So Many Visits and So Many Firsts Still to Come
My first visit to Hawaii when I was 20 was to Honolulu and I wasn’t that impressed. While I have been back to Oahu a couple of times the only thing I would go back for again is the Pearl Harbor tour. Pearl Harbor was moving, amazing! The rest of Oahu, blah! However from the very first trip to Maui I found a place which holds a piece of my soul. And there is so much I haven’t yet seen! This post is about things I want to do in the future since I now own a condo there!
Marine Reserve on West Maui
My first visits to Maui were to the Lahaina and Ka’anapali resort areas of West Maui. These spots have everything tourists want including beach access, lots of restaurants, shopping, and activities. The Whaling Museum, now the Whale Center broke my heart! Humpback whales are such intelligent and magnificent beings, I cannot imagine hunting them. Lahaina/Ka’anapali was nice but very touristy. From what I have read we should have driven further up the West Maui coast to the areas around Napili and Kapalua. There is a marine reserve at Honolua yet to explore! The area was agricultural for years but is now preserved. There is a lot of Hawaiian history in the area, and the snorkeling sounds awesome! So that is stop #1 still to visit.
Road to Hana
The Road to Hana is a big tradition for Maui visitors and I have never done it. What is the Road to Hana… well literally it is a 50 mile drive around the north shore of the island to the eastern tip ending at a tiny town called Hana! The drive takes hours, with 600 turns, some 1 way bridges, lovely waterfalls. I’ve read it is scenic but the trip takes a lot of time. Frankly I never wanted to spend a whole day during a trip doing this, but it’s time! Stop #2 will be the Road to Hana!
Ioa Needle Hike
Perhaps less strenuous than the 600 turns on the Road to Hana is a hike to the Ioa Needle. The “needle” is a naturally occurring lava structure created by erosion. This area is rich in botanical species and the place has great significance in Hawaiian history. Plants are abundant everywhere on Maui but, I’ve read, there are some really special plants to see on this 0.6 mile hike on a paved path. Ioa Needle Hike is Stop #3!
Next Post – Maui Things I Would Do Again!
Aloha!
