First Time to Hawaii
Feb 8th, 2008, 07:18 AM
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First Time to Hawaii
My husband and I are stongly considering a trip to Hawaii sometime January through March of 2008. What suggestions do you have as far as things not to miss? We will only be gone for 7 days (little kids at home and I can't bear to be gone longer). There is the liklihood that we will be staying in a friends' condo on Maui, although I don't know any details yet about where it is located on the island. What would you suggest for a seven day trip itinery for two 30-something adults?
Feb 8th, 2008, 08:11 AM
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Well no matter where on Maui you stay there is certainly lots to do.
Snorkeling is great fun. If you don’t have your own equipment you can easily rent. We rented from Snorkel Bobs. He had a 2 for 1 deal going. Great snorkel spots we tried were Black Rock at eh Sheraton in Kaanapali. There is free beach parking at the Sheraton. When you look at eh back of the hotel it will be on the left side near the path to the beach.
In addition, Ulua Beach has great snorkeling. There is parking and bathroom facilities on site including a rinse shower.
You can also take any number of snorkel boat trips. As a couple we liked the Trilogy and as a family we loved the Fourwinds trip to Molokini.
You can drive to Hana to see wonderful scenery and take some hikes. Or visit the winery on the west side.
You probably want to purchase a great guide book Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook. You can get it at amazon or any book store. It’s blue. There are instructions in that guidebook that many locals find offensive like saying that visitors can ignore certain signs, etc. Just make sure you are respectful even if the authors are not always so. It still has lots of good maps and information.
Snorkeling is great fun. If you don’t have your own equipment you can easily rent. We rented from Snorkel Bobs. He had a 2 for 1 deal going. Great snorkel spots we tried were Black Rock at eh Sheraton in Kaanapali. There is free beach parking at the Sheraton. When you look at eh back of the hotel it will be on the left side near the path to the beach.
In addition, Ulua Beach has great snorkeling. There is parking and bathroom facilities on site including a rinse shower.
You can also take any number of snorkel boat trips. As a couple we liked the Trilogy and as a family we loved the Fourwinds trip to Molokini.
You can drive to Hana to see wonderful scenery and take some hikes. Or visit the winery on the west side.
You probably want to purchase a great guide book Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook. You can get it at amazon or any book store. It’s blue. There are instructions in that guidebook that many locals find offensive like saying that visitors can ignore certain signs, etc. Just make sure you are respectful even if the authors are not always so. It still has lots of good maps and information.
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Feb 8th, 2008, 08:22 AM
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Wow - a friend's condo in Maui - LUCKY YOU!!!! Since your lodging is free (and I am SO jeanlous), I would take this as a relaxing holiday and just stay in Maui the entire week. There is lots to do and you could really get to know the Island (Road to Hana, Haleakala, whale watching in Wailea and a park (Eye of the Needle?) in the central part that I just can't think of the name of that was actually my favorite place in Wailea, shopping and strolling in Lahaina, etc). Plus - you don't say where you're from, but being from the East Coast - getting there takes awhile, as does getting back, so you need downtime for that. As I said, I am very jealous - and you will have a fabulous time....
Feb 8th, 2008, 09:24 AM
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We went to Maui for our honeymoon - we did the sunrise at Haleakala, the Old Lahaina Luau, sailed to and snorkeled at Molokini with Trilogy, and did the Road to Hana. Maui was a great island - pretty pricey though. Also a lot of dining options; we thought Maui seemed more sophisticated than some of the other islands, but also more expensive. We also spent a lot of time just relaxing on the beach and snorkeling. Enjoy your trip! Are you going next year or this year?
Feb 8th, 2008, 10:41 AM
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Lots of info including sites with free brochures for all islands:
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=34812564
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=34812564
Feb 23rd, 2008, 05:30 PM
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Haleakala... Lots of folks do it at sunrise. We did but the time you have to get up almost killed me! I have read a post that someone did it for sunset. Next trip... I'm giving that a try!
Feast of Lele... a journey through Polynesia with food and dance.
Feast of Lele... a journey through Polynesia with food and dance.
May 19th, 2008, 11:40 AM
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If you are on Maui anytime during those months mentioned, you are in prime humpback whale season. Whale watching is a big business on Maui, and righfully so. There are numerous tours offering whale watches, the biggest probably is Pacific Whale Foundation. They have a lot of boats, leave from two locations, and pack the people onboard like a cattle car. You'll see plenty of whales, but your neighbor's elbow might be in all your pictures of breaching whales. The smaller rigid rafts are great, get to the whales faster, but are crowded at times. Look for some of the bigger boats that leave out of Lahaina harbor like the Kaulana for good whale watching. Big boat and lots of room to roam
Rex
Rex
