kajebu

Just got back from Maui! It was amazing. Stayed in Wailea at the Marriot Outrigger. It's not the Four Seasons, but it was beautiful just the same. Everywhere we ate was fantastic except for Hula Grill in Ka'anapali and KKO's in Kihei. For a few bucks more, you can eat at much better restaurants with much better food and ambience.

Also, did the helicopter tour to Molokai on Sunshine Helicopters. I hate flying, but for some reason felt completely safe on their tour.

Went horseback riding with Maui Stables. That was a wonderful experience. The guides were great, the horses were well-trained and the scenery was breath-taking.

Hiked through the lava rocks in Makena. Met some people that live in the lava rocks (not quite sure if they were homeless or hippies). It was a long arduous journey, but enjoyable.

Of course, the absolute highlight was getting to see the last 2 remaining whales (a mama and her calf) on our sunset cruise.

Maui is a beautiful place. A week is not enough!

bonniebroad

kajebu, thanks for sharing your memories with us! Glad that you had a wonderful time. I agree with you about the Hula Grill, great location but the food could be better.

My sister, who was on Maui for seven weeks this past winter, mentioned that several homeless men were around the local Kihei McDonald's every morning, the first time she'd found that situation on Maui.

here_today_gone2Maui

According to DH there were homeless back in the 60's and has been always been. The homeless problem exisits everywhere, even in paradies. If you look closely you will entire families living in tents on beaches. There is even a community of homeless that has built yurts and dwellings out of found materials in the forest near Twin Palms. DH tells me they were there 30 years ago and now they are second and third generation.

Maybe they were more noticeable to your sister because they are being forced off the beaches and out of private land where they have been "hidden" from view.

bonniebroad

As I said, this past winter was the first time that my sister had SEEN these homeless people around the McDonald's... She wasn't commenting on whether or not there were, or had been, homeless on Maui before now. We were discussing it because, in the past, we had noticed the homeless in Hilo on the B.I., and near Lydgate Beach Park on Kauai, but nowhere that we'd been on Maui. Of course, the homeless are almost everywhere; it's just a sad fact.

pspercy

Re homeless etc; sometimes wonder why we don't see more there, after all house prices are outrageous; "affordable", according to a piece in the Maui paper last November, means $300K +/- and when so many work for hotels etc for crap pay and lousy benefits they're going to have a hard time unless there's a family place to live in.

stellaluna

how true: a week is not enough!! we stayed at the Outrigger in December. loved it. did you get a chance to sit in the bar area of Hula Moons and have a mango or passion-tini and one of those incredible pupu platters while the sun set over the ocean??