The Magic of Maui

Aloha!  We’re excited to share this video of the third island we explored while in Hawaii. We were advised not to do so much island-hopping during our two-week vacation, but we’ll be forever grateful we squeezed in a three-day visit to Maui.  With the variety of activities available on Oahu combined with abundant natural beauty such as one might find on Kauai, it quickly became a favorite island for several of us.

One turnout granted us views of several waterfalls, all flowing together on their journey down to the ocean.

Upon arrival, we headed immediately to the Road to Hana.  Though only 51 miles from the Kahului Airport, it boasts 620 twists and turns and requires over two hours to reach Hana.  Most people, including us, enjoy stopping at several turnouts to view picturesque roadside waterfalls, so even more time is usually needed.

Grace and Jonah on the black sand beach alongside a lava tube at Wai’anapanapa State Park

At the end, we stopped to view Hana Bay and got out to explore Wai’anapanapa State Park, which features a beautiful black sand beach and a lava tube alongside the ocean.  It was an incredible place with unrivaled scenery.

Had we known of the Haleakala National Park’s Pipiwai Trail through a bamboo forest to several waterfall vistas along the back side of Hana, we would have hiked it and driven the back road to our rental in Lahaina. Though longer distance-wise, it doesn’t have all the twists and turns of the Road to Hana and takes about the same amount of time.  (Not all rental car companies will help you out if you break down back there, though, so check out your policy if you decide to do this.).

One good thing about driving back the same way we came along the Road to Hana was that the lighting was better for photos of even more waterfalls. They were everywhere!

As for us, I still cringe to think we didn’t know about that trail and missed out on something so amazing that was right there!  In any case, we turned around and enjoyed the gorgeous drive back along the Road to Hana for our return trip.

The view from our balcony in Maui was spectacular! What a treat to wake up to this!

The following day, we awoke to amazing views right from our balconies overlooking the Pacific.  Later, we enjoyed swimming in the pool, snorkeling in the ocean, and visiting sea turtles, who daily rested on the shore in front of our resort.

Yet another Maui rainbow appeared while we were enjoying the Royal Lahaina Luau. Nabeel and Layla later had their faces painted in the traditional Hawaiian style.

We even had the pleasure of attending the Royal Lahaina Luau for dinner and a show that evening.  Have I mentioned rainbows had been following us throughout our entire stay on the island thus far?  That’s right, and they continued to do so.  It was magical!

What an awesome experience to surf for the first time! Grace and I both loved it and can’t wait to do it again!

Grace’s 13th birthday was fast approaching, and we heard that due to recent flooding, it might not be possible to get down to the beaches of Kauai for the surfing lessons she wanted for her big day.  So on our final day in Maui, we gifted her the lessons a couple of days early, and she and I went out for a mother/daughter surfing date in Lahaina.  It wasn’t a shock that Grace loved the experience, but I was happily surprised to discover I found it thrilling as well.  We are both  looking forward to our next opportunity to catch some waves!

We spent the afternoon eating ice cream and gelatos and exploring the many art galleries and souvenir shops of Front Street in downtown Lahaina.

The gorgeous water, marine life, and gentle waves of Kapalua Bay Beach helped contribute to its award-winning status.

Finally, we wrapped up the day with a dip in the azure waters of Kapalua Bay Beach, named America’s best by Dr. Beach himself.

We hope you’ll enjoy this recap video and get some great ideas for your own Hawaiian vacation.  Let us know what you think, or feel free to share some of your favorite Maui memories in the comments!