Hawai'i -
Surf and sunsets (and more sunsets)
Surf and sunsets (and more sunsets)
Maui & Moloka'i
Hotel
Marriott Wailea Resort. I've stayed at the Kea Lani before and love this area
and the walking path. I really wanted to return to Wailea, but at a
reasonable cost (this is high season, and rooms at the Kea Lani and
others were going for $350 and up per night). I booked a Marriott Rewards
special at $199 per night for a garden view room and got everything I
requested: non-smoking, two beds, and a high floor. From our lanai, we
could see a little bit of everything: up Haleakala (on a clear day), down to
the Four Seasons, and some ocean including Koho'olawe and Molokini,
as well as the hotel lobby and part of the driveway. It wasn't the stunning
kind of view that made me want to hang out on my lanai, and if I were to do
it over I would probably dig a little deeper and get an ocean view or ocean
front room. The room was standard but spacious and included amenities
such as robes and a refrigerator. All in all, we had no complaints with this
hotel. The sprawling grounds made it feel less crowded than some of the
other hotels, and I like the relaxed atmosphere. The pools are not fancy but
nice enough and didn't seem as crowded as those at some other hotels.
There are two nice bar/lounge areas with great views. We had appetizers
several times, but otherwise did not try the hotel's restaurants. I would
absolutely stay here again, with the one caveat being a conflicting desire to
stay up at Napili Bay where we honeymooned 15 years ago. Do be aware
that there is construction next door. We were situated away from it, but you
could hear the noise every day but Sunday. Not a big deal for us, because
we were usually away from the hotel during the day, but I would not want to
be in one of the rooms right near the site.
Food
Feast at Lele. I don't often drop $100 per person on a meal, and I'm not
sure my mother ever has, so I was a little hesitant to book this, particularly
given that she doesn't like much seafood. I wanted something that was "in
the spirit," and since we've both been to luaus before I wanted it to be at the
high-end of the quality range. Good call. We both liked it a lot. I booked
about a month in advance, and we ended up with a table in the front row,
right next to the stage (seating is based on when you book). The food and
entertainment were excellent. This had a much different feel than a luau.
The only issue was that we were there on a very windy and somewhat cool
evening. You can't do much about the weather, so we just had to be
tolerant of the small projectiles falling from the palm trees and the fact that
food didn't stay warm for too long.
Kula Lodge. We stopped here for lunch on our way down from Haleakala.
The food was excellent, but the view was even better. I'd recommend this
for breakfast, lunch or early dinner when you can absorb the great view. We
arrived just before they opened for lunch, enabling us to get a table right at
the window.
Highlights
Road to Hana/Ohe'o Gulch. This was my third time making this drive. I can
say that the suggestions in Maui Revealed makes it much more
interesting. We left Wailea about 6:30am to beat the traffic, and that worked
out pretty well. We ordered a very nice picnic lunch packed in a cooler from
the Marriott, and had lunch on the cliffs at Ohe'o Gulch. On this trip we went
as far as Ho'omau Church and Lindburgh's grave then returned the way we
came, arriving back in Wailea around 4pm.
Day trip to Moloka'i. I booked the ferry/drive package in advance with
Maui/Molokai Princess. There is a 15% AAA discount available on this trip.
The car was a bit worn, but it served its purpose. We drove out to Halawa
Beach and back with a few stops, then up to the Kalaupapa Lookout. The
weather at the lookout was bad -- rainy and so foggy, you couldn't see a
thing. I felt bad for those who had opted for hiking or mule rides (the
weather on the rest of the island was clear for the most part, and sunny at
some points). With some extra time, we also drove out to the west to
Mauna Loa and the Sheraton, which would be my pick if I choose to stay on
Molokai in the future. This island definitely has a different feel, with no huge
resorts and no traffic. The ferry trip doubled as a whale watching tour. At
one point, the captain had to stop the boat for a couple of whales about
100 feet off the front. But one interesting note: we happened to do this on a
very windy day and it was quite a rough ride. Only a few people got sick, but
it was interesting watching everyone try to get up to the breakfast buffet bar.
To give you an idea of how bad it was, one of the catamarans going to
Lanai that day capsized, and the 10 poor people aboard spent three hours
soaked and huddling on the underside of the boat before they were
rescued.
Drive up to Haleakala. I've done this before, but I forgot what a beautiful
drive it is with the changes in scenery. We didn't do the sunrise or sunset,
but we did have the benefit of a beautiful, clear day with just a few clouds
drifting into the crater. I would have liked to have done some hiking but will
have to wait until next time. If you are going up and down in the morning, be
prepared to work around many groups of bikes on their way down.
Warren & Annabelles. This was a fun show, and very unique. I pre-booked
this, as is required, and had planned to spend the rest of the day up in
Lahaina and Ka'anapali. However, those plans changed, and we ended up
making a special trip up to Lahaina just for the show. Traffic was bad, and I
wouldn't recommend driving from Wailea to Lahaina just for the evening. I
booked the show only and we arrived well after the 5:00 opening. Some
people arrived as late as 6:15.
Wailea walking path. I just can't get enough of wandering between the
resorts here. Good shopping, restaurants and scenery -- all without the
hassle of driving/parking. I did think the beaches looked a little smaller
than when I last visited 10 years ago.
Lowlight
Traffic and parking. The highways to Lahaina and Kuhului can get very
congested at peak times. Parking in Lahaina is difficult. There are some
pay lots, but even these can fill up.
Other
If you take a lot of pictures, like I do, there are Ritz camera stores around,
including one in the Shops at Wailea. I filled up one of my CF cards in the
first five days there. I took it to Ritz, and in less than an hour I had all the
pictures transferred to a CD-ROM for $7, enabling me to clear the card and
start over.
Hawai'i
our travels
home
contact us
Hotel
Marriott Wailea Resort. I've stayed at the Kea Lani before and love this area
and the walking path. I really wanted to return to Wailea, but at a
reasonable cost (this is high season, and rooms at the Kea Lani and
others were going for $350 and up per night). I booked a Marriott Rewards
special at $199 per night for a garden view room and got everything I
requested: non-smoking, two beds, and a high floor. From our lanai, we
could see a little bit of everything: up Haleakala (on a clear day), down to
the Four Seasons, and some ocean including Koho'olawe and Molokini,
as well as the hotel lobby and part of the driveway. It wasn't the stunning
kind of view that made me want to hang out on my lanai, and if I were to do
it over I would probably dig a little deeper and get an ocean view or ocean
front room. The room was standard but spacious and included amenities
such as robes and a refrigerator. All in all, we had no complaints with this
hotel. The sprawling grounds made it feel less crowded than some of the
other hotels, and I like the relaxed atmosphere. The pools are not fancy but
nice enough and didn't seem as crowded as those at some other hotels.
There are two nice bar/lounge areas with great views. We had appetizers
several times, but otherwise did not try the hotel's restaurants. I would
absolutely stay here again, with the one caveat being a conflicting desire to
stay up at Napili Bay where we honeymooned 15 years ago. Do be aware
that there is construction next door. We were situated away from it, but you
could hear the noise every day but Sunday. Not a big deal for us, because
we were usually away from the hotel during the day, but I would not want to
be in one of the rooms right near the site.
Food
Feast at Lele. I don't often drop $100 per person on a meal, and I'm not
sure my mother ever has, so I was a little hesitant to book this, particularly
given that she doesn't like much seafood. I wanted something that was "in
the spirit," and since we've both been to luaus before I wanted it to be at the
high-end of the quality range. Good call. We both liked it a lot. I booked
about a month in advance, and we ended up with a table in the front row,
right next to the stage (seating is based on when you book). The food and
entertainment were excellent. This had a much different feel than a luau.
The only issue was that we were there on a very windy and somewhat cool
evening. You can't do much about the weather, so we just had to be
tolerant of the small projectiles falling from the palm trees and the fact that
food didn't stay warm for too long.
Kula Lodge. We stopped here for lunch on our way down from Haleakala.
The food was excellent, but the view was even better. I'd recommend this
for breakfast, lunch or early dinner when you can absorb the great view. We
arrived just before they opened for lunch, enabling us to get a table right at
the window.
Highlights
Road to Hana/Ohe'o Gulch. This was my third time making this drive. I can
say that the suggestions in Maui Revealed makes it much more
interesting. We left Wailea about 6:30am to beat the traffic, and that worked
out pretty well. We ordered a very nice picnic lunch packed in a cooler from
the Marriott, and had lunch on the cliffs at Ohe'o Gulch. On this trip we went
as far as Ho'omau Church and Lindburgh's grave then returned the way we
came, arriving back in Wailea around 4pm.
Day trip to Moloka'i. I booked the ferry/drive package in advance with
Maui/Molokai Princess. There is a 15% AAA discount available on this trip.
The car was a bit worn, but it served its purpose. We drove out to Halawa
Beach and back with a few stops, then up to the Kalaupapa Lookout. The
weather at the lookout was bad -- rainy and so foggy, you couldn't see a
thing. I felt bad for those who had opted for hiking or mule rides (the
weather on the rest of the island was clear for the most part, and sunny at
some points). With some extra time, we also drove out to the west to
Mauna Loa and the Sheraton, which would be my pick if I choose to stay on
Molokai in the future. This island definitely has a different feel, with no huge
resorts and no traffic. The ferry trip doubled as a whale watching tour. At
one point, the captain had to stop the boat for a couple of whales about
100 feet off the front. But one interesting note: we happened to do this on a
very windy day and it was quite a rough ride. Only a few people got sick, but
it was interesting watching everyone try to get up to the breakfast buffet bar.
To give you an idea of how bad it was, one of the catamarans going to
Lanai that day capsized, and the 10 poor people aboard spent three hours
soaked and huddling on the underside of the boat before they were
rescued.
Drive up to Haleakala. I've done this before, but I forgot what a beautiful
drive it is with the changes in scenery. We didn't do the sunrise or sunset,
but we did have the benefit of a beautiful, clear day with just a few clouds
drifting into the crater. I would have liked to have done some hiking but will
have to wait until next time. If you are going up and down in the morning, be
prepared to work around many groups of bikes on their way down.
Warren & Annabelles. This was a fun show, and very unique. I pre-booked
this, as is required, and had planned to spend the rest of the day up in
Lahaina and Ka'anapali. However, those plans changed, and we ended up
making a special trip up to Lahaina just for the show. Traffic was bad, and I
wouldn't recommend driving from Wailea to Lahaina just for the evening. I
booked the show only and we arrived well after the 5:00 opening. Some
people arrived as late as 6:15.
Wailea walking path. I just can't get enough of wandering between the
resorts here. Good shopping, restaurants and scenery -- all without the
hassle of driving/parking. I did think the beaches looked a little smaller
than when I last visited 10 years ago.
Lowlight
Traffic and parking. The highways to Lahaina and Kuhului can get very
congested at peak times. Parking in Lahaina is difficult. There are some
pay lots, but even these can fill up.
Other
If you take a lot of pictures, like I do, there are Ritz camera stores around,
including one in the Shops at Wailea. I filled up one of my CF cards in the
first five days there. I took it to Ritz, and in less than an hour I had all the
pictures transferred to a CD-ROM for $7, enabling me to clear the card and
start over.
Hawai'i
our travels
home
contact us
Feast at Lele
Maui coast - north
Maui coast - east
Maui coast - northwest
Haleakala
Molokai - 20 mile beach
Molokai - road to Halawa Valley
Molokai from the boat
Lahaina Harbor
