Questions on Hawaii
 

I will be traveling to Hawaii on a cruise in April and I have a couple of questions I was hoping people would be able to help with.<BR><BR>Near Lahaina, Maui where our ship will be docked, what is the best beach that would have bodyboarding? I heard that Kaanapali Beach was closed now due to some oil spill or something.<BR><BR>If you drive yourself to the Haleakala Crater, can you drive all the way to the 10,023 summit yourself and just walk around? Is there anything you cannot do on your own that you could do on a tour?<BR><BR>In Kauai, has anyone done the Na Pali Expedition sailing & snorkeling tours? What is your experience?<BR><BR>On the road to Hana, can you turn around at any point without going the entire way? Are there any beaches for swimming along the way? Is the Seven Pools at the very end. We are only in Maui for 2 days and on the day we want to visit Hana, we are only there from 7 AM - 6 PM so I do not think I will have enough time to see the whole thing and I would hate to just sit inside a Mini Van all day on a nice day. I would rather be at the beach.<BR><BR>Any information would be appreciated. Thank You.<BR><BR>Elena

notsure on the bodyboarding in April, or the Napali expeditions.<BR>You can drive up to Haleakala and walk around. Take warm clothes if you go up for sunrise!<BR>You can go any part of the way to Hana. There are lots of scenic spots all along the way. Take a picnic and find a waterfall for lunch!

Did the snorkeling up NaPali coast years ago and loved it. Even did some snorkeling inside one of the caves they took us into. Lunch on the boat.

There are beaches down toward Maaalea south of Lahaina but I don't know if there are big enough waves for body boarding. There are perfect surfing waves right off the Maui Aquarium (which is called something else, Ocean Center?) but I don't know if they'd work for bodyboarding.

Yes, you can drive to Haleakala on you own, bring a jacket as it will be cold and windy at the summit. If you have time, stop at some of the little upcountry towns on the way up or down. I don't think there is anything you will miss by not being on a tour. On the road to Hana, you can turn around at any time - it's more about the scenery than a particular destination anyway. I believe the seven sacred pools are past the town of Hana so yes, it would be at "the end". If you'll be doing a lot of driving on Maui, I highly recommend getting the Maui Revealed guide.<BR><BR>We did a Na Pali coast boat tour and enjoyed it. It would have been better if the weather had been nicer on our trip - it was cloudy and overcast that day and the water was a bit rough, so keep that in mind.<BR><BR>I don't know anything about body boarding.<BR><BR>Hope this helps.

Elena--<BR><BR>Don't know much about body-boarding.<BR><BR>Haleakala's great. You can walk all over the place. Ditto on the jacket if you're there in the morning. If you're feeling adventurous, go *early* and do the big caldera hike. It's twelve miles, but stunning and worth the effort. I wouldn't bother with a cruise-sponsored tour, unless you're trying to avoid the (minimal) hassle of renting a car, etc....<BR><BR>My wife and I didn't do the Na Pali Expedition, specifically, but we did take a catamaran snorkeling tour of the Na Pali Coast. It was great. I'm not usually one for package tours, but that was one place we wouldn't have been able to go on our own.<BR><BR>As far as the Hana Highway goes, yes, the Seven Sacred Pools are at the very end, and if that's all you're going to see, it's probably not worth the drive. There is a beautiful walk upstream, there, but it sounds like you're pressed for time. There are lots of waterfalls & hiking opportunities along the way, and the scenery is gorgeous. Plan on a couple hours of driving each way.<BR><BR>Enjoy!<BR>

What's this on Kaanapali beach being closed?