Aloha,

Here is a short report of our Hawaii trip and some comments on various places that we visited during Apr 2009.

Maui(Apr 21-24)
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Day 1(started at 4:30 p.m. as we reached to Maui around 2 p.m and getting our rental car and dumping our luggage etc. took that much time).
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Makena State Park - Big Beach-A big beach,very nice
Wailea Beach-beach with paved beachwalk through hotels.Ok beach.
Drive on South Kihei road

Day 2
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1)Whale watching tour at 8 a.m.

It was an amazing experience to watch whales very closely.And we could get a chance to see whales fighting with each other.Also our boat capton put the sound amplifier in water so could hear their sounds/singing as they told us.
As per our guide,we were very lucky to see such a fighting and whales at that time of year.Normaly the season starts in November and ends in April.

2)Halekala National Park-It's a must do

Halemauu Trail-Its a 9 mile(1 way) trail.We did 1 mile which descends through native shrubland to the valley rim.It was all clouds in the valley.

Then drove to the Halekala crator- Its a crator of red sand mountains/hills.The view is mindblowing.We felt like we are on some alien land.

Sliding Sland Trail-Its a 4 mile trail.We did 1 mile.

Then we drove to summit at 10000 ft.The heighest point on Halekala.

From that height looking below at the ocean,we could only see clouds all around us.

We saw 'Nene' bird for the first time here.

It is said that watching sunrise at Halekala is a soulful experience.But for that you need to get up early depending on where you are staying and go at the top of Halekala before sunrise.It's very windy and cold there.We could not make it and it was very cloudy that day so not sure if we could see anything even if we would have tried for it.

There is no gas/food/water available in the park.So need to be prepared.


Day 3
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Hana scenic drive

Since we went to do this drive on a weekday the road was not crowdy.This drive is amzing.Full of waterfalls.Many one lane bridges.Continuous turning on narrow road.

We visited Nahiku, Keanae penisula,Lava Tube,Waianapanapa Beach Park(Black sand beach) on the way.It was raining mostly on the drive varying from small droplets to heavy rains.We drove till Hana Bay and retuned back.

We had an awsome banana bread at the shop in Keanae peninsula.

Its good to have a 4WD vehicle if you want to drive further to see the ocean in Nahiku.The road is a nightmare!We left it in the middle as we had Chrysler.

Day 4
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Roaming Around Condo property

We stayed in Maui Kamaole condo in Kihei.Its an awsome place.Very relaxing.Near kamaole beach.The whole property is full of flowers and plants.Our condo was very good and very well maintained with all needful things including snorkling gears and binaculars and kitchen stuff.It had an ocean view and very good yard.

Lahaina road :
This is highway-30.We saw scenic point,had luch in Lahaina downtown(Front street).Saw the Banyan Tree park.There is a big banyan tree covering the whole park.

Then we headed for the Dragon Teeth point at Kapalua.We did not find it that great.We could have done some other beach or spent some more time on Kanapali Beach.

Then we went to Kanapali Beach-It is good for snorkling.We saw many people snorkling there.

Luau - Feast at lele in the eve -(5:30 p.m.onwards)

We had already reserved this Luau.It has an amazing location.The service is very good and the dances are amazing.
The food is good for non-vegeterians.Vegeterians have very less options.I being vegeterian,mostly got chiense food as replacements.

The food is 4 course-Each course is for a polynesian country and after that course they have dance of that country.
That day it was Hawaii,Maori,Tahiti and Samoa.

Big Island(Apr 25-26)
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Day 5(Started at 11:30 a.m.-Flt from maui and then getting rental car)

Scenic Drive-4 miles on Highway-19-Saw tall trees,water streams in the trees,ocean view etc.
At the end of drive,there is a small shop which sells coconut-coffee pudding.It was very delicious.

Then headed for Akaka and Kahuna Falls-It's a must see.

Laupahoehoe Beach Park-The way to this park is very scenic and the park is OK.

5 p.m.-Went to the Volcano View Point on Hiaghway-130.Were there till 8 p.m.Could see volcano sparkling and firy smoke in the night.It was an unforgettable moment.

We saw some boat tours there.Not sure how to book them and not sure if they are available to all or some special permission is required.


Day 6:
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We did the following in Volcano National Park

Steam Vents-Crator ream trail-Steams steams everywhere!This is a small trail surrounded by steams.The rain water gets heated because of surrounding lava.

Jaggar Musium-It tells history about eruptions.Has a very good view of Halemau crator.There was some erruption going on there.So the road to the crator was closed.

Drive on Chain of crators road-Many crators on this road.

Petroglyps trail-The hawaiian carvings on lava rock.Its about 1.4 mile trail one way on lava rocks.

Thurston Lava tube-We found the Lava tube on the way to Hana more intersting than this.This is free of cast and that costs 12$/person.

Kilauea Iki Trail - Trail through rain forest by the crator ream.It was foggy so could not see the crator.We did the 0.4 mile trail.



Resturants we tried in Maui
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Dinner at -Maui Thai
It was ok.Being in bay area we are used to having good thai food, so the comparison is irresistable.

Lunch at Tutu's snack shop,Hana Bay-Its good small place with good view.

Luch at Amigo in Lahiana Downtown-The food was ok.The service was very slow.

Feast at lele-Good food,good service,good show.

Resturants we tried in Big Isalnd
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Lunch at Laupahoehoe-50's Highway fountain -
This is an awsome restaurant.We had a vegetrian soup and grilled garlic bread,tomato.cheese sandwitch.It was super delicious.

Dinner at Ken's pancacke at hilo-Had Chili-Rice there.It was good.We wanted to go to Sombart(Thai) but it closes at 9 p.m.

Breakfast-We had an awsome breakfast in our B and B.It is a private B and B,run by a family.They make home made breads and juice,fruits etc are fresh from their yard.It has a very homely environment.

Lodging/Boarding
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Maui Kamole@Maui
Awsome.Highly recomended.

Old Hawaiian B&B @Hilo
Very good breakfast.Good views.Small rooms and a typical B and B.

Car rental
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Trifty@Maui and Hilo

Airline
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AA(SFO-Maui-SFO)
Hawaian-(Maui-Hilo)
Island Air(Hilo-Maui)

We checked in our luggage for SFO on our return journey through Island Air.Although the alirlines are different,they often do it and it was very convinient and effective.

In the waiting area at Hilo airport,there was a show of Hawaiian singing and dancing for the entertainment.That was a nice fairwell to our vacation.

We felt we needed one more extra day in both Maui and Big Island.Thus adding 2 more days to our vacation.


Mahalo,
P.

Thanks for your report! It makes me want to go back to Hawaii.

I hope someone puts the trip report icon on your report so it will get more visibility. Sounds like you had a great time, with nice variety. Had you been to the Big Island before?
I've only been twice and stayed on the Kona side. Wondering why you chose the Hilo side, and if you would stay there again
(not the B&B; just the locale). The volcano is not of interest to me, but I do like history and nice scenery.

Oops. Just noticed there IS a trip report icon!

Hi Samsaf and Barbara5353,

Thanks for going through my report.

Barbara,to answer your question-

This was our first ever trip to Hawaii.

As we were more interested in natural beauty,as a first timer we chose Maui and also Big Island for the Volcano.We will visit Kona side if we go to Big Island next time.

But before that we want to explore Kuai and Ohau.

Hope we get chance to explore it more.

Thanks,
P.