gouda and gigondas

Maui… Just the mention of it sends my mind adrift with images of palm trees and soft breezes, relaxed and engulfed in the scent of coconut oil.  It’s not your typical go-go-go destination.  On the contrary, it’s all about relaxing down to your core, warming slowly in the sun and reconnecting with oneself.  Maui is perhaps my favorite destination on this planet where I like to close my eyes and just “be”.  I’m sure if I lived on the East Coast, some little Caribbean island would occupy my daydreams.  Or if I lived in Europe, maybe one of the Greek isles would beckon my soul.  Surely, there are many beautiful, relaxing, tropical locales to be found on this spinning globe.  But since I live in Seattle, and Hawaii is a quick hop, skip and jump from my home, Maui has become my tropical destination of choice.

My first visit to this beautiful island was fifteen years ago and I was in my mid-twenties.  Even then, I was more drawn to the quiet, relaxed enjoyment of a destination, rather than the party scene.  Good food and warm sunshine filled my dance card, and every night I preferred to be fast asleep in a heavenly bed by the stroke of midnight.

With the gentle breezes, beautiful scenery and warm sun on my skin, Maui is simply a tropical paradise.  This probably explains why I have been back to visit five times over the past 10 years.  I am by no means an expert of this island, but I know what I like and have learned some tricks thru the years.

Towns and Attractions on Maui

Though Maui has evolved and, some say, “over-expanded”, the general areas of Maui and their respective draws have pretty much remained consistent.  The island generally caters more towards visitors and tourists on the West side, while the locals tend to populate the East.  Starting from the top of the island, the key tourist and resort areas down the west coast are Kapalua, Kaanapali, Lahaina, Kihei and Wailea.  You can find any type of lodging here from 5-star resorts to simple condo rentals to yurts!  But for me, I’m a resort kind-of-a-gal.

In general terms, Lahaina is the “downtown” area and it’s roughly in the middle of the island on the west coast.  It’s an old whaling town that offers some great restaurants (Lahaina Grill {formerly David Paul’s}, I’O, Longi’s, Gerard’s), some so-so chain restaurants (Hard Rock, Bubba Gumps), dance clubs, and tourist shops.   And sprinkled throughout all of these are the proverbial time share kiosks offering free local excursions in exchange for attending a presentation.  Oh yes, I’ve attended more than one time share presentation.

To the north, you’ll find Kapalua, a sleepy little golfing area with rocky beaches and home to The Plantation Course, the Ritz Carlton, and Merriman’s Restaurant.  You’ll also find Kaanapali, a conglomerate of resorts (Westin, Marriott, Hyatt, Sheraton) and restaurants, all connected by a long, paved walking trail that follows the beach and leads to Whaler’s Village.

Whaler’s Village is a moderately priced shopping area with typical island finds: sno-cones and local candy, Crazy Shirts and Tommy Bahamas, beach decor shops, sundries and other touristy items.  There is also a Pearl Factory kiosk, which can be found all over Hawaii, selling raw oysters that will be opened before your eyes, hopefully revealing a fresh water pearl inside.  My kids spend all their money here.  My son even paid for multiple oysters, just trying to see if he could get two that matched, in hopes of turning them in to earrings for a little girl he liked in 3rd grade.  We still have them some where.

Moving on… south of Lahaina, you’ll find Kihei and Wailea.  Kihei is a fairly busy area.  It’s more of a moderately priced area of the island and features public beaches that are fairly crowded. Wailea, in contrast, is very fancy, home to several great golf courses, high-end shops, upscale lodging and dining.  I would even say that Wailea caters to a somewhat older, more affluent, demographic, but that is likely because Wailea has traded in night clubs for golf clubs.  It’s quiet, relaxed and pretty.

Of all the choices on Maui, I highly recommend you concentrate your vacation in either Kaanapali or Wailea.  Here’s why:

Kaanapali

Kaanapali has a lot to offer both families and couples who want a quieter experience, but one still packed with conveniences, great beaches, snorkeling and people watching.  The beaches at the resorts along Kaanapali are well kept, offer good snorkeling up by Black Rock (Sheraton), are stocked with comfy cabanas you can rent out by the sea, and cater to you and your kids with food and drink options offered by friendly waitstaff.  The sound of children playing, a far off drum band and lapping waves will lull you to sleep in the sun.  It’s the perfect balance of relaxed, but not too remote — a little something for everyone.

My favorite places to stay in Kaanapali are the Westin and the Kaanapali Ali’i.  They are neighboring properties, so they have essentially the same beach experience.  The Westin is your typical 5-star property with a fun water slide and pools for the kiddos, outdoor dining, live music, a sno-cone bar and pretty koi ponds.  This is not to be confused with the Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas, which is further north and is a timeshare property.  The rooms are nice enough at the Villas, but the distance from the lodging to the actual beach is a major trek.  The Kaanapali Ali’i is a different experience entirely, as it is not a hotel, but a condo building.  This is only recommended if you are traveling with young children, as everyone staying at the Ali’i has kids in tow.
www.westinmaui.com

At the Ali’i, we rent a fully furnished unit that has 3 bedrooms, an updated kitchen with all the amenities, and a lanai that looks out to the pool and the ocean.  From our couch we can watch whales jumping in the sea!  It’s perfect because the pool is very nice with multiple areas of play and is bordered by a covered lounge area, several flat screen TVs, and about a dozen large stainless steel grills.  For busy parents who have a hard time rounding up kids and going to a sit down restaurant every night, this offers you the ability to BBQ your meals down by the beach while the kids continue to swim.  Everyone sits down in dripping swimsuits and enjoys dinner, throws away the paper plates and plastic utensils, and continues enjoying the day.
www.kaanapalialii.com

Perhaps the thing I like most about these two properties is that the pool is just off of the beach — separated only by a low hedge.  So you can keep a close eye on your kids, whether they are boogie boarding in the ocean or playing Marco Polo in the pool.  Most other properties we’ve stayed in on the island do not offer this experience, as building codes and requirements have changed thru the years, prohibiting such proximity to the beach (i.e., Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas).  Therefore, you usually have to choose one experience or the other, instead of both at once — a major drawback!

The other major advantage to these properties is that you can walk five minutes up the paved and well-lit path along the beach to Whaler’s Village, where you can find restaurants, sandy barefoot bars with live music, cute shops and services, frozen yogurt and more.  As a parent, it’s ideal to walk five minutes up the path for these conveniences than to pile the family into the car to go find them each day.  In fact, we barely use the car during our vacation, except to explore.
www.whalersvillage.com

Wailea

Wailea is located in a beautiful part of Maui, down on the southwestern tip.  It is a much more residential area, but has a few of the best hotels, great golf courses, a tennis club and high end fashion at The Shops at Wailea.  I have heard for years that the absolute best place to stay when in Maui is at Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort.  But every time I try to book a stay, they are always sold out well in advance.  Furthermore, rooms start at $700, and up, per night, during busy seasons, and when you need two of them, like our family does, it packs a punch.  It is certainly a beautiful property and has perhaps the best spa on Maui (which I have personally enjoyed several times), so if you like to be pampered and are lucky enough to find a room, this is the place!
www.grandwailea.com

Another great hotel in Wailea is the Kea Lani, a Fairmont property.  I have stayed in this 5-star, all-white-building property (think Mykonos, Greece) and just loved it.  The white sand beach is very tiny, however, and it is slightly more windy down here than up north in Kaanapali.  But the food is always excellent at Nick’s Fishmarket and the property itself is very grand and massively laid out.  Every room is a suite and the huge, marble bathrooms are quite luxurious.  If you want a nice resort experience down in Wailea, and are traveling without children, this is the one for you.
www.fairmont.com/kealani

For the active traveler, great golfing, tennis and dining can be found at the Wailea Golf Club.  I played 18 holes here back in 1996 and the views were breathtaking from almost every one!  There were many encounters with the nene, Hawaii’s state bird (a goose), as well as other native wild life sightings, and they offer a slightly discounted rate if you start your play after noon.  Joe’s, which sits just above the 11-court tennis complex, offers panoramic views of the ocean and delectable gourmet food by Chef Bev Gannon, a 2004 James Beard award winner.
www.waileagolf.com

Regardless of where you call home during your stay on Maui, here are a few experiences you MUST commit to…

Mama’s Fish House

Oh my, this is the BEST food on the island, and perhaps anywhere in Hawaii.  Mama’s, located on Maui’s North Shore, features fresh fish dishes daily, such as Mahimahi, Opah, Ahi, Lehi, Opakapaka and Ono, all prepared and gently sauced to perfection.  The freshly squeezed juices make their cocktails utterly divine!  And, as if the 5-star foodie experience wasn’t enough, the view, beach and wild crashing ocean out front will make you stop and stare with your mouth agape for longer than it takes to read this post.  Trust me — do NOT miss this and get reservations as soon as you know you’ll be in Maui.  I’m told this was a favorite for the cast of “Lost”, who dined at Mama’s almost nightly!
www.mamasfishhouse.com

Hali’imaile General Store

Perched in a pineapple field, a bit off the beaten track (mid-way down Haleakala Hwy), the “General Store” is actually a wonderful little restaurant featuring fine American food with an Asian twist.  Fresh, local and tasty dishes excite your eyes and nose, entering your soul, the second you walk thru the door.  The next thing you’ll notice is how busy they are and wonder where all these people came from??  After all, you probably had to pull over and consult your map a few times before finding this place, confident you must be lost or that the island had been deserted.  Suddenly you’re fighting for the last 4-top and wondering why your husband didn’t make reservations?!  Forty-five minutes later, all is right with the world as you enjoy the most delectable pulled pork sandwich and glass of Oregon Pinot, vowing to remember next time… make a reservation!  Don’t miss this one.
www.bevgannonrestaurants.com/haliimaile/

Road to Hana

I wish I could say I had an amazing experience with this, but it was a major bust.  I’m adding it to the “must see” list because everyone claims it’s a spectacular experience, and I can see how it really could be, at least when the island isn’t having a dry spell.  We had to learn the hard way that the long and windy “Road to Hana”, normally alive with roadside waterfalls and beautiful vistas, can be quite unspectacular when everything is dried up.

We set out on the drive, with four kids in tow, our handy CD guide in the player, and eyes wide with excitement.  After the first two stops where the CD boasts of beautiful pools of water and gushing falls, we knew we were in trouble.  Sure, everything was green, but there was no water.  We continued on the entire drive like that, finally ignoring the mile marker signs and the guide altogether, with just one quest, making it to Hana.  Arriving there after dark, there was but one restaurant open for dining.  Four starving kids burst thru the doors, fought for the bathrooms, and then gratefully inhaled the most disgusting deep fried burritos and jo-jos I have ever seen.  Piling back in the car for the three hour drive back to our hotel, we knew it would be years later before trying this again.  Bust!  But I’m sure you’ll have a much better experience after reading this post…

Snorkeling with Trilogy

A great way to spend a day in Maui is out on a catamaran, cruising over for a snorkel trip at Molokini.  Molokini is a small volcanic crater just off the southern tip of Maui, easily visible from the beaches of Wailea.  It is home to over 200 species of fish, as well as barracudas, turtles, and other sea life.

Thru the years, we have tried most of the snorkel companies, and have never had a bad experience.  But our favorite, by far, is Trilogy.  Trilogy just has newer, cleaner, pretty catamarans, they serve delicious cinnamon rolls and Kona coffee, and the crew is professional and has an outstanding attitude.  But take note: they do not serve any alcohol.  This is not a “booze cruise” as some of the other companies are known as.  Trilogy is also priced slightly higher than the competition, which is why we shopped around thru the years, but with Trilogy, you absolutely will not be disappointed.
www.sailtrilogy.com

If catamarans out to sea are not your kind of thing, consider renting some snorkel gear or a boogie board in town — we like Snorkel Bob’s — for a fraction of what you’ll pay at the resorts.  Rent it for the week and try out multiple beaches around the island (Snorkel Bob’s will give you a handy map).  Another great resource is Maui Dive Shop!
www.snorkelbob.com
www.mauidiveshop.com

Best Month for Travel

Lastly, the best time to travel to Maui, in my opinion, is in the month of February.  The annual whale migration occurs every year from mid- to late-September and lasts thru early May.  So you are guaranteed a plethora of whale sightings during one of the best months for travel here.  It is obscene how many whales you will see here!  I am not lying when I say it is difficult to take a picture of the water without seeing some part of a whale in the background.  Take these for instance:

Every year, over two million people visit Maui.  If you’re lucky, maybe someday soon, one of those people will be you!

Happy Dance Time!