Maui Plan
 

Hello all,

My husband and I are starting to plan a March 2021 trip to Maui. I'm wondering if any of you experts could give me some feedback on this plan:

- West Maui / 5 nights
- Pa'ia / 2 nights
- Hana / 2 nights
- Wailea / 5 nights

I know a lot of people would probably skip the 2 nights in Pa'ia and Hana. Pa'ia got our attention both as a jumping-off point for the RTH, but also as a chance to explore North Shore a bit. The Inn at Mama's Fish house looks amazing - has anyone stayed there? As for Hana, we want to be able to take our time doing the RTH and I hate the idea of a 14-hour long day and driving back in the dark. Stretching it out just sounds like fun and a chance to slow down and explore. Has anyone done this? Recommend? Strong opinions against?

NOTE: Obviously we don't know how things will play out over the next 7 months or so, but we are trying to be optimistic (and realistic) about travel for next year. We are booking everything with complete flexibility and the ability to cancel and will only travel if it's safe and responsible.

Thanks fodorites!

Everyone told us not to bother with Pa'ia and it was one of our favorite places. We took a driving/helicopter tour of the Road to Hana. I would definitely go back and stay like you are planning. We stayed in Kapalua and it was really beautiful, but sometimes a bit wet and windy. We walked to Napili Bay and that was amazing. I would stay there next time. My least favorite part was busy Kaanapali. I hope everything works out for your trip.

AustinTraveler - excellent, thank you! I think the Pa'ia and Hana portion sounds like so much fun so thanks for the reassurance. Can you elaborate a little on what you didn't like about Kaanapali? We have Hyatt points and were planning on staying at the Hyatt Regency there so just curious. We will have a car though and plan to explore West Maui and do some hiking so we wouldn't be in Kaanapali the whole time. Thanks again!

We didn't stay there but did visit one day. Very touristy in my opinion. But, Maui is very touristy so not unexpected. I just prefer more laid back and more nature.

Other than all the moving around, I like your plan. As far as Kaanapali (and specifically the Hyatt Regency goes), it depends on your style. Kaanapali is the most touristy hotel area on Maui (Lahaina the town would be more touristy but doesn't have many places to stay). It's a planned development - you enter Kaanapali Resort and there are a number of hotels and condos along the beach and a little away from the beach. There are two parts of Kaanapali, one part is south of Black Rock (where the Sheraton is) and the other part is north of Black Rock. They are not exactly connected - you can walk around, but we always go through the Sheraton to do so. Wailea is also a planned development of hotels and condos, but the hotels are more upscale and more spread apart than those at Kaanapali. Kaanapali's hotels range from fairly simple (the low-key Kaanapali Hotel) to fairly high-end (Hyatt Regency). There really aren't any lower-end hotels on the beach in Wailea.

I am not a fan of the Hyatt Regency Kaanapali, for the simple reason that last time we were there it was well-nigh impossible to find a chaise lounge at the pool at all, let alone one in the shade. You'd have to stand there with your eagle eye scouting and hoping to spot a prime spot someone was leaving before someone else pounced on it. Much too stressful for me. If you can swing it, use the Hyatt points at the Andaz in Wailea instead.

Thanks, everyone. Not liking the sound of Hyatt Regency Kaanapali. Really appreciate the feedback.

Has anyone here split up their time between West Maui and South Shore like we are planning to do? Our thought behind it is getting to know the island better and the two areas seem to have very different vibes. As someone who has never been to Hawaii before...am I crazy? Do most people pick one base even for a longer 2-week trip?

For South Shore, we are planning on staying at Andaz. Does anyone have a cool place in West Maui that would be a good compliment to this? We are totally open to lots of different types of accommodations and styles. Not looking for a cookie-cutter resort feel. Also, it's just me and my husband so don't need for "family-friendly."

Thanks again for all the help everyone!

With two weeks, I'd personally go to two islands. Maybe Maui and Kauai or Maui and Oahu.

Do your accommodations have to be a hotel or is a condo okay? If the latter, the Kaanapali Alii condos (next to the Hyatt Regency) are really nice (we haven't stayed there in awhile, but they're upscale and individually owned and decorated -- I imagine they're kept up very nicely. Another very nice upscale condo option would be Honua Kai (north of Black Rock). And if you want something in West Maui that is NOT in the Kaanapali resort, look at Kapalua and Napili (Napili Kai, Napili Shores, many others). Napili in general is very beautiful and very laid back. Not all of the resorts are on a sandy beach, so pay attention if that matters to you.

I like the idea of two weeks on Maui. I wouldn't be in the add-another-island camp myself. While Lahaina is certainly "touristy" I thought it was a very fun town to spend some time in. I would not want to stay in 4 different places myself, but seems you have your reasons. Hope things are opened up by then (for everyone's sake!!) and you can make this trip. Wishing you well.

edited to add: You asked about West Maui. My family stayed at Lahaina Shores, it's a condo/hotel, walking distance into town. It was perfect for us. Very low-key (not a resort).

@sf7307 - Napili looks like a wonderful area! Will definitely be spending some time there.

@Suze - I really like the Lahaina Shores condos AND I can use my Hyatt points there! Cautiously optimistic about the trip but also VERY impressed with all the flexibility and cancellation policies. I haven't run across any place (yet) where I wouldn't get a full refund up to 1 day before arrival. Definitely adds some peace of mind.

Really appreciate the advice and suggestions, so thank you!

I would also split between two islands if I had two weeks or more.
One thing with splitting your stay is, normally you have to check out of your hotel room by 11am or noon and usually cannot check in to the next one until 3-4pm (the maids have to clean sometime) leaving you "homeless" for at least 3-4 hours. If you do decide to split, call and make sure your second hotel will store your luggage until check in time to prevent possible theft from your car trunk (yes it happens).
Don't count on being able to get a late checkout, not sure how things are with Covid, but in the past, the best you can do is maybe get an extra couple of hours. For this reason, if you have a late flight like many people, book and pay for an extra night so you have a place to shower and change clothes before heading to the airport. Or if staying in a major hotel, as if they have a "courtesy changing room".

So I'm actually thinking of revising the plan --

- Pa'ia / 2 nights
- Hana / 2 nights
- Lahaina / 10 nights

The Lahaina Shores Beach Resort that suze recommended seems like a really good fit for us (and we can use hyatt points) and it seems like a good base to explore both West Maui and South Shore. I also LOVE that they have a kitchen so we can eat in some nights.

We are actually heading to the Big Island after this and then wrapping up the trip with a few nights in Oahu (just for a quick taste and so we can fly home out of HNL) so we will definitely get a taste of some other islands.

Really, really appreciate all the great advice... let me know what you think about this new plan!

Tera

I like that plan a lot and am jealous that you also get to see the Big Island and Oahu. Maui is easy to explore and you'll literally be right in the middle staying at Lahaina. Don't miss going to Napili Bay. It's just spectacular. Also do some exploring north of Kapalua and hit up all the beaches south of Kihei.

That hotel/condo was perfect for us. We were a family group of 9 - 4 couples and me single. The units were quite different from each other, but all were OK to very nice. The beach out back is nothing much but it's there. I really liked the pool in the middle of the lawn. What we all enjoyed was it being walking distance into town. So people could go out on their own or in smaller groups without using the rental car. Also there was parking right there so no hassles with that part. This trip was quite awhile ago, but I'm thinking the things we liked would not have changed much.

And yes I like your new itinerary much better. Do include Haleakala. We went up mid-morning as no one wanted to get up in the dark to do the drive for sunrise. It was still completely amazing, literally "out of this world"! I'm just not a multi-islands person, even with two week's time. Certainly not like you'd exhaust Maui in 14 days.

If you need help with Oahu, just ask, I have been there more times than Maui, and was there just Nov last year.

Maui
 

There are hana tours by van & pick u up at your hotel and take you to the points of interest. It's just for the day. The hotels in Kanapaali beach are really nice, the Sheraton, The Hyatt. Theres a long walkway that connects to all hotels and restaurants. Really nice. plus Whaler's Village. Mamas fish house is good but far from everything.

2 weeks is alot on Maui unless you are looking to do a lot of vegging on your back, hitting the various water sports like whale watching, diving or sailing to Molokini, maybe some hiking. Splitting islands will give you a better feel for the real Hawaii or at least the differences between islands. Pa'ia and Hana are different but neat. Pa'ia can be done in a day as there is not much of a town but there are places to hang out, the beach, some upcountry to explore in Makawao area. Mamas is a good place to eat. Never stayed there. Hana is alot of driving but is cool in terms of both the road, sites along the road, the town itself is kinda nothing...the store, the ritzy hotel, the beach is cool to walk and explore. It is a hell of a drive and best done with a four wheel than a car because then you can go past Hana on the coastal road all the way around which is definitely an experience. You see the back side of Haleakala, lovely coastal views sort of like Big Sur, some old settlements, the back side of the ranch, a couple of neat old towns. But you need a 4 wheel just in case as the road can be highly variable due to weather, wear and tear, cows, mud, wholes in the gravel. Havent done it in about 10 years but used to camp back there all the time. It is isolated but thats part of the cool factor. You will see stuff there that is real Hawaii but it does make for long day. Haleakala is pretty cool to do to if you have never been up on a volcano. Sort of otherworldly experience, geography, plants but to do it right you need to go up before the sunrise, see that, maybe eat along the road or head to Makawao and eat there then wander the town some. Touristy but more in terms of individual art, funky stuff rather than lots of made in China faux Hawaii crap like you might see in Lahaina. You can check out Haliimaile which is interesting leftover town undergoing change. You can then take one of the country roads down into Pa'ia town.

Kaanapali is a total resort so its a matter of taste. You could almost be in Santa Barbara or Naples for the homogenized feel. Numerous hotels from ritzy, expensive to more local style depends on your taste. Touristy yes, so thats decent for food purposes.Used to be you could catch some real Hawaiian music at some hotels there....not sure anymore due to Covid. Some protected beach front at Black Rock and great water around the corner on the bay. Depends on your taste. Road up the coast to Napili is fun and you can see some great scenery some beaches, then head up past the hotels to some great surf spots, drive some of the ranch roads and see some fabulous scenery.

Kihei/Makena has a different feel but is also touristy and maybe a little more downscale. Has its own strip of night life. Lahaina is just interesting to wander for a night. Some of its most interesting stuff is on back roads or away from Front Street where you can find some history, old buildings, depends again on what you like. Beware at the time you are looking to go that if tourism has come back and the "pent up demand" is there the roads can be a PIA to travel due to congestion. BUT, who knows. Things are pretty dead right now and many of us want it that way as long as the virus is raging. Its hell on the industry and most peoples businesses, jobs but we also like living. Many of us are enjoying the lack of tourists....no more traffic, no stupid people stopping cars suddenly to take a picture of whales, or some statue or whatever. Trails are much less crowded and beaches too. BUT, we are a tourist destination and as long as people are smart and respect things then come on down...once things settle.

As far as other islands, depends what you want. Big Island is volcanos, coffee orchards, ranch, beaches, resorts, some more small plantation towns trying to hang on. Kauai is more diverse in terms of lots of micro climates from desert to rainforest, less populated, lots of driving needed and probably more friendly people unless you are Marc Zuckerberg. Some nice areas to explore there as well as the standard resorts at Princevill and Poipu. Waimea Canyon is pretty cool as is the drive out that way thru some old small towns. Kauai and Big Island both mean driving.

Oahu is populated and really know for Waikiki and Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head and the North Shore surfing and small towns, It has its charms especially in terms of food variety and shopping though that is more an attraction for the locals. It still has country but you have to look for it. Otherwise, it is much like San Diego in terms of military bases, suburbs built up into valleys, a small downtown, mostly friendly people but if tourism is back LOTS of tourist many Asian which can be interesting or bug some Americans and some locals. Depends again on what you want from your trip to Hawaii.

I have lived here for most of my life other than 12 years "experiencing the Mainland", so over 50 years going back to when it was less crowded, slower, cheaper and did not feel like it had sold out the local people in the quest for tourist dollars. So, I can answer your questions and will be honest. I also have traveled alot around the world and worked as an executive in the visitor industry in operations, finance and marketing so I have insights into what makes it work, what it is delivering as a consumer experience, etc.

GREAT post above. Loved reading your ideas. Very helpful with the detailed descriptions!!

The only small disagreement is I don't think two weeks is too long on any one island myself. And no not only because of sand gravity! :-) For changing islands it's the packing, changing hotels, transportation, airports, etc. that I'd rather do less not more of. Plus I luckily live on the west coast USA so know I can be back another time, for another island.

Maui Plans
 

Been to Hawaii more times than I can count and I work in Travel
so here is my 2 cents-
the airport is closer to Pia-why drive back and forth? Spend your first night there since you seem to really have some reason, it's a day at the most. You could also get in a hike up to Haleakala from that side, and it's much shorter drive.
Next a.m. drive to Hana, and spend a night or two -continue on around the Island, or return back.
3 nights Wailea (best bargain there is the new Residence Inn) -if you can afford it, Or you can stay in Kihei which is much cheaper and tons of condos
then drive over to Kaanapali. You won't be as happy in Lahaina. very touristy and not a lot of beach.
Stay in Napili or Kaanapali. You can stay at the Royal Lahaina or the Maui Kaanapali Villas very reasonable. Or head up to Kahana and get a condo up there, not much beach but cheap.
Napili shores is also a bargain-again no bach. If youi want a beach, do the Royal Lahaina or Maui Kaanapali Villas-best bang for your buck

I loved Lahaina :-)

Aloha! I don't want to appear "bragging" but we have been to Maui 14 times. We have visited all of the places that you would like to visit. I think we have been to every town and on every road, we love to explore and eat! My opinion only... would be to stay in each West Maui and Wailea 6 days each and 2 days in Hana. I l. love Pa'ia. Yes, we have split our time between West Maui and Wailea. They are very different and I can't say that I like one better than the other. I love them both. I total agree on the Hyatt and there really isn't any beach there. For years we stayed at the Westin and then discovered the Whalers Village condos. You can have a studio condo that is larger than a hotel room. It is great to have a full kitchen although we never cook in as we love the restaurants in Maui. we have our favorites for breakfast, lunch, happy hour and dinner! Yes, K Beach is crowded but you can also walk to many restaurants. Especially if you have been exploring the island during the day.

i would visit West Maui first, depart for RTH in early morning and stay there 2 days then drive to Wailea for the remainder of your visit as Wailea is 30 minutes from the airport and you Don't want to return from Hana to go directly to the airport.

I'm happy to answer any questions you have on activities, restaurants, etc; just let me know. I would suggest to get the Maui Revealed Book to familiarize yourself with the island. Just remember to just slow down and enjoy the Hawaii Aloha and not run hard everyday, all day!

Maui
 

Wow! 14 times! That would make you an expert! I only went once! If I ever go back, I'll know who to ask.

Maui
 

Do you have any recommendations for visiting kauai?

idatt22 - You can start a separate new thread of your own to ask about Kauai. Probably people are reading this one to talk about Maui! :-) since that's the title.

Maui
 

Oh yea, your right. I'll have to figure that out. Theres also groups on facebook that are just called Hawaii. Did you wind up going to Maui with your large group?

Lynn

We have visited Hawaii every year for the past 30 years and have a time share in Wailea. Our visits have been to different islands (Kauai, Big Island, Oahu, Lanai and Molokai) but Maui is our favorite island. I think you will love your visit to Hawaii! I would recommend spending a couple of nights in Hana because if you want to do some hiking you will not regret staying there. It is a very long drive to do in one day and you won't be able to do all the hikes or see the special places in one day. Lahaina is very touristy and traffic has become an issue so you have to avoid the rush hour times. It just depends on what you want to do on your vacation. Driving to other places like Haleakala or Kula is a long drive from Lahaina. We have stayed on past visits on the west side (Kapalua, Hana) for a few days and then spend 15 days in Wailea. Our condo is near the Andaz and we love that you can walk 3 miles down along five beaches and resorts (Grand Wailea, Four Seasons and Fairmont) to Polo beach. On a clear day you can see Haleakala from Wailea.

We hope to visit Maui next month if all goes well.

Maui
 

Wow! Lucky you! I've been to Maui and Oahu. I liked Maui a lot too. Loved Kanspaali beach and the walkway connecting the resorts, whalers village and restaurants. Liked Hana. Missed Hsleakala but went on the Four Winds snorkeling boat trip.

Before anyone goes anywhere in the Hawaiian islands you really do need to check the testing/quaratine restrictions if you plan to go in the near future :-)

FYI for Maui: starting this week, visitors must download the contract tracing app to their phones.

Hey everyone,

I haven't posted in a while but have enjoyed reading everyone's input! This is such a great forum and I really appreciate everyone taking the time to respond. So... an update! This trip was on, then off, then on again more times than I can count in the last few months. Now, it's officially on and we have our flights and hotels booked. Here is our updated plan...

3/22 - get our COVID testing! We are traveling to a Walgreens location that has the rapid tests and plan to take them as early as we can (about 11 am). As a backup, we also plan to go to CVS that same day (that is not a rapid test) and they don't guarantee the turnaround time for those traveling to Hawaii. Fingers crossed until we have negative results in hand!

3/25 - Depart ORD for OGG. Specifically flying direct (rather than connecting in LAX or SFO) because we are both more comfortable with the fact that everyone on our flights ALSO had to test negative in the last 72hrs. Once we land at OGG and clear the Covid screening, we will be picking up our rental car and snorkel gear.

Sidenote: For the snorkel gear, we found Maui Vacation Equipment (https://www.mauivacationequipment.com/) -- we can rent our snorkel gear from then and they will have it in an airport locker for us on our arrival. It's $116.84 for 2 snorkel sets for 3 weeks. When we leave, we also leave it in a locker. We opted for this because we travel light (carry-on only) and didn't want to pack gear but also want our "own" set for the trip that we can ensure are disinfected and not being shared with others.

So, once we pass our health screening, get our snorkel gear, and pick up our car, we are headed to the Pa'ia Inn. We have 6:30 reservations for Mama's Fish House, plan on catching the sunset, then turning in (we are coming from CST).

3/26 - we are planning to use jetlag and our location to our advantage and do the Sunrise at Haleakala. I have a reminder on my calendar for 3/19 to get permits. After sunrise, we are thinking of doing *part* of the sliding sands trail, then head to Komoda's in Makawao for breakfast, then explore Makawao town a bit. Back in Pa'ia, we want to wander the town's shops and art galleries, see Kualahao Beach and Hookipa Beach, eat good food (maybe Pa'ia Fish Market for dinner?). We also plan to swing by Mana Foods to stock up our car with some snacks and water for the next few days...

3/27 - Road to Hana, Pt 1 // today we are leaving Pa'ia and going as far as Hana. Need to do more research on specific stops, but excited that we can take our time and enjoy the sights. We are staying at the Hana Maui (previously Travassa) for 3 nights. I'm thinking that since we don't have to rush today, we have time for a nice breakfast in Pa'ia and can get on the road by 10 or 11? I think that will put us behind the crowds?

3/28 - Road to Hana Pt 2 // plan today is to drive to the Pipiwai Trail FIRST so we have it pretty much to ourselves, then make our way back to Hana Maui seeing the sites along the way. In the afternoon, we plan to just relax at the resort's pool and/or beach.

3/29 - Today is kind of a wild card... we can sleep in and relax at the resort, we can find a local beach to snorkel... whatever strikes our fancy.

3/30 - Leaving Hana and eventually getting to Napili Bay. We plan to take the "backside" of Haleakala... see Lindburg's grave, Alelele Falls. Then on to upcountry... Ranch store, Maui Wine, O'o Farm, Surfing Goat Dairy (anything else I should jot down?). Just make a nice day of the drive and exploring. We can check in to our hotel (Napili Kai Resort) at 3 pm or 4 pm I believe. We will settle in, catch the sunset, have a nice dinner.

3/31 - 4/4 (5 full days) // Napili Bay w/ rental car. Some of the things we want to do are: lots of snorkeling (Napili Bay, Black Rock, others -- we signed up for the morning snorkel report), drive the North West Coast (as far as Kahakuloa?), hiking (Waihe'e Ridge, Iao Valley, Kapalua Coastal Trail), visit Lahaina). The only thing we have BOOKED is the Old Lahaina Lu'au.

4/5 - Drive to Lahaina, return our car to Hertz, then take a quick taxi to the ferry landing. Take ferry to Lanai (currently running on a limited schedule). We are staying at the Four Seasons for 5 nights.

4/6 - 4/9 (4 full days) // Lanai... no solid plans yet but plan to try a few of the activities that the hotel offers, eat amazing food, and snorkel! I am reading that the snorkeling here is amazing.

4/10 - ferry back to Maui. Uber to Andaz Wailea.

4/11 - 4/14 (4 full days) // Wailea... we do NOT plan to have a rental car for this portion of the trip. Some "excursions" we might do on this leg are Molokini Crate Snorkeling, Helicopter Tour, Whale Watching, The Feast at Lele Lu'au. Maybe a day trip to Molokai. What we end up doing will depend a lot on crowd sizes. And of course, lots of beach and pool time.

4/15 - depart OGG

So...as you will see, we cut out the Big Island. We didn't want to mess with any inter-island testing. Lanai hit our radar bc it's part of Maui county so additional testing is not necessary. Plus it seems like crowds won't be an issue there :)

What do y'all think?! We really want to end this trip feeling like we KNOW Maui. Are we missing anything significant that you see as an oversight? Any favorite experiences of yours that we have missed? What are your must-eat meals? Any big concerns/issues I have missed?

We are so excited for this trip. When we get back, we have to pack up our home and move across the country for my husband's job. This is hopefully a fun, relaxing vacation before a very chaotic (but exciting) period in our lives.

Thanks in advance for your input!

I just want to bring you up to date on what Hawaii is like these days. I live on Oahu and have visited Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island several times. First of all, not everyone on your plane will have a negative covid test. As of right now, people are still allowed to quarantine for 10 days if they arrive without a test. Secondly, make very sure you are using one of the Hawaii trusted partners and you have your results uploaded to the Hawaii website and also in your hand. Recently there have been several cases of people arriving without results or from the wrong tester, and they have to do a 10 day quarantine even if their results arrive the next day. Masks are required pretty much everywhere but home and car. Some of the tourists areas are a little lax on this, but I've been out exercising on Oahu with no mask and been screamed at by another resident who thinks we should wear a mask even while exercising. Keep in mind that at LEAST half of the people in Hawaii do NOT want us to be open to tourists, and you may well run into a few of those people. I hope it all works out well for you!

Maui Plan
 

Hi Tera,

We are finishing up our 16 day stay on beautiful Maui. It’s paradise. You picked some great places to stay. The Hana Maui hotel is really nice and the only good place to dine. Hana is tiny so having two nights will be great. It’s the only place where you can go visit a white sand beach (Hamoa) red sand beach aka Kaihalulu beach next to Hana School and black sand beach (Waianapanapa State park)

Confused what hotel you are referring to when you note 5 nights in west Maui?

Your itinerary sounds good but 3/30 is a really long drive to get back to Napoli Kai Resort. When staying in Paia you can take a day trip to Makawao (good 2 hr visit if you want to do a bit of shopping) You can see the Goat farm tour or add the Spirits Distillery which is not far when you do this outing..,

I suggest adding the goat farm visit when you are staying in Paia as you have quite a few stops before reaching Napoli Kai Resort.

We stayed last year at Kapalua Villa so it’s near Napoli Kai Resort. I would recommend going over to the Ritz Carlton and walk along the grounds to have lunch the Burger Shack which is off the beach. There is the Dragon Teeth access trail from the parking lot where you can hike along the golf course. Interesting formation of rocks.

I have to say we are happy with our decision to come. This is our first out of state trip in almost a year. We wear masks when we are in public and whenever we can’t social distance, The beaches aren’t as crowded so that is nice. The whale activity is amazing right now. A few shark attacks (I think 2-3) so be careful.

A couple of our favorite restaurants have closed in Wailea but we love the restaurants at Four Seasons so that has been our go to place for when we dine out.

BTW, good decision to skip the Big Island. We met a guy hiking the sliding sands trail who was leaving Maui for the Big Island the next day. He still hadn’t received his test results yet so was stressed out.

I’m going to see if I can send this privately. I haven’t done it before but I see the link so here goes.

Hi Podie, thank you so much for the local perspective and feedback. Totally understand your point about the flight -- I hadn't considered that. We will obviously take every precaution to keep ourselves and others safe. I do feel slightly better that at least some (maybe, hopefully most?) will have their negative tests. But point taken.

We've done a lot of research on where to get our test and ensuring it is an approved lab. We have a plan A, B, and C. This is by far the most stressful aspect of the trip so hoping for a smooth process. But if it doesn't work out, well, we have no one but ourselves to blame for planning a trip to Hawaii during a pandemic. Fingers crossed.

We are coming from Chicago where we have had a very strict lockdown as well. We are used to wearing a mask at all times out of our house at this point. Just part of life now, I guess. In your experience how has it been working at pools and beaches? Ours were all closed last summer so haven't experienced that yet. If you are outside and 6 feet apart do many take off their mask? Or is the expectation to wear at all times unless in the water?

Re: half the population not wanting us there... I'm feeling kind of guilty about this trip now? Our thought was to travel safely, respect local laws, be outside, and put some money back into an economy that has been battered by this pandemic. I hope that this comes across and that we don't face any hostility. Thanks for the heads up and sharing your home with us for a few weeks. We will be nothing but respectful.

Thanks,

Tera

Hi PortobelloB,

Thank you for this post! Good to hear that your trip has gone great and that it wasn't a total disaster traveling during a pandemic!

Re: where are staying in West Maui - we have 5 nights booked at Napoli Kai Beach Resort ON Napoli Bay (sorry for the original typo). So on 3/30, we are waking up in Hana and making the drive to Napalli Kai... with all the stops (plugged into google maps, which I know can be off), I see the drive at about 5 hrs. So yep, that's a long day if we stop everywhere we want to. I'll definitely look at moving the surfing goat dairy to 3/26. Assuming some of these are just quick turn-offs, take a photo, and not super time consuming but even so. Thanks for this feedback.

Really glad to hear that you have had a nice trip. I asked Podie already, but what has your experience been at pools and beaches? In your experience how has masking been working? Ours were all closed last summer so haven't experienced that yet. If you are outside and 6 feet apart do many take off their mask? Or is the expectation to wear at all times unless in the water?

Did you do any whale watching tours? Which ones do you recommend? Can't wait to see!

Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!

Tera

Maui plan
 

I see that I didn’t figure out how to send a private message. LOL.

At our condo, we have a sign up list of when to use the pool. The chairs are social distance and no more than 6 people can be in the pool. People aren’t wearing a mask when you are in the pool or in the ocean.. You do have to wear a mask whenever in public. We have encountered a few tourists on our walks who won’t wear a mask. We would say something to them but they would pretend not to hear us. There is a $5000 fine if you are caught in public and there are people who can and will report you if not wearing a mask. Hawaii isn’t also a place to have large family reunions either as we did witness one family get together. If it isn’t allowed in your state it certainly isn’t here. I know you aren’t planning to do this but if anyone else reads this and gets any ideas I just want to say stay home until the pandemic is over.

I did over hear someone on the Wailea beach who lives in Oahu that everyone wears a mask on the beaches there.

We can see whales just by walking and a few have really come close to shore. You may see a few when you take the ferry crossing to Lahaina. I would recommend Pacific Whaling Foundation if you want to take a tour. They do a good job.

I know you will love your time here in paradise being safe and respectful.

Just back from Maui
 

We just got back on Wed. from a two week stay. It was our 7th yr going every Feb. We have always stayed at Lahaina Shores and use it as a base to explore the rest of the island. It is 3 blocks south of the Banyan Tree and downtown Lahaina. Away from all the touristy Hussle but close enough to walk to all the great restaurants and shops. This year was very different. Traffic was light, streets not crowded to walk and limited hours of operation. Everything is closed at 10pm. That said due to Covid protocols advance reservations for most activities and at the better restaurants are required. Some lines at Cool Cats, Down the Hatch, Bubba Gumps and Captain Jacks but lunch at Hula Grill and Leilani was walk in. No last minute "Let's go to Fleetwoods, Kimo's, Kobe's, PacificO's etc. tonight" as you probably won't get in. Beaches were not crowded and parking was easily available. As we have done the road to Hana, Haleakala, Ioa, etc before we did not do this year but enjoyed whale watches (3) and Aloha time walks on the beach, pool time and beach time. Went to Whalers shopping at Kaanapali and just drove up to Kapalua and down to Big Beach in Makena. Friends went to Makawao and Paia and said quiet there also. Hubby and friend played golf and no problem getting tee times two days before. When we left we did notice a bit more traffic but still only took half an hour from Lahaina to the airport. Well worth the hassle pre flight. Ready to return as it has been snowing and cold here.

I've been to Big Beach, Kaanapaali beach, etc. but missed Haleakala, but went to Hana.

Kihei Maui
 

Looking for ideas for oceanfront condos in Kihei Maui. Nice beach and oceanfront

I'm happy to see these Hawaii posts beginning to pop up again.

When is your trip sdunbar5 (what month what year)? A general price range for accommodations? That helps for people to give the best suggestions :-)

This post is awesome. We came up with much of the same - except the jaunt over to Lanai. Very envious...

@kcunningham1999 I’m glad you found this thread! Our trip was wonderful. Sitting here with my coffee reminiscing so thought I would share some notes on the final trip. Think of this as a very brief trip report!

Pre-Trip

• Absolutely no problem with testing, etc. We were unfortunately not vaccinated yet at this time. I imagine things have gotten easier on this front but haven’t been following the news.

Sunrise/Sunset at Haleakala

• We were NOT able to get sunrise on Haleakala tickets so we did sunset instead and I can’t imagine sunrise being much more magical! We lunched at Hali'imaile General Store (probably one of my favorite meals of the trip, I dream about the green curry), then took our time going up the volcano and doing a few hikes, enjoying several lookouts, then posted up for sunset. If we were to do it again, we would bring some cheese, crackers, wine, more water. It was magical!

Road to Hana

• 1000% I think that staying in Paia for 2 nights then sleeping Hana for 3 was the right call for us. I would do it again. I do not understand how people staying on the east side the island “do” the RTH in one day.
• RTH Day 1 we saw Ho'okipa Beach Park, Twin Falls, did an incredible (and very adventurous) hike through a bamboo forest then to some waterfalls. If you have the Maui Revealed book, I think they call it The Four Falls of Na'ili'ili. If you are doing, it took us about an hour in / an hour out + time playing in the waterfalls. We visited the Garden of Eden, had pulled pork on the side of the road, then pulled in the Hana Maui Resort around 5pm
• RTH Day 2 we were on the Pipiwai Trail by 9am and HAD IT TO OURSELVES. We saw 2 other people the entire time. It was awesome. Took our time, saw the ʻOheʻo Gulch, then had the afternoon to relax at the pool.
• RTH Day 3 we hike the Kaihalulu Beach Trail (trailhead is steps from the hotel), visited Hamoa Beach in late morning (about 10 other people there?), then spent the rest of the afternoon at Waiʻānapanapa State Park.
• Woke up early the next day and drove the Backside of Haleakala, then up through Upcountry (got lunch at the Ulupalakua Ranch), then all the way to Napili Bay where we were staying for the next leg of the trip. Amazing drive day.

Napili Bay

• LOVE Napili Bay and the Napili Kai Resort. Did a lot less than we planned here. It's so beautiful and relaxing. We had gorgeous rainbows every morning followed by stunning sunsets every night. Would stay here again and again.
• Old Lahaina Lu'au was one of our only nights out here and I highly recommend it. Learned so much about Hawaiian history and culture, had a great dinner, all-around great night.

Lanai

• I’m torn on this part of the trip. It was great, obviously. The Four Seasons is incredible. But we had very very windy conditions during our stay so most of the things we had booked with the FS were canceled (Sunset Yacht Sail, Snorkeling). You couldn’t even have umbrellas up for 2 of the days we were there because of the wind. We still had a great time — I could snorkel that bay every day. But I think we missed some of the “magic” of this place. Don’t think we would do it again, especially compared to how magical we found Napili Bay to be.

Wailea (Andaz)

• I was honestly expecting more from Wailea! So many people rave about this part of the island. We had a great time but if felt like many resort areas around the world. Wonderful, relaxing, treated like a queen… but didn’t have the same Hawaiian magic as the first half of the trip.

If I could do it again...

If I were going again, I would keep the Paia / Hana / Napili segments of the trip - maybe even low it down more. And cut Lanai and Wailea and just visit those areas for a day trip. Overall, we had a spectacular time. The Aloha spirit is real! What a beautiful corner of the world!

What a great read this thread has been. I cheered your final plans! No matter when I've stayed in Hana it's never enough.

We visited Napili Kai Bay Resort on our virgin journey and stayed about 20 years later. It was one of our favorite stays. Did they have the local school kids hula show?
Unfortunately, I think some of the lustre of Lanai has been lost when Uncle Larry acquired his fiefdom. But there is magic there with generations working the pines and then the golf courses. Great people on Lanai.

I adore the West End drive. But it is not for the feint of heart/

A trip well planned and executed!