ldatt22

Do you have any recommendations for visiting kauai?

suze

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.

ldatt22

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

portobelloB

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.

ldatt22

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.

suze

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

CaliNurse

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

tera_denten

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!

Podie

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!

portobelloB

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.

tera_denten

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

tera_denten

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

portobelloB

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.

Stew8528

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.

ldatt22

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

sdunbar5

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

suze

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

kcunningham1999

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

tera_denten

@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!

Inakauaidavidababy

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!