Maui is the best. The best place in the world. Although I live in Michigan, I have been to Maui many times. This paper contains my suggestions to help you get the most out of your trip to paradise. Here you will find loads of helpful hints about the many wonderful sights and restaurants and hotels and activities on Maui.
You can read or print the latest version of this Maui info paper, as well as find links to other Maui information, on my web site at
http://www.mauihawaii.org
Print out this entire paper. Use it to help plan your trip, and take it to Maui for reference. Make copies for friends going to Maui. Don't leave home without it!
If you have downloaded this Maui information file over your computer, from America Online, please note that you CANNOT read this entire file in the America Online program. It is too long to fit. If this file seems to be cut off before you get to the end, it is because you are reading it in AOL, instead of in your word processor. Please close the America Online program, and open your word processing program (such as Word or Works or Word Perfect). Then open this file (which is probably in your AOL/Download subdirectory) into your word processing program. From there you should be able to read and/or print this entire Maui file.
CONTENTS:
I can't give you page numbers, because this paper prints out on different numbers of pages, depending on how you downloaded it from AOL or the Web, and on which word processing program you use to print out the file. But here are the major sections of this Maui information paper, in the order you will find them:
Introduction
When to go
Overview of Maui
Updates
Agents and Visitors Bureaus
Frequent Flyer Points
Car
Coupons
View from the plane
Where to stay
Sections of Maui
Condo or hotel
Hotel & condo suggestions
Major hotels (table of facts)
The first things you need to know
Weather
Dress
Tours
Leis
Views of whales and of other islands
Other stuff you need to know
Sights and activities
Your first day on Maui
Beaches
Grand Wailea Hotel
Road to Hana
Hyatt Regency Hotel
Lahaina
Iao Needle
West Maui
Whale Watching cruise
Snorkeling
Haleakala Sunrise
Upcountry
Maui Ocean Center
Golf
Kahakuloa Valley
Pineapple Tour
Hike
Luau
Shopping
Free things to do
Cheap things to do
Rainy day activities
Restaurants
Restaurant tips
The very best restaurants on Maui
Expensive restaurants
Moderate priced restaurants
Inexpensive restaurants
Pizza
Brunch
Restaurants with good sunset views
Additional restaurants
Night life
Additional information
Books
Web pages
Weddings on Maui
Reference:
Phone numbers
Some quotes about Maui
All the Hawaiian islands you can visit
A little geology
Questionnaire
INTRODUCTION:
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GO TO MAUI:
It's ALWAYS a good time to go to Maui.
In the winter, there is more chance of rain on Maui than at other times of the year. But this is still the best time to go to Maui because you can escape from the terrible winter weather back home. And it usually only rains for a couple hours, once or twice per week. There are parts of Maui that get more rain (such as Hana and Kapalua), and parts that get less rain (especially Wailea). But Kaanapali Beach, my favorite part of Maui, does not get much rain either, and an hour or two of rain sure beats a week or two of snow back home. And winter is the only time to see the whales.
Christmas to New Year is the most crowded time and the most expensive time to go to Maui. Hotels can charge their highest prices this week, because they are usually completely filled with families traveling during the time school is out.
Summer is the hottest time on Maui, and also a good time for many families to bring the kids while school is out.
Spring and fall are the least-crowded times to go to Maui, so you can get the best package deals on hotels and condos.
OVERVIEW OF MAUI:
Maui is composed of two half-islands (east and west), joined by a wide valley. Maui is 48 miles long and 26 miles wide, or six miles at the narrowest point of the valley between the bays (728 square miles) (population 113,000 residents, plus 42,000 tourists). It is the second-largest Hawaiian island. Over 2 million tourists come to Maui each year. The airport you will come in at is in Kahului, in the northeast corner of the central valley. You can buy leis at a shop in the airport main terminal. [The code-letters for the main airport in Kahului are OGG, which honors an aviator named Hogg. There is a smaller airport in West Maui (Kapalua), but it only handles propeller shuttle flights from Honolulu. The code-letters for that small airport are JHM, which stands for John Henry Magoon, a pilot who was the president of Hawaiian Airlines when the Kapalua airport opened.] The Hyatt Regency, Marriott, Westin, Sheraton, Kaanapali Beach, Royal Lahaina and several other hotels and condos are on Kaanapali Beach, north of the town of Lahaina, on the west side of WEST Maui. Two of those hotels are much older than the others, and so are less expensive but also much less luxurious: Royal Lahaina opened in 1962 and Kaanapali Beach Hotel opened in 1964. (The Sheraton originally opened in 1963, but was completely rebuilt, not just remodeled, in 1996, so is now the newest hotel on Kaanapali Beach.) The Embassy Vacation Resort (formerly Embassy Suites) is about a five-minute drive north of the Kaanapali Beach hotels. The Kapalua Bay Hotel and the Ritz Carlton Kapalua are about 20 minutes north of Kaanapali Beach.
The Outrigger Wailea (former Aston Wailea and former Intercontinental), Grand Wailea, Renaissance Wailea (formerly Stouffer), Four Seasons, Kea Lani Suites and Prince are the main hotels in the Wailea area, which is the second-most-popular modern hotel section, and is in the southwest part of EAST Maui.
The roads you will drive on (between airport and hotels and restaurants) are excellent, modern, well-maintained and well-marked. The drive from the Kahului Airport to your Kaanapali Beach hotel is 30 miles and takes 50 minutes. The driving distance between the two main resort areas, Kaanapali and Wailea, is 36 miles and takes about 55 minutes. There are only a few roads on Maui, so it's easy to follow the map you get from your car rental agency, and you will learn your way around.
UPDATES:
Please send comments or questions via email to Derm1@aol.com. (Note that the fifth character of my email address is the number one, and not the letter I or the letter L.) I post an updated version of this file onto America Online and onto the Internet every April. The version you are reading was posted in March of 2000, based on information I learned during my trip to Maui in February of 2000. If your trip to Maui will be later than April of 2001, then you should read this version for now, but you should also download the next version of this file, from the Travel Section of AOL, or from my home page on the World Wide Web, http://www.mauihawaii.org again, after mid-April, 2001.
TRAVEL AGENTS AND VISITORS BUREAU AND MAP:
Suggested Maui service person to help you pick and reserve where to stay, or reserve your boat rides and luaus and other activities, reserve restaurants, reserve golf, buy tours, arrange guides, and arrange for any special requirements you may have: Kay Ryan ("Maui Kay") of Maui Vacation Consultants 1-808-669-0451 or email her at mauikay@maui.net or see her web site at http://www.maui.net/~mauikay/ For an amazingly low fee ($35 as of 2000), Kay will email back and forth with you before you arrive, send you a packet of info brochures about Maui, book activities in advance before you arrive if desired, meet you in your hotel or condo, spend an hour with you highlighting maps and answering questions and orienting you to Maui, and allow you to call her any time during your stay on Maui with more questions. (For an additional fee, Kay will even meet you at the airport with a lei greeting and a box of Maui goodies.) Another special service that Kay offers, is finding exactly the right condo or hotel for you to stay in. Since she lives on Maui and does this every day, she is very familiar with the many choices available, and will discuss your needs with you, to reserve the place that best fits your own needs and budget. This service costs you nothing, since Kay acts as a travel agent and gets her commission from the hotel or condo. Tell her you heard about her on Jon's Maui web page, and you can be sure she will give you great service.
For more information before you go, or after you arrive, call the Maui Visitors Bureau at 1-800-525-MAUI or 1-808-244-3530 or see their web site at http://www.visitmaui.com. For other islands as well as Maui, call the Hawaii Visitors Bureau at 1-808-923-1811.
While on Maui, stop in for info at the Lahaina Visitors Center, in the old courthouse behind the Banyan Tree in Lahaina. It's open every day 9-5. Phone 667-9193.
You can get a free map of Maui (and big informative color booklet) before you go, by ordering the Maui Vacation Planner from the Maui Visitors Bureau at 1-800-525-MAUI or 1-808-244-3530 or on their web site at http://www.visitmaui.com
FREQUENT FLYER POINTS:
Be sure to sign up for Northwest or United or American or Delta Airlines "Frequent Flyer Club" (or whatever airline you are flying) before you go. (It's free.) Both husband and wife should join. And speaking of that long and cramped and boring flight from home to Hawaii, always remember this: Getting to Hawaii from the east coast or the midwest
isn't a lot of fun but the hassle will fade to a distant memory when you wake up in paradise the next morning.
YOU NEED A CAR:
Be sure to reserve a rental car before you go. You will need a car to get around on Maui. Ask about AAA discount or AARP discount on your car rental, if you belong to AAA or AARP. Ask your travel agent about hotel or condo packages that may include a free rental car.
THE VIEW FROM THE PLANE:
On the flight from the mainland to Hawaii, 50 minutes before landing time, look for the Hawaiian Islands out the left side of the plane. First you'll see the Big Island, then Maui. Fifteen minutes later, see Oahu on the right side of the plane. Waikiki Beach is on the right just before landing. If you are changing planes in Honolulu, also see the brief section about Oahu on the second or third page from the end of this paper.
WHERE TO STAY:
WHICH SECTION OF MAUI TO STAY AT:
There are two major resort areas on Maui -- Kaanapali and Wailea. I prefer Kaanapali because it is more beautiful (lush green mountains), is very close to Lahaina (fun historic tourist town), and has more gourmet restaurants in the vicinity. However, Wailea has the advantage of slightly more sunshine, and is a quieter area. Kihei is another place you may consider staying. Instead of luxury resorts, Kihei has less expensive condos (mostly across the street from the beach), in more of a congested heavy-traffic town area.
CONDO OR HOTEL:
There are about 15 major hotels, and more than 100 condos, for you to pick from on Maui. The advantages of a hotel are: consistent quality of rooms, more elaborate grounds and pools, shops and restaurants in the building, more service (such as room service and bellman service). The advantages of a condo are: more space, larger rooms, kitchen for you to do some of your own cooking, and usually lower prices. Bear in mind that the quality of condo rooms varies widely, both from one condo building to another, and from one unit to another within the same condo building. In addition, some of the cheaper condos do not have air conditioning, so be sure to ask about that. Most condos will not let you reserve a specific room to be sure you are getting one of the nicer units. But if you book your condo through Maui Kay at Maui Vacation Consultants 1-808-669-0451 or email her at mauikay@maui.net then she can usually recommend and reserve a specific unit that she knows is one of the best in whatever building you and she select. (Tell her you heard about this special service on Jon's Maui Web Page.)
SOME HOTEL & CONDO SUGGESTIONS:
Do not pay "rack rate" (= list price) at any hotel or condo on Maui, or anyplace else! Always ask the hotel or condo, and your travel agent, for discounts, seasonal specials, weekend rates, holiday rates, AAA discount, AARP discount, and any other lower rates. Ask about package plans that include hotel and rental car and airfare.
These are my favorite places to stay on Maui (see below for other choices):
Hyatt Regency (808) 661-1234
Best hotel on Kaanapali Beach (my favorite area), with beautiful grounds and great location.
Grand Wailea (808) 875-1234
Best hotel on Maui, with nearly all ocean-view rooms, good service, and super elaborate pools and water slides. However, it is very expensive, and it is in the Wailea area, which I do not like as well as the Kaanapali area. When you make your reservation at the Grand, ask about "Grand Wailea Club" discounts for cheaper room rates.
Kaanapali Alii (808) 667-1400
Large luxury condo suites in great location on Kaanapali Beach, but not accommodating to young children.
Sheraton (808) 661-0031
Newest hotel on Kaanapali Beach (my favorite area), completely rebuilt in 1996, at great location.
Four Seasons (808) 874-8000
Quiet luxury in Wailea.
Ritz Carlton (808) 669-6200
Quiet, elegant luxury hotel a few miles north of Kaanapali, but not on beach, and more likely to be cloudy or get some rain.
Mahana (condos, not hotel) (808) 661-8751
One of the very few places where every room is oceanfront, so views are terrific. Studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom condos (including full kitchens), but no stores or restaurant in the building . Beach and pool are small and simple. About a ten-minute drive from the main Kaanapali resort area or 15 minutes from Lahaina. Built in 1975. You can get a discount on rooms there by booking through Dave Williams: email to Davewil3@aol.com and tell him you got his name from me (Jon's Maui web site).
A suite (820 square feet) for the price of a room. A couple miles north of Kaanapali, so not right in the main resort area, and not as good a beach as the Hyatt-Marriott-Westin-Sheraton area. You get a living room as well as your bedroom, but the cooking area has only a microwave and small refrigerator and sink, not a real kitchen. Free breakfast. NOTE: the Embassy Vacation Resort in 1998 converted about 157 of its 413 rooms into timeshares. This may make it less desirable as a vacation hotel.
If you want someplace less expensive than those above, there are dozens of other good condos and hotels to choose from. They are less luxurious, or not in as good locations, as those listed above. But they offer good value, and best of all, you are still on Maui! Here are just two of the possibilities:
Papakea condos (808) 669-4848
On the ocean, near a beach, a couple miles north of Kaanapali. Studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom condos. No air conditioning. Studio units here cost about one-third of the price of the big resort beach hotels (Sheraton, Grand, Hyatt, etc.).
Maui Islander (808) 667-9766
In the middle of the town of Lahaina, a 5-minute walk from the ocean, but you have to drive about 10 minutes to get to a beach. Hotel rooms here cost about one-quarter of the price at the big resort hotels on the beach (Sheraton, Grand, Hyatt, etc.).
The excellent book, Maui and Lanai, Making the Most of Your Family Vacation by Early & Stilson, can help you decide where to stay, especially if you want information about condos and smaller places that are not listed in my list of the major resort hotels (below). That book has information about each of 200 hotels, condos, and B&B's on Maui and Lanai. It includes descriptions, rates, and toll-free reservation numbers.
Major hotels (listed in south to north order)
Name
Location
Year Opened
# Rooms
Phone (808)
Comments
Maui Prince
Wailea
1986
300
874-1111
Isolated
Kea Lani
Wailea
1991
450
875-4100
Strange appearance, all great suites
Four Seasons
Wailea
1990
380
874-8000
Elegant quiet luxury
Grand Wailea
Wailea
1991
787
875-1234
Fantastic grounds & pools
Outrigger Wailea
Wailea
1976
516
879-1922
Former InterContinental
Renaissance
Wailea
1978
347
879-4900
Former Stouffer
Hyatt Regency
Kaanapali
1980
815
661-1234
Best hotel on Kaanapali Beach
Marriott
Kaanapali
1982
720
667-1200
Less expensive than Hyatt
Westin
Kaanapali
1987
761
667-2525
Elaborate pools
Kaanapali Beach
Kaanapali
1964
430
661-0011
Very old
Sheraton
Kaanapali
1963
510
661-0031
All newly rebuilt 1996
Royal Lahaina
Kaanapali
1962
540
661-3611
Very old
Embassy Vacation
north of Kaanapali
1988
413
661-2000
Partly timeshare, not great beach
Kapalua Bay
Kapalua
1978
190
669-5656
Quiet luxury
Ritz Carlton
Kapalua
1992
551
669-6200
Elegant luxury, poor location
THE FIRST THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW:
WEATHER:
Weather in the resort areas of Maui (Wailea and Kaanapali) is warm all year round. Winter high around 80; low around 63; ocean water 77. Air temperature about 7 degrees higher (and ocean about 3 degrees warmer) in summer. The most rain is in December and January, while the least rain is in June through September. When it rains in these areas, it sometimes only lasts 15 minutes, though it can rain all day in the winter. However, the weather can be completely different on another section of the same island: each island has a windward side that gets most of the rain. On the chance that you might get a rainy day, you could bring a small umbrella or light raincoat. Call 877-5111 or 871-5054 for Maui weather. If it is raining in your hotel area on Kaanapali Beach and you want to find a sunny beach, try going to Kamaole Sands III Beach in the south part of Kihei, where it rains much less. If it is raining even in Kihei and Wailea, go further south, past the Maui Prince Hotel and Makena, to Big Beach (Makena Beach Park), where it practically never rains. (Notice the cactuses beside the road.)
At 7:45 AM Monday-Friday, watch the detailed Maui weather forecast on Channel 12 on East Maui, or channel 54 on West Maui.
Hawaii weather web site: http://www.hawaiiweather.com
Maui weather web site: http://hawaiiweather.com/mwt
Typical Maui weather for each month of the year: http://hawaiiweather.com/mwt/mwt_wxmonth.html
The sun is intense here at about 20-degree latitude (similar to the latitude of Mexico City), so use at least a 15-rated sunscreen on all exposed skin every day, even if you're just going shopping or exploring.
DRESS:
Dress is very informal resort clothes everyplace. Guys do not need a tie or jacket in even the fanciest restaurants (but slacks and a shirt with a collar are advisable). It usually takes at least a couple days to get clothes cleaned at your hotel or at local dry cleaners. An exception is the 1-day service you can get at One-Hour Martinizing in the Honokowai Marketplace, near the Embassy Suites and Mahana, about two miles north of Kaanapali Beach (phone 661-6768). (Tell Jennifer, the owner at Martinizing, that Jon said "Hi.")
TOURS & ACTIVITIES:
Your hotel has a tour desk to help you with directions, maps, and tour & activity reservations. You can also use the tour desk in any hotel next door, and the maps you get from your rent-a-car company. You can call or go to make your own tour & activity reservations with Barefoot Cashback Tours (661-8889 in Lahaina or 879-4100 in Kihei), or Activity Warehouse (667-4000).
When considering which tour company to use for tours that go by van, such as the ride to the top of Haleakala or the ride to Hana (if you don't want to drive them yourself), bear this in mind: cheaper tours often use bigger vans with more people on your tour. If you pay more, you can usually get a smaller van with a smaller tour group, so you get more personalized service. Temptation Tours (877-8888) has comfortable vans with only 6-8 people, so it is more luxurious but more expensive. Ekahi Tours (877-9775) is moderate, with 13-passenger vans and mid-range prices. Polynesian Adventure (877-4242) has 25-passenger vans and is often the cheapest of these three tour companies.
When you are in the city of Lahaina, there are activity-arranging booths on the main street (Front Street) where you will be shopping, but be sure to avoid the "discount" tour sellers who require you to attend a time-share sales presentation. Do NOT attend any time-share sales presentation under any circumstances!
You can get lots of help with your tours and activities and luau and boats, or advance reservations before you arrive on Maui, through Maui Kay at Maui Vacation Consultants 1-808-669-0451 or email her at mauikay@maui.net.
You can hire a personal tour guide just for you, by calling Guides of Maui (formerly called Rent-A-Local) on Maui at 877-4060.
LEIS:
I know it's disappointing, but nobody will greet you with a lei on your arrival, unless you have paid for it in advance as part of your tour package. So buy a lei for yourself. They are available in shops at the airport (most expensive place to buy anything), or at florists, grocery stores (Safeway in the Cannery Mall, Lahaina), and even at KMart (near airport).
Make your fresh flower leis last longer by asking for a plastic bag to put them in overnight when you buy them. Each night, soak the lei in cold water for 30 minutes, then put it in a plastic bag, blow the bag up with air, and tie it shut. If there is a refrigerator in your room, put the lei in the plastic bag (tied shut) in the refrigerator. If you don't have a refrigerator, put a couple ice cubes in the plastic bag with the lei overnight. If you couldn't get a plastic bag when you bought the leis, soak them in cold water in the sink in your hotel room overnight (add a couple ice cubes).
THE VIEW OF WHALES AND ISLANDS:
Stand on the beach in back of your hotel and watch for whales (winter only). You may see a "blow" that looks like a gray puff lasting only a couple seconds; or you may see a black hump briefly surface, followed immediately by a split tail diving back into the water. From Wailea, Kaanapali, or Kihei, you are looking west. If you are on Kaanapali Beach, the island you see straight out is Lanai, about ten miles away, formerly covered with Dole pineapple plantations, now having two new small hotels. The island you can see part of, far to your right, is Molokai, about 25 miles away, a mostly undeveloped island with one hotel, mule rides, and a former leprosy colony. If you could see through the far-left tip of Molokai, Honolulu (on the island of Oahu) would be 85 miles away from Kaanapali Beach, to the west-northwest. You are 2,397 miles from the west coast of the mainland United States. If you are at a Wailea hotel, instead of Kaanapali Beach, then the larger of the two islands you see is Kahoolawe (used by the U.S. Navy for bombing practice from 1941 to 1990), and the tinier island you see is Molokini, a sliver of the top edge of an old volcano crater.
STUFF YOU NEED TO KNOW:
If you get tired of nature and want to see a theater play or concert, call 242-7469 for the schedule at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in Kahului (shows in the 1200-seat Castle Theater). Free tours on Wednesdays.
While driving in your rented car, listen to Hawaiian music on radio station KPOA, 93.5 FM.
Two munchies to try on Maui:
Kitchen-Cooked brand Maui Potato Chips
Taro Chips (also like Potato Chips; sold in small bags)
Hawaiian words and place-names:
There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet (A E I O U H K L M N P W). Actually, according to my computer and Hawaiiana expert Robin, there are two more letters in the Hawaiian alphabet: the okina ? (which creates a guttural break in the pronunciation of a word) and the kahako (symbolized by a straight line over any vowel, which elongates the vowel). Usually there are no silent letters, so pronounce every letter in each word.
When leaving Maui, sit on the left side of the plane, for a possible view of Kaanapali Beach just after takeoff.
Do not take the discount tour offers from time-share vendors. They put you through a high-pressure sales talk, to try to sell you extremely overpriced time shares.
PLEASE SEND ME A POSTCARD FROM MAUI. Address it to:
Jon Blum
Suite 330
32905 West 12 Mile
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
I would also appreciate it if you could fill out the questionnaire on the last page, and mail it to me. THANKS!
(If the last page questionnaire is missing from this copy, I would appreciate it if you could send me a note about what you liked best and least on Maui, whether it was on these pages or not. Also please tell me if you found any errors on these pages, or anything that needs updating.)
Sights and activities:
YOUR FIRST DAY ON MAUI
Pick up lots of free brochures about activities, sights, tours, restaurants, etc., in brochure racks at the airport, in your hotel, at shopping centers, or on the streets of Lahaina or Kihei. These great brochures, such as Maui Gold and This Week, are full of coupons and information about Maui activities.
Stock up on pop, chips, sunscreen, beach chairs, and other essentials at Safeway grocery store (Lahaina Cannery), KMart (Kahului, near airport), Longs Drugstore (Lahaina Cannery or Kihei or Kahului), ABC (many shopping areas), or Whalers General Store (in many strip malls).
LIFE'S A BEACH
When I think of Maui I think of scenery. But when most people think of Maui, they think of beaches. Here's what you need to know: All beaches in Hawaii are public. You can, and should, try out several beaches while you are on Maui. Don't only go to the beach in front of your own hotel or condo. Each beach is different and each beach is beautiful. Here are some beaches I suggest.
Kapalua Beach was rated as the most beautiful beach in the world a couple years ago. That was before they started building expensive condos that block some of the view from there, but it's still worth seeing. Park in the parking structure for the Kapalua Bay Shops (or valet park at the Kapalua Bay Hotel), and walk behind the hotel for some great scenery of waves crashing against the rocks. Then walk down to the beach at Kapalua Bay. Kapalua means "arms embracing the sea" which refers to the fingers of lava that reach out on both sides of this bay and block the strong waves from disturbing swimmers.
Kaanapali Beach is the "in place" to be on Maui; the place where the action is. Four great resort hotels (Sheraton, Westin, Marriott, Hyatt), a couple older hotels (Royal Lahaina, Kaanapali Beach), several condos, a shopping center (Whaler's Village), and a couple very good restaurants (Hula Grill and Leilani's) are located on this beach. There's a great snorkel spot at Black Rock (in front of the Sheraton). There are booths to rent all sorts of water equipment, and you can even get some boat tours on catamarans that pick you up right on the beach. Kaanapali Beach is my favorite place to stay on Maui.
Olowalu is a popular snorkeling beach. It's south of Lahaina on Route 30, at Mile Marker 14.
Kamaole III Beach is the best beach in Kihei. Kihei is a town crowded with condos, most of which are across the street from the beaches, rather than being ocean-front. It's a good place for families on a budget that does not allow staying at the big resort hotels.
Big Beach is also called Makena Beach or Oneloa Beach. You've got to see it, because this beautiful area is the last large undeveloped beach on the sunny sides of Maui. It's 3/4 of a mile long, with not one hotel or condo in sight. It's south of the Maui Prince (the southernmost hotel at the end of Wailea).
Ho'okipa Beach Park is the place to watch windsurfing. (The waves are too rough for swimming.) It's on Route 36 just past the town of Paia, on the north shore.
Never leave anything of value in your car or on the beach, since theft from beaches and rental cars does occur. Most Maui beaches have no lifeguards. Whether they are present or not, swimming in the ocean can be dangerous. You could drown. You could get cut by coral. Something could bite you. Swim at your own risk. (My lawyer made me say that.)
GRAND WAILEA HOTEL (875-1234)
If money is no object, you should stay a few days at the Grand Wailea Hotel. This spectacular resort, opened in 1991, has facilities and service superior to any of the other wonderful hotels on Maui. Your experience begins with a lei greeting, free drink, and personal introduction upon your arrival for checkin. The building and grounds are gorgeous, filled with art and flowers. The 787 rooms are spacious, high-tech and most have ocean views. The multiple connecting pools have slides and water elevator and caves like you will find noplace else. The 1,200 employees are friendly and anxious to please you. There are several terrific restaurants. If you don't want to spend $600 per night to stay at this place, at least take a walk around the grounds and see it. (No, you can't use the pools if you are not staying at this hotel.)
Restaurants in the Grand Wailea are: Grand Dining Room (Pacific Rim and French), Bistro Molokini (Italian), Humuhumu (Polynesian), and Kincha (Japanese). I recommend the Humuhumu restaurant for great bread, great fish entrees, and great sunset views.
They serve Sunday brunch and daily breakfast buffet in the Grand Dining Room, but I did not find those buffets to be as elaborate as the buffets I recommend on page 20.
ROAD TO HANA (ONE DAY)
Sign up at your hotel tour desk to take a tour consisting of an all-day ride to and from Hana. You can drive yourself instead of going on the tour in their van, but it is a difficult drive on a narrow winding mountain road. You will see many beautiful waterfalls of various shapes and sizes along the mountainsides. If you drive yourself, leave your hotel by 8 A.M., take a picnic lunch made by hotel Room Service, (or buy a take-out picnic lunch at Picnics (579-8021) in the town of Paia along the way), allow six hours to get to Hana (with stops to see scenery), and three hours to return (without stops). It's 81 miles from Kaanapali; the hard part (the Hana Road) has 617 curves and 56 one-lane bridges. You must drive back the same way you came, NOT by the unpaved desolate southern route. Hana itself is just a quaint small village, isolated from the rest of Maui by the mountain road. There is nothing much to see there. (Or you might run into Carol Burnett or Jim Nabors or George Harrison or Richard Pryor or see Charles Lindburg's grave.) The point of this trip is the sights on the road to Hana, rather than Hana itself.
If you have extra time, you can drive another 40 minutes beyond Hana to the beautiful "Seven Pools." (The name of Seven Sacred Pools has been changed to Pools of Ohe'o, so look for that name on signs.)
If you drive to Hana (rather than taking a van tour), be SURE to take along the excellent "Hana Cassette Guide." Call 572-0550 the day before you go, to reserve this and to arrange to get it (at their booth by the Shell station in Kahului, which you will pass on your way to the start of your trip to Hana). This is a tape recording (with a loaner tape player if you don't already have one in your rented car), that tells you what to see along the way, while you drive to Hana. You will see twice as many wonderful sights if you take this guide tape recording along. Another company offering audio cassette tours is Best of Maui (871-1555) (main office by Union 76 station in Kahului).
The day before you drive to Hana, call the Maui police at 244-6400 (or the Hana Branch at 248-8311) to find out whether there will be major road construction delays on the road to Hana.
HYATT REGENCY HOTEL (ONE MORNING)
If you are staying in a hotel on Kaanapali Beach, you are within a mile of the Hyatt. If you are staying in Wailea, you have to drive 36 miles to Kaanapali Beach. It's certainly worth the trip.
The Hyatt Regency Maui has a buffet breakfast every morning (not just on Sundays like some of the other hotels). The brunch is in the Swan Court Restaurant, in the Hyatt (phone 661-1234). Stuff yourself on all-you-can-eat omelets or pancakes, papaya, melons, banana muffins, cakes, pineapple, fresh fruit, bacon, eggs, crepes, fish, guava nectar, etc. Then wander around this beautiful hotel (opened in 1980) and see the large swimming pools with bar behind waterfall, penguins and parrots in the lobby, flamingos and flowers and exotic plants out back, and expensive oriental art all over the place.
LAHAINA (ONE DAY)
If you haven't spent a day in Lahaina, you haven't really been to Maui. From Kaanapali Beach, turn right onto the main road, drive for eight minutes (four miles), and go into Lahaina on the right. From Wailea or Kihei, take Route 31 north to the valley, then Route 310 across the southern edge of the valley, then Route 30 west and north to Lahaina (about 50 minutes drive from Wailea, but certainly worth the trip).
Lahaina is an old whaling port and tourist town loaded with many shops and restaurants. Spend the day walking through Lahaina, shopping and snacking. Rest under the giant Banyan tree (planted in 1873) at the south end of the shopping strip. See the Pioneer Inn, the original Lahaina hotel, in use since the whaling days of the last century. (The ten rooms at the Pioneer Inn were the only accommodations in West Maui until the first hotel on Kaanapali Beach was built in 1962.) Buy a Maui T-shirt. See the Omni Theater giant-screen movie about Hawaii. Visit Dan's Greenhouse (on Prison Street) to see the live parrots, piglets, chimps, and plants for sale.
Have a casual supper in Lahaina. I recommend Kimo's restaurant.
IAO NEEDLE (HALF OR FULL DAY)
Drive from your hotel to the Iao Needle. This is a 2,250-foot tall rock formation surrounded by lush green mountains, in the center of the west half of Maui, 22 miles from Kaanapali Beach. The road into the Iao Valley begins in the center of downtown Wailuku. Take an umbrella, since there is often a light steady drizzle there. Walk along the path from the parking lot.
There are four sights to see on the road into Iao Valley, before or after you go to the Iao Needle. I am listing them below in the order you would find them on your way OUT of the Iao Valley.
Hawaii Nature Center at 875 Iao Valley Road (phone 244-6500). Modern interactive science museum, with exhibits about Hawaiian flora and fauna. Admission $6. Open 10 AM - 4 PM. On the right side of the road, as you drive away from Iao Needle.
Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens, adjacent to the Hawaii Nature Center. Garden and architectural displays from five cultures that contributed to modern Maui: Chinese, Japanese, New England, Portuguese, and Native Hawaiian. Free. Open 7 AM to 7 PM.
Tropical Gardens of Maui (phone 244-3085). Beautiful gardens with gorgeous flowers and a wide variety of labeled trees from various tropical climates throughout the world. Owned and maintained with Aloha by Bernie Graham and her husband and her father. Admission $3. Open 9-5 Monday-Saturday. On the left side of the road, as you drive out of Iao Valley.
Bailey House Museum (phone 244-3326) run by the Maui Historical Society. Ancient Hawaiian artifacts, plus displays about the missionary times of the 1800's on Maui. Could be boring if you are not into this aspect of history. Admission $4. Open 10-4 Monday-Saturday. On the right side, just before you re-enter downtown Wailuku.
WEST MAUI (ONE DAY)
On your way to or from the Iao Needle, or on a separate day, stop at the Maui Plantation, on the Honoapiilani Highway in Waikapu. Call 244-7643, or ask at your hotel for easy directions (it's on a main road). This is a constructed site to show and teach tourists about Hawaiian agriculture. There is a tram tour showing you banana trees, sugar cane, guavas, pineapples, Macadamia nut trees, etc., plus a tourist shop and snack bar. It is interesting and modern, but commercial and artificial. It is more like Disney's Jungle Boat Cruise than like the more natural beauty you see on the rest of Maui.
On your way back from the Iao Needle or the Maui Plantation, turn right from the main road (just south of Maui Plantation), to drive uphill into the Waikapu golf courses. The view from the clubhouse area is beautiful, and includes the entire central valley of Maui, plus both the north (Kahului) and south (Maalaea) bays. The clubhouse is an interesting building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. (If the road to that Waikapu clubhouse at the top is closed, you can get most of the same view from the adjacent sandalwood golf clubhouse.)
Drive south along the main road after leaving the Iao Needle or Maui Plantation or Waikapu golf courses. Stop at the whale watching lookout point along the side of the road just after you get back to the ocean area. Look for whales. On a clear day, you can see the snow-capped peak of one of the two mountains on the Big Island of Hawaii (120 miles away) in the distant haze, behind the southern tip of Maui, from that scenic lookout. As you continue your drive toward Lahaina and Kaanapali, you will wind around the mountain on the south coast of West Maui. Notice the old Lahaina Road, above the current road, demarcated by an old stone wall. (The current road you are driving on was built in 1951.) Continue along the road around the south edge of west Maui, and watch for rainbows (in the afternoon) in fields and valleys on the right side (opposite from the ocean side of the road). If you haven't already seen Lahaina, read the section about it above and stop off there now. Otherwise, pass Lahaina, continue 5-10 minutes, and turn left into the Kaanapali Beach area. There are several hotels in a row, starting with the Hyatt Regency on the south end. Walk through the Hyatt grounds to see the Oriental art, live animals, and pools with waterfalls (see the section about the Hyatt above). Next take a stroll down the beach to see the less elaborate pools and waterfalls in the back of the Marriott Hotel, and then the spectacular multi-level pools and waterfalls in the back of the Westin Hotel. In the Marriott is a florist where you can buy leis. (Guys can wear one too.). Stop in to see some of the Kaanapali Alii condominiums ($600,000 to $1,900,000). All beaches in Hawaii are public, so you don't have to be staying at any of these hotels to spend an hour walking along the beautiful Kaanapali beach and seeing the islands of Lanai (straight out) and Molokai (on the far right) across the ocean, plus the poolsides of all the hotels. Shop at the Whalers Village shopping center in the middle of this row of hotels. A good place for lunch in Whaler's Village Shopping Center is Hula Grill or Rusty Harpoon. Continue your walk to the newly rebuilt Sheraton at Black Rock, where the snorkelers are watching the fish and vice versa.
See the RESTAURANT list below, and select one of the restaurants listed in the Whaler's Village for a casual supper. I recommend Hula Grill or Leilani's.
It is possible to drive all the way around West Maui because the road is paved all the way. However, I do not recommend driving the northern coast, because the winding mountain road is VERY narrow there, and can also be blocked by falling rocks or by rain. It takes one hour and 22 minutes to drive 34 miles from Kaanapali to Wailuku via the northern route, or just 35 minutes to drive the 24 miles from Kaanapali to Wailuku via the normal excellent roads of the southern route (assuming no traffic congestion).
WHALE WATCHING CRUISE (HALF DAY)
Ask at your hotel, or call Pacific Whale Foundation (879-6530) to find out the most convenient time and place to go out on a boat to see whales and dolphins blowing and jumping in the ocean (winter only). Boats leave from Lahaina and from Maalaea. The humpback whales start arriving in Hawaii in late November, and most are gone by the beginning of April. The number of whales are at their peak from January through March. During those months, you can see an occasional whale almost every day from your hotel lanai (balcony) if you have a good ocean view. Humpback whales come to Maui every winter, and so should we!
People often ask me where they can "swim with the dolphins." The answer is not on Maui. Your best chance is at Sea Life Park on the island of Oahu. They also offer it at the Hilton Waikaloa Hotel on the Big Island of Hawaii, but it's by lottery there and a lot more people ask for it than they have slots for, so most people do not get to do it there.
SNORKELING (HALF DAY)
There are risks to snorkeling, as with any ocean activity, but it's great fun. Rent your snorkel gear at Maui Dive Shop for about half the price they charge at the big hotels. Several branch stores all over Maui, including:
Kaanapali: Whalers Village shopping center on Kaanapali Beach 661-5117
Near the condos area north of Kaanapali: Honokowai Marketplace Shopping Center 661-6166
Azeka Place shopping center in Kihei 879-1919
Wailea Shopping Village 879-3166
If you've never snorkeled, ask about lessons at your hotel. A good place for your first snorkel is by Black Rock, next to the Sheraton Hotel. (Park at Whalers Village shopping center half a mile away, much cheaper than parking at the Sheraton.) A good place to take children for their first snorkel is Baby Beach, in the south part of Lahaina, because the water is usually calm at that beach. Other top snorkel spots on Maui are Mile Marker 14 (just south of Olowalu), Kapalua Bay, Honolua Bay, Makena Landing, and (a boat ride away) the island of Molokini. Ask for a free snorkel map at Maui Dive Shop or check out their web site at
http://www.mauidiveshop.com or call them at 1-800-542-3483.
HALEAKALA SUNRISE (HALF DAY)
Sunrise on Haleakala (elevation 10,023 feet):
Sign up at your hotel for a tour to the top of Haleakala, leaving between 3 and 4 A.M.! You will ride in the dark up to the top of this huge dormant volcano that makes up the bulk of east Maui. Wear heavy sweaters, winter coats, scarf, gloves, and every warm piece of clothing you have because the temperature two miles up is 30 to 40 degrees at sunrise, there is no heat in the observation building, and you will be out in the cold for about two hours. Also take along the blanket from your hotel room, to wrap yourself in. (You can drive up there yourself, but I don't recommend the unfamiliar mountain road in the dark. It's 64 miles from Kaanapali Beach and takes about 2 1/2 hours.) At the top, before sunrise, it is darker than you ever saw, and you will see more stars than you have ever seen. Sunrise is indescribably beautiful, with the sky slowly turning various colors, and the sun coming up over the ocean and clouds and volcano crater below you. You will look down on the clouds, and see the "Big Island" of Hawaii 120 miles away across the ocean. After sunrise, you stop at a couple observation points around the crater. Then you drive down the mountain in daylight and get great views of the central Maui valley below. When you get back to your hotel, go back to sleep until mid-afternoon. (There is a small chance of overcast clouds at the top of Haleakala that could ruin the view some days. Call 871-5054 for Haleakala weather.)
If you absolutely refuse to go up there for sunrise, the view at the top of Haleakala is also beautiful in the mid-day. You'll still get to see the multicolored volcano crater (that last erupted in 1790) and the views of Maui's central valley. Don't forget the heavy clothes, sweater, coat, scarf, gloves, etc., even in the daytime. Call 572-4400 for Haleakala National Park info. Park admission $10 per car. Free ranger talks in the summit building at 9:30, 10:30, and 11:30 AM.
On your way up for a mid-day or sunset trip to the top of Haleakala, stop off at the Sunrise Protea Farm (878-2119) to buy some snacks to eat during the drive or at the top. There are no stores beyond this point (about half way up). They've got muffins, cookies, sandwhiches, friut, pop, and ice cream. (Shop closes at 4 PM.)
UPCOUNTRY (One Day)
"Upcountry" is the part of Maui on the valley side of Haleakala. It includes a few small towns (Makawao, Pukalani, Haliimaile, Kula), gardens, ranches, the beginning of the road to the summit, and incredible views of the central valley of Maui. Because of the elevation, it is a little cooler in Upcountry than at the beach. It takes about an hour to drive to Upcountry from the resort areas of Kaanapali or Wailea.
Makawao is a small paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) town with several shops, and small art galleries highlighting local artists. You can eat at Casanova's Italian Restaurant (572-0220) or the Makawao Steak House (572-8711).
The best food in Upcountry is at the Haliimaile General Store (572-2666). It's open for both lunch and dinner.
There is also pretty good food at the Kula Lodge (878-1535), half way up the mountain, and you get a great view of the central valley from there.
There are three gardens in Upcountry that are open to the public. The Enchanting Floral Gardens (878-2531) costs $5, is easily the best of the three gardens, and is open from 9 AM to 5 PM every day. It has a half-hour walk through an extensive garden with a wide variety of tropical flowers and plants. The Kula Botanical Garden (878-1715) costs $4 and closes at 4 P.M. It has a half-hour walk through a smaller poorly-maintained and congested garden without as many flowers. The Sunrise Protea Farm (878-2119) is free and always open (though the gift shop closes at 4 P.M.). It has a 10-minute walk through a well-maintained tiny garden of multiple types of protea flowers.
As you continue driving further through Upcountry, stop for a giant cinnamon roll at Grandma's Coffee House in Keokea. Then pass the Ulupalakua Ranch, and stop at the Tedeschi Vineyards (878-6058) for a free tour and winetasting. (Tours are every half hour from 9:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M.)
After you look at the view down to Wailea and Kihei from the Tedeschi Vineyard, it's time to turn around and go back the way you came. (If you continue around the south side of Haleakala, you will get to a section with no paved road. Do not drive there.)
MAUI OCEAN CENTER
This new aquarium opened in March of 1998 at the south end of Maui's central valley. It takes about two hours to tour the exhibits about Maui's sealife, including live fish, sharks, turtles, rays, and others. Also very good Seascape Restaurant open for lunch and dinner. Call 270-7000 for information, or go to their web site at http://www.coralworld.com/moc
GOLF
I don't play golf, so I have no personal experience with the sixteen beautiful (and expensive) golf courses on Maui. However, a friend of mine who plays golf says that the best golf course on Maui is the Plantation Course at Kapalua. He says second-best are the Bay Course and the Village Course, also at Kapalua. A close third best are the North and South courses at Makena. He says the Kaanapali golf courses are not challenging enough.
There is less rain in Wailea and Makena than in Kapalua and Kaanapali. So if it is too windy or too rainy to play golf at the Kapalua courses, you may find better weather by driving 60 minutes (from Kaanapali) to play one of the two Makena courses (the North is more challenging than the South), or one of the three Wailea courses (Emerald is the most scenic and prettiest, compared to the Blue and the Gold).
You must have reservations at all of these popular courses, especially for the early morning tee times. You can make reservations for the Kapalua courses up to 4 days in advance (7 days if staying at Kapalua), by calling (808) 669-8044. Call early in the morning for the best choices, since they start answering the phone at 6 AM Hawaii time. If you're playing at the Wailea courses, the phone number for reservations is (808) 875-5111; and for Makena it's (808) 879-3344 (reserve those tee times up to 5 days in advance).
You don't have to stay in a Kapalua hotel to play golf at the Kapalua courses, or in Wailea to play the Wailea courses: you can stay anyplace and play golf anyplace. However, you do get a discount on golf at the course affiliated with the hotel you stay at. Another way to get a lower price on golf, is to start in the mid-afternoon instead of in the morning.
KAHAKULOA VALLEY TOUR
If you love Maui and want to learn more about what it was like before the white people arrived a couple hundred years ago, then this is the tour for you. It is a guided tour, including a long drive and a 1-hour guided walk, that takes you to an isolated valley on the north side of West Maui, where there are no hotels or condos. You will see unspoiled mountains and waterfalls. You will hear about the way the native Hawaiian people lived, from the time their ancestors first arrived on these islands in about the year 500 A.D. You will walk through taro farms, and meet some of the few remaining full-blooded Hawaiians, who want to preserve their cultural heritage. You can't go here yourself, because it is on private land, so sign up for this 6-hour tour with Ekahi Tours by calling 877-9775.
PINEAPPLE TOUR
Maui Pineapple Company offers a 21/2 hour tour of their pineapple fields in Kapalua (north of Kaanapali and Lahaina). You will learn all about pineapple growing, and you will be amazed at the wonderful taste of a pineapple that has been picked the minute before you eat it. And you get to pick your own pineapple to take with you. (Yes, Maui Pineapple Company still grows pineapples commercially on Maui, even though Dole has given up on growing them on the island of Lanai.) Call 669-8088 for information and reservations.
HIKE
I don't usually hike, but my wife and I did do part of the hike on the Lahaina Pali Trail in 1999. This is a 5-mile hike over the West Maui mountains. We only walked the first half mile uphill, and then turned around and came back down. It is a beautiful hike, with wonderful views of the mountains and ocean. Like us, you can do as much or as little of it as you like. To get to the start of this trail, look for a small dirt parking lot just off the main road (Honoapiilani Highway), just past Mile Marker 11 (just past an emergency call box, just past the first section of wire fencing screen on the side of the mountain), on your way from the Lahaina-Kaanapali area toward the central valley of Maui. Call 871-2521 for information and a brochure about the sights along the Lahaina Pali Trail hike.
I've been told that you can take a great guided hike through the rainforest or other beautiful parts of Maui with Hike Maui 879-5270. (See their website at http://www.hikemaui.com). There are also books about hiking on Maui at all of the bookstores on Maui. One of the best is Hiking Maui, The Valley Isle, by Robert Smith. You can get it before you go, at major bookstores or by ordering it online from http://www.amazon.com/. (There is a clickable link to order this book from Amazon, on the Books page of this Maui web site.)
LUAU (ONE EVENING)
There are several Hawaiian luau dinner shows available any evening. The food is interesting; the show has various Polynesian island dancers and music. Every tourist must go to one luau during their visit to Hawaii.
Places to call to ask about luaus:
Old Lahaina Luau 667-1998
Royal Lahaina Hotel 661-3611
Hyatt Regency Hotel 667-4420
Marriott Hotel 661-5828
Feast of Lele 667-5353
Maui Lu 879-5881
Maui Prince Hotel 874-1111
Renaissance Wailea Hotel 879-4900
The Old Lahaina Luau (my wife's favorite) is the most authentically Hawaiian, has the most beautiful oceanfront setting, has the most comfortable chairs (if you don't choose to sit on the ground), has the most old Hawaiian music, and has less touristy music than a hotel luau. It is at 1251 Front Street in the north part of Lahaina, across from the Lahaina Cannery Mall. The luau at the Royal Lahaina Hotel is my personal favorite. It has a good combination of authentic and touristy music and dance, with a beautiful sunset backdrop. I also like the luau at the Hyatt, because it is more showy, with the Hawaiian music that all we tourists love.
At the Old Lahaina Luau, and at the Feast at Lele, you are assigned to a reserved seat when you make your reservation, so the further in advance you buy your ticket, the closer you will sit to the stage. For most other luaus, there are no reserved seats, so the earlier you arrive that evening, the closer to the stage you can choose to sit.
The Feast of Lele is a new luau (started in 1999). It is more expensive than most other luaus, but its food is more elaborate and is served to you by waiters (instead of a buffet like the other luaus). It has just 150 people in the audience and just 8 dancers in the cast, so it is much smaller than the others. However, my wife and I and the friends we went with did not like it. We had long waits between dinner courses and long waits between segments of the show. Then the food courses and the show segments came at the same times, so we could not fully enjoy either one. We found most of the performers difficult to see from most locations in the audience, because the small cast was spread out and the stage was not significantly elevated.
For any luau, you can usually get a discount by calling for the best price at Barefoot Cashback Tours (661-8889 in Lahaina, or 879-4100 in Kihei) or Activity Warehouse (667-4000 in Lahaina). (Never get tickets to anything from anyone who asks you to sit through a timeshare sales presentation.)
SHOPPING
Four shopping areas I suggest:
Front Street in Lahaina
Little tourist shops for T-shirts and souvenirs and art
Whalers Village on Kaanapali Beach
Nicer tourist shops and restaurants
The Cannery on the main road outside the north edge of Lahaina
Sears and Liberty House and Penny's and about 90 other stores, plus food court
Biggest shopping center on Maui
Where Maui residents (not just tourists) shop
FREE THINGS TO DO
WHALE CENTER OF THE PACIFIC
Museum about whales in the Whalers Village Shopping Center on Kaanapali Beach.
HULA SHOWS AT SHOPPING CENTERS
Several shopping centers have free daytime hula shows once or twice per week. Call for days and times:
Wailea Shopping Village 879-4465
Whalers Village 661-4567
Lahaina Center 667-9216
Kaahumanu Center 877-3369
Wharf Cinema Center 661-8748
Lahaina Cannery 661-5304
Others (Ask at your hotel desk)
HULA SHOW AT KAANAPALI BEACH HOTEL
Daily at 6:30 PM. Call 661-0111 for information.
SINGERS SUNDAY AT KAANAPALI BEACH HOTEL
Sunday mornings BEHIND the buffet brunch room, outside and in back of the Kaanapali Beach hotel, sit at the round tables and listen to Herb & Dee Coyle sing contemporary Hawaiian music.
KEALIA POND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Walk around these quiet and peaceful wetlands in the south part of Maui's central valley, looking at the birds and maybe some turtles. Enter at mile marker 6 on Mokulele Highway (route 311) just north of North Kihei Road (route 310). Daytime only; closed weekends. Call 875-1582 for further information.
SHUTTLE BUS (some free and others cost $1)
Whalers Village - Kahana - Napili
Kaanapali Resort Trolley
Wailea
(Ask for schedule at your hotel)
SIT UNDER THE BANYAN TREE
In Lahaina, relax and watch the tourists and the locals. Meet artists there weekends from 9 AM to 5 PM.
OLD COURTHOUSE BUILDING
In Lahaina, behind Banyan Tree. Includes Lahaina Visitors Center (open every day 9-5), art gallery, and old jail.
ART TOUR
Friday night is art night in Lahaina. That day, or any day, walk through the numerous galleries there. The Lahaina Visitors Center (in the Old Courthouse behind the Banyan Tree) has a flyer with a map of Lahaina's art galleries with names of the artists featured in each.
You can also see beautiful art in the major hotels in the resort areas of Wailea, Kaanapali, and Kapalua.
MOONSET
For a beautiful sight, watch a nearly-full moon setting into the ocean, in a dark sky, with white moonlight reflected across the ocean towards you. The only time you can see this, is 1-3 days before a full moon, at 1-3 hours before sunrise. Look in the western sky, at about the same position that the sun has been setting. (On the day of a full moon, and in the next few days, the moon sets in daylight, and so you do not get the beautiful effect that you get by seeing it set in the dark, before sunrise, on the last few days before full moon. A couple days before full moon, wake up 20 minutes before the time the moon is due to set.) You can find out the date of full moon, and the time of moonset and sunrise, from home before you leave, on the Internet, by going to http://aa.usno.navy.mil/AA/data/docs/MoonPhase.html and to http://aa.usno.navy.mil/AA/data/docs/RS_OneDay.html (If you refuse to get up around 4 AM for the above spectacle, or if you are not on Maui at the right time just before full moon, then you can get a partial similar view by watching a first-quarter moon set into the ocean around midnight. Check the above Web sites for date of early moon phase.)
NIGHT SKY
Look up at Maui's clear skies any night, and see more stars and a different perspective than at home.
IAO NEEDLE
Huge rock formation in the middle of the West Maui Mountains.
TEDESCHI VINEYARDS
Free tour of Maui's only winery. In Upcountry. Call 878-6058.
SUNRISE PROTEA FARM 878-2119
Upcountry, near the base of Highway 378.
PETROGLYPHS
In Olowalu. Ask directions at the General Store. About a mile walk back into the fields, to see ancient rock carvings on a cliff.
WATCH THE WHALES
400 humpback whales come to Maui every winter. Watch them from the beach or from your lanai.
WATCH THE MAUI VISITORS CHANNEL
This cable TV channel has constant information about things to see, places to go, restaurants, etc.
PICK UP BROCHURES
This Week in Maui, Lahaina Guide, Kaanapali Guide and others available on racks in hotels and shopping centers.
SEE DIFFERENT BEACHES
Use the book of maps from your car rental company to drive around and see beaches on different parts of the island.
PLAYGROUNDS FOR KIDS
Kamaole and Kalama Parks have free swings, slides, and jungle gyms. In Kihei.
GIANT BUDDHA STATUE
Lahaina Jodo Mission has the largest Buddha statue outside of Japan. In the north part of Lahaina, (near the "Jesus coming soon" sign) turn off of Front street (toward the ocean) onto Ala Moana street, and immediately bear left, and look for the sign "Lahaina Jodo Mission."
TOURS IN THE HYATT
Sign up at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Kaanapali Beach, for their Art Tour and their Garden Tour and Lei & Basket-Making demonstration. (The Hyatt also has a great Astronomy Tour on the roof every night, with a guide and a telescope, but it isn't free. $20 and worth it.)
SEE THE FARMERS' MARKET
Early Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings in Honokowai, a couple miles north of Kaanapali.
WATCH THE SUNSET
It looks different each night, and it looks different from each vantage point. Watch sunset from a different place each evening: from your hotel, from a sunset-view restaurant, from the corner of Front Street and Papalaua, from S-turns park in Kahana, from Olowalu (just north of the Olowalu General Store), from Kaanapali Beach, from Wailea Beach, from the hills of Kapalua, from the top of Haleakala.
On June 21 (the longest day) the sun rises at 5:46 AM and sets at 7:11 PM. On December 21 (the shortest day) the sun rises at 6:59 AM and sets at 5:51 PM. However, depending on where you are watching from, the sun may rise later or set earlier if it is rising or setting behind a mountain or behind Lanai (an island about nine miles away). In addition, the sun rises earlier and sets later when viewed from the top of Haleakala, the tallest mountain on Maui, two miles up.
HISTORICAL SIGHTS OF LAHAINA
Take the self-guided walking tour.
PRINTING MUSEUM
Above Lahaina
TAKE A WALK ON THE BEACH
All beaches in Hawaii are free and public.
LAHAINA ART GALLERIES
Wander through the art galleries in Lahaina.
FREE SHELL LEI
At Hilo Hatties store in the Lahaina Center (behind Hard Rock CafΘ) in Lahaina
WATCH THE SURFERS
Riding the big waves in the afternoon, off Hookipa Park on the north shore, two miles past Paia.
DRIVE THE ROAD TO HANA
See section about Hana above.
WAIANAPANAPA STATE PARK
Four miles before Hana. Includes a black sand beach and some trails to explore.
PAPER AIRPLANE MUSEUM & TIN CAN MAN
Store and museum features collection of paper airplanes, planes and vehicles made out of pop cans, and historical Maui airplane photos. In the Maui Mall in Kahului, 877-8916.
TOUR REAL ESTATE
Look for signs announcing "Open House" at condos and homes all over Maui. Wander in and chat with the real estate agents about condos for sale. Dream about owning a condo on Maui some day. (Do NOT attend any Time Share sales presentations. Do NOT even consider looking at any Time Share property.)
CHEAP THINGS TO DO
KAHULUI SWAP MEET (50 cents admission)
The only bargains on Maui (T-shirts, jewelry, flowers, fruit, hand-painted shirts and dresses, and lots of junk) are at the Maui Swap Meet, on Puunene Street in Kahului, Saturdays, 7 AM - Noon.
Phone 877-3100 for info.
CIVIC CENTER CRAFTS FAIR ($1 admission)
Crafts and clothes sale in the Lahaina Civic Center (between Lahaina and Kaanapali) on Sundays.
MAUI NEWS
Buy the Maui News and read about restaurants, movies, entertainment, or even Maui politics.
WATCH A POLO MATCH
At Haleakala ranch. April through July only. Phone 572-4915 for information.
RAINY DAY ACTIVITIES
Shop at Maui's largest shopping center, in Kahului (ask at your hotel for directions)
(When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping.)
Lahaina Cannery Mall shopping and sometimes free hula shows
See the IMAX movie in Lahaina
Tour the insides of hotels in Wailea and Kaanapali
Numerous art galleries in Lahaina
Museum on the road into Iao Valley
Alexander and Baldwin Sugar Museum
Whaling Museum at Whaler's Village Shopping Center on Kaanapali Beach
Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center in Upcountry
Borders Bookstore at the Maui Marketplace shopping center in Kahului
Art school at Kapalua
Leisurely lunch and dinner at any of the restaurants listed in the restaurant section below
Ask at your hotel about the nearest health club or spa for exercise or relaxation
Rainy day movies: rent a video at your hotel desk (or ask them for the location of the nearest video rental store); go to a movie at Lahaina Cinemas (661-3347, in Wharf center across from Banyan Tree in Lahaina), Front Street Theaters (661-3347, behind Hard Rock CafΘ in Lahaina), Kukui Mall (244-8934 code 1609 in Kihei), Kaahumanu Center (244-8934 code 1609 in Kahului), or Maui's newest (1999) and biggest and most modern theater which is the Maui Mall Megaplex (244-8934 code 2004 in Kahului).
RESTAURANTS:
RESTAURANTS TIPS
A good choice at many Maui restaurants is "catch of the day." This is generally a fish with a Hawaiian name, such as Mahi-Mahi (dolphin-fish), Uku (gray snapper), Opakapaka (pink snapper), Ahi (yellow-fin tuna), or Ono (wahoo, like mackerel). For a much longer list of restaurants than the list below, and for a wider variety of restaurants in other price ranges, get the 1998 (8th) edition of the paperback book, Maui and Lanai, Making the Most of Your Family Vacation by Early & Stilson. If not available in your bookstore, order it online from Amazon, with the clickable link on the books page of this Maui web site. For more detailed ratings of restaurants on all the islands of Hawaii (not just Maui), buy the paperback Zagat Hawaii Restaurant Survey in bookstores in Hawaii, or order it before you go, by calling Zagat in New York at 1-800-333-3421.
Many of the top restaurants on Maui serve a type of food called Pacific Rim Cuisine. This consists of a mixture of Asian and California styles of cooking, stressing seafood.
Some restaurants have "early bird specials." Call ahead to ask how much you can save by eating dinner early.
There are about 350 restaurants on Maui, and I have tried to find the most wonderful of them for you. (It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it.) It is a good idea to make reservations a couple days ahead, especially if you are on Maui during the busiest times of the year or if you want to eat supper at the busiest times (7-9 P.M.). Don't think a restaurant isn't good just because it's in a hotel or shopping center. (Restaurants and other businesses on Maui are opening, closing, and changing every day. I only go there once per year, and unfortunately cannot try every one of these restaurants every year. About 100 restaurants on Maui open, close, or change ownership per year. Therefore, some of the restaurants and other businesses listed on these pages may be gone, or may have changed, by the time you get to Maui. Call before you go.) Here are my favorites:
THE VERY BEST RESTAURANTS ON MAUI:
Here are my ten favorite restaurants for the very best food on Maui. All of these are expensive. Everything we have tasted on our many dinners at these places has been wonderful.
NICOLINA 669-5000
In my opinion, this is the best restaurant on Maui. Next to Roy's in Kahana Gateway Center, in Kahana. Excellent tasty Pacific Rim Cuisine, similar to Roy's. You can even save money here by sharing one of their generous-sized entrΘe portions, or by ordering an appetizer and a pizza instead of an entrΘe. My wife says their chocolate soufflΘ is the best dessert she has ever tasted.
I'O 661-8422
In the 505 shopping center in Lahaina. Very tasty unusual preparations of several kinds of fresh fish, as well as other great entrees. Beautiful indoor dΘcor, or sunset-view outdoor dining on the ocean. Same owner and chef as Pacific O.
PACIFIC O 667-4341
In Lahaina at 505 Front Street shopping center. Very tasty Pacific Rim Cuisine, beautifully prepared, oceanfront setting, indoors or out, lunch or dinner. Great sunset view, if it's warm enough to eat at the outdoor tables. Jazz some evenings.
HULA GRILL 667-6636 OR 661-3894
In Whalers Village. Good view of ocean and sunset. Very good lunch (salads, pizza, sandwiches). Excellent dinners.
MAMA'S FISH HOUSE 579-8488
This is a one-hour drive from Kaanapali Beach, but worth the trip. The best fresh fish preparations on Maui. Very expensive. Excellent for lunch or supper, but go before sunset to get the view of big ocean waves on the north shore. It's near Paia, which is on the far side of Kahului, so go here on the day you go to the big shopping center in Kahului. Reservations required.
HALIIMAILE GENERAL STORE 572-2666
Creative preparations of delicious seafoods and meats. In upcountry area, a one-hour drive from Kaanapali, but worth the trip. Open for lunch as well as dinner.
A PACIFIC CAFE Kihei 822-0013
The best restaurant I have found in Kihei. Pacific Rim Cuisine.
A PACIFIC CAFE Honokowai 667-2800
Great food, great service. Each course (appetizer, entrΘe, dessert) is fabulous.
HUMUHUMU 875-1234
In the Grand Wailea hotel. Full name of this restaurant is humuhumunukunukuapuaa, named after the Hawaiian state fish. Airy Polynesian setting with sunset views from some tables. Delicious food with interesting preparations, including their unique dinner bread with buttery macadamia nut topping.
CARELLI'S ON THE BEACH 875-0001
Great Italian food and service, great sunset view. VERY expensive, but not any better than the above restaurants that are merely expensive. At 2980 S. Kihei Road, on the southern edge of Kihei, adjacent to Wailea. One-hour drive from Kaanapali Beach. Reservations required.
EXPENSIVE RESTAURANTS:
SEE THE LIST ABOVE for the ten best restaurants on Maui.
ROY'S KAHANA BAR & GRILL 669-6999
In Kahana, a couple miles north of Kaanapali Beach. Great food, quick service. Half of the menu is identical to Nicolina next door. Pacific Rim Cuisine.
DAVID PAUL'S LAHAINA GRILL 667-5117
The food is innovative Pacific Rim cuisine and the service is excellent. It's in the center of Lahaina, just off Front Street, on Lahainaluna Road.
ANUENUE ROOM at the RITZ CARLTON Hotel 669-6200
Fabulous food and service, but at the highest prices of any restaurant we have seen on Maui.
SEAHOUSE at the NAPILI KAI BEACH RESORT 669-1500
In Napili. Very good food and friendly service. Arrive when they open at 6 PM, to get a good seat for the great sunset view. If you're coming for the best food, don't come on Friday evenings, when they have only a very limited menu for the keiki hula show.
KEA LANI 875-4100
In the Kea Lani Hotel in Wailea. Beautiful high-ceiling white room, sophisticated preparation of fresh fish and a variety of other foods.
PLANTATION HOUSE 669-6299
In the Golf Course Clubhouse above Kapalua. Wonderful food in an elegant setting. Come early (5:30 or 5:45) to get a good seat for the spectacular view of sunset.
ERIK'S (Kahana) 669-4806
Very good variety of fresh fish, and not as expensive as those above.
SPATS 661-1234
In the Hyatt Regency Maui Hotel. Northern Italian cuisine.
CHEZ PAUL 661-3843
On main road south of Lahaina. Elegant, French, small. Beautiful dΘcor and excellent service, but I was disappointed in the food.
GARDENIA RESTAURANT 669-5656
In the Kapalua Bay Hotel. If you like seafood, you MUST go to the Friday evening seafood buffet here. This sumptuous weekly event includes shrimp Caesar salad, delicious clam chowder, numerous cold seafood appetizers, and several wonderful hot seafood main courses, all followed by a huge dessert buffet. Beautiful sunset view.
RITZ CARLTON HOTEL 669-6200
Another equally wonderful Friday evening seafood buffet. And a great Italian buffet on Wednesday evenings.
THE BAY CLUB 669-8008
Near Kapalua Bay Hotel in Kapalua, about 15 minutes (8 miles) north of Kaanapali Beach. Excellent fresh fish prepared in a variety of interesting ways with rich sauces. Elegant service. Romantic.
WATERFRONT 244-9028
In Maalaea. Excellent variety of fresh fish, with great variety of delicious preparations.
VILLA TERRACE 667-2525
In Westin Hotel. Nightly "seafood buffet" has crab legs, shrimp, fish, steak, chicken, pasta, salads and desserts. Outdoors.
SWAN COURT 661-1234
In the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Good food and service, but too dark to see what you are eating.
SEASONS 874-8000
In the Four Seasons Hotel, Wailea. VERY expensive. Dress code. Live music with dancing. Excellent service. Good food, but in my opinion not as wonderful food as at several less expensive restaurants on Maui, and the portion sizes are smaller than at most other places.
GERARD'S 661-8939
French. Very expensive. In mid Lahaina, a couple blocks off Front Street.
FISH & GAME 669-3474
In Kahana Gateway shopping center. Variety of menu items in a sports bar atmosphere. At these prices, I would expect better dΘcor and service. But the food is good and the early bird special is a great deal: buy one entrΘe and get one free, if you arrive from 5:30 to 6:00 PM.
MODERATE PRICED RESTAURANTS:
(Note: These are "moderate" only relative to the even more expensive restaurants in the above section. Compared to back home, these are expensive.)
KIMO'S 661-4811
On the ocean in Lahaina. Good for lunch or dinner. Several fish choices, each made several different ways, for dinner.
JAMISON'S 669-5653
In Kapalua, above lower road, adjacent to golf and tennis. Good for lunch or dinner.
SANSEI 669-6286
In the Kapalua Shops adjacent to the Kapalua Bay Hotel. Excellent sushi and similar foods. Try their two "Taste of Lahaina Award Winners" Mango Crab Salad Handroll with Peanuts and Thai Vinaigrette or Asian Rock Shrimp Cake with Crusty Chinese Noodles & Ginger-Lime Chili Butter & Cilantro Pesto. Call to ask if they still have their 25% off everything special price for all food ordered between 5:30 and 6:00 PM.
BUBBA GUMP 661-3111
At 889 Front Street, across from Longhi's, in Lahaina. If you like shrimp (and if you saw the movie "Forrest Gump"), this is the place for lunch or dinner: wide variety of tasty shrimp preparations in a fun atmosphere. Sunset view.
WOODY'S 661-8788
At 839 Front Street in Lahaina; also called Woody's Oceanfront Grill; enter through store called Gary's Island (Dick's Last Resort). Fish and meats, variety of preparations, lunch or dinner. On the ocean, sunset view.
LONGHI'S 667-2288
At 888 Front Street in the north part of Lahaina. Excellent food, but it's crowded, slow, and difficult to make your selection from the long oral menu. Super desserts too.
KULA LODGE 878-1535
In Upcountry, about half way toward the top of Haleakala. Good salads of fresh Kula greens, Maui onion soup, treat view of Maui's central valley.
CASANOVA 572-0220
In Makawao (Upcountry). Pasta, pizza, and Italian entrees.
LAHAINA FISH COMPANY 661-3472
On Front Street in Lahaina. Fish and Italian.
PACIFIC GRILL 874-8000
In the Four Seasons Hotel, Wailea.
MARCO'S GRILL & DELI 877-4446
In Kahului near airport. Deli sandwiches and Italian dinners in a modern casual setting. Very good food, generous portions, quick service, plus a good variety of yummy desserts.
PALM COURT 879-4900
In Renaissance Wailea (formerly Stouffer's) hotel, Wailea. Good buffet dinners and breakfasts every day. (No lunch.)
REILLY'S 667-7477
In golf clubhouse at entrance to Kaanapali resorts area. Steaks and seafood.
SAENG'S THAI CUISINE 244-1567
2119 Vineyard in Wailuku. Good, spicy Thai dinners, long menu.
ORIENT EXPRESS 669-8077
At Napili Shores condo in Napili. Good Thai and Chinese food.
RUSTY HARPOON 661-3123
In the Whaler's Village Shopping Center. Good for lunch or casual supper.
CASTAWAY CAF╔ 661-9091
At the Maui Kaanapali Villas condo. Beautiful setting by the beach, good variety on menu.
LEILANI'S 661-4495
In the Whaler's Village Shopping Center, on the beach. Casual; excellent seafood and barbecue.
CAFE KIOWAI 874-1111
In the Maui Prince Hotel.
Excellent casual lunch when you go to see this beautiful white hotel south of Wailea.
PIONEER INN 661-3636
Next to the Banyan Tree in Lahaina. Try the Thai food.
MAUI ONION 879-4900
Great Maui onion rings, poolside at the Renaissance (formerly Stouffer) Wailea Resort.
INEXPENSIVE:
GAZEBO 669-5621
Breakfast and lunch in a little open-air gazebo, on the ocean, behind the Napili Shores condos, in Napili.
MANGO CAF╔ 661-5595
In the Lahaina Cannery Mall. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches, fish & chips, pies.
HONOKOWAI OKAZUYA & DELI 665-0512
On the Lower Honoapiilani Road, a couple miles north of Kaanapali. The very best take-out food on Maui. As a matter of fact, the $7 to $9 fish entrees here are just about as good as the $25 to $30 fish dinners in the most expensive restaurants listed above, even though this place has less atmosphere than McDonalds. And no wonder: John, the chef owner of this amazing little place, was formerly a chef at Mama's Fish House (a very expensive restaurant with some of the best fish dinners on Maui). Ask him about tonight's fresh fish dinner specials.
LAHAINA COOLERS 661-7082
On Dickenson Street, a couple blocks back from Front Street, in Lahaina. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Salads, pasta, tropical pizza, tortillas, burgers, fish. Great fish tacos.
LEMONGRASS 667-6888
On Wainee, a block behind the Hard Rock CafΘ, in Lahaina. Delicious Vietnamese dinners. We liked the Thai ginger coconut soup and the clay pot rice.
RED LANTERN 667-1884
At 1312 Front Street in the north part of Lahaina. Chinese. Lengthy menu includes more seafood than most Chinese restaurants. Staff doesn't speak much English and I don't speak any Chinese, so difficult to communicate, but the food is very good and the portions are generous.
HANAMASA SUSHI 661-8838
In Lahaina, off Front Street. Quick sushi lunch or dinner.
SAL'S PLACE 893-0609
At 162 Alamaha in Kahului. Italian. Large servings. Lunch and dinner.
MUSHROOM RESTAURANT 244-7117
My favorite little non-tourist restaurant, at 2080 Vineyard (near Church Street) in Wailuku. Cheap local food (including excellent fish with mushroom sauce) for lunch or dinner. Interesting knickknacks for decorations, even in the bathrooms.
CHINA BOAT 669-5089
At 4474 Lower Honoapiilani Road in Kahana. Chinese. Long menu, including many seafood choices.
TERRACE (Kahana Terrace) 669-5399
In the Sands of Kahana condominium in Kahana, at 4299 Lower Honoapiilani Highway. Very good food, sunset view, live entertainment evenings, reasonable prices. What more could you ask?
IMPROMPTU CAF╔ 579-8477
In Paia. Breakfast & lunch only. Good fish tacos and pastas.
LAHAINA BAGEL CAFE 667-5225
Bagels and sandwiches in Lahaina, in the West Maui Center, on the Honoapiilani Highway at the corner of Papalaua. Also Puka Bagel CafΘ at 333 Dairy Road near the airport in Kahului, and at 2395 South Kihei Road in the Dolphin Plaza in Kihei.
HARD ROCK CAFE 667-7400
In Lahaina. Noisy.
BJ's CHICAGO PIZZERIA 661-0700
In Lahaina. Upstairs (second floor), not on street level. Pasta & sandwiches as well as deep-dish pizza
STARS & STRIPES YOGURT 875-4744
In Long's Kihei Center. Variety of flavors of nonfat frozen yogurt, plus ice cream, shave ice, coffee, and hot dogs.
FOOD COURT on second floor of Kaahumanu Shopping Center in Kahului. Includes plate lunches, pizza, Japanese, Korean, Bar-B-Que, Chinese, McDonald's, and Mexican, plus a view of mountains and ocean.
NORM'S CAF╔ 242-1667
Plain and simple little restaurant at 740 Lower Main Street in the city of Wailuku, with very good local food (including fish), very low prices, and no tourists.
CHUMS 244-1000
1900 Main Street, Wailuku
Try the generous "plate lunch."
IHOP 879-3445
International House of Pancakes in Azeka Shopping Center in Kihei.
A SAIGON CAF╔ 243-9560 (1792 Main Street, Wailuku)
BRUNCH (On the seventh day the chef created brunch):
GARDENIA RESTAURANT at KAPALUA BAY HOTEL 669-5656
West Maui's most wonderful Sunday brunch. Fantastic variety of very good food, including rolls, bread, smoked fish, herring, lox, shrimp, capers, seaweed, salads, pasta, sushi, sashimi, potstickers, dim sum, juice, miso soup, cold and hot vegetables, Mahi (fish), sticky rice, bacon, sausage, omelets made to order, eggs benedict, waffles, stir-fry, chicken, beef, pork, potatoes and more. Numerous desserts including cheesecake, brownies, cream caramel, bread pudding, fruit flan, chocolate mousse, cakes and pies. Beautiful setting with a gorgeous view of hotel grounds and ocean.
PRINCE COURT at MAUI PRINCE HOTEL 874-1111
Maui's most expensive ($34 in 1999) and most bountiful variety Sunday brunch. 32 kinds of salad, 8 kinds of bread and rolls, 6 kinds of cheese, 2 soups, 8 hot dishes, 16 desserts, and more. Champagne, Caesar salad, garden salad, anchovies and numerous other salad toppers and dressings, capers, olives, onions, seaweed, artichokes, pea salad, noodle salad, lomi salmon salad, shrimp salad, smoked salmon, sashimi, California rolls, sushi, papaya, melon, strawberries, other fruits, shrimp, crab claws, pancakes, crepes, omelets made to order (choice of numerous fillers including caviar), eggs benedict, bacon, sausage, breads, rolls, lavash, breakfast cakes, sweet rolls, juices, beef, chicken, fish, rice, Maui onion mashed potatoes, salmon Alfredo, steamed vegetables, dim sum, crΦme caramel, cheesecake, bread pudding with three topping choices, eclairs, tarts, cakes and pies.
SOUND OF THE FALLS at WESTIN 667-2525
Another terrific Sunday brunch. Includes salads, Sushi, fish, chicken, beef, lamb, eggs, waffles, cakes and pies.
For a good buffet breakfast or brunch any and every day (not just Sunday), go to any and ALL of the following. (Try a different one every day. Call ahead to be sure they still have a buffet every day.)
Swan Court Restaurant in the Hyatt Regency Hotel 661-1234
Best weekday buffet brunch on Maui. Great artwork in the lobbies.
Palm Court restaurant at the Renaissance Wailea (formerly Stouffer) Hotel 879-4900
Moana Terrace at the Marriott 667-1200
Outrigger Wailea (formerly Aston Wailea and formerly InterContinental) Hotel 879-1922
The following restaurants are mostly ones I have not tried, but are listed here to help you find reasonable food at a reasonable (for Maui) price:
NORTH OF LAHAINA
Koho Grill & Bar 669-5299
LAHAINA
World Cafe 667-5309
Hawaii Smokehouse Barbecue 667-7005
Moose McGillycuddy's 667-7758
Cheeseburger in Paradise 661-4855
Maui Tacos: west Maui at Napili 665-0222, and southeast Maui at Kihei 879-5005
KIHEI
Akina's on the Beach 874-5787
C&R Cantina 875-1111
Cantina Caliente 875-0404
Canton Chef 879-1988
Erik's Seafood Broiler 879-8400
Frangipani 875-9000
Greek Bistro 879-9330
Panda Express 879-0883
Royal Thai Cuisine 874-0813
Sports Page 879-0602
Tony Roma's Ribs 875-1104
Alexander's Fish, Chicken & Ribs 874-0788
Aroma D'Italia 879-0133
Peggy Sue's 875-8944
Royal Thai 874-0813
NIGHT LIFE
I thought Maui closed at 9:00 P.M., but my son (then 23 years old) went there in 1994 and told me I was wrong. According to his report, you can have a great time drinking, dancing, and meeting the Maui residents, in Lahaina, from 10:30 P.M. to 2:00 A.M. any day, but especially Friday and Saturday nights. Places to check out:
Moose McGillycuddy's
Aloha Bar - live music
World Cafe - dancing
Hard Rock Cafe
Dollie's (Kahana)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
BOOKS:
Suggested books to buy at home before you go: Maui and Lanai, Making the Most of Your Family Vacation by Early & Stilson, (8th Edition, 1998) has detailed information about hotels, condos, restaurants, sights, beaches, activities and tours. If you don't see it on the shelf in your local bookstore, ask the bookstore to look it up or to order it by this ISBN number: 0-7615-1480-5. If you can't find this $15 paperback book in your local bookstore, you can order it from the author in Oregon at 1-503-246-1555, or buy it in a bookstore on Maui. You can also buy it conveniently online, from http://www.amazon.com. (There is a clickable link directly to this book at Amazon.com, from the Books page of this Maui web site.) Read this one to help you decide where to stay on Maui, and take it along for useful info during your trip.
Driving and Discovering Hawaii: Maui and Molokai by Richard Sullivan (Montgomery Ewing Publishers, 1998) has beautiful photos and good maps, to help you drive around to all the best sights on Maui. If it's not in your bookstore, you can order it on the web at http://www.discoveringhawaii.com, or from Amazon.com with the clickable link from the Books page of this Maui web site.
For information about the other Hawaiian islands, as well as Maui, I suggest Eyewitness Travel Guides Hawaii (published by DK) for loads of info & maps and color pictures throughout the Hawaiian islands. This too can be ordered online from Amazon with the clickable link from the Books page of this Maui web site.
UPDATES TO THIS INFORMATION ABOUT Maui, PLUS INFO OVER THE INTERNET (WEB PAGES):
Please send comments or questions via email to Derm1@aol.com. (Note that the fifth character of my email address is the number one, and not the letter I or the letter L.) I post an updated version of this file onto America Online and onto the Internet every March or April. The version you are reading was posted in March of 2000, based on information I learned during my trip to Maui in February of 2000. If your trip to Maui will be later than April of 2001, then you should read this version for now, but you should also download the next version of this file, from the Travel Section of AOL, or from my site on the World Wide Web, http://www.mauihawaii.org again, after mid-April, 2001.
Internet web sites with useful information about Maui include:
Jon's Maui web page http://www.mauihawaii.org
Maui Visitors Bureau http://www.visitmaui.com/
Info Maui http://www.infomaui.com/
Maui One http://www.mauione.com/
Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays 360-degree views of Maui sights and hotels http://www.pleasant.net/
Jack's Maui Fun page http://www.maui.net/~sizzle/mauifun.html
Maui facts and sights http://www.marketplacehawaii.com/sights/destguide/maui/maui_main.html
Maui Chamber of Commerce http://www.mauichamber.com/
Weddings on Maui http://www.mauiweddings.com/planfrm.html
WEDDINGS:
If you are planning on getting married on Maui, you can get all the information you will need from these sources:
Requirements and marriage license agents: 1-808-984-8210.
Free "Getting Married" pamphlet: State Department of Health, Marriage License Office, 1250 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813 or call 1-808-586-4545 or 1-808-586-4544.
Free information booklet and directory from Maui Wedding Planners: Maui Visitors Bureau 1-808-244-3530.
Weddings on Maui http://www.mauiweddings.com/planfrm.html
Three pages of wedding and renewal-of-vows information in the Wedding section of the best guidebook to Maui: the 1998 (8th) edition of the paperback book, Maui and Lanai, Making the Most of Your Family Vacation by Early & Stilson.
REFERENCE:
(See next pages)
PHONE NUMBERS (all in area code 808):
Activity Warehouse 667-4000
Airlines:
Aloha 244-9071
American 244-5522
Hawaiian 871-6132
Northwest 955-2255
United 242-7911
Ekahi Tours 572-9775
Embassy Vacation Resort 661-2000
Four Seasons Hotel 874-8000
Grand Wailea Hotel 875-1234
Haliimaile General Store Restaurant 572-2666
Hana Cassette Guide 572-0550
Hyatt Regency Hotel (Kaanapali) 661-1234
Kaanapali Beach Hotel 661-0111
Kapalua Bay Hotel 669-5656
Kea Lani Hotel 875-4100
Mama's Fish House 579-8488
Marriott Hotel 667-1200
Maui Dive Shop (Kahana) 669-3800
Maui Plantation 244-7643
Maui Prince Hotel 874-1111
No Ka Oi Scenic Tours 871-9008
Outrigger Wailea Hotel 879-1922
Pacific Whale Foundation 879-6530
Polynesian Adventure Tours 877-4242
Renaissance Wailea Hotel 879-4900
Restaurants:
See the preceding nine pages
Ritz Carlton Hotel 669-6200
Royal Lahaina Hotel 661-3611
Sheraton Hotel 661-0031
Sugar Cane Train 661-0089
Tour companies:
Maui Vacation Consultants 1-808-669-0451
Barefoot Cashback Tours 661-8889
Ekahi Tours 877-9775
Polynesian Adventure 877-4242
Guides of Maui 877-4060
Transportation:
Kaanapali Resort Trolley 667-7411
Lahaina Express Trolley 661-8748
Kahana Shuttle 661-4567
Wailea Shuttle 879-2828
Alii Cab Company 661-3688
Kaanapali Taxi 661-5285
Tropical Excursion Tours 877-7887
Weather 877-5111 or 871-5054
Westin Hotel 667-2525
Whaler's Village Shopping Center 661-4567
SOME QUOTES ABOUT MAUI
Maui is where people are sent when heaven is overbooked.
Here today, gone to Maui.
You go your way, I'll go Maui.
The sun'll come out to Maui.
Happily Mauied
The more the Mauier.
Eat, drink and be Maui.
Whykiki? (when you can Maui)
I am going to the island of the valley,
To Lahaina, Lahaina Luna.
Where the mountains are green, you will find me.
In Lahaina, Lahaina Luna.
They say that "Maui no ka oi"
And I agree.
Maui no ka oi---
It's the only place for me.
That's why you'll find me
Down by the seaside,
Watching the moonlight,
The twinkling starlight,
The golden sunrise,
The evening sunset,
In Lahaina,
Lahaina Luna.
I'm going to Maui tomorrow
To marry Tamara Malone.
Nothing could be finer
Than to live in Lahaina
And make Tamara my own.
I am going to the island of the valley
To live a life of delight.
I'm going to Maui
To marry Tamara tomorrow
Unless I get lucky tonight.
"The loveliest fleet of islands that lies anchored in any ocean"
(Mark Twain, 1866)
MAUI NO KA OI (Maui is the best)
My feelings about Hawaii mirror those of Mark Twain, who wrote in 1889:
"No alien land in all the world has any deep strong charm for me but that one, no other land could so longingly and so beseechingly haunt me, sleeping and waking, through half a lifetime, as that one has done.
"Other things leave me, but it abides; other things change, but it remains the same. For me the balmy airs are always blowing, its summer seas flashing in the sun; the pulsing of its surfbeat is in my ear; I can see its garlanded crags, its leaping cascades, its plumy palms drowsing by the shore, its remote summits floating like islands above the cloud wrack; I can feel the spirit of its wildland solitudes, I can hear the splash of its brooks; in my nostrils still lives the breath of flowers that perished twenty years ago."
ISLANDS WE HAVE VISITED
(In order of our preference)
MAUI
Valley Isle. Best compromise: Built up enough with hotels and towns with stuff to do, but NOT crowded with immediately adjacent hotels and solidly packed tourists on the beach like Waikiki. 728 square miles, population 113,000.
OAHU
Honolulu. Most populated and built up island. Waikiki Beach area (suburb of Honolulu) has several big hotels on each block, and crowded beach. Lots of good restaurants and shows and stores. 874,000 residents.
Polynesian Culture Center. Pearl Harbor. Ala Moana Shopping Center. Aloha Tower.
Waikiki Beach (on Oahu) has over 100 hotels and condos, but is the same size as Kaanapali Beach (on Maui), which has 13 hotels and condos.
You can usually get a magnificent view of Waikiki from your plane, if you request to sit on the right side (seat F or K, whichever is by a window) when coming in to Honolulu Airport, and on the left side (seat A) when taking off from Honolulu.
KAUAI
Fern Grotto. Beaches, canyons, cliffs, great sights to see. No real cities, but very small towns and large open spaces. Choose a hotel in Lihue or Poipu areas. Population 40,000.
HAWAII
"The Big Island" - largest Hawaiian island by far. Two huge dormant volcanic mountains, one of which has snow on top all year round. Some still active volcanic areas. Black sand beach on one area. Big ranches. Cities of Kona on the west (sunny) side of the island, and Hilo on the east (rainy) side. Population 93,000.
LANAI
Formerly covered with pineapple plantations. 141 square miles, 2500 inhabitants. Two new luxury hotels opened in 1991 (total of 363 rooms): Lodge at Koele and Manele Bay Hotel. Expensive hotels, expensive excellent restaurants in the hotels.
MOLOKAI
Old leper colony. Only one tourist hotel. Nothing to do. 260 square miles, 6600 residents.
LOIHI
New island. Haven't really been there yet. Eighteen miles southeast of the Big Island of Hawaii and 3,000 feet below sea level, is a new island being formed by an erupting underwater volcano. In only 10,000 years, this new island will rise above the surface. Better make your reservations soon.
OTHER ISLANDS
Although Hawaii is best known for its eight main islands (Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kauai, Hawaii, Kahoolawe, Niihau), the state actually includes 132 islands, reefs and shoals that stretch 1,523 miles, from Kure Atoll to underwater seamounts off the southeast coast of the Big Island.
FLIGHTS
There are 20-40-minute flights on full-size jets, from each of the four major islands to each other, every hour or so. Aloha Airlines flies 737's, and Hawaiian Airlines flies DC9's between the islands. [To the minor islands (Molokai, Lanai, and others) you have to take a much smaller plane or a boat.]
A LITTLE GEOLOGY
The earth's tectonic plates, moving westward slowly (3 inches per year) over a "hot spot" of lava deep in the ocean, plus millions of years of erosion, account for the fact that the islands on the eastern end of the Hawaiian chain are the largest (newest), while those toward the western end are very tiny (old and eroded). The largest island is Hawaii, on the eastern end of the chain, formed about 300,000 years ago, and still enlarging as fresh lava pours into the ocean. The second-largest island is Maui. The newer (eastern) half of Maui is the larger side, called Haleakala volcano, which formed about 750,000 years ago, and last erupted in 1790. The older (western) half of Maui is the smaller side, the West Maui Mountains, which formed 1,300,000 years ago. The next islands, as you move westward along the chain, are smaller because they have had more years to erode. In parentheses is the approximate age of each of these islands, in millions of years: Kahoolawe (1.03), Lanai (1.3), Molokai (1.5), Oahu (3), Kauai (4). Farther west are over a hundred much smaller and older islands, many of them eroded down to sea level or below.
ALOHA!
P.S. Please send me a postcard from Maui (see page 7).
Updated February 2000
QUESTIONNAIRE
I would greatly appreciate it if you would answer the questions below. Please mail this page (or your answers on a separate note) to:
Jon Blum
Suite 330
32905 West 12 Mile
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
or send email to Derm1@aol.com (Note that the fifth character is the number one, and not the letter I or L.)
What did you like best on Maui (whether it was on these pages or not)?
What did you like least on Maui (whether it was on these pages or not)?
What needs updating on these pages? Any restaurants or businesses that have closed or moved?
