DebitNM Trip Report Part 3A - Maui Activities
Oct 23rd, 2006, 07:51 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 27,868
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
DebitNM Trip Report Part 3A - Maui Activities
Ok, I am doing smaller sections now cause I am getting lazy...post vacation depression I am guessing 
We had 4 full days in Maui and 2 partial/travel days. We spent most of the time snorkeling at various beaches including:
Ka'anapali [ouside the Westin Ocean Villas] which was very nice and had decent coral to explore; Napili Beach [we loved this one]; Honolua Bay [great snorkeling]; D T Fleming Beach Park [nice facilities] and Kapalua Beach where we swam with 2 sea turtles that decided to check us out as we were swimming in. It was so cool -- a larger just was in front of me. It just appeared. I got so excited and surfaced to try and find my DH. We both went back under and we played the stare game with the big guy and popping up to surface when he went up to get air. We did this for several minutes and then magically a second turtle appeared out of nowhere! This one was smaller and looked us over pretty good. As I was fumbling for my camera, the big one started to swim towards me and I tried to get out of the way and take a picture at the same time. I managed to snap a pic and the big one was still headed towards me! It isn't easy to swim backwards...but I got out of his way. The second one swam right under DH! It was one of the highlights of entire trip!
Other activities in Maui -
Drum of the Pacific Luau – we thought the location was very nice. I had no great expectations about food and found it to be plentiful and good. The all you can drinks were not the biggest, best or strongest, but were acceptable. We thought the show was very well done and enjoyed the fire dance. There was eye candy for both of us! I don’t have anything to compare it to, but give it thumbs up. I booked this online about 2 months in advance and used Boss Frog site and got a discount. There were people there who had used 2 for 1 coupons. We paid $80 [tax and all included] each.
Paragon Sunset Cruise – I booked this when we arrived in Maui. We had 2 nights that we could have taken it and I wanted to be sure that the weather would co-operate. I had found them online and liked the idea that they used motor only to get into and out of harbor, the rest of the time the catamaran was under sail. The drinks were plentiful and the first batch of mai-tais would have cleaned rust off a pipe! They weren’t as strong in subsequent rounds – by request. They served appetizers that were very tasty including: wings, sw type egg rolls & 1 more that escapes me at the moment and fruit platters. We met some really nice folks aboard and had a great sail. The sunset was blocked a bit by clouds. {Unfortunately, there was a lot of vog around the entire time we were in HI. I may be prejudiced, but the sunsets we have here in SW are nicer color wise -- except we don’t have the ocean to reflect the sunset.}
Warren & Annabelles – Found out about this on Fodor’s and booked way back in early summer. We got the drinks/pu-pu/dessert combo package and it was really good. The show is absolutely amazing…Warren will simply have you astonished! We sat in 3rd row and honestly, you just couldn’t believe what he was doing was possible! His show was 2 hours and is a must see!
We decided not to drive the road to Hana. I know we missed many wonderful sites, but I just didn’t want to be in the car all that time and then have to drive back the same night. IF we return, we will spend a night or 2 in Hana.
We drove Central/west Maui stopping at ‘Iao Needle. The hike up the steps left many people winded and struggling, but for us, coming from 6200+ feet, caused us no problem. We also walked down among the gardens. It was a lovely, spiritual place and was true rain forest like foliage.
We had gotten lunch at Safeway, so we continued back towards the main road and stopped at , Kepaniwai Park and Heritage Gardens. This was an unusual place in that it had different buildings and memorials dedicated to all the different people who settled in Hawaii.
We continued on the road heading north and then west around the island [West Maui Highway], amazed at the roads [a lot like the ones we have here in sw CO, but with ocean at the bottom of the cliff. not rocky valleys like here]! I guess this must be what the road to Hana is like.
We got Banana Bread in Kahakuloa and then shave ice right down the road! Good thing we don’t eat like that everyday! From there we continued to Nakalele Blowhole – which was so powerful to watch from the rocks. It was so unique, we went back the next day and walk all the way down to it and got sprayed royally and took some neat pictures.
Pictures of turtle and other Maui sites coming soon.
BI and Oahu activites soon too.
Debi
We had 4 full days in Maui and 2 partial/travel days. We spent most of the time snorkeling at various beaches including:
Ka'anapali [ouside the Westin Ocean Villas] which was very nice and had decent coral to explore; Napili Beach [we loved this one]; Honolua Bay [great snorkeling]; D T Fleming Beach Park [nice facilities] and Kapalua Beach where we swam with 2 sea turtles that decided to check us out as we were swimming in. It was so cool -- a larger just was in front of me. It just appeared. I got so excited and surfaced to try and find my DH. We both went back under and we played the stare game with the big guy and popping up to surface when he went up to get air. We did this for several minutes and then magically a second turtle appeared out of nowhere! This one was smaller and looked us over pretty good. As I was fumbling for my camera, the big one started to swim towards me and I tried to get out of the way and take a picture at the same time. I managed to snap a pic and the big one was still headed towards me! It isn't easy to swim backwards...but I got out of his way. The second one swam right under DH! It was one of the highlights of entire trip!
Other activities in Maui -
Drum of the Pacific Luau – we thought the location was very nice. I had no great expectations about food and found it to be plentiful and good. The all you can drinks were not the biggest, best or strongest, but were acceptable. We thought the show was very well done and enjoyed the fire dance. There was eye candy for both of us! I don’t have anything to compare it to, but give it thumbs up. I booked this online about 2 months in advance and used Boss Frog site and got a discount. There were people there who had used 2 for 1 coupons. We paid $80 [tax and all included] each.
Paragon Sunset Cruise – I booked this when we arrived in Maui. We had 2 nights that we could have taken it and I wanted to be sure that the weather would co-operate. I had found them online and liked the idea that they used motor only to get into and out of harbor, the rest of the time the catamaran was under sail. The drinks were plentiful and the first batch of mai-tais would have cleaned rust off a pipe! They weren’t as strong in subsequent rounds – by request. They served appetizers that were very tasty including: wings, sw type egg rolls & 1 more that escapes me at the moment and fruit platters. We met some really nice folks aboard and had a great sail. The sunset was blocked a bit by clouds. {Unfortunately, there was a lot of vog around the entire time we were in HI. I may be prejudiced, but the sunsets we have here in SW are nicer color wise -- except we don’t have the ocean to reflect the sunset.}
Warren & Annabelles – Found out about this on Fodor’s and booked way back in early summer. We got the drinks/pu-pu/dessert combo package and it was really good. The show is absolutely amazing…Warren will simply have you astonished! We sat in 3rd row and honestly, you just couldn’t believe what he was doing was possible! His show was 2 hours and is a must see!
We decided not to drive the road to Hana. I know we missed many wonderful sites, but I just didn’t want to be in the car all that time and then have to drive back the same night. IF we return, we will spend a night or 2 in Hana.
We drove Central/west Maui stopping at ‘Iao Needle. The hike up the steps left many people winded and struggling, but for us, coming from 6200+ feet, caused us no problem. We also walked down among the gardens. It was a lovely, spiritual place and was true rain forest like foliage.
We had gotten lunch at Safeway, so we continued back towards the main road and stopped at , Kepaniwai Park and Heritage Gardens. This was an unusual place in that it had different buildings and memorials dedicated to all the different people who settled in Hawaii.
We continued on the road heading north and then west around the island [West Maui Highway], amazed at the roads [a lot like the ones we have here in sw CO, but with ocean at the bottom of the cliff. not rocky valleys like here]! I guess this must be what the road to Hana is like.
We got Banana Bread in Kahakuloa and then shave ice right down the road! Good thing we don’t eat like that everyday! From there we continued to Nakalele Blowhole – which was so powerful to watch from the rocks. It was so unique, we went back the next day and walk all the way down to it and got sprayed royally and took some neat pictures.
Pictures of turtle and other Maui sites coming soon.
BI and Oahu activites soon too.
Debi
Feb 25th, 2012, 05:39 AM
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 27,868
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I will have to find the pics and scan and post - pre-digital camera days. I have some great pics of turtles on the beach on Big Island, sunning themselves from last week - will post those too.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
TravelDiva
United States
42
Mar 14th, 2005 10:29 AM
