maui- things to see question........
 

we are staying in lahaina (with car) for 5 full days. we want to see some or all of the below-listed places. can someone combine the ones we can do together in a single day-trip. haleakala (not sunrise), iao valley, upcountry, olivine pools, nakalele blow hole. also, beside the road to hana, are there other scenic places to visit?

b--
slow down a minute! I just posted info for you on your sailing post.

Gotta give folks a minute to answer. :o)

Debi

Enjoy upcountry then continue to the volcano for vivid colors as the sun angle changes, stay for sunset (so much more fabulous, IMO, than sunrise).
Iao is easily done in a couple of hours max (tour the historic nearby towns, see the Heaiu [sp]); you could start early, see the petroglyphs just past Lahaina on the way (behind the restaurant, can't remember the name), visit Iao, then continue and tour the town. I wouldn't bother with the "olivine pools", frankly, and the blow hole is just a nice scenery thing to see on the road around the north-west part of Maui. (You could drive that road, come out just near Iao, and do all the above.)Basically, you could do two circles of the island on two trips, and save Haleakala/upcountry for a third trip. Better get Maui REvealed or other good guidebook!

debi, "paragon" sounds good. "sails, no motor" is what we like. sylvia, thank you, again. "sunset" sounds very pretty, and we don't need to get up at 5 a.m. and freeze! my wife is reading maui revealed. i'm just a "fodorite".........

jack...in the search for truth...they did use motor to get into and out of harbor...other than that...it was sailpower the entire trip. Nice appetizers and as much or little to drink as you wanted. I booked it online at their site and got the best deal I could find.

Debi

It's good to prioritize what you want to do. Then don't try to do it all. Hawaii's all about slowing down, and just Hang Loose. ;-)

thank you, trippin. part of my "prioritizing" is seeing what can be combined. once i know the combinations, i will prioritize. can you help?

You could probably do Haleakala (without hiking), upcountry and than Iao needle, on one trip. The blow hole could be a 1/2 day adventure. Road to Hana is a full day. Hope this helps, and I'll think about it a little more.

I always push the Haleakala sunset, after the crater colors have been viewed from the observatory (if not hiked). Then you get to see the gorgeous scenery on the way up, smell the cedars, maybe take a picnic (it doesn't get that cold until later, but it is usually windy), then go back down a road you've become familiar with without a thousand cars and bikes. (Best part is, don't need to bring your down parka.) After a day of sun and fun, it's a calming, beautiful way to spend a late afternoon and wrap up the early evening.