Maui Bound - 80+ degrees in Hawaii

[BuoyChaser]

we're heading to Maui for a wedding, anyway have any suggestions for things to do/see???

we won't have enough time to hit any other islands in Hawaii...

[ski_king]

The bike ride down Haleakala.
You ride to the top of the 10,000 ft. mountain in a van and ride a bike back down to the bottom.
I didn't do it when I was there and have regreted it ever since.
http://www.mauidownhill.com/

[shepherd]

The problem with the Haleakala bike ride is that most company's require you to wear their stupid flourescent suits and full face helmets and make you ride in formation (like you see on the website above). I think it may be a park rule...

When my wife and I went about 10 years ago, we were able to find one company that didn't have those rules. They took a group of us up to the park entrance (avoids the park service's rules but only disadvantage is you start at something like 8,000 ft instead of very top at 10,000 feet), and let us free. We still wore bike helmets -- at least part of the way down, and we were able to cruise at our own pace. It was downhill for 35 miles. Awesome!

I don't remember the name of the company but you may be able to find someone who does the same thing if you call around. Or, one time we were considering just renting a couple bikes on our own and an extra rental car for a day (to park at the bottom) and doing it ourselves.

Maui is a great island!

Car trip to Hana along the north shore. Great restaurant in Hana at the hotel for lunch.
Lahaina was a neat old port town.
I enjoyed watching the surfing and windsurfing at Hookipa beach.
Of course diving, snorkling, kayaks, and all of the beach stuff.

[shepherd]

Also, rent a car and drive around east end of the Island past Hana. Stop at the Seven Pools/Oheo Gulch past Hana and climb the trail uphill past all the other tourists. There's a waterfall at the top of the trail and you go through bamboo forests and mango groves. Continue on around the island on your car. Ignore the warning signs not to continue and that it is against your car rental contract. The road wasn't bad at all the two times we went (it was a gravel/dirt road and got washboard-bumpy at times), and it takes you around some of the most deserted and uninhabited parts of the island. It is really a spectacular drive.

Just know that if you break down, the car rental company won't help you because the contract probably DOES forbid you from driving around there. But we weren't the only ones doing it. We saw a few other rental cars out there. Well worth the risk IMO.

Enjoy!

[ski_king]

Yes, Lahaina is a great old whaling village. Lots of great restruants everywhere.

The drive to Hana was nice also but takes a full day. When I did it my old Toyota rental didnt have power steering and it gave me a workout. You will make more sharp turns on that trip than you would driving a backroad in West Virginia for 2 years!

Also the end of the island opposide Hana is great. Lots of open cattle range one one side of road and the ocean on the other.

I think Maui would be the best place to live in the world if it only had a fresh water place to waterski.

[shepherd]

No power steering?

Lahaina seemed like too much of a tourist trap to us... We liked to stay on the Wailea side of the Island away from the crowds (but it may now be just as bad these days). But on the west end of the Island, the north coast is also a very spectacular scenic drive, with lush tropical forest and taro farms on one side and the blue ocean on the other. And it's a shorter drive...

[BuoyChaser]

great tips, we were wondering about the bike ride just weren't sure if our whole group would enjoy a day of saddle sores...but the pics look amazing, WOW!!!

how about the best place to take some 1st time surfin' lessons???

we're flying into Kahului Airport and our condo is near the Kaanapali Golf Course and across the street from Kaanapali Beach...

I've only surfed Oahu, but looks like on the internet south of Lahaina there are good places for beginners. North Shore would not be for beginners!

[BuoyChaser]

i checked with the guy that owns the place where we're staying

"There are a lot of places to rent boards at reasonable price. West Maui Sports (on Front St.) Surf places are numerous. They very on location, it depends on if there is a north or south swell.

Must sees are: Haleakala Crater, Big/Little Beach at Makena, Kaanapali Beach (Dig'me beach) Honolua Bay (#1 surf spot in the world when there is a north swell. Stay out of the Water there, dangerous!), snorkeling anywhere. Whale watch ( the whales will be just getting here)."