augustlily

Hi everyone,
Not planning on booking my honeymoon until this winter, but I have been pouring through these threads and learning about the islands of Hawaii.
We are from the Boston area, and I am surprising my fiance with the location of the honeymoon, and I am praying and hoping that I can manage Hawaii. (Otherwise we'll hit the Caribbean.) Anyways, we would have about 10-11 days, and I am still undecided on 1 island or 2. In any case, I definitely want Maui to be one of our stops. (If we don't do 2 islands, I'm thinking about splitting time between Kaanapali and Wailea) A few questions:
1.) Which resort on Kaanapali would you recommend for: a great, wide stretch of beach with chairs, wonderful pools with swim-up bar and plenty of chairs, nice room with a mini-fridge NOT a mini-bar, and restaurants/shopping within walking distance. Also, beach must be swimmable. (I was thinking Sheraton, Hyatt, or Westin. Has anyone used Priceline and gotten these resorts). Also, looking for the same type pf accomadation on Wailea with maybe more of a quiet, romantic feel...
2.) How is the snorkeling in Maui? I have never snorkeled, so I would really love to see some colorful fish. I am especially hoping to see green turtles, rays, etc...And also hoping to observe some dolphins in their natural habitats, maybe by boat? I would love to have part of our Maui experience involve wildlife...Which snorkeling spots would you recommend?
3.) I know Maui is not like Kauai in terms of quiet country-side, but if we can only do 1 island, does Maui have the beauty that one thinks of associated with Hawaii (i.e. waterfalls, mountains, beautiful beaches, sunsets, etc...)
4.) In terms of restaurants, is there a good variety (i.e. cheap and casual to romantic and pricy...)
5.) When should I book for an Aug. honeymoon? And am I better off booking plane or hotel first? Right now round-trip coach from BOS to OGG is about $730 -- is that a good price?
6.) If we do go to another island, which would compliment Maui and why?
Thanks so much in advance!

hmmm

You may find August to be oppressively hot and wet in the Carribean. You could certainly see 2 Hawaiian Islands in 10-11 days. I am partial to Wailea over Ka'anapali on Maui. Ka'anapali has high rises, which seems so mainland, and beaches that disappear at times and places. I view it as more family and group oriented. Wailea is low rise, cresent shaped beaches. Great snorkeling, shopping and restaurants in both areas. Wailea is close to Makena, a long, wide beach. Drier weather than Ka'anapali. You might investigate the Fairmont Kea Lani, an all-suite luxury hotel with kitchenettes in each room. Not sure about refrigerators-we normally bribe the concierge when they (or other appliances) are not available.
You could also see a good bit of Kauai in 4-5 days. Poipu-Hyatt and Princeville Sheraton are particular favorites. If you choose only Maui, consider splitting time with Hotel Hana and either Ka'anapali or Wailea. Hana has quiet isolation and romance-old, old Hawaii. You might also look north to Kapalua Bay Hotel or the Ritz Carlton. Pretty. Very pretty.

puddy

1) Hyatt, Westin, and Sheraton all have come up on Priceline I believe. Check www.biddingfortravel.com for hotel list and list of winning bids (hotel name and price). There are also some hotels in Wailea that come up on Priceline but I don't know the names at the moment.

If you decide to stay the entire time on Maui, I would definitely consider staying in Kaanapali and Wailea (and maybe a night in Hana). IT all depends on how much you mind packing up and moving on to a new hotel. Some people don't like it, although it doesn't really bother me. A nice itinerary might be start in Kaanapali, then do the Road to Hana, stay in Hana one night, then continue on to Wailea the next day. Hana would give you the lushness and quietness you might find on Kauai.

If you want to do two islands, Kauai would definitely be nice. It's very laid back and beautiful. Lots of adventure kinds of things to do. The BI is also very popular, especially for the active volcano, but I have not been there so can't comment much.

I would get Maui Revealed, Kauai Revealed, and maybe the Big Island Revealed to learn more about what to do on each island. They are great books with very detailed information and pretty reliable hotel and food reviews.

$730 isn't bad but you might be able to find cheaper. I have seen prices as low as $525 or so from NYC. I would go to Travelocity or Expedia and sign up for their Fare Tracker feature where they email you when the fares drop. I would also call Pleasant Holidays as they seem to have pretty good deals on airfare. When I started looking for flights (I ended up using miles), they gave me a price of $620 when the best price online I could find was around $800.

MMN

I had 11 nights on my honeymoon & did 5 in Maui, 5 in Kauai, and 1 on Oahu.
For us, after Kauai, Maui was a little bit of a disappointment. Kauai was what we pictured Hawaii to be...in EVERY way. It also has many of the activities Maui has - hiking, snorkeling, beautiful beaches, great restaurants, and absolutely incredible scenery anywhere you go.
So.....I would not suggest missing Kauai.
To compare, we thought Kauai was the most scenic, romantic, and relaxing. Maui was still beautiful but a little more built up and a little more commercialized. Oahu was the most like a big city. Like NYC on a world-famuos beach.

I 2nd the Kea Lani choice if staying on Maui. Was GORGEOUS. Favorite part of our Maui experience. And having the fridge & microwave in the room was huge.

On ques #3 - Maui did have great waterfalls on the Hana drive and the sunrise at Haleakala was beautiful. I just really still can't compare it with Kauai.

August should be great weather on either island. We went in July. Be sure to bring plenty of sunblock though...the sun is STRONG!

Booking - I think we booked our hotels 6 months ahead. We booked our air 1 year out b/c we were using frequent flier miles. I would guess 6 months is probably ok for a regular flight.

Alohamom

I think you can do better on the airfare, it is not like you have only a few weeks to book it, you are smart to be planning it this far out. I used Priceline the last time we travelled to Maui. We got a great deal on the Hyatt in Kaanapali, something ridiculous like $145/night. They were great, we got a very nice room, partial ocean view, marble bathroom, robes, and excellent pillows. They will provide you with a complimentary mini fridge but it is just a bar fridge. I loved that as it kept gin & tonic cool so that my hubby & I could share a quiet drink on the lanai or I could keep cheese & crackers for the kids. I am thinking you are going to save substantially if you stay on the one island as you wont be spending interisland round trip airfare (approx. $170/per person)I really liked puddy's suggestion of spending 1/2 the time in Kaanapali, driving to Hana, spending the night and then finishing in Wailea. I know Priceline offers the Rennaisance and the Prince in Wailea and they usually go for about 150/night. The pools at both these resorts are small and not spectacular, but the resorts are lovely. The Prince is a little remote, but both have nice grounds. Do your homework on www.biddingfortravel.com, watch how much these resorts go for and see the patterns. It would be to your benefit if you are booking shorter periods of time as your chances of getting a room are greater.Good luck, Aloha

augustlily

Thank you so much! These are all great suggestions. Please keep them coming...I am still torn between spending the entire time on Maui, or splitting a stay with Kauai or the BI. Luckily the honeymoon isn't until August, so I have time to decide! I am tempted to try Priceline, but has anyone had any BAD experiences with this for resorts on Maui?? This is my honeymoon, and although we are on a budget, I don't want a terrible room or anything...Thanks!

caribtraveler

Hi,
We stayed 10 days at the Westin in Maui in October 2001 (We haven't done the other islands). As much as we liked the hotel, I don't know that I would recommend it for a honeymoon. The hotel is beautiful, our oceanview was fabulous. However, I think the hotel is geared towards families with its 4 or 5 pools, big slide and waterfalls (There is one pool where kids are not allowed). There were lots of kids when we were there (didn't bother us but for honeymooners that might be an issue). The ocean was rough (really rough) 7 out of the 10 days we were there, which really bummed me out. I'm small and I was 4 months pregnant and there's no way I could go in that rough ocean. When it finally calmed down on day 7/8, the ocean was so calm and clear...it was great. By the way, the Westin charges for the use of their chairs on the beach which we thought was outrageous (yes even the hotel guests had to pay to use them!) ...and we're not talking $5...If I remember correctly, it was about $25-$30/day.
No swim-up bar at the Westin.
Lots of restaurants, shopping nearby though. I don't have good memories of restaurants because I was 4 months pregnant and not enjoying the food much at that time.
The snorkeling was great. We actually booked a tour and they took us to a spot where there were lots of turtles.
We booked a tour to Hana..and our driver (who was fabulous) told us that Wailea was such a nicer area with nicer hotels than Ka'anapali (I think he also meant more luxurious). We didn't go there, so I can't really second that..but I've heard that sentiment being expressed a few times.
Anyway, that's my 2 cents about the Westin.
We loved Maui and you'll love it too if you end up picking it as your honeymoon spot. Good luck.

augustlily

Caribtraveler:
Thanks so much! That is outrageous about getting charged for the beach chairs at the Westin...I really feel that beach chairs should be included in your room rate. (Or at least in those ridiculous resort fees they charge daily.)
A couple of questions: Did you see any other resorts you would recommend? And, do you remember the snorkeling spot you went to that had all the turtles?

Cher

What about splitting time on Maui between Kapulua Bay Hotel area ... beach is supposed to be really nice and it's not that far from Lahaina; then one night in Hana (topping off the drive to Hana), and then finish the vacation in the Wailea area? Seems like 10-11 days would be just right for this and it will really give you a chance to sample all that Maui offers.

We're thinking about Hawaii for a second honeymoon in the future for the same time period and I've also been debating whether to split between 2 islands or really maximize our experience on one.

turn_it_on

There's a LOT of info about several of your questions in the trip report I wrote: "Maui trip report--action packed with details", just click on my screenname and scroll down to find it. Snorkeling spots, turtle and dolphin spots, why Wailea is way better than Kaanapali for a honeymoon, and why I love Hana. And yes, Maui has all those wonderful things associated with Hawaii...if that's what you're looking for, I think you'll be happier in Wailea as it is much more low key than Kaanapali, and for the rain forest type areas, check out the Hana highway and Iao Valley. For super serenity and lots of awesome bamboo hikes and waterfall swims, stay a night or two in Hana. Let me know if you have any more questions!

love
roxy

caribtraveler

Hi...no I'm sorry we don't remember the name of the snorkeling spot. we booked the tour at the excursion desk at the Westin and the boat picked up off right from the Westin and took us there.
The Hyatt looked nice from the outside..it was a few hotels down from the Westin.
Sounds like the previous poster has better details than me! Good luck.

bertaron

Hi,
We spent our honeymoon on Maui and Kauai. Kauai swimming was rougher than Maui. Maui was very relaxed and very mellow. Kauai had rough spots. But for relaxation and getting away I would choose Kauai. We stayed at Kanapali shores Hotel. It was ok but they had a band every nite in the courtyard which was nice. You can't go wrong in Hawaii.

bquarre

On one of the other threads I suggested the Kapalua Bay Hotel and the Maui Prince to you. I would stay away from Kaanapali. If your looking for good snorkeling, the KBH has a great beach with good snorkeling and Napili Bay is right around the corner too. The beach at the Maui Prince in Makena has awesome snorkeling as well. Good luck.

kolohegirl

Since this is your honeymoon, I'm assuming you don't want a bazillion kids running around, right? OK....my suggestion on Maui would be #1 Maui Prince in Makena (no big fancy pools with cool water slides but hey....that's what attracts the kids!). #2 Sheraton Ka'anapali on the famous Ka'anapali Beach (nice big beach with some really good snorkeling right there!) but not as many kids as the Hyatt and the Mariotts. #3. Spend a night at the Hotel Hana. It's really remote and beautiful. But no more than 1 night cause it is VERY remote and isolated. Warning: By all means avoid the "Grand Wailea" in Wailea. Kids galore! And remember......you're looking at August, which is still our high season since most kids are not back in school until September! Another note.......August can be very hot! By the way...........congratualtions!

fjs08

Hi,
1.) Which resort on Kaanapali would you recommend for: a great, wide stretch of beach, with chairs, wonderful pools<<

Sheraton fits all of this.

>>swim-up bar<<

Haven't seen this at the Sheraton. Currently, once you get south of the Westin, Kaanapali beach has been eroded by "changing currents," as I was told, so you can't really play on the beach there. The Marriott and Hyatt are in this stretch of beach.

>> restaurants/shopping within walking distance.<<

Sheraton or Westin fit this also. Short walk up and down the beach walk to any of the restaurants along Kaanapali Beach. We went from the Sheraton to the Hyatt in 20 minutes. Nice walk too. Plus Whaler's Village is in the middle with restaurants and plenty of shops. Lots of people, so it's a hub.

Wailea is a lot quieter. They roll up the sidewalks at 9pm. More upscale restaurants available quickly and within walking distance in Wailea. You'll run into only about 10% of the people walking the Beach walk in Wailea vs Kaanapali.

Also, if you have a car, you can access the restaurants and shopping in Lahaina and Kapalua, if you are staying in Kaanapali. Only a 5 minute ride. Wailea is about 50 minutes away from Kaanapali.

>>Also, beach must be swimmable.<<

Wailea and or Kaanapali from the Westin to Sheraton are great. Wailea is a much tamer shore than Kaanapali.

>> Sheraton, Hyatt, or Westin.<<

Sheraton and Westin are Starwood properties. Get a Starwood usually has specials. Hyatt is now advertising that they'll beat any "priceline" type rate. Who knows though??

>>Wailea with maybe more of a quiet, romantic feel...<,

Wailea is the spot. Kaanapali is in the hub. More going on, more action, but not as quiet.

4-Seasons or KeaLani are great is you are looking for quiet. Grand Wailea has an adult only pool which is very quiet and they have a great swim up bar. The swim up isn't in the adult area though, but it is one of the best I've seen.

>>2.) How is the snorkeling in Maui?<,

Personally, I'd pick Wailea. From the Grand Wailea you can walk 10 minutes to Ulua Beah. Great snorkeling right off shore. Very good for a first timer too. Black Rock is nice, but not as nice as Wailea. You can also get booking on one of many snorkel day trips. There are discounters like Tom's Barefoot or something like that or check out Trilogy or Paragon on-line.

>>hoping to see green turtles, rays, <,

Saw some big turtles and rays at Black Rock last week in Kaanapali.

>>observe some dolphins in their natural habitats, maybe by boat?<<

Youu may see some spinner Dolphins run with the snorkel boats.

>>beautiful beaches, sunsets, etc...)<<

It's all Hawaii. Maui has some great one's.

>>In terms of restaurants, is there a good variety (i.e. cheap and casual to romantic and pricy...)<<

I would think more options open up in the Kaanapali area. Everything from Bubba Gump's in Lahaina to the Plantation House in Kapalua, with everything in between. Many places duplicate between the areas too. You'll find Sansei's sushi, Roy's (Yamaguchi), Longi's, Cheesberger in Paradise in both Wailea and Kaanpali/Lahaina/Kahana/Kapalua area.

>>And am I better off booking plane or hotel first?<<

Personally, I do air first because I can put a reservation on hold without laying down a credit card. Most of the resorts hold only with a card.

>>If we do go to another island, which would compliment Maui and why? <,

I've only been to Oahu and Maui, but talking to many of the honeymooners by the pool, almost all wish they'd have done only Maui. But that's, I'm sure dependant on what you are looking for in the other islands.

Frank

Troop

AUGUSTLILY,
MAKE A DECISION ALREADY!!!!!!!

augustlily

Frank, thanks, your info. is great and very helpful!

Troop -- your comment was not.

julesj66

I just got back from Maui a few days ago. (see trip report 2 pts 10-1-8). We swam with turtles our last day there at Black Rock (by the Sheraton) in Kaanapali. I've been to Kauai and BI as well w/family but enjoy Maui more all around. My husband & I like the Hyatt but the beach there is not great (the pool is, there is a bar in the grotto area of the pool, but it's not quite swim up, you do have to get out of the water (but you can get right back in) We walk down toward the Sheraton for beach swimming & snorkeling (passing by Whalers Village for lunch & shopping). We like being near Lahaina for the many diff. dinner options many of which are not too expensive. Wilea is quite grand as well...We always make a point of driving to Makena (@ 1hr from Kaanapali) just to go to "Big Beach". All of Hawaii is amazing but we love Maui the best. Enjoy & congrats!

Gabriel2003

Aloha!
We just returned from Maui and have visited Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island.
I love Maui! It has a combination of Kauai and Oahu. Beautiful snorkeling, great golf courses and some night life.

As for snorkeling, we did a kayak trip with Maui Kayaks and they were awesome!
The snorkeling sites were the best we have ever experienced. (We have snorkeled in Fiji). They use dry snorkels that you may like if you haven't snorkeled before. This company only takes out small groups and the guide was informative and made us laugh!
We did swim with dolphins and turtles as well. We are novices in paddling, yet we run and work out quite a bit, so the paddling was a great work out for us.

This guide, Rich, turned us on to a couple of places for dining, Sarentos (pricy) and Da Kitchen (cheap local food). He even suggested Spagos at the Four Seasons resort and that was delicious. Live Hawaiian Jazz music at the Four Seasons lobby.

I did go to the Grand Wailea and there is a swim up bar and nice grounds. Yet we stayed at a Starwood resort (we're Starwood members) and we had reciprocity to use their 2 other resort grounds while staying there. (We stayed at the Westin). The Westin has the best pool grounds and an adult section (just in case you want some peace and tranquility). Their waterslide was fun. My wife and I felt like kids all over again.

We did hike the East side of Maui and that is beautiful! We went on a tour and the guide was similiar to Maui Kayaks. Informative, fun and really cared about safety. (Maui Troopahz).

We booked our travel arrangements on our own and found some great deals via Hotels.com.

August should be perfect for Maui!

Have a great honeymoon!
Aloha,
Gabe

freewoman

The Big Island is my favorite of all Hawaii. It has so much diversity that you will not find on any of the other islands. Before I went there the first time, people told me that the volcano was the only thing there to see and do. WRONG!!!! I can't impress enough how much there is to do there and had to go back the second time to cover all the things I had not done the first time.

I could truly move there in a heartbeat!! Don't rule it out.