taxi and general aviation operations, including helicopter operations.
Kahului Airport
Main terminal rotunda
After you reach the central building, take the escalator, stairs, or elevator down one level to the baggage claim area.
Just before you reach baggage claim, you’ll pass the airport greeting area. If you’ve arranged a lei greeting or car service that meets you at the baggage claim, you’ll find them either here or in the baggage claim area.
Find your bags on the luggage conveyor belt that displays your flight number. There’s no need to rush — it can take a while for luggage to start coming out of the baggage claim chute. Hopefully not long enough that the birds start nesting in it.
Once you’ve collected your bags, head to the designated spot for your chosen mode of transportation.
AGRICULTURAL ITEMS
Airline passengers are prohibited from entering or departing from OGG with certain agricultural items, which may harbor pests or disease. As such, passengers may be subject to inspection prior to landing at or departing from Kahului Airport.
Incoming airline passengers arriving at OGG airport must declare plants, animals, and agricultural items prior to leaving airport grounds. Your airline will distribute and collect the required declaration form while in-flight, prior to landing on the island. It only takes a couple of minutes to fill the form out.
HERE'S WHERE TO GO TO FIND YOUR RIDE
Rideshare: If you’re booking a ride with a rideshare company such as Uber, Lyft, or locally based holoholo, Kahului Airport has set aside a designated zone for such pickups. From the baggage claim area, walk to the curbside pickup area and turn right. Look for the rideshare pickup signs. You’ll find the rideshare pickup area where the road bends.
Rental car: To pick up a car rental from an onsite rental car agency, you’ll need to make your way to CONRAC — Kahului Airport’s Consolidated Rent-A-Car Facility. It’s an 8-minute walk to the center, but most visitors find taking the tram more convenient. From the baggage claim area, walk across the road to the tram pickup area. Step aboard the green airport tram to make the short journey to the CONRAC building and pick up your car.
Green tram that will take you to the Rent A Car facility
Curbside pickup: If you’ve arranged for a friend or car service to pick you up curbside, simply walk out of the baggage claim area and onto the sidewalk. Curbside pickup lies directly outside of the baggage claim area.
Shuttle and taxi service: Both the Maui Airport Shuttle Service counter and taxi booth are located at the baggage claim area.
INTERNET ACCESS
The airport offers free WiFi access when using your own device. Connect to the network OGG Free Wi-Fi.
LUGGAGE CARTS
If you need a luggage cart, they're available near the baggage claim area for a fee.
BIRDS
The airport is open air, meaning expect to see birds sharing the airport with you. In fact, the Hawaiians seem to have a thing for their birds roaming freely anywhere. More than once we had to stop the car as flocks of chickens and other fowl crossed the road and even sat in the middle of it. So expect to see birds flying around the airport.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Everything in Hawaii is uber expensive. My sister was very smart when it came to making reservations for our accommodations, booking condo units with a kitchen directly from the condo owners themselves vs. paying beaucoup bucks for waterside accommodations.
The first set of condos she booked were an upstairs and downstairs unit with laundry facilities.
The second set of condos she booked was an absolutely gorgeous place with tropical garden walkways that lead to a swimming pool, on site restaurant and large grassy area with lounge chairs where you could relax and gaze at the ocean.
Their unit had a full kitchen where we cooked most of our
own meals and a beautiful outdoor garden patio where we ate breakfast each morning. We saved a bundle on both accommodations and dining doing it this way. A top notch hotel or condo will run you over $1000 per night in Maui.
ATTRACTIONS
Trilogy's Discover Ka'anapali Tour
Let me preface this by saying that Barb and I have completely opposite personalities and styles of travel. I'm the seeking adventure type. Her idea of adventure is touring the Waterford crystal manufacturing facility. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just a difference in personality and travel styles. But this was the one acitivity I got to plan and I wanted Barb and Dave to experience SNUBA and push them out of their comfort zone a bit, expose them to something new.
All the way to the boat Dave expressed his concerns he would get attacked by a shark or drown...I assure him he wouldn't do either. Barb was sidelined with a cold and me with the leg and a chest wall injury so were prohibited from SNUBA, although we could snorkel.
When Dave surfaced from his SNUBA excursion he was like WHOA! THAT WAS FANTASTIC! and the divemaster had quickly gotten him comfortable. I even bought him a special T shirt I was so proud of him for overcoming his fears. Even snorkeling was great...colorful fish, sea turtles, sea urchins, even a moray eel.
The Trilogy boats are large catamarans with 2 decks, upper and lower. Yes, they have restrooms.
The catamarans look brand new and guests are invited to help the crew raise the sails.
A homemade breakfast of cinnamon rolls was served as soon as we got aboard and enroute. After snorkeling a really delicious lunch was served - grilled chicken, rice, salad and bread.
My one criticism of Trilogy was that they had months to tell me they wouldn't allow me to dive as I'd informed them that I was recovering from a chest wall injury but that I'd been scuba diving since the injury. They waited until I was standing on the dock ready to board the catamaran to tell me they wouldn't allow me to dive. Not cool!
So if you have any kind of injury, DO NOT PAY until you get it in writing from Trilogy that you will be allowed to participate in what you want to participate in, then bring that proof with you.
Trilogy offers a variety of different tours that aren't just snorkeling or SNUBA either. They have a sunset dinner sail, a whale watching trip, a sunset sail and more.
The Road To Hana
If you're in Maui, the Road To Hana is a MUST DO!
However...this is an activity you want to purchase a guided tour on with a van driver! Unless you have a death wish. In many places the road is only wide enough for one vehicle, including over wooden bridges, and often there's a steep drop off to the water on one side of the vehicle.
The drive to Hana, along Hana highway, is about 68 miles, with 600 curves and 58 one lane bridges, thereby making the drive challenging and strenuous. Let someone who knows what they're doing do the driving and you just sit back and enjoy the tour.
The trip is an all day trip and you want to start early morning to complete the trail by dark. It takes around 7 hours to complete the Road to Hana. If you're going to drive the Road yourself, you don't want to plan too many stops. If you want to do a lot of stops plan on spending the night in Hana and completing the trip the next day.
If you're going to take on the challenge of driving yourself, download the awesome Gypsy guide app for $4.99, that guides you through the road and provides in-depth commentary and suggestions on all the different stops that you can make on your way there.
We booked a tour company that served us a very good breakfast and then we were on our way in a large passenger van. The tour guide was skillful at navigating the road while giving us information about the different things we were seeing. More on the tour company we used at the end of this article.
There are a few stops you do want to make. One of them is at Aunty Sandy's for some fresh baked, hot banana bread.
Palapala Ho'omau Church is another stop our tour made. It's the site of Charles Lindbergh's grave and a quaint little church. The flowers alone in the adjacent park were breathtaking and you can picnic there.
For DIY drivers: To get there, drive eight miles south of Hana just past the 41 mile marker and turn left when you see a sign for Maui Stables. Stay to the left and you'll see the church a little further down the road. When you arrive, make sure to take a look at the window painting inside the church, which shows a Polynesian Christ dressed in feather capes that were normally reserved for Hawaii's highest chiefs.
If you're on a guided tour, your tour vehicle will most likely stop at this church.
WATERFALLS YOU CAN SWIM IN
Seven Sacred Pools (‘Ohe’o Gulch)
The Seven Sacred Pools, also known as the ‘Ohe’o Gulch, is a wonderful spot to explore. Located at the heart of Maui’s Haleakala National Park, the Seven Sacred Pools are a series of waterfalls that are truly magical. Hike on the 2-mile Pipiwai Trail and witness a breathtaking bamboo jungle and dramatic cliffs. Then, bathe in the two lower pools and find a nice spot to share a picnic with your loved ones!
Tip: Obey the signs and avoid swimming if you don’t see any other swimmers in the water!
Upper Puohokamoa Falls
Located near mile marker 12 on the Road to Hana, Upper Puohokamoa Falls is a real gem worth a stop. The falls are just two minutes from the road, so you can take a break from your road trip and go for a nice swim. If you have more time and are feeling adventurous, make your way up the left side of the falls and hike to some other hidden pools. If you visit during the high season, you will even see gorgeous ginger blooms.
Waikamoi Stream and Waterfalls
If you are on a quest to discover the most stunning places on the island of Maui, then Waikamoi Stream should be on your list! The scenery is out of this world, with black rock walls covered in exotic plants. Also located on the Road to Hana, Waikamoi Stream is a popular spot you don’t want to miss. It’s the second-largest waterfall and pool on the island. You can easily find this heavenly place near marker 10. Swim to the cave or sit on the rocks right under the waterfall and let the stream fall over you!
Waiʻānapanapa State Park
The Lava Tube
Thanks to its stunning scenery, Wai’anapanapa State Park is one of the most famous Road to Hana Stops. Here, you’ll find a lava tube, a black sand beach, sea arches, a blow hole, camping sites, and hiking trails with panoramic views of the East Maui coast.
Our tour was the Hana and Beyond Tour.
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Departs From: Maui – Kahului, Maui – Kihei/Wailea (South), Maui – Lahaina (West), Maui – Ma’alaea (Central)
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Duration: 9-11 hours depending on pickup/dropoff location
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Price: $210
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Included in the price: A choice of sub sandwiches or veggie wraps, snacks, water and soft drinks are also included and available on tour throughout the day.
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Full day tour, roughly 9-11 hours, duration depends on pickup/dropoff location
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Complimentary pick-up & return from all major resorts and condos
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9 to 14 passenger vans for the group tour (private tours available)
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Enjoy a scenic drive through lush rainforest, through Hana Town, and over ‘Ohe’o Gulch (Seven Sacred Pools) to circumnavigate the base of Haleakala
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Observe various waterfalls including Wailua Falls
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Stops can include (weather dependent) Keanae Peninsula, Halfway to Hana fruit stand (banana bread), Pua’a Ka’a State Wayside Park, and the black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park
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All ages welcome!
They are a Native Hawaiian family-owned and operated business with tour guides that are from Hana. So you get a truly local view of the stops along the Hana highway as well as great stories, education, and more.
Hana & Beyond also provides only Road to Hana tours, so they are hyper-focused on creating exceptional experiences for one specific tour.
Their Road to Hana tour is a full-circle tour, so you get to see sights past Hana. The tour runs roughly 10 hours and you’ll be in a van that holds 9-14 guests.
While they do offer private tours, the tours are not customizable. They provide breakfast and lunch as well as snacks and drinks throughout the day.
Our stop for lunch was at The Bamboo Hale at Hana Farms.
It's open air dining surrounded by gardens.
Their Harvest Salad was very good, every ingredient in it having been grown in the farm.
Their artisan wood fired pizzas are equally as good, all ingredients being grown on the farm.
Some of the curves typical of the Road To Hana
LAHAINA
I'm so glad I got to see Lahaina before it was levelled to the ground by fire.
Lahaina after the fires
Lahaina before the fires
Lahaina was famous for its picturesque waterfront, charming historic buildings, and lively Front Street, which was lined with shops, restaurants, and galleries. The town offered an exciting mix of history and natural beauty. In addition to reducing much of the region to rubble, the blaze also scorched the town’s beloved banyan tree, which had just turned 150 years old.
Thankfully in the years since the fire, the tree is healing and sprouting new growth.
And from what I've read since the fire, Lahaina is rising from the ashes and rebuilding but I'm not sure exactly what has been rebuilt and what hasn't.
Black Rock Torch Lighting & Cliff Diving Ceremony
Each night, The Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa in Kaanapali shares a treasured piece of Hawaiian history with the island—a traditional cliff dive or lele kawa - an elusive ceremony.
The Hawaiians were the first people to do cliff diving. Chief Kahekili, a monumental king of Maui and Oahu during the 1700s, popularized lele kawa and gained respect from his warriors by being one of the first to jump off the lava flow just outside of the resort’s 23-acre property of present-day.
Legend said he dove heights of 200 to 300 feet, but his dive at Puu Kekaa, commonly called Black Rock, was significant because others were afraid to jump at this eerie location. Why eerie? Hawaiians believe Black Rock is a portal to the ancestral realm, that the deceased jump into the afterlife there.
During the 18th century, only royalty could step onto the pristine area of beach adjacent to Puu Kekaa. Today the significance of the 16-foot dive from here is obscured by the throngs of visitors who frequent the area to indulge in some of the best snorkeling the island has to offer. However, Kainalu the divers strive to keep the history alive each night by recreating Chief Kahekili’s famous actions.
Twice a week, a cliff diver begins the ceremony by blowing the conch shell to the four directions of the earth. Then he imagines himself making the offering to the gods as he sprints barefoot up the jagged, volcanic rock, lights the torches that trace the westernmost point of lava flow on Maui, and ultimately dives headfirst into the abyss.
The Sheraton provides live music at the Cliff Dive Grill before and after the ceremony, with guided historical narration in between. The sunset ceremony lasts 10 minutes and costs nothing to attend.
2605 Kaanapali Parkway, Lahaina, Maui
Experience Outrigger Canoes
I had to sit this one out due to injury but Barb and Dave went and loved every minute of it.
Join an outrigger canoe tour with Ali’i Maui Outrigger Canoes for a taste of authentic Hawaiian culture. This fun activity combines exciting paddling with stunning ocean views. It’s suitable for all ages and skill levels.
You’ll not only paddle, but also learn about the ocean’s significance to the Hawaiian people.
Safety is a priority, and life jackets are provided. Each canoe holds a small group.
Address: Ali’i Maui Outrigger Canoe, Lahaina
Maui Ocean Center
I've seen a lot of aquariums in my day but the Maui Ocean Center was definitely one of the best of them.
When you enter the aquarium building you'll come upon the LIving Reef exhibit which is phenomenal and includes just about any type of tropical fish, coral, anemones, etc.
The Open Ocean Exhibit features over 50 species of fish, including various sharks and rays, with a regularly updated population. A unique underwater tunnel allows visitors a 360-degree view, providing a close encounter with the ocean’s biodiversity. The exhibit includes Hawaiian broad stingrays, known as “lupe,” and diverse shark and fish species.This was my favorite part of the aquarium.
The Ocean Center also offers a variety of immersive experiences like diving with sharks, a behind the scenes tour, Aquar-Om yoga, Hawaiian culture and plant tour, snorkeling tours and a sleepover with sharks experience.
OAHU & PEARL HARBOR
PREFACE: My uncle was at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed. He was a doctor, treating the injured. So I've heard the firsthand stories of the horrors of that attack. My review of Pearl Harbor is in no way meant to be disrespectful of those present that lost their lives during that bombing.
Pearl Harbor is an active military base so I most certainly understand the need for a level of security. However, there's a difference between adequate security and going apesh** crazy to instill fear in the population by going overboard on the security front. In my personal opinion, Pearl has taken its security to that apesh** crazy level.
Given the fact that sailors stationed at Pearl told me themselves not to leave valuables in your car in their parking lots due to common criminals breaking into the cars to steal valuables out of them, I have to wonder just what those extreme security levels are actually accomplishing! Be that as it may...
When you arrive at the front entrance to Pearl Harbor you will go through a ridiculous amount of security. Once inside, walk nearly straight ahead to the Ticket & Information booth. You will pay for your admission there and will get a wristband that shows you've paid your admission so you can go in and out of Pearl without having to go through security every time.
At the Audio Tour booth right next door to the Ticket & Information booth pick up an audio tour of Pearl because there are no tour guides at Pearl unless you've privately hired your own tour guide. (With the audio tour available you don't need to do that.)
Then walk to your left to the Exhibits Gallery. There are two large galleries containing a ton of WWII exhibits, most pertaining to Pearl Harbor itself. Explanations of them are included in the audio tour.
After you've toured the exhibits, walk over to the Memorial Theater. You'll be required to watch a short movie about the bombing of Pearl Harbor before you can board the ferry to take you to the Arizona Memorial. It must not been a very memorable film as I don't remember a single thing that was in it.
When you pay your admission at the ticket counter you'll be given a specific time the ferry you'll take to the Arizona will assigned to you.
View of the Arizona Memorial from the bow of the Missouri
As I said before, no disrespect intended but if you like being overwhelmed by the smell of fuel/oil while seeing nothing more than this rusty hatch or whatever it is...
The Memorial just seemed LACKING all the way around to me. Or maybe my expectations were too high?
I felt like I was in a tourist trap to be honest as there really wasn't any reverent behavior one might anticipate, at least not in the crowd I was in.
Besides seeing a wall with the names of those who lost their lives on the Arizona, that's it! That's all you see. I was completely underwhelmed with the whole thing.
You see nothing of the Arizona itself apart from that rusty hatch and the fuel slick surrounding it.
1177 men lost their lives on the Arizona and this was the best we could do to honor them?
Interior of the Arizona Memorial
I got far more out of watching the video below.
After visiting the Arizona, we headed over to the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum. This video will give you a better tour than me describing the Bowfin to you and will give you a visual of what the Bowfin interior looked like.
Then we headed over to the USS Missouri. I was still in my leg immobilizer and touring the Bowfin had pretty much worn me out and escalated my pain level so I sat out the tour of the Missouri because so much climbing up and down was involved.
Barb, Dave and their friends they'd met at Pearl thoroughly enjoyed the Arizona though.
While they toured the Missouri, I grabbed some lunch at more of a snack tent than an actual restaurant.
It will take you a full day to get through Pearl Harbor and see everything.
There are no ferries between the major Hawaiian Islands. The extreme ocean conditions, such as high winds, waves, and currents, make regular ferry service difficult and potentially dangerous. The Hawaii Superferry, which had planned on running routes between Oahu, Maui, Big Island, and Kauai, is no longer offering service due to a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling.
You must fly between the islands. These are the flights currently running between Maui and Oahu.
DINING
The price of food in the Hawaiian Islands is beaucoup bucks as one might expect to find on an island where everything has to be flown in. A simple gallon of milk was $8 so we didn't dine out all that much - with a couple of exceptions.
FEAST AT LELE
The Maui fires caused the Feast At Lele to suspend operations. According to their website, they planned on resuming operations but 2+ years later that hasn't happened yet. But I'll include it in case it does resume operations in the future as it was hands down the best luau in Hawaii.
For starters, you will get a mai tai in your hands and a lei of Kukui tree nuts around your neck as soon as you arrive. Plus, instead of a typical buffet as is the case with most other luaus, it features a five-course, sit-down dinner - each entree from a different culture: Samoa, Polynesia, etc.
You'll also see the traditional costumes and dances from those same cultures.
The food was delicious, the drinks to die for and every minute of the luau itself was captivating. The luau is held on a beach at sunset which makes it even more spectacular.
Situated just off Front Street, behind the shops at 505 at the southern end of the town, the Luau is the sister Luau to the highly rated Old Lahaina Luau and offers a slightly different take on the Luau experience. It still has most of the various elements, just mixed up in a different order.
Here the focus is on the food and drink. A 5-course meal is served at the table and handcrafted cocktails, craft beers, or wine is brought to you from the open bar. The show runs through the meal with different dance presentations from various Polynesian Cultures that match the differing courses.
It’s an interesting take and the food is very high-end, making this a pretty unique experience and one that really suits people who have been to a Luau before and are looking for a different experience. It also appeals to adventurous food lovers, those looking for something different from pretty bland buffet food served up at most Luaus.
Of course, the fire dance finale was the highlight of the luau. One of the young fire dancers came over to say hello to us. (He had scarring from a huge burn almost all the way down one leg.) Turns out, this kid was an actual PRINCE and had begun learning to fire dance at the age of 5. He was very interesting to talk to.
But if you want the best luau in Maui, then attend the Feast at Lele if it ever returns.
Reservations are a must and you should make them well in advance to get a table near the stage.
MAMA'S FISH HOUSE
Mama's Fish House is a once-in-a-lifetime, over-the-top dining experience so we celebrated my sister's and bro-in-law's anniversary there. When I say "over-the-top" I mean never before have I been in a restaurant where the minute you set your napkin on the table for any reason, your waiter is right there to refold your napkin.
The wait list for reservations at Mama's is 3-6 months long so if you're planning a meal at Mama's get your reservations in months in advance.
Everything was so fresh that if you order seafood they even tell you when it was caught and who caught it. But we'll start with the appetizer...Tahitian Ceviche (Ono marinated in lime and coconut milk in a fresh coconut.)
I'm an admitted Ceviche junkie but...EUPHORIA in a coconut shell!
If the ceviche was the only thing I ate at Mama's that night I would've left happy. Flavors that were mind boggling. Bravo!
Mama’s famous Stuffed Mahimahi (stuffed with lobster, crab, and baked in a macadamia nut crust) is what put Mama's on the map so of course, I had to try it.
Normally I'm not a big fan of fish but the stuffed Mahimahi was out of this world. Our waiter told me that my Mahimahi was caught fresh that morning by local fisherman Kamaki Everett outside his homeport of Hana Bay.(My undying gratitude to you, Kamaki Everett!) The Mahimahi is stuffed with lobster, crab, and baked in a macadamia nut crust. It's served with rice, and a couple spears of asparagus as well as a lemon wedge.
The chef even sent out complimentary dessert to Barb and Dave in honor of their anniversary!
The stunning views of Kū‘au Bay on the North Shore invite you into the restaurant. It's more like an oasis than beachfront restaurant. There's an upscale inn connected to the restaurant as well.
Mama's Fish House is a definite MUST DO if you're visiting Maui. $$$$
THE BRANCHES
The Branches isn't exactly a restaurant but if you want to get into the Maui nightlife, it's a good place to head for.
They do make magnificent charcutier boards.
Enjoy live music and alfresco experience nightly with refreshing cocktails and delicious grazing boards set under the branches of iconic 100 year old tree. It's technically not a restaurant, it's a nightly entertainment hot spot that serves great charcuterie boards.
The Branches is part of the Royal Lahaina Resort. Shows are live from 6 to 9 p.m.
You do need reservations.
2780 Kekaa Dr, Lahaina, HI