Hawaii: 3 islands
Sep 19th, 2016, 11:08 AM
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Hawaii: 3 islands
We spent about 14 days in Hawaii and split our time among Maui, Kauai and (briefly) Oahu. Most of the time was in Maui because we were visiting friends there.
MAUI
Our friends live in Kihei. We stayed there and traveled around the island, including "upcountry" and the road to Hana.
One day, we took a ride to the town of Makaweo. It's an interesting little place to walk around -- several art galleries and small stores. Not a lot of tourists there, from what we could tell. It's a good place to kill an afternoon or morning. From there, we took a ride further up into the mountains to the property bordering the land and house Oprah had just bought. (Our friends were familiar with O's comings and goings and the property, and we had met an acquaintance of theirs who'd done work on the house. The workers had some strict rules to follow: no cell phones on the property; once you arrived for work for the day, there was no leaving and coming back.) The road runs right by her front gate, but that's about as far as you'll get, although you can get a glimpse of the house from the road. The ride there is worth it not just to see Oprah's; there are several spectacular overlooks down into the valley and the ocean. Might not be a bad spot for a picnic.
Kihei is a sort of middle class, touristy area, but not in a bad way. It's on the water, and there are decent beaches where lots of families congregate, and places to try surfing and snorkeling. If you're a golfer and you're looking for a moderately priced, nice place to play, try the Maui Nui course. You can rent clubs there or at the Maui Golf Shop in Kihei. Adjacent to Kihea is the much more upscale Wailea. Large, expensive resort hotels and golf courses. We drove through, but that was about it.
Lahaina: We drove there on another day. It's OK. Very touristy, as the cruise ships dock and unload there. We were there on a Saturday, and there was live music and a fair to peruse. From there, we drove to Black Rock Beach, near the Sheraton hotel. That area, too, was loaded with tourists (us included). I can't honestly say I'd recommend going out of your way to visit that part of Maui.
Road to Hana: It's an all-day trek, and you'd do well to split the driving, as it can wear on one driver. If someone is averse to driving winding, cliffside roads, stay away. The tourist info says there are something like 600 curves and 80-something one-lane bridges. We hit it on sort of a bad day because there had been flash flooding a couple of days before, and access to some of the attractions, such as the Seven Sacred Pools, was limited. If you're into finding and swimming in hidden waterfalls, just pull over anywhere you see cars parked on the side of the road and follow the path. Wear something you can walk in, like aqua sandals, because some of the paths are rough and flip-flops aren't recommended. Wear a bathing suit. Some of the waterfalls aren't so hidden, and you'll get lots of photo ops at them and at some of the scenic overlooks. (Note: The car rental of choice for the R to H is a Mustang convertible or a jeep; you need something that handles well.)
In general, Maui has some nice diversity of terrain and attractions -- beaches, mountains, local hangouts, tourist attractions.
I'll be back with info about our visits to the other islands and where we ate.
MAUI
Our friends live in Kihei. We stayed there and traveled around the island, including "upcountry" and the road to Hana.
One day, we took a ride to the town of Makaweo. It's an interesting little place to walk around -- several art galleries and small stores. Not a lot of tourists there, from what we could tell. It's a good place to kill an afternoon or morning. From there, we took a ride further up into the mountains to the property bordering the land and house Oprah had just bought. (Our friends were familiar with O's comings and goings and the property, and we had met an acquaintance of theirs who'd done work on the house. The workers had some strict rules to follow: no cell phones on the property; once you arrived for work for the day, there was no leaving and coming back.) The road runs right by her front gate, but that's about as far as you'll get, although you can get a glimpse of the house from the road. The ride there is worth it not just to see Oprah's; there are several spectacular overlooks down into the valley and the ocean. Might not be a bad spot for a picnic.
Kihei is a sort of middle class, touristy area, but not in a bad way. It's on the water, and there are decent beaches where lots of families congregate, and places to try surfing and snorkeling. If you're a golfer and you're looking for a moderately priced, nice place to play, try the Maui Nui course. You can rent clubs there or at the Maui Golf Shop in Kihei. Adjacent to Kihea is the much more upscale Wailea. Large, expensive resort hotels and golf courses. We drove through, but that was about it.
Lahaina: We drove there on another day. It's OK. Very touristy, as the cruise ships dock and unload there. We were there on a Saturday, and there was live music and a fair to peruse. From there, we drove to Black Rock Beach, near the Sheraton hotel. That area, too, was loaded with tourists (us included). I can't honestly say I'd recommend going out of your way to visit that part of Maui.
Road to Hana: It's an all-day trek, and you'd do well to split the driving, as it can wear on one driver. If someone is averse to driving winding, cliffside roads, stay away. The tourist info says there are something like 600 curves and 80-something one-lane bridges. We hit it on sort of a bad day because there had been flash flooding a couple of days before, and access to some of the attractions, such as the Seven Sacred Pools, was limited. If you're into finding and swimming in hidden waterfalls, just pull over anywhere you see cars parked on the side of the road and follow the path. Wear something you can walk in, like aqua sandals, because some of the paths are rough and flip-flops aren't recommended. Wear a bathing suit. Some of the waterfalls aren't so hidden, and you'll get lots of photo ops at them and at some of the scenic overlooks. (Note: The car rental of choice for the R to H is a Mustang convertible or a jeep; you need something that handles well.)
In general, Maui has some nice diversity of terrain and attractions -- beaches, mountains, local hangouts, tourist attractions.
I'll be back with info about our visits to the other islands and where we ate.
Sep 19th, 2016, 12:52 PM
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OAHU (Pearl Harbor)
Short trip, via Island Air, to Honolulu. Our goal was to get to the Pearl Harbor area and the USS Arizona Memorial. We took the bus from the airport to PH. It's bus #20, I believe, and cost $2.50 each way. Takes about 20 mins. to get there. Taking the bus back to the airport is a little tricky because you have to walk up to the main road from PH and find the bus stop.
I won't go into a lot of detail about the area, since there's tons of info about it already on this forum. My only advice is that you may want to avoid buying an all-inclusive ticket in advance and instead do pay-as-you go for some of the attractions that charge a fee. The Arizona Memorial is free, as are some of the museums and displays near where you board the boat to the Arizona.
Short trip, via Island Air, to Honolulu. Our goal was to get to the Pearl Harbor area and the USS Arizona Memorial. We took the bus from the airport to PH. It's bus #20, I believe, and cost $2.50 each way. Takes about 20 mins. to get there. Taking the bus back to the airport is a little tricky because you have to walk up to the main road from PH and find the bus stop.
I won't go into a lot of detail about the area, since there's tons of info about it already on this forum. My only advice is that you may want to avoid buying an all-inclusive ticket in advance and instead do pay-as-you go for some of the attractions that charge a fee. The Arizona Memorial is free, as are some of the museums and displays near where you board the boat to the Arizona.
Sep 24th, 2016, 12:45 PM
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Nice report so far, Vinnie. It's always good to hear of other's opinions, especially when they may differ from some of the popular "wisdom". Your tips could save some people a little cash, as well.
/
Sep 25th, 2016, 07:36 AM
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Sorry. Got waylaid. To continue:
KAUAI
We rented a condo at the Cliffs at Princeville, at the north end of the island. From what we saw and heard from others staying there, the Cliffs seems to be partly owned and partly timeshare.
We stayed in a 2-bedroom, top floor unit in Building 7 with an ocean view. Very nice, modern, well kept, clean. We mainly used the kitchen for breakfast and a couple of light meals. It had all the essentials for that. For 5 nights, we paid $1300 -- about $260/nt. Not bad for what we considered a place we would stay again. The grounds are very well kept. Large pool. Exercise room. Tennis. A few areas with gas grills (we didn't use them). Golf across the street at Makai.
What could be an issue with the Cliffs, and other similar accommodations in Hawaii: no air conditioning. In truth, most of the time it wasn't an issue for us. The 2nd bedroom was a loft with a ceiling fan, and the other couple who slept there said it was OK, not hot. There was one night in which there were no breezes and a little warm. Now, realize, we were on the top floor and could leave the windows and sliders open. That might be an issue on a ground floor.
That area of Kauai is a bit isolated, which may be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your point of view and the kind of vaca you're looking for. There are several nice beaches within a few miles and the town of Hanalei for restaurants and shopping. If you want an upscale place for a drink and to listen to a little music, the St. Regis Hotel is just down the street.
One day, we made the ride to the Wiamea Canyon (Hawaii's "Grand Canyon"). Highly recommended. It's quite a sight. At main looking spot, there's a Hawaiian native in typical native dress. He gives little lectures about history of Hawaii and its native culture. Is available for questions and pictures. (Has a tip jar nearby, but there's no pressure.)
Kauai is known as the Garden Island. (Local joke that it sounds better than the "Rainy Island.") So we visited a nearby arboretum -- Na ʻĀina Kai Botanical Gardens. It has an interesting history -- married couple (she, the first wife of "Peanuts" Charles Shultze) buys a few hundred acres of seaside property and starts planting. It grows into an impressive botanical garden with sculptures and landscaping. If you're into plants and gardening, recommend you take one of the tours of the grounds. It's worth a few hours.
Next stop: The Kilauea Lighthouse and Wildlife Refuge. We liked this attraction. Fabulous views of the rocky cliffs and island. Bird watchers will love it. There are volunteer guides who answer questions, point out highlights and give the history of the lighthouse area. You can sign out binoculars for free to get better views of the area.
Coming attractions: Food.
KAUAI
We rented a condo at the Cliffs at Princeville, at the north end of the island. From what we saw and heard from others staying there, the Cliffs seems to be partly owned and partly timeshare.
We stayed in a 2-bedroom, top floor unit in Building 7 with an ocean view. Very nice, modern, well kept, clean. We mainly used the kitchen for breakfast and a couple of light meals. It had all the essentials for that. For 5 nights, we paid $1300 -- about $260/nt. Not bad for what we considered a place we would stay again. The grounds are very well kept. Large pool. Exercise room. Tennis. A few areas with gas grills (we didn't use them). Golf across the street at Makai.
What could be an issue with the Cliffs, and other similar accommodations in Hawaii: no air conditioning. In truth, most of the time it wasn't an issue for us. The 2nd bedroom was a loft with a ceiling fan, and the other couple who slept there said it was OK, not hot. There was one night in which there were no breezes and a little warm. Now, realize, we were on the top floor and could leave the windows and sliders open. That might be an issue on a ground floor.
That area of Kauai is a bit isolated, which may be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your point of view and the kind of vaca you're looking for. There are several nice beaches within a few miles and the town of Hanalei for restaurants and shopping. If you want an upscale place for a drink and to listen to a little music, the St. Regis Hotel is just down the street.
One day, we made the ride to the Wiamea Canyon (Hawaii's "Grand Canyon"). Highly recommended. It's quite a sight. At main looking spot, there's a Hawaiian native in typical native dress. He gives little lectures about history of Hawaii and its native culture. Is available for questions and pictures. (Has a tip jar nearby, but there's no pressure.)
Kauai is known as the Garden Island. (Local joke that it sounds better than the "Rainy Island.") So we visited a nearby arboretum -- Na ʻĀina Kai Botanical Gardens. It has an interesting history -- married couple (she, the first wife of "Peanuts" Charles Shultze) buys a few hundred acres of seaside property and starts planting. It grows into an impressive botanical garden with sculptures and landscaping. If you're into plants and gardening, recommend you take one of the tours of the grounds. It's worth a few hours.
Next stop: The Kilauea Lighthouse and Wildlife Refuge. We liked this attraction. Fabulous views of the rocky cliffs and island. Bird watchers will love it. There are volunteer guides who answer questions, point out highlights and give the history of the lighthouse area. You can sign out binoculars for free to get better views of the area.
Coming attractions: Food.
Sep 25th, 2016, 09:38 AM
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(Forgot the mention about the USS Arizona Memorial. The tix are free, and you can book ahead for a timed ticket via an 800 number. If you get there earlier than your time, check with the ticket office to see if there are openings for an earlier tour. If there are, they'll let you trade your tix for earlier ones.)
FOOD, in no particular order. [I don't take notes or anything, so my details about the dishes and prices may be a little sketchy, and it may simply come down to saying, "I liked it and would eat there again."]
Kauai:
At different times, we stopped at two places in the town of Kapaa: Bubba's and the Olympic Cafe.
Bubba's is a local institution that specializes in burgers and milkshakes. I think the word for the place is "kitschy." You line up, place your order, they call your name, and you eat on at a table on the porch. Burgers were OK; milkshakes were good.
The Olympic Cafe, which we stumbled upon, turned out to be a real find. It's an upstairs restaurant that overlooks the main street. We were expecting midlevel bar food. However, they had the best seafood tacos I had in all of Hawaii, and I tried a lot of seafood tacos. The fish was chunks of blackened, spiced ahi tuna, with an assortment of toppings that made the whole thing really flavorful. And then there's the hula pie. It's an ice cream pie that's about 4 inches tall; one slice will easily feed 4 people, maybe more. All in all, good friendly service and reasonable prices made the Olympic a place we'd try again.
Hanalei:
First, in the main district, we ate at Bar Acuda, a tapas place. We did the usual tapas thing, trying several items, and everything was pretty good. The biggest hit was an apple-honeycomb-cheese appetizer. Interesting combination that went great together. Also liked the lamb chops; you can order 4 or 5 at a time. Good service -- the dishes came in rapid succession. We sat outside on the porch. It was a little buggy, but not terribly so. As for portion sizes, I would say on average, a couple can get filled up on 4 or 5 dishes, depending on your appetite and whether you want dessert.
We also at the Postcards Cafe, which is a standalone place at the edge of town. Food and service were very good. The place features local fare cooked in interesting ways.
As a quick stop in Hanalei, we tried Chicken in a Barrel. Paper plates, plastic forks, decent food for the prices. Not a bad place if you're looking for a meal because "I just came from all day at the beach, and I look and smell like a bum."
I mentioned stopping at the St. Regis for a drink. There's a nice, large lounge there where they had a talented duo playing Hawaiian music; you can also sit outside at a deck on the beach. It's nice place if you want to get semi-dressed up at night in a nice setting. We noticed they served small food plates -- sliders, etc. -- but we didn't eat there. Just drinks and bar snacks.
Maui:
Mama's Fish House. This is a favorite landmark restaurant of the couple we were staying with, so we took them there, our treat. Good service, excellent food. If you go, try to reserve a time before sunset, because the daytime view of the water from inside the open-air restaurant is great. But it's **expensive**. Most entrees run in the $50-$60 range. Drinks are $15-$20. So, without dessert, you can easily spend $100/pp.
Kihei Cafe. For breakfast, go there. Don't ask questions; just go there, and don't worry about being hungry at lunchtime.
In Hana: There are two food trucks in town, side-by-side. One is Thai, and the other is Mexican. Someone rec'd the Thai place to us, so we tried that one. The food was good and plentiful. No one in our group finished a meal. I had two-thirds of my chicken/rice/coconut soup leftover, and saved it for another day.
Makaweo Steak House. Lots of locals here. We all ordered steak, and it was good and cooked perfectly. They have a basic, nothing-special salad bar that can be added to the meal -- but they specify "one trip only" so load up the plate.
Aloha
FOOD, in no particular order. [I don't take notes or anything, so my details about the dishes and prices may be a little sketchy, and it may simply come down to saying, "I liked it and would eat there again."]
Kauai:
At different times, we stopped at two places in the town of Kapaa: Bubba's and the Olympic Cafe.
Bubba's is a local institution that specializes in burgers and milkshakes. I think the word for the place is "kitschy." You line up, place your order, they call your name, and you eat on at a table on the porch. Burgers were OK; milkshakes were good.
The Olympic Cafe, which we stumbled upon, turned out to be a real find. It's an upstairs restaurant that overlooks the main street. We were expecting midlevel bar food. However, they had the best seafood tacos I had in all of Hawaii, and I tried a lot of seafood tacos. The fish was chunks of blackened, spiced ahi tuna, with an assortment of toppings that made the whole thing really flavorful. And then there's the hula pie. It's an ice cream pie that's about 4 inches tall; one slice will easily feed 4 people, maybe more. All in all, good friendly service and reasonable prices made the Olympic a place we'd try again.
Hanalei:
First, in the main district, we ate at Bar Acuda, a tapas place. We did the usual tapas thing, trying several items, and everything was pretty good. The biggest hit was an apple-honeycomb-cheese appetizer. Interesting combination that went great together. Also liked the lamb chops; you can order 4 or 5 at a time. Good service -- the dishes came in rapid succession. We sat outside on the porch. It was a little buggy, but not terribly so. As for portion sizes, I would say on average, a couple can get filled up on 4 or 5 dishes, depending on your appetite and whether you want dessert.
We also at the Postcards Cafe, which is a standalone place at the edge of town. Food and service were very good. The place features local fare cooked in interesting ways.
As a quick stop in Hanalei, we tried Chicken in a Barrel. Paper plates, plastic forks, decent food for the prices. Not a bad place if you're looking for a meal because "I just came from all day at the beach, and I look and smell like a bum."
I mentioned stopping at the St. Regis for a drink. There's a nice, large lounge there where they had a talented duo playing Hawaiian music; you can also sit outside at a deck on the beach. It's nice place if you want to get semi-dressed up at night in a nice setting. We noticed they served small food plates -- sliders, etc. -- but we didn't eat there. Just drinks and bar snacks.
Maui:
Mama's Fish House. This is a favorite landmark restaurant of the couple we were staying with, so we took them there, our treat. Good service, excellent food. If you go, try to reserve a time before sunset, because the daytime view of the water from inside the open-air restaurant is great. But it's **expensive**. Most entrees run in the $50-$60 range. Drinks are $15-$20. So, without dessert, you can easily spend $100/pp.
Kihei Cafe. For breakfast, go there. Don't ask questions; just go there, and don't worry about being hungry at lunchtime.
In Hana: There are two food trucks in town, side-by-side. One is Thai, and the other is Mexican. Someone rec'd the Thai place to us, so we tried that one. The food was good and plentiful. No one in our group finished a meal. I had two-thirds of my chicken/rice/coconut soup leftover, and saved it for another day.
Makaweo Steak House. Lots of locals here. We all ordered steak, and it was good and cooked perfectly. They have a basic, nothing-special salad bar that can be added to the meal -- but they specify "one trip only" so load up the plate.
Aloha
Sep 25th, 2016, 10:15 AM
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Great food report.
And to think I thought you could only get a 12 course tasting menu of poi on Kauai with a supplement of rooster jerky.
Re: Oly Cafe - mostly done breakfast - great eggs and pancakes - lousy coffee, last visit. The magic is the other side of the room doesn't look over the street.
Mama's Mama's Mama's - why oh why would people go there at dark? Last trip we had lunch on our way to Napili. Our server kindly packaged leftover crudo of opakapika and other dishes on ice for us for our journey. And yes we ate it all upon our arrival with an adult beverage.
I think our next trip to Maui will be upcountry and west maui, so Makaweo Steak House sounds interesting.
Thanks for the detailed report.
And to think I thought you could only get a 12 course tasting menu of poi on Kauai with a supplement of rooster jerky.
Re: Oly Cafe - mostly done breakfast - great eggs and pancakes - lousy coffee, last visit. The magic is the other side of the room doesn't look over the street.
Mama's Mama's Mama's - why oh why would people go there at dark? Last trip we had lunch on our way to Napili. Our server kindly packaged leftover crudo of opakapika and other dishes on ice for us for our journey. And yes we ate it all upon our arrival with an adult beverage.
I think our next trip to Maui will be upcountry and west maui, so Makaweo Steak House sounds interesting.
Thanks for the detailed report.
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