I visit Oahu more than Maui because of the convenience factor of guaranteed direct flights from Anchorage to Honolulu and fairly frequent fare sales that are just low enough to prompt a splurge purchase. While I love Oahu and all it has to offer, I have a special place in my heart for Maui.
I have visited Maui regularly this past decade and appreciate it for its beauty, its laid back, beachy vibe, and for a different type of Hawaii tourism. Instead of busy Waikiki – with its sky-high hotels, packed beaches, high-end shops and sight-seeing helicopters buzzing overhead like bees – Maui slows things down. Visitors mostly stay in condo clusters, and a rental car is a must, so you can make your way at leisure between the island’s multiple charming, personable towns.
This is blog post 1 of 3 about things to do and see in beautiful Maui. Part 2 will look at Upcountry, and part 3 will offer some tips to make your trip more efficient and enjoyable.
People may stress about where to stay in Maui, but don’t. You generally won’t spend more than an hour getting anywhere, and with much of that drive alongside lovely coastline or old sugar fields, it’s picturesque enough to be enjoyable. The low speed limits help make driving stress-free. To get in the mood, skip satellite radio and find a local station that plays Hawaiian tunes.
Lahaina in West Maui is a showpiece of the island’s communities and teems with history and activity. Bustling Front Street dates to the 1820s, the town itself was once the royal capital, and today it claims about 11,000 residents. Enjoy a present stroll along the seawall, explore the banyan park, or pop into one of the many, many boutiques. This is a great spot for sunset beverages with so many restaurants and bars built overlooking the ocean.
In Lahaina, visit the restaurant Down the Hatch. It’s an order-at-the-counter, fast casual restaurant, down a few steps from street level in an open, leafy courtyard. They specialize in fresh fish dishes and will even cook your catch for you if you luck out on a fishing charter. In the same courtyard, there’s a place that does boozy shave ice for dessert. DTH has a nice big bar, a great happy hour, and a couple of TVs, one of which is usually tuned to the ubiquitous surfing channel. If their lava lava shrimp was the only thing on the menu, I would still go back. Often.
On the island’s southwest shore is Kihei, a town of about 16,000 people built along six miles of beautiful beaches. This is a fun town with a lot of energy. There’s a bustling epicenter of restaurants and nightlife, including a personal favorite, Threes Bar and Grill. There are several big beaches here and they are known by number – beach 1, beach 2, beach 3. All are good for snorkeling and swimming and have public restrooms, foot washes and outdoor showers, pay parking, and easy access to the sand.
After a morning swim or snorkel, hit up Da Kitchen. This popular spot serves all kinds of traditional Hawaiian plate lunches and the best Loco Moco – a traditional Hawaiian dish consisting of rice with a hamburger patty, fried egg and brown gravy on top. If that sounds heavy, well, it is! There are huge portions at Da Kitchen so you can pretty much split any entrée and be content. Another Kihei spot you won’t want to miss is Coconuts Fish Cafe. It may not look like much from the exterior, but this place has a Zagat rating of 27, and practically famous fish tacos that boast a whopping 17 ingredients.
Every Maui trip should include snorkeling, and my family is loyal to a company called Pride of Maui. The high-energy crew guarantees a good time. Most trips include a swim at both Molakini Crater and a place called Turtle Town. That’s depending on waves and weather. After snorkeling, the crew grills up burgers and hot dogs for lunch with pasta salad and, better yet, they open up the bar! Maitais are flowing as the smooth-sailing catamaran makes its way back to the docks. You’ll be sad when this trip ends.
Next up: Maui Wowie, Part 2: Upcountry