| Robyjo |
I know Gr8tscot had his Maui Christmas thread, but I need to start a new one for some advice--we're going to the island in a few days and I need your collective help with specific spots that we can't miss, specific restaraunts we have to eat at, and any secret pointers you may have and can only share with your fellow MDXers...
Thanks!
Rob:31: |
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| ECON1 |
| Haven't been back for two years, but Mama's Fish House has absolutely incredible food. Five Palms in Wailea is a great place for a drink while the sun sets - spectacular view - lunches there are good too. Can't wait to get back! |
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| acurasandiego |
Robyjo,
My wife and I were there last August. We stayed in West Maui, but we spent the majority of our time in South Maui (even though it's not very geographically correct, it's more South Central Maui, but that's what the natives called it). West Maui is more developed while South Maui is lush, has more of a tropical feel, has nicer beaches, and when we return for a second visit, we'll definitely stay in South Maui.
When in West Maui, you'll probably go to Lahaina Town (it's their downtown) so go to the Banyan Tree Park. There's also Dragon's Teeth at Kapalua which is a lava formation and Nakalele Blowhole and Olivine Pools which are further north.
We spent the majority of our time snorkeling in South Maui. Fish Bowl is nice place to snorkel, but you have to hike 30 minutes through a lava field (so wear some tennis shoes). Our favorite place to snorkel in South Maui is actually near Turtle Town. We accidentally drove into a rode near Turtle Town (some of the natives may know of this place) and it was a pleasant surprise. We swam with the sea turtles (one was at least 5 feet) and saw white tip sharks (they're harmless), it was so awesome we went back 3 additional time.
If you're up for windy drive, do the Hana Highway. Either get a guided tour cassette or a book because you'll need to know where to stop for the waterfalls. You can also drive or bike down the summit of Haleakala. What ever you do, don't miss out on Molokini (it's a sunken crater that is now a marine sanctuary and the water there is so clear and blue).
There's a lot of good places to eat, but if you like sushi, there's a place near South Maui that has 1/2 off good quality sushi if you arrive before 6:00 pm. I forgot the name of the resturant, but it's advertised on the hotel's information/advertising channel. If you do go, get there early because the line stretches the entire length of the parking lot and then some.
These are just a few places we went, and there's a lot more of course, but I do recommend you get a book called Maui Revealed by Andrew Doughty and Marriett Friedman (ISBN: 0971727902). It's about $15 (it's a good investment and there were a lot of people with this book in Maui). Stop by Costo (close to the airport) and stock up on water and snacks. I also did a 90 minute time-share presentation. By doing that, we got free tickets to Molonkini and 1/2 off tickets to a lot of the attraction in Maui.
Have fun and post us some pictures. |
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| phins2rt |
robyjo,
I would recommend this book. We are going in June and this book has a lot of stuff that Fodors/Frommers doesn't have. A lot of off the beaten path things. Take some pics and let us know your recommendations when you get back! |
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| Robyjo |
Wow--thanks for the info, and now I know I have to get Maui Revealed..
Econ1--I've heard about Mama's fish house...thanks for the rec.
Acurasandiego--thanks for the thorough tips--I can't wait to hit south maui now! Mmmm....sushi...:yummy:
And hopefully I can work my digitial camera to snap a few pics to bring back to you all, phins...we'll get the island primed for your arrival!
Thanks all,
Rob:31: |
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| Wazowski |
quote:
Originally posted by Robyjo
Wow--thanks for the info, and now I know I have to get Maui Revealed..
Econ1--I've heard about Mama's fish house...thanks for the rec.
Acurasandiego--thanks for the thorough tips--I can't wait to hit south maui now! Mmmm....sushi...:yummy:
And hopefully I can work my digitial camera to snap a few pics to bring back to you all, phins...we'll get the island primed for your arrival!
Thanks all,
Rob:31:
Good advice from everyone. We just got back from Maui ourselves -- it truly is paradise! Ahh, I can't wait to go back to Maui again! (Mrs. Wazowski is already making plans.)
I prefer Kaanapali. They say that Kaanapali is "where the Hawaiian kings vacationed." Maybe it's just marketing hype, but Kaanapali is gorgeous with it's beautiful white sand beaches. You'll definitely see some honeymooners there and things aren't cheap there either. When you're at Kaanapali, be sure to check out the resorts and snorkel at the beach right next to the Sheraton by the black rock (you can't miss it).
If you do spend time in south Maui (it sounds like you will), it might be worthwhile to check out the Aquarium while you're there. You can probably do it in a couple of hours. It's like you're in "Finding Nemo" there with all of the tropical fish.
It's probably also worth repeating Acurasandiego's good advice of going to Costco as soon as you arrive at Kahului. Costco is right there on the left hand side as you leave the airport. Be sure to stock up on plenty of drinks and snacks and save yourself a bundle of $$$. You can even pick up your snorkel gear there as well. In addition, if you like Krispy Kreme, they just opened a store across the street from Costco. Aloha! |
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| TheWorm |
Good ideas in here. If u don't get food/drink @ Costco you'll end up shopping @ Safeway & Longs in Lahaina at a 50% premium to home.
More ideas:
Sansei in Kapalua "shopping" center. Great Japanese food. Appetizers are better than entrees and their sushi IMO.
Plantation Restaurant - at the Plantation Golf Course. Great views and atmosphere. Food's good (not great)
Hula Grill - Kaanapali Beach. This is one of our faves. Food's good, you can eat casually out on the "patio" (which is sand w/live music) or inside for something a bit more "upscale". We usually eat inside just once and have lunch or dinner every couple of days on the patio. Be sure and try their ketchup and the sauce you dip the bread in. We always bring some home - yum!
Pacific O - Front Street In Lahaina. Right on the beach. Excellent food.
Leilani's - Kaanapali Beach - nice setting in their beach bar for a drink/sandwich/salad. Don't bother with the main restaurant inside...Food is just OK and you can do better elsewhere. Hula pie for dessert is excellent, though (most hotels/condos have FREE dessert cards for there). Avoid the Rusty Harpoon next door...sucks.
There's some "edgy" place in the bottom of the Westin hotel, fronting the beach. Can't remember the name of it, but we thought it was REALLY good. Free dinner for kids and IIRC a good early-bird (6pm?) deal, too.
Roy's - north of Kaanapali on the way to Kapalua (can't remember the name of the little town...it's just north of the Embassy Suites @ the North end of Kaanapali). In a strip mall of all places but GREAT food.
Aside from Kaanapali, a fun beach for hanging out and snorkeling is @ Kapalua Hotel.
The aquarium is OK but I'd save that one for a rainy day...not necessarily a "must see" IMO.
Hana, biking on the volcano (if you don't mind waking up @ 6am) are good activities. Wailea's a good trip and they have a very nice outdoor shopping center w/decent restaurants (Ruth's Chris, Tommy Bahama, another "black and white" place whos name escapes me) and motorcycle/scooter/exotic-car rentals. Wandering distance from the Ritz etc over there, too. |
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| dbuono |
When my wife and I visited Maui one of the best memories is taking the rental car past Kapalua and onto the road marked "no rental cars beyond this point." The views from this road are outstanding, but you have to have some nerves to drive on the road. There are 300 foot cliffs to your left with no guard rails. If another car comes from the other direction, you literally have to drive up the side of the mountain on your right to let the car past. However, given the sights and the views, I would do it again in a heartbeat. Also, this beat the road to Hanna hands down.
P.S. -- a lot of people must drive the road because as you wander down the mountains you get to a small village with a wooden snack and drink shop right by the side of the road. |
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| Robyjo |
Thanks to each of you that's added some tidbits--one question comes to mind--should we get our own snorkel equipment or simply rent it whenever we want to snorkel? What are your thoughts, and what did you do?
Thanks again,
Rob |
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| phins2rt |
quote:
Originally posted by Robyjo
Thanks to each of you that's added some tidbits--one question comes to mind--should we get our own snorkel equipment or simply rent it whenever we want to snorkel? What are your thoughts, and what did you do?
Thanks again,
Rob
I am curious about this, too. I planned on buying since I want eveything to fit right but would it be better to buy in the states or wait till we arrive? Thanks for the input. |
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| MDteX |
| I've always rented snorkel gear there. I didn't find a need to pack such stuff that I would only use once or twice while there. The gear I've rented has been very good albeit a little pricey. I think it was $12-$15 rental. I guess if you have the room and don't mind toting it around go ahead a pack it. I pack light and travel light, unless I take my golf clubs which I did last time and I will again this summer when we go back to Kauai. :cool: |
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| 04MDX |
It will be eaiser for you to rent the snorkal gear. I think it was $15 or so for a week. We ate at alot of places on our Honeymoon there, and liked the price and food of Leilani's on the beach. The Filet was great.
You'll love it! We put 900 miles on a rental car in a week. The road to hana is LONG. We attempted to continue beyond the "no rental cars beyond this point" sign, but the drivers coming from the other way were in too much of a hurry for it to be safe. The roads, in some spots, only allowed you to back up (down the hill, etc.) if you met another car, and with the 300' cliffs, it made it very interesting. |
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| greatscot |
Aloha! Robyjo
I am very envious of you, I won't be going back till Christmas this year. Everyone here has given you excellent advice. One thing I would say is be careful not to overpack your bags. Next time I'm only taking four T-shirts, five pair of shorts, a pair of flip flops, and my snorkeling gear.
The Costco is a left turn at the first light you come to after leaving the airport. Get enough Tri-tip for the week, and oh yeah, the Hawaiian shirts there are the cheapest you will find on the island.
If you are like me and want to buy some music from the area, Costco also sells that. I bought Facing Future by Israel Kamakawiwo ole, IZ for short. Also bought Smooth Island Jazz.
We listened to the Road to Hana CD when we did that drive, well worth it. Also drove the northern road on the island, also well worth the sights.
On the snorkeling stuff, either rent from a local shop or buy your own (I got mine at Costco-dang, I must have stock in that place by now :2: )
The Prime Rib & Lobster at Kemo's in Lahaina is the best you'll ever have. :yummy:
Have a ball! |
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| acurasandiego |
Robyjo,
Since my wife and I knew we were going to snorkel a lot, we brought our own equipment. It’s not that much more than renting and we left it in the trunk of our rental throughout the trip. Last time when we were in O’ahu, we rented our gears and had problems with the snorkel. Water would always come through the tube and because of that, I made sure on our Maui trip we had good snorkels. It really made a difference. I know they sell snorkeling equipment at the Costco in Maui. While you’re at Costco, be sure to buy Frito’s Maui Onion potatoe chips. I’m not much of a potatoe chip eater, but these were really good and we bought 4 bags to take home with us (I’ve been trying to find them here on the mainland but with no luck). |
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| Wazowski |
quote:
Originally posted by TheWorm
The aquarium is OK but I'd save that one for a rainy day...not necessarily a "must see" IMO.
Good point -- I guess I should say that the Aqaurium would be good if you bring the kids. My kids LOVED it since they had recently seen Finding Nemo. They were VERY excited every time they saw a clownfish, bannerfish(?), etc . . . "LOOK DADDY, IT'S FINDING NEMO! . . . LOOK DADDY, IT'S GIL! etc . . . ." Good family memories. |
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| Wazowski |
quote:
Originally posted by Robyjo
Thanks to each of you that's added some tidbits--one question comes to mind--should we get our own snorkel equipment or simply rent it whenever we want to snorkel? What are your thoughts, and what did you do?
Thanks again,
Rob
I guess the answer to your question depends on whether you plan to use your snorkel equipment again after your trip. We bought our snorkel equipment at Costco when we arrived in Maui. It was very reasonably priced and very good quality -- not some used/cheap/thrashed stuff. We also plan to use our equipment again in the future, so it was a pretty easy decision for us. Another nice thing is that you can always pack light when you go to Maui (unlike a trip to Vail, etc.), so you should have plenty of room in your suitcases anyways. However, if you don't plan to snorkel much and/or if you'd like to save the extra room in your luggage for souveneirs instead, then you should rent. YMMV. |
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| Robyjo |
You guys are all so awesome! I can't tell you how much I really appreciate each of your input, and have printed it out for reference...and I did go get Maui revealed at Borders tonight...
Thanks again MDXers--you guys rule! :18:
Aloha,
Rob:31: |
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| BigDog |
quote:
Originally posted by dbuono
When my wife and I visited Maui one of the best memories is taking the rental car past Kapalua and onto the road marked "no rental cars beyond this point." The views from this road are outstanding, but you have to have some nerves to drive on the road. There are 300 foot cliffs to your left with no guard rails. If another car comes from the other direction, you literally have to drive up the side of the mountain on your right to let the car past.
We did this too, on our last trip in October 2000. Most of the drive wasn't bad, but there was one extremely hairy part that was also really beautiful. We were surprised to find a really nice gallery where we bought a couple of things that was in the middle of nowhere one the drive, so obviously quite a few tourists disobey the rental car rules. It's at the top of a hill, and if you take the drive you'll see it since there's nothing else around it. We always rent a convertible mustang in Hawaii. It's great for sightseeing.
On our first trip in 1986 we took a zodiac boat snorkel trip and the gear they provided was pretty cruddy, so the next time we went, we bought our own snorkel gear. Even though we've only used it a couple of times, it's clean, it fits, and like someone else mentioned, you pack light for Hawaii, so getting it there is not a problem. We bought a nylon and mesh dive bag that fits all our stuff perfectly, so we pack it separately in that. The nice thing is that if the gear is wet, it wil dry quickly, and not get all your clothes wet either. We bought the bag at a dive shop in Lahaina.
Food: Ditto on Roy's in Kahana, and Mama's Fish House. Mama's is a must-do. Nick's Fishmarket in Kea Lani resort (Wailea) is really nice, and great food too. Love the Hula Grill, always our first stop off the plane for some shrimp and MaiTais at their barefoot bar, which is tables set in the sand outside the restaurant.
You will definitely need less clothes than you think if you've never been to Hawaii. Every time we go we bring less than the time before. One thing you should bring is a lightweight rain shell. We never needed a jacket or sweater, but if you go up the volcano, you might get some drizzle. I didn't bring a single pair of long pants. I might have brought some sneakers, I can't remember, but mostly I wore sandals everywhere, even out to dinner. A couple of bathing suits, a few pairs of shorts, some teeshirts and tank tops, a couple of sundresses, and that was it. I think my husband brought a pair of jeans, but never wore them. He wore shorts out to dinner everywhere. That and a collared shirt were always fine. Bring lots of waterproof sunscreen since it's more expensive there, and some reading material for lounging by the pool.
Have fun - wish I were going!
Mrs. BigDog |
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| tax_atty |
| I agree with most of what was said here. I would go to Leilani's only for a drink or desert. To say it mildly, I was not impressed with the food. (OK, my wife & I thought it sucked!) I also was not the impressed with the Maui Ocean Center. What they had was beautiful, but it was so small we were done with the place in no time at all and the entrance fee was on the high side. Also, if you like onion soup, you have to try one made with Maui onions. |
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| mullysalt |
| Try Stella Blue's on the main drag between Kehei and Waleia it's right across from the beach. They have great breakfast, enjoy. |
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| Robyjo |
We are (sadly) back from Maui, and many, many thanks to my MDX cohorts for your excellent advice and recommendations! All of your advice was fantastic, and one piece of advice I have to highlight is that of TheWorm's, who said that 7 days wouldn't be enough. Man, was he right--we went for 12 days that seemed like 2. If you're going, go for as long as you're able...
Again, a sincere thanks to everyone else for recommendations on hot spots, restaurants, snorkeling, and well wishes.
BTW, we rented our snorkel gear from the Maui Dive Shop in the Cannery Mall, and Mike, the fellow that helped us offered us $100 cash to go sit through a 90 minute timeshare presentation from Embassy Suites. I've always avoided these, but this was a very pleasant experience--we were there for ~60 minutes, no pressure, made the $100 and on top of that--they gave us the snorkel gear for free! Make sure you consider this if you're renting gear...can't beat the deal.
Anyways, another treasure was the guidebook mentioned in this thread, Maui Revealed. We planned and called quite a bit thanks to this book. I won't bore you with all the details of our trip, but suffice it to say Maui is officially one of our favorites places in the world now...
I owe you all some pics of sunrise atop Haleakala, so that's forthcoming, but my main point with this post is to tell you all I know our trip would not have been as fun if it weren't for all of your recommendations, so a hearty thanks and aloha to each of you!
Oh--and the most important part! I saw 2 '02 white MDX's, and 1 '03 with a spattering of a few TL's (pre-'04), and an RSX. Also, I couldn't believe the number of Muranos--must be a popular rental there now. We encountered 1 behemoth H2 on the southern ride back from Hana--he barely fit on the road!
Rob:31: |
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| Robyjo |
| Sunrise at Haleakala |
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| phins2rt |
quote:
Originally posted by Robyjo
I won't bore you with all the details of our
Rob:31:
Aww, come on!
What time did you have to get up for the trip to Haleakala? How was the parking, the temperature, etc.? We leave in about 2 months and I can't wait!! |
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| Robyjo |
Phins--I don't know you, but I'm very excited for you! Haleakala--it's definitely breathtaking, and my wife and I decided it was well worth it, but I can understand the sentiment that it may be more trouble than it's worth (at least getting up there in time for sunrise). That said, I'd do it again...
We went the first morning we were there (as recommended by Maui Revealed--did I mention it's a great guide book?) so getting up early wasn't really that bad--we left Kaanapali by around 3am. By the time we reached the top of the mountain, (~5am), the parking lot was maybe 1/4 full. But by 5.40, it was packed, so get there early. Temperature actually wasn't too bad--26 deg F, but wind wasn't too bad that day. Definitely layer up as much as you can, and you'll be fine. I think the authors of Revealed have it right--if you get there on a good day, when you have clouds below the summit and above, with not too much wind, you'll be in for a treat. I took something like 30 shots up on top of the mountain... Make sure you take a look at the other spots highlighted in Maui revealed after sunrise on your way down the mountain--more breathtaking views.
One thing I have to highlight--the one show that Revealed recommended highest of all is Warren and Annabelle's magic show. If you have the time, I highly recommend it. It's definitely magic, but Warren's also a comedian... Makes for a very entertaining (and memorable) evening...
We also did Hana, snorkeled numerous amazing spots, a number of great meals and dinner on the beach for our anniversary. Too much incredible stuff to write about, so if you have any specific questions, ask away!
BTW, I'd be happy to be your guide down there, if you'd like to take me along...:p |
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| phins2rt |
quote:
Originally posted by Robyjo
[B]Phins--I don't know you, but I'm very excited for you!
[B]
Thanks and... |
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