thank you everyone for your input.
As I mentioned earlier, we cannot do the Feast at Lele another night, because it is closed the other three nights we have on Maui. Also, we are not doing the organized bike ride down, instead, we are going to hike around the crater and then do the zipline tour. We are cancelling the Atlantis submarine. Also, we are doing the Road to Hana ourselves. My boyfriend loves to drive and he won't miss this opportunity.
Thanks again!

Oops! Guess I'm alittle self-absorbed! Pardon! Belle.

If you take no other advice, please take this. Buy a Road to Hana audio tape to listen enroute and stop at the little deli in the last town before the "road" begins for food (Pic-nics I think). We munched on the way and had a picnic at the park on the black sand beach. I have given that advice to five different friends, all traveling at different times, non heeded it, and they all got tired, hungry, cranky and had a horrible trip.

We went the complete Hana circuit. Five miles or on other side a road sign instructed, "Watch for falling rocks." Bam! A split second later, a 5"+ circumference rock plummeted onto the roof of our rental. Needless to say, the roof of the convertable went up! I loved it. My husband . . . not!!

PS Lunch at Mama's, with tip, was $125. It was crowded and loud, but delicous. Have fun!

RLS: I got it loud and clear! How about you, giuletta?? 8-)Belle.

we did the road to hana. We used a tour company (which made it much more enjoyable) and flew in a helicopter the way back. This was a great way to do it. The scenery was beautiful, but 3-4 of that was enough. Glad we didn't have to drive all the way back. Plus the guy on the van had all kinds of great inside information. It really made it fun. Plus we stopped at somebodys house that he knew and had homemade banana bread. Yummy!! We did the atlantis submarine and hung our at whalers village. We did the Old Lahaina Luau, but when we go back next year we are going to the feast at lele. Make sure you get a massage/body treatment at Lei Spa. It is located in the same building that Feast at Lele is. Let me know if you have any more questions. [email protected]

We are planning on getting the Hana guide cassette/CD and ordering a picnic lunch for the road to Hana. As for spa treatments, we are getting some at the Mauna Lani Spa on the Big Island (I booked a couples lomilomi hula massage at an outdoor hale there, as well as outdoor vichy treatment and a lava sauna)

If I have one recommendation for while you are on Maui it would be to book the Trilogy Sunset cruise (it's really an entire day but returns at Sunset).

The cruise is on a Catamaran (roughly 50 people on board) and leaves around 10am and heads to the island of Lana'i where you get to snorkle/relax on a wonderful beach before being wisked off on a tour of the island by a local driver.

After your tour you return to the dock where the boat is and you are served a delicious dinner (cold cuts, etc... were served for lunch on the boat going to Lana'i) with some of the local favorites.

Then for the return trip to Lahaina you are served Champagne and Ice Cream as the sun is setting on the horizon.

A great trip and our captain for the day was Owen... I would recommend it to anyone.

forget the sunrise, do the sunset--park in the second pullout overlook or at the visitor center. (No driving in the predawn dark with hundreds of nervous tired drivers, and riding brakes behind same on the way down.) Hardly anyone there, and sunset above or below cloud level is awesome. Stay until the best stars ever come out! Bring a picnic.
Go 15 minutes to Honolua bay to snorkel, avoid the mob at Molokini.

giulietta429, please let me know how your trip went,we are planning something similar in Dec with 5 days in Maui but only 3 in Big Island. I am just rying to put my itinary together & decide what places I need to book in advance. Any input ould be appreciated.

the trip went well. I just posted a report for days 1 and 2 on tripadvisor

Can you post the URL of your trip report on tripadvisor - - specically interested in your report on the zipline and/or Trilogy

See my longer question on http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...ui_Hawaii.html

Thanks in advance... and...

Best wishes,

Rex

Okay...

I found it.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...ui_Hawaii.html

and also

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...ui_Hawaii.html

and

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...ui_Hawaii.html

as well.

Great reading!