Hey guys! So over the summer I went on a trip to Maui, Hawaii. Let me just tell you that it was AMAZING. I would totally go back in a heart beat. I wanted to share a little bit about my trip with you guys. I hope you all enjoy reading and if you haven't already explored this island, then I would definitely recommend it.
WHERE WE STAYED // LOCATION
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So we ended up staying at a small condo called Maui Sands that we purchased through Global Discoveries. It was the perfect size for a family of three and was updated with nice appliances. It had a convenient location; we were able to walk to a fish market and an ABC store in less than five minutes. Although we couldn’t swim off our property because of the rocks, we enjoyed a small pool where we met lovely residents. Near the pool there was an area to wash your clothes, get ice, and grill food. These all were great features to have considering that we were on a budget. We also had the ability to watch turtles, crabs, and sunsets off of a little porch right on the water. Overall, I would 110% recommend this condo!
ROAD TO HANA // ADVENTURES
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If you decide to go to the Road to Hana on your trip to Maui then I have put together three stops that you should definitely make.
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1. Bamboo Forest
This is sort of a hidden path, but once you start driving it is about 15 minutes up the road. You may see a place in the road where it goes out. YOU WANT TO STOP THERE. **Also make sure you bring good walking shoes if you plan to go on this adventure.** Anyways, there will be a small pathway that you are going to want to walk down. This path gets very slippery when wet so be careful!! If you keep walking down the path you will eventually reach a river and you're going to want to cross it. Just jump from rock to rock and you will be to the other side in no time. Once you reach the path you will begin to see the first waterfall, but if you continue up the path you will reach more waterfalls with rope swings. If you continue up the then you will eventually reach the biggest waterfall of them all. I can't even describe the feeling of swimming underneath such a huge waterfall. You guys have to put this adventure into your itinerary.
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2. Black Sand Beach
Black Sand Beach is a stop the everyone must take when they are on the island. It is gorgeous for photography because of the contrast between the green, blue, and black. The sand feels like little pebbles on your feet and there are several paths to walk up and down, including a path to all past caves. You can also enjoy a nice picnic lunch on some tables in the shade. Overall, this is a great place to stop.
3. Hana Lava Tube
This may seem like a boring tourist attraction, but it's not! I decided that I wanted to go and explore the caves to see if they were actually cool and it turns out that they were. It is fairly inexpensive for a fun journey. When you walk down into the caves there are signs along the way that you can read about the history. The fun part is that you have to use a flashlight to be able to see the signs because it is pitch black in the cave, like you can't see anything! When you use your flashlight to look around you, you can see the old lava rock. I thought that it was amazing to be walking through a place that actually had lava flowing through. This experience in the caves was breathtaking and I would recommend stopping.
PLACES TO EAT // RESTAURANTS
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Some of my top favorite places to eat were:
Duke's Beach House- spectacular hula pie
Bad Ass Coffee- delicious coffee
Horhito's Shrimp Tacos- yummy tacos on a food truck
Sea Horse- great appetizers
Paia Fish Market Restaurant- fantastic local fish
Mana- healthy marketplace
Krispy Cream Donuts- fresh donuts
Ulani's Shaved Ice- crazy flavors to choose from
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Beaches // Snorkeling
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Some of my favorite beaches were:
Kapalua Bay- BEST snorkeling!!! We saw several turtles that would swim right up to us. They were so friendly and you could hover over them until they need to come up to breath. There was a huge variety of big and small fish.
Kaanapali- Great for jumping off of Black Rock and you can occasionally see turtles off the shore while you are swimming. There is an outdoor mall to walk around if you get bored. There are also lots of water activities such as a banana boat and parasailing!
Honalua Bay- This was good for snorkeling and it is a popular spot for boats to go. You have to swim very far out but you get the chance to see turtles and very big fish.
Napili- We only went to this beach once but it was worth it! It was not crowded and the waves were fantastic for boogie boarding. There was also a lovely breeze to keep you cool. A plus about this beach was that there was a lifeguard; this ensures your safety.
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Overall, my trip was fantastic and everyone reading this should go explore the island!!
-Katie at Delightful Lifestyle