Maui, Hawaii

I spent the most time here in Maui. Maui seems to be a tourist favorite so unlike the big island, it is a lot more populated and lively. Maui has a really good spot in that the eastern part of the island is sort of blocked from the rest of the pacific ocean by two other islands, creating a peninsula of soft waves and keeps away the harsh currents. So all the resorts seem to be on that Eastern edge because of the ideal beaches and coral reefs.

Maui seems to be divided into west Maui and east Maui. It's clear to see why. If you look at a map, Maui has two peaks which means two volcanoes made two islands and they were so close to each other that the lava seemed to reach each other and combine the landmass.

Kaanapali

We stayed at the Westin in Kaanapali, although it looks like all the resorts are at Kaanapali. Taking a shuttle got confusing because not only did you have to remember your hotel, but which branch of your hotel you are staying. The Westin had like four different stops. Anyway, it is beach front access. Literally walk out of the back of the hotel and there is the beach. There are even already fishes so close to the shore! Reminds me of the old Boracay although the sand is not as white. 

If you are tired of the ocean, the Westin has lots of pools by the ocean you can swim in. Lots of space to kind of just lay in the sun. You can borrow pool floaties for the kids and there is always happy hour for the adults!

Haleakala

Our first stop was the peak of Haleakala, on of the mountains/volcanoes of the island. My family wanted to see the sunrise at the peak. Thank God I'm not driving because when they woke me up at 2 am so we can get ready to leave, I was cranky and miserable. It's not close to us so the drive took a few hours. I forced myself to sleep because every time I would wake up, the windy road and I swear my stepdad was speeding would make me nauseous. 

It was still pitch black when we finally reached our destination. We were told it was gonna be cold but we were not prepared enough. It was exactly 40 degrees. I wanted to die. I was actually the most prepared since I was wearing leggings and a decently thick sweater, which is what I bring for the cold plane rides. At least I was covered. My family had like thin jackets and Capri pants. 

Once there, you could climb up even higher to see it at a greater and less crowded elevation. Why is it less crowded? Because it is a rough dirt path going up with no light whatsoever. 

Anyway, the sunrise was really nice. We were so high we were actually above the clouds. I'm sure if I were prepared for the cold I would have enjoyed it more, instead me and my brother shared a blanket and huddled for warmth. Somehow the cold doesn't phase my parents. Inhuman, those two. 

Driving back down, we saw what we missed since it was so dark. My mom said she could tell there was a steep drop off on the cliff side of the road but now it's more obvious to see. It's cool but a bit terrifying. Whenever the road makes a bend, it almost looks like you are driving towards the sky. I mean much of the road is still above the clouds. As you go lower, the temperatures change drastically. About halfway down, the temperature gets back to normal. We stopped by restaurant on the side of the road for some breakfast. It had the most unusual plant/flower. I don't know what this is.

Next we drove back up for just a mile or so to our next destination, which is zip lining! We got to zipline through the forests of Haleakala and got to see some great views at the same time. By the end, my little 8 year old cousin was so pumped up she said she wanted to do it again! Our guides were very nice and hilarious. I would definitely recommend them. The company is skyline eco adventures. In the same area as the check in for the zip lining is a little cafe and also a garden of hydrangeas.

Honolua Bay
The next destination was Honolua bay. It's north of our resorts, not very far. There are many openings going into the bay. Somehow, my family and my aunt's family got separated and we actually ended up at two different beaches. There was no cellphone service and no way to contact them. We thought oh well. The one we were at had this opening on the bend of the road with a path that goes through a lush jungle until you get to a very rocky beach. And I mean rocky. This beach is all rock. However, once you get into the water,  the corals are amazing. So many types and schools of fish everywhere, some eels, turtles, and even some baby sharks! We lost track of time because in my snorkeling position, my butt got slightly sunburned and my stepdad's head got burned. My butt is not really a place that gets sun very often so I was blindsided by this.

The next time, we followed my aunt's family to the beach where they were at. It is also at the side of the road but this one had some parking and the entrance is a set of stairs that goes down to the beach. The beach is very sandy, not like the other one, and not much shade so the sand was scorching hot. It isn't as enclosed as the other part of the bay so the waves were rougher. However, this seems to be where the big turtles reside because in the part in front of a cave, in that water were huge sea turtles. I mean these sea turtles were easily the length of me, some longer and larger. They could take me down if they wanted to but they were very docile. Hawaii is very strict with their animal encounter rules so be wary of it before you get charged. After seeing the sea turtles, my brother and stepdad and I went ahead to go swim more towards the open water. We got pretty far off shore and the water was very deep. We even got to see a decent sized adult shark! That was really exciting.

Molokini Crater
I guess you could mistake it for a small island but its really just a crescent shaped land mass sticking out of the water. It's the leftover side of an old crater so it sticks out quite sharply from the water, steep sides and all. The good thing is the crescent is open towards the land so that wall serves to create a small peaceful sort of lagoon where corals and fish reside, making it a great snorkeling spot. We were advised not to get too close to the edges of the crater or we could get caught up in the currents and be swept away. Oh yeah, see the eel?

Road to Hana
The Road to Hana is literally a road that will lead you to the small town of Hana on the other side of East Maui. Hana town is not overly exciting in particular but the journey on the road to it is what you need to experience. We downloaded some app that served as a guide for us. The road is littered with stops for sights to see such as waterfalls, volcanic rock formations, bamboo forests, temples, gardens, and all that. All on the road to Hana is not something you can do in one day. There is too much to see. You just have to pick and choose which ones you really want to focus on.

The last real town before the journey is Paia Town. We got some breakfast and got ourselves going. Next up is waterfalls. Lots and lots of waterfalls. Some you should stop to see but some you can just slow down a bit and take a good picture from the road, as long as you aren't inconveniencing anyone behind you of course.

The first set of waterfalls are located past a bamboo forest. It was slippery and steep and easy to get lost in. We got separated, lost contact, found a different waterfall each, but somehow made it back to the car around the same time.

The next set of Waterfalls we actually stopped at are the three Bears. It is a set of three waterfalls that go into a large pool. Getting to it is a bit precarious since you basically have to climb down an opening in the wall on the side of the road. It's a bit scary and definitely not for anyone with young children. 

Here are some random waterfalls we passed. We also stopped by one of the state parks restroom stops for a bathroom break. This one had quite a few waterfalls. The first set you have to walk to and it flows into a small pond where some local children were jumping down from the waterfalls. The pond then leads to another waterfall which you can see from the side of the road. The water then continues to stream down below the road/bridge and if you look over the other side of the bridge, you see the waterfall going down a steep ravine.

The guide also recommended for us to stop on the side of the road to view a certain lookout. The guide was not wrong and the view is gorgeous.

We also did a bit of a side stop to see this area where there were lots of volcanic rocks. The water was so blue and there was a platform you could jump off of so you can swim. The waves are really strong and harsh though so strong swimmers recommended.

Another place for great lava rock formations is the Wai'anapanapa State Park. You can see some blowholes and a black sand beach and a sea arch. Somewhere further along you can also find a lava tube but to save up on time we skipped the lava tube. The black sand beach is more like a black pebble beach actually, not quite what I was expecting. The Philippines has some black sand beaches where the rock is just so finely ground I guess by the water that it looks like black sand.

We didn't stop at Hana town. We drove past it although we did stop at Kaupo general store for more water. Our ultimate goal was to enter back to Haleakala State Park to view Ohe'o Gulch and walk up the Pipiwai trail to see Waimoki falls. Sadly the water had to be rerouted due to recent flooding so the falls were just trickles and the still unflowing water had become brown with mud. Disappointing. I told my parents I can't believe we drove all this way just to see a trickling faucet. I'd like to go back here to see those in their proper majesty as well as see the large Banyan tree further up the trail. I was too tired and we were losing light. Next time I will bring proper shoes!

Lahaina
The closest actual town to the resort is Lahaina, where business seems to be booming due to tourism from the nearby resorts. Lots of good places to eat! There are some seaside shops and also they have sort of a park in the center. The tree is called THE Banyan because even though it looks like there are multiple trees, apparently they are all rooted in the one Banyan. When I was exploring they had set up a market in the park. On the side are some ruins of an old wall of a fort. There is also a building there where inside were some information about Kamehameha. Fun fact, did you know King Kamehameha's full name is Kalani Paiʻea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiʻikui Kamehameha o ʻIolani i Kaiwikapu kauʻi Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea? Yep.

Maui was really nice. To be honest, I would have been content snorkeling all day. I don't think I can ever get tired of staring at fish and coral. I would love to see all the things we missed on the road to Hana. Next time we are leaving early! We didn't get a start until 10 am so that was a bit disappointing. Like I said, all for next time! From what it sounds from my family, there will be a next time.