Melinda and Jeff enjoying Lava Flows (Piña Coladas with Strawberry) at the Old Lahaina Luau
There is SO much to do during your stay in Maui. Please remember you can't do or see it all, so just relax and have fun. And, don't forget to bring your flip-flops. Since Melinda and Jeff have been to Maui a couple of times before, we have some fun tips and recommendations for you:
Dining Options
Maui Fish and Chips
2395 South Kihei Road, Suite 110
Kihei, HI 96753
(808) 757-8708
Colin runs the counter every day and you'll have a new friend upon meeting him. We really love the fried Mahi-Mahi and the garlic french fries. Oh, and the fried mushrooms are yummy too.
Koiso Sushi Bar
2395 South Kihei Road
Kihei, HI 96753
(808) 875-8258
We haven't eaten here yet, but it is a very popular sushi spot. It's a very small restaurant and holds few guests at a time. Reservations are (essentially) required and are generally gone 4-6 weeks in advance. If you are interested, please contact them VERY early!
Monkeypod Kitchen
10 Wailea Gateway Place, Unit B-201
Kihei, HI 96753
(808) 891-2322
A great upscale restaurant a short drive from many of the resorts in Wailea. Reservations are strongly recommended and the atmosphere is exceptionally beautiful in the evenings, with tiki torches placed all around.
Bistro Molokini at Grand Wailea
3850 Wailea Alanui Drive
Wailea, HI 96753
(800) 888-6100
This casual restaurant at the Waldorf Astoria Grand Wailea resort is fun! This is the perfect spot for some dessert, as they offer an amazing ice cream sundae served in a pineapple boat bowl. Here's what it looked like when we tried it:
Activities
Pride of Maui
Pride of Maui snorkeling tours are a great way to experience life "under the sea." Our favorite trip is a five hour tour which includes all snorkeling equipment, breakfast, lunch and cocktails. If you are prone to seasickness make dramamine your best friend. The trip takes you to Molokini Island which is a natural reserve for birds but has some of the clearest water and best snorkeling in the world. (you can see almost 150 feet below on a good day) You will see turtles, tons of fish, and maybe some dolphins.
Seafire Charters
This is another snorkeling boat that is not as large as the Pride of Maui. It only takes smaller groups of 45-50 whereas Pride of Maui takes up to 110. Their tours are only 3 hours and does not include food.
Road to Hana
This is all about the Journey and not the destination. The Road to Hana is what you imagine when you think of paradise. Within this rainforest, you will see dozens of waterfalls (some well over 250 feet), breathtaking views, pineapple trees, lush greenery, bamboo forests, fresh water caves (that you can swim in), ocean blowholes, and much more. Stop and take the time to swim under a waterfall or pull off the road to see a beach made of entirely black sand. You will find new things to gawk at around every corner of this winding road that is around 50 miles. We highly recommend reading more about Road to Hana in www.hawaiirevealed.com. This gives you excellent places to stop (such as when they tell you turn off at the telephone poll at mile marker 17, walk about 150 feet, then turn around to see a 200 foot waterfall that is completely hidden from the road). A MUST-STOP location is Coconut Glen's Ice Cream!
Surf Lessons
Surf's Up! Jeff had his first surf lesson on Maui and is ready for more. He used Maui Wave Riders and loved his instructor, Ben. Hawaii has great waves to learn the basics. All gear is provided and you can continue to use the surfboard for the rest of the day.
The Town of Lahaina
Lahaina is a location that is experienced by two million people, or approximately 80% percent of all of Maui tourism per year. Lahaina has over a thousand years of rich history, and was the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1820 to 1845. From beaches to restaurants, Lahaina has some of the best attractions Maui has to offer.
Lahaina's Front Street has been ranked one of the "Top Ten Greatest Streets" by the American Planning Association. Enjoy a relaxing stroll, and if rest is needed, take a break under the massive Banyan tree located in the town square. (Melinda loved these interesting and LARGE trees.)
Old Lahaina Luau
If you are looking for a fun time and a traditional luau, we highly recommend this option. It doesn't include some of the more trendy tourist flairs; this is all about being authentic. They serve dinner and the "Lava Flow" drinks (piña coladas with strawberry) are spectacular!
Beaches
Big Beach
This is a beautiful large beach with soft sand. It's close by and a lot of fun!
Black Rock Beach
This beach is in Northern Maui at the Sheraton. It's worth the drive for the FREE evening event: a Daily Cliff Diving Ceremony. If you snorkel here, it's likely you can run across sea turtles.
Secret Cove
This very small, intimate beach is a favorite of ours. It is extremely close to the wedding site. This is the beach that we first decided together that we wanted to get married near the beach in Hawaii. Our first time there included lots of sea turtles bumping into us near the shore--what fun!
Black Sand Beaches (Road to Hana)
There are several beaches on the Road to Hana, and the black sand beaches (a couple of them) are breath-taking. The final "stop" in Hana is where our favorite black sand beach is located at Wai'anapanapa State Park. This is a beautiful stop with blowholes, caves on land, underwater caves, hiking, and more!