What is there to do on MAUI

Old Jan 4th, 2017, 02:23 PM
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What is there to do on MAUI

Hi, We'll be traveling to Maui around Jan 20th this year.
We have not decided on a hotel yet.
We have not decided how many nights we should stay on Maui yet.
We don't really know what there is to do on Maui except:
maybe see Iao Valley State Park
Maybe walk the Kapalua Coastal Trail
See Napili Bay
Maybe drive the road to Hana (why do people do this? Is it scenic? Is there a destination? Is there a time to begin it so you don't get lost in the dark on it?)

We would love to do some hiking, maybe jogging if the hotel has a kind of jogging path in front of it, along the water, it would be great, -
I am hoping to easily see/view whales - if possible, right from our lanai - if we have one
Visit Haleakala
Visit Lahaina

We love to dine out - so we would hope to be in an area that is in close proximity to restaurants.

I've read that Merriman's is a wonderful experience, and maybe Pacific O's... also The Treehouse Experience at Hotel Wailea, Mama's Fish House, and Kihei Cafe for breakfast?

This is all I really know so far about Maui.

We don't have a budget, per se, this is a special anniversary trip, so we can splurge a little.

Upscale all the way - first time to Maui for my companion. I have been before, but it was a long long time ago, and I hardly remember it.

Can you help?

I understand there could be rain in certain areas of Maui during this time of year. I suppose that would influence our activities and accommodations.

Thank you!!!
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Old Jan 4th, 2017, 02:47 PM
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I have been to Maui at least 5 or 6 times and have yet to visit the Iao Needle.

Highly recommend a hike into the crater at Haleakala - we hiked in 2-1/2 miles and then turned around and came back out the same way. It's a really interesting landscape. The drive up to Haleakala is also really nice. On your way back down, stop in the town of Makawao to poke around a little.

The road to Hana is stunning. Some people go all the way and stay overnight. Others just go in a little ways and then turn around. It's long and twisty.

Lahaina is fun for an evening - it's a very tourist oriented town, but still fun. Lahaina Grill is excellent.
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Old Jan 4th, 2017, 02:52 PM
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I think I'ao Needle is closed to the public due to mother nature.
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Old Jan 4th, 2017, 02:53 PM
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I've been to Maui probably a dozen times. There is plenty to see and do. Have you looked at a guidebook? Do your research first, then come back and ask questions.

Where to stay depends on what you plan to do.
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Old Jan 4th, 2017, 02:57 PM
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I never understand what the criteria for choosing a place can be before one knows what's there. This isn't a criticism, it's just a puzzle to me. I know we all do things differently but maybe someone can explain it to me.
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Old Jan 4th, 2017, 04:19 PM
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Hello,
Kathie - I bought a guidebook on Amazon today and it is supposed to arrive in two days, but we are leaving for California in three days, and I hope to get the Hawaii portion of the trip finalized before we leave.
I thought it'd be great to have the guidebook to peruse on the plane, and for our trip.
Guide books are great.
Fodors is better for other reasons. Real people - lots of ideas... helpful.

MmePerdu - We chose Maui because it's January, and read up on which islands are best for January. Besides Oahu, Maui was listed - the south west side.

The Big Island would have been alright too, I think, but we just wanted to do two islands this trip, and Oahu is the other one. Kauai wasn't the best island in January either.

So that left Maui.

hope this helps!

thank you!
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Old Jan 4th, 2017, 05:46 PM
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Okay, I think I understand. My interests tend to be very specific so I make plans accordingly. But I can see how a decision might be made with more general criteria in mind.
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Old Jan 4th, 2017, 06:19 PM
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If you want to make this a spontaneous trip, just head to Maui - at this point that kind of unplanned trip may be your only option. And it isn't a bad option. Choose where you want to stay on the basis of what hotel and area appeals to you. Maui is small enough that you can get to all of the major areas from anywhere.
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Old Jan 4th, 2017, 07:33 PM
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Thanks Kathie,
Tonight we started looking at VRBO and Homeaway, thinking we'd really kind of like to have a stovetop/kitchen, so that we could make our own breakfast at least - rather than having to eat out all the time, but were we surprised at what we found there!
We were focusing on Wailea and south - I thought there would be more... variety?
But mostly, they're big condo's (there's only 2 of us), not on ground floor, but up, and they're roomy but not "romantic" or very comfy-looking.
I was hoping for a nice pretty little romantic, walk out to the beach kind of house, not a cold tile-floored spacious unit, of which they all seemed to be.
I saw a very nice one that someone listed but it was in Hana, and of course it was booked, it was so romantic and pretty..
We are confused. We are on the brink of going with Hotel Wailea because it IS nice, but we wish they had a stove.
No beach there, but it's nice.
Tomorrow is another search day.
I told my traveling partner, bless his heart, to make his decision tomorrow, while I'm packing, because I simply can't keep looking online at those condos. They're all the same! So he will decide what to do... and whatever he does will be fine with me.
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Old Jan 4th, 2017, 07:41 PM
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A private home on the beach is hard to find and costs a lot.

Why not stay at a very nice hotel right on the beach? As you note there are lots of lovely, modern condos available if you must have a kitchenette.
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Old Jan 4th, 2017, 08:44 PM
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I'd book Hotel Wailea and if it's not available, Andaz. It looks pretty perfect for what you want in a hotel (smaller boutique, upscale, romantic, well reviewed dining).

Iao Valley is closed.

Drive to Hana is scenic with stunning, breathtaking views from roadside turnouts. People leave very early in the morning, around 7am, to get as much daylight hours - you want to be back in town before dark (5:30-ish). 1. Waianapanapa State Park has amazing black sand beaches, dramatic lava rock formations, and easy coastal hiking for miles in either direction from the black sand beach. google images to see if this appeals to you). 2. O'he'o Gulch (7 Sacred Pools) is probably considered *the* destination in Hana although I love Wainapanapa more. O'he'o is def worth going to if you are willing to do a fairly easy 2.5 mile hike to the main waterfall (google Waimoku Falls). You walk through an amazing Bamboo forest to get to the Falls. Don't stop and turn back until you get to the end of the trail -- it's not worth it unless you go to the end. (I dragged my tough 3 yo and 2 yo up there in the mud and we have absolutely no regrets!) The pools are just a short walk from the parking lot and are also worth seeing when they let you in the pools (if there is a hint of rain the day you visit, they won't allow you to enter the pools due to the possibility of flash floods). If you can't go into the pools, you can look at them from afar.

If either of you hate driving or are prone to car sickness, you may want to skip Hana. Hana will take an entire day and evening if you hit dinner in Paia (Mama's Fish House or Upcountry Flatbread Pizza for casual) and then another 30 min drive back to Wailea. Again, google images and see if the scenery and short hikes appeal to you for a romantic trip. Don't be scared off by forecasts of rain in Hana -- it feels like it rains there everyday but it's mostly at night and in the very early morning before you'll arrive. If it's raining very hard, the road will be closed like it was this last weekend.

If you head up to Kapalua for Merrimans, try to book an early 5pm res so you can enjoy the view as long as possible & request an outside table (and bring a sweater or shawl). You can stop in Lahaina on the way there if you want to check out the town for a couple of hours. Lahaina has never appealed to me but some people really like it. Napili Bay and Honokeana Cove are right next to Merrimans but not sure it's worth checking out unless you go into the water and swim with the turtles. There are so many huge sea turtles that we lost count -- such an amazing experience and you don't need to be an experienced swimmer or snorkeler to access the cove. Drive from Wailea to Lahaina is under an hour and Napili/Kapalua is just another 15 min north of Lahaina.

Haleakala (at sunset) could be combined with an afternoon exploring upcountry (Kula, Makawao, etc.). It will be late by the time you return to Wailea so have dinner upcountry or in town (Wailea is around 1.5 hr drive from the summit). There were a couple of interesting farm to table restaurants we wanted to try upcountry but we knew we didn't have time to make it up there.

If you're only staying 5 nights, that only leaves 3 full days of exploring (since you will likely spend your first non-travel day enjoying your hotel spa, pool, and recovering from travel). For me, Hana and Haleakala would ideally be separated by a day of minimal or no driving.

It rained 8 out of our 11 days on Maui (which is unusual) but even then, it almost always cleared in the late afternoon and early evening for some great dinner views.

I don't think of Kihei Caffe as being appealing to foodies but maybe I'm wrong. A chef friend of mine on Maui mentioned Cow, Pig, Bun (Kihei) for casual lunch and my vegetarian(ish) organic-coveting husband wanted to try Joy's deli (Kihei) but we never made it there for lunch either.

Have a wonderful anniversary, I can't wait to take a trip again someday without my kids!
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Old Jan 5th, 2017, 07:45 AM
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You're all very kind, and I appreciate your help.
I will print this out and take it with me.
I think we will prob stay at Hotel Wailea because from what we've read on trip advisor, the Andaz is beautiful, gorgeous, the staff wonderful... everything is great until you get in the room, and then... it's like they kind of stopped trying there. To me, the Andaz seems like a facade. They lure you in, and then they've got you. (rooms small, layed out poorly, especially the bathrooms, cheesy door closings, light and sound problems... and high service fees plus the fee for valet parking - i think 70.00 per day total for both. Maybe it's higher at Hotel Wailea, but at least people say the rooms are great and so is the hotel.
Again, much appreciated everything!
Thank you!
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Old Jan 5th, 2017, 07:56 AM
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You know there is a Four Seasons Wailea too? (I personally wouldn't choose any hotel not on the beach).

the Elua condos next to the Marriott and the Wailea Beach Villas next to the Grand Wailea are very nice properties.



You'll find more of that on Kauai.
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Old Jan 5th, 2017, 10:38 AM
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The town of Lahaina and going up Haleakala were highlights to me on Maui.

There's a self-guided historic walking tour you can do in Lahaina.

We also enjoyed the Old Lahaina Luau and a show called Ulalena at Maui Theater.
http://www.ulalena.com/
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Old Jan 5th, 2017, 12:17 PM
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I'ao Valley State Park is closed, no target date to reopen:
http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/parks/mau...tate-monument/
Neither of us were crazy about Road to Hana, other folks adore it but we had been spoiled by North Shore of Kauai so it was kind of a letdown.
We did both very much enjoy spending time in Upcountry Maui, visiting the protea farms, Paia, watching windsurfers, etc.
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Old Jan 5th, 2017, 07:12 PM
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Thanks all for all this great information!

We decided to stay at the Andaz, after a lot of back and forth between the two hotels - finally my father in law made the determination for us - we asked his opinion. It didn't really matter which one he said. To us, both hotels (Hotel Wailea and the Andaz) would have been good, so we made him feel good by getting his opinion (he's in his mid 80's).

The reason he picked the Andaz for us was because it's on the beach, and the other one wasn't.

We like being on the beach - hopefully there won't be a lot of kids around.

I was leaning towards Hotel Wailea, but my SO was leaning towards Andaz...

I too feel the road to Hana isn't that big a deal.. maybe we won't do it.. we'll see when we get there.

Thanks again!
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Old Jan 6th, 2017, 08:17 AM
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There won't be a lot of kids at the Andaz (or anywhere else in tourist-Maui) in January.
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Old Jan 6th, 2017, 10:51 AM
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I think you will be happy you chose a hotel on the beach. Enjoy!
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Old Jan 8th, 2017, 02:17 PM
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Andaz is modern remake of a former hotel. They kept the room size that was common forty years ago when the Renaissance was built. Beautiful beach. You can take the beach path from Marriott Beach Hotel (north), past Grand Wailea, Andaz and Four Seasons, to Fairmont Kea Lani (south). Shops At Wailea (in front of Grand Wailea) has a few restaurants along with shops and a notions/drugstore with deli. (I like Blue Ginger clothing and Martin & Macrthur for Maui-made items.) Uphill is Monkeypod bar/restaurant. Five minutes north is beachtown Kihei, with more casual fare.

It's twenty minutes Wailea-Kahului (OGG, and where you begin roads to Haleakala and Hana. Iao Valley was destroyed in recent deluges.

Take a day to drive up to Kapalua, stopping in Lahaina to browse and maybe have lunch. (Lahaina is a former whaling port that became more 'tourist trap' when Kaanapali was developed to lure visitors from Waikiki.) Fun for a couple hours.Maui is very casual -- you could wear your swimsuits to try beaches all along the coast and just throw on a cover-up for lunch.

Drive south from Wailea past Makena to where Haleakala's last eruption deposited black lava as it flowed into the blue ocean.

Wailea and South Kihei has nice beaches -- do beach in the morning, then explore in the afternoons when the wind picks up.

You don't need a lot of paid excursions; DIY tour in your rental car. (You do have one reserved for airport pickup, don't you?) Do get out on the water on a snorkeling tour or whale watch. Jan. - Mar. is Whale Season. (If you put your head underwater, you can hear 'whale song'. Book an excursion out of Maalaea Harbor or the Kihei Small Boat launch in South Kihei. If you want to snorkel Molokini, get the first boat out for calmer water -- and to see more fish than people. (Over-used location like Black Rock in Kaanapali.)

You have so little time. I'd skip the 12-hour Road to Hana. Do Haleakala any time of day and browse Makawao and Paia. Maybe the winery in upcountry.

We use our condo at Maui Kamaole in South Kihei in winter. There was *too much* rain in December, but sunny the last week. At least the rain makes South Maui *green*! Some Kona weather is coming in tomorrow, but the Trades will return.

Relax and enjoy the beauty and aloha. (Take some aloha home. The mainland needs it!)
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Old Jan 8th, 2017, 02:45 PM
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Great post Sue
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