JJSoon

I'm in the process of planning out our week long vacation in Maui (in Jan).

Arrival Day:
Get the rental, stop by walmart/costco and pick up a cooler, and other items. Is there place near the airport (OGG) for dinner? If not we'll just grab some food and eat it at the cottage.

Day 2:
The plan is to wake up early and head to west maui for a helecopter ride (the one recommened in "Maui Revealed").

....the plan aftwards is to check out the beaches in west maui, just plain relax. Does any have any suggestions for rest of day (beaches, restuarants, etc)?

....oh, we plan to go to Laihana on a separate day. So no Laihana on Day 2..

Tentative plan for rest of the week:
------------------------------------

Day 3:
Nothing Planned

Day 4:
Road to Hana

Day 5:
Laihana (whenever we wake up).

Day 6:
H. Natl Park, sunrise bike ride

Day 7:
Nothing Planned.


So, do you suggest any rearranging? I'm new to this, help me out here Thanks in advance!

JJSoon

Samantha

Hey, well Road to Hana... in one day? That sounds like a rough day. Maybe you want to split it up, and spend the night in Hana?

Think about it. Other suggestions, maybe the others can help you on that.

Samantha Long

x

What time will you arrive and where is your cottage located? That info may help us find dinner for you.

JJSoon

Sorry about that --

Roughly 5:30 pm on Monday. Our cottage is in the Upcountry (KULA).

JJSoon

Nova

Don't plan anything. Just go and take it one day at a time.

Pamela

I have a tip. When we went to Maui, we did the road to Hana on our second day. Since we weren't adjusted to the time zone yet and our internal clocks said it was later, it was easier to get a good early head start. We did the road in one day and it was fine.

Maybe you should do a whale watching cruise. The whales are out in full force in Janaury.

x

Well, I can see why you'd want to get some chow before driving to Kulu.


Marco's Grill & Deli, good stop going to or coming from the airport. Italian food, seating in booths. 444 Hana Hwy. Suite M., Kahului.

To splurge (make sure you have reservations before you leave) Mama's Fish House in Paia. 15 minutes from Kahului.

If you can wait until you get to Kula, little less than 1 hour, the Kula Lodge has great views.

JJSoon

Pamela,

I don't want to tire out my wife -- so that's why day 3 I have it as nothing planned.

For Day 2 (the first FULL day), after the helecopter ride, we just check out the whatever great beaches in west maui. Have lunch (or a picnic) and then finally have a nice dinner.

What are some of your favorite beaches in west maui (not including the ones near Laihana)?

Laihana, I heard has some whale-watching cruises? I'm really interested in that magic show/dinner show that authors in Maui Revealed, seems interesting. Has any seen it?

Snorkel/Scuba -- I'm not a great swimmer and I dont want to end up drowning in Hawaii, that would really suck.

Thanks,
JJSoon

Mike

Beach recommendations:
Kaanapali Beach in the vicinty of Black Rock by the Sheraton is a great beach, just north of Lahaina

Kapalua is a very picturesque beach just 15 minutes north of Kaanapali.

Wailea (on the south side) is about 30 minutes away from Lahaina and is also a great beach - lots of activity, great view.

If you want something different, go past Wailea down to the Black Sand Beach - we were there with just a couple of fisherman one day this July, but the kids got a big kick out of it.

Patty

You can take whale watching cruises out of Lahaina or Maalaea harbor (closer to Kula). Warren and Annabelles is a great show - don't miss it! We were skeptical at first too since we're not really into magic shows but it was hilarious!

Pat

While at Walmart/costco, buy a cheap styrofoam belly board. It looks a little dorky but can really make the snorkeling experience for you. Rent tne snorkel, mask and fins anywhere; they're all pretty much the same. The sunrise bike trip is problematical. You'll have a long wait to descend due to all bike ride vendors have a quota for start times; also, you'll freeze waiting. I'd try it mid morning or early afternoon. Hang loose.

mtsod

Skip the road to Hana. Waiste of time and a tourist trap. Road and waterfalls were crowded and full of people diving in them. Not secluded.

bettyk

Yes, Warren & Annabelle's is definitely worth seeing. There is a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse right next door too! We also enjoyed the Maui Ocean Center near Maalea Harbor. Buzz's Wharf is a good place to eat right at the harbor.

Marti

Road to Hana is beautiful, not a tourist trap at all, there's not a single store, except for a quaint fruit stand the whole way. Yes it's crowded, but you're in Maui! Anyway, my advice is, don't feel like you have to go to the top of Hana, and certainly don't feel like you have to spend the night !! (pack, unpack, check in, check out....) Just go for a couple of hours up, then back down. have fun!

SWW

We returned from Maui on last Monday. I'd also suggest you do road to Hana the first or second day, while you're in Kula. We stayed our first 2 nights about 20 minutes from airport, in Haikiu,on the road, We were glad, as that gave us a headstart. We left at 8 a.m. on Wed, had no traffic at all going. We got back to our cottage at 5:30, went to Mama's Fishhouse for dinner (no reservations)were seated immediately. It was a great meal in beautiful setting, around $90 (included 1 drink each, no appetizers, no desserts). The next day we were convenient to head up the volcano. We didn't go for sunrise, got there around 10 a.m., no crowds. The park ranger told us that the tourism board pushes the sunrises because that gets us up and out early, spending our tourists' bucks. He said the sunsets are his favorite. We had considered the bike ride, but those people we met coming down, did NOT look like they were having fun. Also met a lady later in week who had done it and said a biker in her group crashed and was severely injured, transported by ambulance, police, etc. Said the police said it happens at least once every week. I think doing it at the end of your vacation is wise, just in case...

Pamela

SWW-
It sounds like you did something similar to what we did when we did the Road to Hana. By doing it our second day, we got a head start on the traffic and stopped for dinner at Mama's on the way back (around 5:30). We didn't have reservations either, but were seated right away. The best meal that I have ever had (food, atomosphere, service).

JJSoon

Thank you everyone for such great suggestions. After looking at my dates again -- I have one whole extra day! that I did not account for. -- just proves how big of a novice I am =)

Three hours around the west maui to see the blowhole? Wow that's crazy long. Not sure if we'll up for another car ride after Hana.

It seems like from all the reading, they aren't any secluded, non-crowded beaches anywhere huh?

Oh another concern, if we're kayaking, what if a huge whale rips through the water --- we'll be toast!?

I wanna see dolphins up close. What are ways to say for in-experienced swimmer like myself?

Thanks,
JJSoon

Juan

Wow.... can that happen for real? Can a whale just shot out of the water and land on the small kyack? Seriously speaking has this happened before?

Juan

Marilyn

A few opinions/facts:

1. The road to Hana is extremely beautiful and well worth the day. Be sure to stop often and check out views, botanical preserves, etc. You can definitely do it in one day with an early start, not to mention that if you are in Kula you are closer than coming from west Maui which is the usual situation.

2. You have a better chance of winning the lottery than of a whale breaching and landing on you. In fact, you have a better chance of being picked for the next space mission. I have been around whales in the wild often and they are extremely intelligent and in my experience, quite careful and "benevolent". If you see any or get close to them, you will be blessed.

Postal

You'll get a lot of differing opinions and here's another one: I've been to Maui several times and still feel the day we spent driving to Hana and back was the biggest waste of a day we EVER spent on the island! Since you're staying upcountry, do not miss a sunrise at Haleakala! To me, this is much more magnificent then the Hana trip. Same goes for a whale watching cruise - it's a million times better than Hana.