Here are seven things to love about Maui, Hawaii. Know you are probably thinking “only seven?” Of course there are many more.. these were just my favourites!
RELAXING
Obviously the whole point of booking a trip to Maui would be to relax! We stayed at the beachfront Royal Lahaina resort so of course we did lots of relaxing. Either on our exclusive 800m section of Kaanapali beach or by one of three outdoor pools…
SNORKELING AT MOLOKINI
Molokini is a partially submerged, crescent shaped volcano crater. It is a popular snorkeling and diving spot. We caught a boat out there from Lahaina harbour.
We have breakfast on board and enjoy the leisurely cruise out to the crater. Water is really blue, super clear and we can see all the way to the bottom. Even from the top deck of the boat! When we arrive it is no different, quickly jump in to explore the under water depths of a volcano crater! See lots of colourful fish and interesting underwater scenery. Unfortunately my cheap knockoff underwater camera dies on location. So sadly no underwater pics, only have my mental snaps.
Spend about an hour in the water before it’s time to get back on board. After a head count it turns out we are one person short. Despite everyone being told to stay close to our boat – to avoid getting mixed up with other boat snorkelers. The missing person is located about three boats away. On the other side of the crater!
There is always one in every group, isn’t there? Now with everyone on board, we cruise to the next snorkel spot. Which is known to be frequented by turtles.
No luck spotting any turtles but still enjoy this second location which is a bit closer to the shore. We don’t spend as long here because our time got taken away whilst we looked for our missing snorkeler. Thankfully, at this spot they smartly stayed on board! Even with the close proximity to the shore it still has deep drop offs. It’s fun to explore the unknown world of under the sea.
Now it’s time to head back to the harbour so our snorkeling adventures are done for the day.
As we pull into the harbour, snap this pic, which is a nice welcome back to land!
ROAD TO HANA
The road to Hana is a long stretch of highway that is famous for it’s narrow winding roads, blind turns and distracting views. This road takes us all the way around to the other side of the island.
The plus sides-
– we see plenty of waterfalls
– black volcanic ash beaches
– some of the prettiest countryside imaginable!
The down sides-
– hanging on for dear life in the back of our tour bus, as we creep past slowly on one way dirt roads on the side of cliffs!
– tour is 15 hours long
– having to deal with the most annoying Jack Black wannabe tour guide for said 15 hours
After a big, long day finally arrive back at the hotel where we enjoy a much needed vino. Now we can brag about the fact that we survived one of the world’s most dangerous roads!
COOL CAT CAFE
To me burgers are synonymous with a day at the beach. Don’t know why but when I have spent the day in the sun and surf, I want a burger! This retro style diner cafe claims to have the best burger on Maui. So, naturally I had to try it.
They could very well be right! We both enjoyed our burgers and they were def one of the best I have ever had. Coming from a burger fiend like myself, that’s a pretty big deal!
MYTHS OF MAUI LUAU
No trip to Hawaii is complete without a Luau dinner and show. It just so happened that our hotel was the home to the Myths of Maui! A Luau for the uninitiated is a traditional Hawaiian buffet feast and show, set by the ocean. We are greeted with a shell/flower lei and watch the sunset, before the tradition of recovering the food from the underground hungis begins.
After the food is brought in it’s time to eat! Cocktails, beer, wine and soft drinks are included so it’s pretty good value for money.
Once we are all full, the show starts. It tells a story about a local family and includes song, dance, music and fire!
We had a great night and best thing is we didn’t have too far to stumble, to get back to our hotel room!
PINEAPPLES
One thing is for sure, Hawaiians love their pineapples! You’re sure to get your dose of this sweet, juicy fruit while on any of the Hawaiian Islands. Maui of course is no different.
SUNSETS
Oh, Maui sunsets are just the best! There’s nothing better than sipping on a cocktail, watching the sun slip away, over the ocean. I loved watching how the colours in the sky change. Seeing the day dissolve away into night is so beautiful and a great way to end a day on Maui!
These are my seven things to love about Maui, Hawaii. As I said there are many, many more! Depending on how long you visit for, will determine how much you get to love. A recommendation I do have, if you have the time is: Hire a car and drive the Road to Hana yourself. That way you can spend more time at the waterfalls, beaches or any other spot that takes your fancy. You could also stay overnight along the way to maximise your exploring time 🙂