MAUI (from July 21 to 28th 2018)
Car Rental
376.20 Eu charged for 7 days for a 3-volume Nissan compact car with a large trunk, with Budget Car Rental, whose offices at Kahului Airport can be reached by shuttle. Very long queues at counters in the assignment practices processing, very fast return
Sleep
370.50 Eu spent for a week, (not included the 100 USD deposit paid at booking time, and which was returned when I got back home (following my reminder, to be honest). Through VRBO I found the cheapest accommodation on the island: USD 43 for a Murphy bed in the living room of a beachfront condominium in Kihei, at the home of Carole, a very nice, very lively and very young retired lady. I see now the apartment is not sold any longer on VRBO portal but it can still be found on Air BnB. I can provide Carole’s contacts details with private message, she rents only to single women.
I would have gone anywhere, just to save money, however, Kihei is set on the sunny side of the island, and looks like a real town, rather than a mere cluster of condominiums like Wailea or Kapalua. I can not decide which town is the one in the most strategic and central position of the island, perhaps Kahului, but the fact remains that if I left clouds behind Kahului I was sure to find good weather in Kihei and in the west, even if from here it is more uncomfortable to reach Hana
Eat
My host allowed me to use her kitchen, and she lent me a portable fridge and various plastic lunch boxes. In Kihei there are several supermarkets, the prices are among the most absurd in Hawaii. Times is cheaper than Foodland, there are quite healthy ready-made dishes at the rotisserie counter, and fish fillets are certainly cheaper than elsewhere. I almost never ate meat, because of huge packs in supermarkets.
Excursions
In South Kihei, and I also imagine in other Lahaina towns, there are tourist kiosks everywhere whose leaflets promise trips at bargain prices, like the Monokini atoll for 39 USD or similar. Well, that’s all balderdash. When you go to ask for information, prices at least triple: it’s better to put it in your head immediately, here more than everywhere else nothing is frees.
The altitude, 3000 meters, did not create particular problems. There is also an observatory, with interesting explanatory signs boards
Itineraries
Thanks to the rental car I did not have to plan anything. I drove the west side of the island from Makena State Beach Park (south) to Honolua Bay (north), and then the east side from Waihee to Hana, and the Honoapiilani Highway to reach Wailuku and Yao Valley State Park . I would like to point out hereunder the great attractions of the island.
WEST COAST
Charlie Beach Young, a wide and rather nice beach, reachable on foot from my apartment.
Kamaole Beach III, the beach is nothing special, I stopped there for curiosity, because I found free parking, and because I was attracted by these huge stretches of perfectly shaved grass gently sloping down to the sea. There are many benches, but it’s beautiful to lie down on the soft lawn.
Wailea – The beach is surrounded by condominiums, and shopping centers. In some of them there are free hula shows, but they are not great. There are beautiful golf courses, wonderful is the vegetation. Difficult to find free parking
Makena State Park – Long, beautiful beach. A kiosk in the parking lot sells snacks, I brought a packed lunch. It is possible to go from Big to Small Beach crossing a small promontory, with a wonderful view.
Honolua Bay and surroundings
From Kapalua to the north, very high pine trees line blinding greened golf courses
The bay is reached after a final stretch of rather narrow road, which then continues to Honokohau, on the north side, violently lashed by the winds even during the summer months. There are very few places in the parking lot, and you need to walk a little bit in a small wood to get to this expanse of rocks where you can snorkel. A few minutes to the south is the sandy Mokulela Reserve, where turtles are often seen in its turquoise waters.
DT Fleming Beach Park is not that great, but at least the parking lot is big, and there’s plenty of shade, so it’s ideal for lunch.
At Napili I could not see the public beach, hidden as it is by condominiums, so I parked at random and I slipped into a private property, just to peek as life is in a luxury condominium perched on the rocks between palm trees and lawns.
Kaanapali did not impress me, mainly it is a complex of condominiums and resorts, plus the usual shopping centers, which overlook the beach, bordered by a nice beach walk and lawns. In the late afternoon the light conditions did not allow me to perceive and appreciate the colors and the transparency of the sea, but what disturbed me the most was the presence of all the buildings behind myself. I think I would never spend hundreds of dollars a day to stay in such a place.
Honokeana Bay, I saw turtles there, but the beach in the afternoon is just so and so…
Lahaina is a charming village, very touristy, with a small port, colorful wooden houses, a museum, a few shops and a park with ancient banana trees, where there are also homeless people.
From here, back to North Kihei, the road is spectacular, wedged between the West Maui mountains, constantly covered by clouds, and the coast.
Maalaea is again a nice place with a nice harbour, and just a little further south is the oasis of Kealia Beach Pond where birds and turtles come to nest. Being on the way to South Kihei, I passed there a lot of times, and I always met very few people.
There is a beautiful light in the afternoong. Here, the beach is practically deserted.
I point out that the narrow road from Honokohau to Waihee is drivable by rental cars at risk and danger of drivers, as the rental companies refuse to recognize damage caused during this journey
IAO VALLEY
The nature in inner island is very lush and the hills are similar to Oahu’s ones. I went a couple of times in the area, starting from a sunny Kihei, and here unfortunately I always found clouds at best. Leaving the car in the parking lot (at 9 in the morning there was almost no one, because of the weather), I just paid the ticket and took a few steps on a flight of stairs to see the rock spike called Needle. That’s it, there are no other walks or trails around.
Shortly before, however, I recommend a stop at the cute Kepaniwai State Park, where there are picnic tables protected by canopies, bathrooms, and some temples of different religious faiths, very photogenic (especially the Japanese one).
EAST COAST
Justo to kill time, hoping for an improvement in the weather conditions at the Yao Valley, I took a ride from Kahului veering north to Waiheu and Waihee. Unfortunately the weather conditions did not help, but I was deeply impressed, also considering these were my e first days of stay in Hawaii, observing how the landscape varies so deeply within a few kilometers. Green cliffs overlooking the sea, roaring and roaring waves.
The road to Hana, one of Maui major attractions, is the part of the east coast which runs from Pahia, south of Kahului, right down to Hana. To be able to complete it in one day I left Kihei around 6 in the morning. As always in Kihei the sky was clear, but in Pahia, where I stopped to get some fuel, it started to rain. Despite the not really positive start, it was all wonderful, even before the bad weather break. The views are magnificent, this is one of the most spectacular coastal roads in the world, it can compete with the Australian Great Ocean Road and Cape Town Chapman’s Peak Drive. I did not do all the various stops in succession. Because of the weather I stopped a bit at random without respecting logical or spatial order.
Paia is a lovely cluster of colorful wooden houses on the central street lined with shops, many people stop here to buy food to be consumed along the way. First stop: Ko’Okipa State Park, which I admired from the belvedere, a very windy stretch of coast frequented by surfers, I would say it takes only 5 minutes and you can move on.
The Bamboo Forest more than a forest is a kind of park, there are some of these spectacular plants, with a splendid light, since I arrived in the late afternoon when the sun had started again to shine gloriously, then other ficus benjamin, and a waterfall monopolized by a noisy group of local youth.
Twin Falls : I think I missed them…
Waikamoi Ridge Trail, I walked the shortest ring, I would say avoidable, the path continues in the woods without any sight. Avoid the flip-flops, serious shoes are necessary, there are many roots and mud. The view from the surrounding road, however, is beautiful.
Kaumahina State Wayside is a large parking area with bathrooms. There are no trails or pathways. Ok for a picture stop
Ke’anae Arboretum, visited early in the morning, under the rain, there was practically no one, not even mosquitoes
Pua’a Ka’a State Wayside, another crowded fall
Waianapanapa State Park, my first black beach, absolutely stunning! When the sun arrives we reach the apotheosis
Hana Bay, seen after Waianapanapa, is a bit disappointing. There is a kind of bar recommended by the guides, the Barefoot Café, however, after seeing the queues, I was happy to have my lunch box from home.
Kaihalulu Bay (Red Sand Beach), another wonder. Neglected by many people because it is difficult to find parking and there are no signs. I asked for directions to other tourists. I had never seen a beach of this color. Many pictures on the web are artificial, but, Photoshop aside, the natural contrast between the dark rust color of the sand, the blue of the sea and the sky, the green of the pines is something exciting
