Activities in Maui and Kauai.....Please Help!
Sep 14th, 2014, 06:31 AM
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Activities in Maui and Kauai.....Please Help!
My boyfriend and I have decided we will be traveling to Maui and then onto Kauai. We will have about 5 or 6 nights on each island and intend to visit in the middle of July. We would like to look into the following activities and hope to get some input on which companies would be best to use for certain activities. Also, if I am missing any MUST-SEE places or adventures please let me know. We Would like to pick 2-3 activities per island leaving us with a few days of relaxation at our hotels.
Maui Activities: (We hope to stay at the Four Seasons)
~Haleakala Sunrise (thought we could do this the first morning due to jet lag. We will be coming from the East Coast. We do not want to bike down. I have seen the sunrise here once before, but my boyfriend has not)
~Walk around the Lao Needle
~Golf (My boyfriend plays and coaches golf and would love to play a round on each island. Golf course input would be appreciated)
~Luau Dinner
(I have done the Road to Hana, and my boyfriend would prefer to play golf)
Kauai Activities: (We will stay at the Hyatt or St Regis)
~Zip Lining
~ATV Tour (2 person ATV would be preferred)
~Waimea Canyon
~Sail Na Pali
~Golf
Thank you in advance for any input, advice, and info on companies for some of these activities!
Maui Activities: (We hope to stay at the Four Seasons)
~Haleakala Sunrise (thought we could do this the first morning due to jet lag. We will be coming from the East Coast. We do not want to bike down. I have seen the sunrise here once before, but my boyfriend has not)
~Walk around the Lao Needle
~Golf (My boyfriend plays and coaches golf and would love to play a round on each island. Golf course input would be appreciated)
~Luau Dinner
(I have done the Road to Hana, and my boyfriend would prefer to play golf)
Kauai Activities: (We will stay at the Hyatt or St Regis)
~Zip Lining
~ATV Tour (2 person ATV would be preferred)
~Waimea Canyon
~Sail Na Pali
~Golf
Thank you in advance for any input, advice, and info on companies for some of these activities!
Sep 14th, 2014, 08:13 AM
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Kauai...sunset from Polihale.
Golf Princeville course. Gorgeous.
Golf Kaluakoi. Cheap but also very good views.
Mini golf in Kilauea.
Hike NaPali Coast at least up to "Oh my gawd turn".
You guys kayak?
Make sure the ATV tour is the one that takes you thru the tunnel in the mountain and comes out in the Jurassic Park area. Starts in Koloatown.
Golf Princeville course. Gorgeous.
Golf Kaluakoi. Cheap but also very good views.
Mini golf in Kilauea.
Hike NaPali Coast at least up to "Oh my gawd turn".
You guys kayak?
Make sure the ATV tour is the one that takes you thru the tunnel in the mountain and comes out in the Jurassic Park area. Starts in Koloatown.
Sep 14th, 2014, 08:23 AM
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Call now to reserve your rental cars. Reserve your luau at Old Lahaina Luau or Feast At Lele. (See their websites.)
Five and five are good, although *I* would do ten on just one island, especially as you have to come so far and will have interisland transits. You might also stay Maui, and then Lanai for a few night if you feel you must stay on two islands and you like 4S.
Will you take a nonstop on a nice wide-body plane from NY or NJ into HNL? Then you'll have more interisland transits. Multiple transfers between islands will take away a lot of your ten night stay. Maybe you'd stay two weeks in Hawaii? Stay in a nice condo on one of the islands? (See: Wailea Beach Villas, Polo Beach Club, Makena Surf, Hanalei Bay.) July is a great time to stay NORTH on Kauai.
Five and five are good, although *I* would do ten on just one island, especially as you have to come so far and will have interisland transits. You might also stay Maui, and then Lanai for a few night if you feel you must stay on two islands and you like 4S.
Will you take a nonstop on a nice wide-body plane from NY or NJ into HNL? Then you'll have more interisland transits. Multiple transfers between islands will take away a lot of your ten night stay. Maybe you'd stay two weeks in Hawaii? Stay in a nice condo on one of the islands? (See: Wailea Beach Villas, Polo Beach Club, Makena Surf, Hanalei Bay.) July is a great time to stay NORTH on Kauai.
Sep 14th, 2014, 09:20 AM
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I don't see any snorkeling mentioned, which can be a highlight of any trip to Hawaii, especially in July when it should be nice and calm. There are a variety of options if you want to take a boat to snorkel, for example to Molokini from Maui. But it's also good to know the best spots for snorkeling right off the beach. We like Elua Beach in Wailea, Maui, but it should also be a good time for snorkeling up north, Napili and Kapalua for example. It's been a while since I have been to Kauai, so I will let others weigh in on snorkeling choices there.
Sep 14th, 2014, 10:24 AM
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Thank you all!!
Kal: Thank you for the recommendations for golf. I have heard the Princeville course is gorgeous! We have not kayaked, but would consider it. We really want to do ziplining, an ATV tour, and golf while leaving some time to enjoy the pool at the resort.
The ATV tour that you are speaking about looks very fun! Have you heard any reviews about the Kahoma Ranch ATV tour in Maui?
ChiSue: Thank you for your input! I have not booked anything yet as we have just been in the very early planning stages, but I guess I better start booking some things! We will take a nonstop wide-body plane from NJ. This is why I would like to push our trip to at least 6 nights on each island. I have heard staying North on Kauai in the summer time is ideal!!
Voyager61: We love to snorkel, however with only so much time for a few activities on each island it is not top on our list. (I guess we will just have to return to the islands) We are really interested in the ziplining and ATV tours along with golfing. Plus we really do want to enjoy the pool, spa, and other amenities at our hotels.
Kal: Thank you for the recommendations for golf. I have heard the Princeville course is gorgeous! We have not kayaked, but would consider it. We really want to do ziplining, an ATV tour, and golf while leaving some time to enjoy the pool at the resort.
The ATV tour that you are speaking about looks very fun! Have you heard any reviews about the Kahoma Ranch ATV tour in Maui?
ChiSue: Thank you for your input! I have not booked anything yet as we have just been in the very early planning stages, but I guess I better start booking some things! We will take a nonstop wide-body plane from NJ. This is why I would like to push our trip to at least 6 nights on each island. I have heard staying North on Kauai in the summer time is ideal!!
Voyager61: We love to snorkel, however with only so much time for a few activities on each island it is not top on our list. (I guess we will just have to return to the islands) We are really interested in the ziplining and ATV tours along with golfing. Plus we really do want to enjoy the pool, spa, and other amenities at our hotels.
Sep 14th, 2014, 11:24 AM
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I've done at least 7 Na Pali Coast boat tours, the two we liked the most were Captain Andy's and Holo Holo, both go out of Port Allen although Holo Holo now has a rigid hull inflatable that goes out of Hanalei.
For car rental, try discounthawaiicarrental.com, had a nice Avis car from them my last trip.
For car rental, try discounthawaiicarrental.com, had a nice Avis car from them my last trip.
Sep 15th, 2014, 12:03 AM
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If you decide to zipline on Maui instead, the Pi'iholo zipline is great. I second Old Lahaina Luau. Not sure if you are into Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP), that's pretty huge in Hawaii....I was just in Kapalua this weekend (a great place to golf) and out on the bay, not only were there SUP'ers, there was a group doing SUP yoga! They were doing planks and headstands on their boards on the water!
ps it is Iao Needle (with an I) not Lao needle.
ps it is Iao Needle (with an I) not Lao needle.
Sep 15th, 2014, 12:09 AM
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Also: You can see more of my Maui suggestions & adventures at http://www.frolichawaii.com/?s=maui
Sep 15th, 2014, 01:41 PM
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Went on a zip line/kayak/jungle/waterhole tour in Kauai in December 2011. It was awesome. I believe it was Outfitters Kauai. Looks like we did the Kipu zip line safari. Definitely recommended. Also did a helicopter tour to the Jurassic falls with Island Helicopters. It was wild. I do not recommend if you get airsick. I definitely did!
Sep 15th, 2014, 02:13 PM
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Take a lot of golf balls to the Princeville course if you are not that good of golfer!
They may still have the "tour the course" program going. For a slight fee, they let you take a cart out and tour the course w/o having to play golf. Usually after 3pm. I've played there twice, toured it twice. Wish I had a digi-cam at the time. Used up a lot of film.
Drop by The Tavern after a round for some good grub and great sunset views.
There is a new golf course in the Poipu area whose name escapes me but it's private. Might open it up one day a week to the public. Still not as gorgeous as Princeville.
BTW...MelissaHI will offer you some very good advice on Maui, Oahu but not Kauai. heh heh heh
They may still have the "tour the course" program going. For a slight fee, they let you take a cart out and tour the course w/o having to play golf. Usually after 3pm. I've played there twice, toured it twice. Wish I had a digi-cam at the time. Used up a lot of film.
Drop by The Tavern after a round for some good grub and great sunset views.
There is a new golf course in the Poipu area whose name escapes me but it's private. Might open it up one day a week to the public. Still not as gorgeous as Princeville.
BTW...MelissaHI will offer you some very good advice on Maui, Oahu but not Kauai. heh heh heh
Sep 25th, 2014, 04:57 PM
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Pretty hard to go wrong with The Princeville Makai Course (Kal is right about needing lots of balls), but Poipu Bay is also a very "civilized" track, that your boyfriend may have seen on TV when they played the Grand Slam of Golf there, for quite a few years.
On Maui, Kapalua Plantation Course is a "must" for any serious golfer. It is simply stunning. And you get to watch the PGA Tour winners play there, every January on TV.
If you feel adventurous, look into doing a day trip over to Lanai, just a short hop on a ferry from Lahaina, and play the Manele Bay Course; the views and layout are almost on par with Kapalua. (It was good enough for Bill Gates to have his wedding on one of the tees!)
Note: These are not cheap courses, but are great, if you want to splurge. But you can get some deals playing them, mostly at Twilight tee times. There are lots of other nice courses, quite a bit cheaper, if cost becomes a factor (e.g. Puakea on Kauai, and Pukalani on Maui.
On Maui, Kapalua Plantation Course is a "must" for any serious golfer. It is simply stunning. And you get to watch the PGA Tour winners play there, every January on TV.
If you feel adventurous, look into doing a day trip over to Lanai, just a short hop on a ferry from Lahaina, and play the Manele Bay Course; the views and layout are almost on par with Kapalua. (It was good enough for Bill Gates to have his wedding on one of the tees!)
Note: These are not cheap courses, but are great, if you want to splurge. But you can get some deals playing them, mostly at Twilight tee times. There are lots of other nice courses, quite a bit cheaper, if cost becomes a factor (e.g. Puakea on Kauai, and Pukalani on Maui.
Sep 29th, 2014, 02:11 PM
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If you stay north on Kauai, do Captain Sundown's Napali Coast tour. It's on a sailing vessel where you actually do sail (unlike others we've done, where the sails were up for only a short time).
Ditto the rec for a helicopter tour on Kauai. Most memorable paid activity we've done on any Hawaiian island.
Describing Kauai as you do and then saying you LOVE it, I'm wondering what you think of Maui, Intothehood.
Ditto the rec for a helicopter tour on Kauai. Most memorable paid activity we've done on any Hawaiian island.
Describing Kauai as you do and then saying you LOVE it, I'm wondering what you think of Maui, Intothehood.
Sep 29th, 2014, 02:30 PM
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Kauai is the most unspoiled island of the Hawaiian archipelago and It can still be saved and revived but it's at a tipping point! IF you want to see what Kauai looks like in ten years then go to Maui.
Sep 29th, 2014, 07:15 PM
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In Maui we snorkeled with the Pacific Whale Foundation. The plan was to go to Molokini but it was too windy so they took us to Shark Fin Cove off the coast of Lanai- we were the only boat there and the snorkeling was great.
