It’s finally summer… and what better way to spend it than in Hawaii?!
Two weeks ago, I flew to the Kahului Airport in Maui. I spent ten days living the island life, which mostly included me hiking, exploring Maui’s waterfalls, lounging by the pool, going to the beach, and of course eating a TON of good food. I stayed in two hotels- the Westin and the Ka’anapali Beach Club. It was such a fun trip and I never wanted to leave the island!
A few highlights from my trip…
Black Rock Beach, Kaanapali
The photo above is a little blurry, but that’s because it is a screenshot of a video of me jumping of the rock! That’s right, at Black Rock you can cliff jump on both sides. It’s pretty slippery to get up to the top and you have to watch out for sea urchins (a guy nearby me stepped on one), but overall, the feeling you get when you jump makes it worth it.
Road to Hana
This is one of Maui’s most popular activities and for good reason, too. The road to Hana start on the Hana highway and ventures onto a windy, narrow road. The drive was harrowing (so many one way bridges) and an all day tour but it was absolutely beautiful. The road has a ton of places to stop so my family had to pick and choose what places we wanted to stop and look it. A good tip for if you ever do the road to Hana is that there is an app for it. It’s complete with a tour guide, audio, background of Maui’s history, a map, and tells you all the spots on the road, even saying what places are a “must see.”
Black Sand Beach, Hana
The first “must see” place that I recommend everyone who does the road to Hana should stop at was this gorgeous, inlet beach. The sand has a rich, black pigment to it from all the black rock there and it makes the beach unique. The water has a slight rip current and I got there in the morning so there wasn’t too many people there yet.
Ke’anae Arboretum
This arboretum is a good stop if you want to see the Rainbow Eucalyptus trees (pictured above) up close. There’s a good amount of parking at this spot and it’s just a short hike off the road where you can learn about the different plants that grow in Hana. There’s also the Garden of Eden, which is another pretty arboretum, but you have to pay to get in.
Wailua Falls, Hana
Wailua Falls is located near the end of the road to Hana and it ended up being one of my favorite stops. You can see the falls off the side of the road from a one lane bridge and there’s not a lot of places to stop so I would try and get there early. What makes this place so special is that I found a hidden trail, located at the front of the bridge, that leads down towards the waterfall. I followed the rugged path and ended up sitting on these rocks, right above the waterfall!
THE BANANA BREAD (anywhere on the road to Hana)
The banana bread is AMAZING in Hana. There are endless cute shops along the road to stop at where you can buy the bread. I wanted to stop at Halfway to Hana- a well known shop along the road- but it was unfortunately closed so I went elsewhere to buy the bread and it did not disappoint! Other good things along the road include Hana coffee, beef kabobs, and chocolate, but this is BY FAR the best thing you can buy (and a must in my opinion).
Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls (end of the road to Hana)
Napili Beach & Kapalua Bay, Kapalua
Napili Beach and Kapalua bay are located almost next to each, with one or two hotels and restaurants in between. Napili Beach is more secluded and less crowded but the beach itself has slowly gotten smaller over the years and there isn’t a whole lot of sand there anymore. Kapalua Bay is bigger, more crowded, slightly rocky, better for snorkeling, and has a bigger beach. The water is calm, clear, and feels like a bathtub in both places and the scenery was exquisite.
Ululani’s Shave Ice (scattered around Maui)
mmmm to put it simply, I have never had a better shave ice in my entire life. They crush the ice to a smooth, snowlike powder that melts in your mouth. There are a variety of flavor- from your average cherry, blue raspberry, and orange all to the way to flavors like green tea, wedding cake, and tamarind. I found myself at Ululani’s in Lahaina and Hana.
Make sure to let me know what summer trips you are going to be taking!
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