Having cast off her post-surgical brace, Diana was ready to shift into 3rd gear (Drive will have to wait for more physical therapy). Our roving retirement continues in Maui with greater heights, longer boat rides, and extended walks.
Snorkel Tour To Lanai
We enjoy getting out on the water as we travel the globe, especially the different perspectives it provides on the places we visit. Snorkeling provides yet another perspective under the water. In Lanai, our trip revealed a fair number of tropical fish friends we hadn’t seen for a couple of years.
Two main snorkel tours are run from Maui. The closest destination is Molokini Atoll, which is off the coast near Kihei. We were told the Molokini tour gets canceled periodically because of wind. Even though it is more expensive with a longer boat ride, we chose to go to Lanai because their cancellation rate is lower and we had never been to Lanai.
Overall, we don’t regret this tour, but we probably would not do it again having already done the whale watching tour with the same company. The snorkel site did not prove compelling to us. We were, however, quite happy with the service provided by the operator, but the return ride was a bit choppy and the whole experience didn’t seem like a good value.
Haeleakala – Takes 1 & 2
Our first attempt to visit the largest volcano on Maui during our first week was not fruitful. We drove all the way up to the summit in the pouring rain on a road with lots of switchbacks and no guardrail. Sometimes the weather at the top is different than the weather below, but that just wasn’t the case on our first attempt. All we saw for our nearly 4-hour investment was a big grey cloud. But we were not deterred!
Before our second attempt, we watched the summit for days, looking for a promise of daylight to make the trip worthwhile. Even so, when we finally chose to approach again, clouds were forming on the ascent.
We arrived in a constantly changing mix of clear views and clouds, making for an occasional ethereal experience. Diana was looking for some good views into the crater from the top, which we were finally afforded after sticking around for a while. We even took our first hike partway into the crater and we were treated to an intriguing landscape that continually changed as the clouds moved. From the highest observation point, we were even treated to a view of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea on the Big Island.
Snorkeling at Kaanapali
There are three primary snorkel locations on the coast of Maui: Kapalua, Kaanapali, and Kihei. We decided to try snorkeling off the beach in front of our timeshare at Kaanapali. Entering the water is usually not so tough in my experience. Not so this time. We had to choose our paths in the surf zone carefully to avoid getting thrown on some shallow rocks.
In the end, I lost my snorkel in the surf on the way in. Snorkels are considered an essential part of snorkeling, so my experience in the water, bobbing up for air, was sub-optimal, as my friend Joe would say. Unsurprisingly, exiting the water in the surf zone was ungraceful as well. We were thrown onto the beach and then dragged back and forth across the beach in the surf. Grains of sand are still emanating from our swimsuits periodically. (Diana spent hours getting the sand out of her swimsuit, I kid you not.)
Driving North of Kapalua
One day, we chose to explore north up the west side of Maui, around to the Nakalele Blow Hole. You can find some nice beaches and scenic bays along the way. Upcountry rain made for some fast-moving streams and technicolor surf.
Dining
Pacific’O
Probably our favorite restaurant in Maui, Pacific’O is on the far south side of Lahaina. Our sunset, beachside dinner was great. The dishes were beautiful, well-conceived, and executed. They strived to give us a great experience.
This place is all about the view and the vibe. The sunset and live music made up for the good-but-not-great food. The ceviche was pretty good, though. Perhaps I didn’t order well…
The toughest table on the island, Mama’s books out a month in advance. And, because of Covid, they don’t take walk-ins. Several friends recommended Mama’s, so we felt compelled to go. I wound up setting an alert on Opentable to check for cancellations. I managed to snag a table at 11:15 am one day, which I jumped on. The food and setting are wonderful. I recommend it for a special lunch or sunset dinner.
Lahaina Fish
Another good option is the Lahaina Fish Co. It sits atop some breakers in the heart of the waterfront. Their MacNut Mahi was top three so far, very tasty. We splurged on a bottle of “Cougar Bait” (Rombauer Chardonnay) to round out a good meal.
Leilani’s
Very close to Hula Grill and part of the same restaurant group, Leilani’s is another great place for sunset dining. We had some good cocktails and food. The mint chip Hula Pie was a nice way to finish it off.
