Welcome to Maui!
Travel Guide to The Popular Hawaiian Island
By the fading light, of a Hawaiian day, Maui is postcard paradise.
Maui is an island of activities.
For active individuals, Maui's diverse landscape offers excellent scuba
diving, snorkelling, surfing, windsurfing, fishing, hiking and golf. It also offers wandering, so get a car and explore.
The tiny
town of Paia, for example, looks like a 60s hippie surfing community
untouched by technology or time. Just a couple of blocks in either direction
at an intersection on the way to the Haleakala Crater, it's businesses
include a few modest restaurants, a couple of surf shops and a reggae
store. One interesting diversion is to read the postings for used cars
in the coffee shop: "Honda Accord. Runs. Needs Engine." Or
"Low Milage. 125,000."
One of the most beautiful spots in Maui is Honokeana Cove.
Yet at the same time Maui is so soothingly comfortable that there's
no harm in doing, well, nothing.
All around the island there are parks and secluded coves tucked along
the beaches, a mere tunoff from main roads. Just off shore is swimming,
snorkeling or, in some spots, surfing. It's a setting made for romance,
which makes it little wonder there are an average of 100 weddings a
week on Maui.
D.T. Fleming Beach Park is considered one of the best beaches
in the America and neighboring Honokeana Cove at Napili has the
kind of scenic privacty one expects here. Take a swm, bring the mask
and fins and spend a good few hours letting the sun dry the water spots It is also incredibly isolated, so it's ideal for couples – or anyone for that matter – to escape the crowds of Kaanapaili or Lahaina.
And there is the 10,023-foot Haleakala volcano in the Haleakala National Park. Hotels have information on tours, which start in the wee hours of the morning to take in the sunrise. Take a sweatshirt and wear long pants – it is COLD at the top. One intersting tour option is to take a van to the top and ride bicycles down the hill into Paia. It's all downhill and little to no pedaling is required. The National Parks Service's website has more on the volcano.
Another tourist attraction is the Road To Hana, a long, winding road to the town of Hana and a waterfall. This is an all-day affari and the decision of whether or not to go is up to each traveler. Surfside Sam helps make this decision with the article The Road to Hana – Yes or No.
Kaanapaili Beach is, for good reason, a top spot for many tourists.
For dinner and especially sunses and sunset island-style drinks, Kaanapaili, on the beach at Whaler's Village, is the place, particularly Hula Grill. There are also sunset "booze cruises" though they are hardly as wild as what is found on Waikiki.
Nearby Lahaina has shopping, dining and some nightlife. For those who are there on Halloween, beware: the town has a huge block party celebration.
SurfsideSam.com covers beach and tropical travel destinations around the world. © 2010. All rights reserved.
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