Hi everyone,

Maui sounds wonderful but many talk of it being congested and busy. Does anyone have any recommendations on an area to stay that has good, safe swimming beaches, maybe snorkelling but is also relaxing and quaint?

We will be visiting Hawaii for three weeks in February and thinking about splitting time between Maui (for the beaches) and the Big Island (for the volcanoes). We are a family with kids (5 and 7 years) and a moderate budget (hopefully nice, small inn or B&B or smaller condo) for under $125.

Advice on accommodations in Maui and the Big Island would also be appreciated.

Thanks very much.

Connie

Do you have to go to Maui? For good, safe swimming beaches, snorkelling, peace and quiet for relaxing there is no better place than Molokai

Hi Connie:

We have stayed twice at the Volcano Guesthouse on the Big Island. There are various cabins to choose from, with about $110 for the most expensive. They are clean and well-maintained. We stayed at one of the Twins, which for $95 slept four (separate bedroom and two twin beds in living area). It had a full kitchen, dining table and lanai. The cabins are located two miles from the National Parks entrance, which is a blessing after long days at the park. They are surrounded by lush vegetation and very quiet. The owners offer treats in the common area such as fresh fruit, cereals and other breakfast staples.

Here's the link http://www.volcanoguesthouse.com/. The website has floorplans and pictures. We reserved by phone.

Have a great time at the Volcanoes National Park!

The posters who live on Maui can give you better info on which beaches are likely to have good conditions in the winter, but I would recommend looking into the Napili area, or perhaps the Maui Prince Hotel which is located past the Wailea Hotels in Makena. It is on a gorgeous beach. Napili is populated mostly with smaller, older condos and low key hotels.
-Bill

Thanks for replies - volcano guest house sounds interesting, I'll check it out.

And, no, we don't have to go to Maui, but we do want a mix of activities and relaxing so I thought perhaps Maui would suit us. Do you think a combo of Molokai and the Big Island would give us a good taste of both activities and just hanging out?

This is actually the start of a six month trip including the south pacific so we will have lots of beach time in the months to come. We thought that Hawaii would break up the flight to New Zealand and also help wind us down so to speak to start the holidays.

We have also considered Kuai as a good choice (actually all of the islands sound good) so we are still open to suggestions.

Thanks again!

Connie

If you are looking for less congestion, I would also suggest Kauai. We spent one week on Maui and one on Kauai and Kauai was definitely the quieter of the 2 Islands. Traffic was lighter and easier to get around also. And the beaches are wonderful on Kauai.
Sounds like you will be having a wonderful, tropical 6 months. Enjoy!

Go to Hana. It doesn't get any more relaxing and quaint than that.

For Maui I would recommend Wailea area........I would also recommend Kauai over Maui if you had to pick one. Kauai is much less congested.

I think your idea of splitting your time between Maui and the Big Island is perfect. I love Maui best but after that The Big Island is great too. I love the diversity of the Big Island. You might consider looking into a condo rental in Wailea, Maui at Grand Champions. Try VRBO.com Have a great stay!!

Wailea is a great area of Maui. Grand Champions is off water and very large. Gale owns a condo there so weigh her advice with that in mind.

Lex1
What is your problem??????? Gale says she thinks the poster made a good decision planning to split their time between the two islands. She says she likes Maui and Hawaii. She says the poster might want to check out Grand Champions. Whether she owns a unit there or not (and I'm not convinced she does merely by your sayso) she is not expounding on the virtues of Grand Champions. My wife and I have stayed at Grand Champions four or five times in the last eight years or so. We love the place. We always rent the same unit on the golf course side and love the view from the lanai as well as the unit itself. "Maui Revealed" loves the place and calls it a real bargain. Hope you're having a better day than the day you wrote the previous post.

Jimabc: I have no problem other than the apparent conflict of touting a condo one owns without disclosing the ownership. Don't take my word for it. Click on her name and review the numerous references she has made to the complex. Gale has declared she owned a Maui condo. 08/17/03. See Vrbo.com #38255, which she has specifically recommended, without disclosing she owns it. See her post of 07/05/04. She regularly touts the complex, down to her suggestion that the poster look for a unit on the golf course [like, err, #38255]. Coincidence? Doubtful. Gale neglects to disclose the relationship when she repeatedly recommends the complex. And, it violates the spirit, if not the rule, regarding noncommercial use, of the Fodor site.

If the facts are accurate with regard to Gale promoting her own condo under the guise of an unbiased endorsement, then I fully agree with Lex1 and Hmmmm.
Not only is it unethical but advertising is also prohibited by Fodors rules.
Gale, why don't you clarify the status of your ownership at Grand Champions?

I would take a look at some of the condos at Napili Bay. As someone mentioned above, it is mostly low-rise condos around a nice crescent beach. We honeymooned there (exactly 16 years ago, as a matter of fact) and really liked it a lot. It was very relaxing. I went back for a brief visit while on Maui earlier this year, and it really doesn't seem to have changed much.

It looks something like this (from March of this year):

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...28882680IFARqp

I'm not sure what the beach/surf is like there in February, but it was great when we were there in November. We had our best snorkeling experience right off the rocks at Napili Point.

Wailea is lovely, too, but I'm not sure what options there would be in your price range.

Jimabc: Don't get me wrong. I love Wailea. I have viewed and considered Grand Champions (GC). That's how I noticed "Gale." My concern is with an apparent undisclosed conflict of interest.
The body of Gale's work touts and describes or provideds links to sites describing an owner direct rented one bedroom lower floor corner partial ocean view GC unit on the 17th fairway of the Wailea Blue Course. She acknowledges owning a Maui condo rented through vrbo.com ( 07/05/04, specifically suggesting unit 38255 and 05/29/04)[see mauihawaiicondo.com; ownerdirect.com; grandchampionsvillas.com all referenced by her]. She responds to queries concerning other properties in other parts of Maui with kind suggestions to try GC (07/27/03 and 09/14/04). She apparently hails from the New York area (11/02/03), as does the owner of vrbo.com unit #38255. I hope I am wrong, but that would entail believing that she is so infatuated with the GC unit that she touts it over the condo she acknowledeges she owns on Maui that she rents through vrbo.com. If so, my deepest apologies.
If I'm right, then Fodor's rules concerning noncommercial use are being circumvented and readers are getting reviews that are not forthright.

make that the 7th fairway.www.vrbo.com, #38255. sorry.

Thanks everyone for the input. After much thought, we've decided to stay on the Big Island for the whole three weeks and really soak that in. I'm sure we'll be back for Maui next time!

Thanks again,

Connie

Have a great trip. Hope you get to see and enjoy a snorkel at the Cook monument, the green sand beach and the feral donkeys, all highlights. Remarkable vistas.