A short drive to Keanae Peninsula is definitely worth the diversion off the Road to Hana. The paved drive down to this peninsula leads you to the ocean’s edge for amazing views of the Hana coast.

You’ll find the turn to Keanae Peninsula on the ocean (makai) side of the Road to Hana between mile markers 16 and 17. (It’s closest to mile marker). The turn is at a the bend of a hair pin curve, so drive slowly so you don’t miss the turn.

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I’ve been to Keanae Peninsula in both morning and afternoon sun. I think it’s particularly beautiful during afternoon sun, but stop when ever you can – especially if the weather is sunny.

I’d also like to note that there’s a banana bread stand, Aunty Sandy’s,  in Keanae that’s known for serving some of the best banana bread on the island. I wish I could speak from experience about how good it tastes, however it’s always been closed when I’ve been there. I guess I’ll have to keep returning in the hopes that the banana bread stand is open.

Have you been to Keanae Peninsula? How was your experience.

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Near Hana, you’ll find an island that will probably peak your curiosity – Alua Island. This island seems to appear out of nowhere, but what surprises me most is that there’s palm trees growing on top.

For years, I had wondered how those palm trees were established. I finally got my question answered as I was on a horseback ride included in my stay at Travaasa Hana.  Lifelong Hana resident Jolynn from Hana Ranch told us that her grandfather and his friends swam out to Alau Island and planted the coconut trees decades ago.

Alau Island is located several hundred yards off the Maui coast just beyond the central part of the town of Hana. To get a great view of Alau Island, turn off of Hana Highway (also known as the Road to Hana) on to Haneoo Road which will loop back around to the Hana Highway. See this Google Map for a detailed view.

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If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to drive the road to Hana, this video by GoHawaiiTV will give you an idea.  The video shows the coast, the incredibly curvaceous road, fruit stands, a bamboo forest on the Pipiwai Trail, gardens and waterfalls.

(Email subscribers: click here to access the video.)

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Let me tell you something — luau providers change their pricing, schedules and websites almost as often as some people change underwear. It’s a bear to try to keep up with it. As often as I can, I aim to update the Maui luaus post that I created back in 2008. So, if you are looking for a luau for your Maui vacation, see the newly revised post:  Maui Luaus – Prices, Schedules, and Reviews.

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Waianapanapa State Park

After being a longtime proponent of touring Maui’s famous Road to Hana independently, I decided that I’d give a guided tour a try.  After asking around, Wade Holmes of No Ka Oi Adventures was highly recommended, so I booked his one-day Discover Hana Adventure tour.

No Ka Oi Adventures does not offer the typical road to Hana guided tour. For starters, he typically drives a Ford Explorer, which immediately makes his tours much more intimate than the typical mini-bus tours. The day I toured, there was only one other gentleman on the tour. (Andy couldn’t make it because he was attending the Maui Photo Festival that day.)

Wade can customize your guided-tour to you interests and fitness levels. Weeks before my tour, Wade emailed me to ask me what I’d like to see on the tour. I didn’t make any requests then, but on the day of the tour he did customize a few things based on my interests and what I had seen on previous trips.

A secluded, secret waterfall off the Road to Hana

I could tell that Wade enjoys taking his guests off the beaten path to hidden places that most people don’t know. Wade took us to two waterfall-fed pools for swimming where we were the only people there. Cool, eh?

Wade’s knows the road to Hana like the back of his hand. For various reasons, locals have hidden some trail heads, but Wade knew exactly where to go. There was one pile of yard waste hiding a trail head. If Wade hadn’t shown me the way, I never would have found it.

Here are the highlights of what we got to see and do on this full-day adventure:

- Ke’anae Peninsula was our first stop. This was a great place to stretch our legs and take in the views without crowds.

- A short hike to a very secret waterfall-fed pool that’s not even in the Revealed guidebook. We swam here.

- Another short, though adventurous hike to a swimming hole with a waterfall at Wailua Iki.

- Sampled the unique coconut-based ice cream and candy at Coconut Glen’s. (I probably wouldn’t have ever stopped here on my own. When you’re touring the road to Hana independently, you literally have to make decisions to stop within a few seconds. I probably would have passed on by without knowing what a quirky and tasty stop Coconut Glen’s is. I’ve written about stopping at Coconut Glen’s.)

- Stopped at Wai’anapanapa State Park for quick hike to the spring-fed freshwater caves.

- Hiked to the red sand beach (Kaihalulu) in Hana. Wade brought blankets, towels, and sunscreen for all of us so we were able to relax on the beach while soaking in the sun and scenery for a half hour or so.

- For lunch, we ate at a local place, Echo’s, off of Haneoo Road outside of Hana town. The burgers with da kine sauce were pretty good, but the views of Alau Island from  Echo’s were even better!

-  Our next stop was the longest as we hiked the Pipiwai Trail up to Waimoku Falls.

-  Our adventure completed with driving what I call the back side of Hana which is one of Hawaii’s forbidden roads for car renters. In the past, Andy and I had only driven a short section of this forbidden drive. So, it was neat for me to see the entire drive with Wade’s expertise. We stopped a couple of times in Kaupo. The most interesting stop was seeing the historic St. Joseph Church.

- We were able to catch the last rays of sun before heading back to our meeting point in Maalaea.

- See all the photos that I took on my day of touring the Road to Hana with No Ka Oi Adventures.

The first view approaching the Red Sand Beach of Hana

So, what did I think of touring the Road to Hana on this guided-tour? I really liked it! Though I had already toured the Road to Hana independently on three other occasions, I felt like I got to see and do much more than I’ve experienced previously. In fact, I’d like to repeat this entire tour with No Ka Oi Adventures some day when Andy can come along.

Wade’s educational background is in Ethnobotany with a specialty in Hawaiian and Polynesian plants. Not only did I get to learn about unique plants from Wade, I got a tasting lesson, too. I ate lilikoi (passion fruit) and sipped yellow ginger nectar.

A unique aspect of No Ka Oi Adventures is that the tour is all-inclusive. Lunch, snacks, juice, water are all generously provided. Wade even supplies towels and sunscreen for his guests.

This one-day Discover Hana Adventure tour costs $225 per person based on parties of two or more. For an all-inclusive tour that lasted from 6:30am until about 7:30pm, that’s really a pretty good deal.  Though other road to Hana tours cost $100 to $150 per person, they’re not customizable or all-inclusive, and you don’t get the adventures of swimming at a secluded waterfalls. No Ka Oi’s Hana tour is geared for people who enjoy adventures and avoid crowds, which suited me perfectly. If you don’t want to hike, then I recommend you choose one of the standard road to Hana guided tours.

You may be wondering if I recommend driving the road to Hana independently or going with a guided tour. I say, do both! I think both methods are complimentary, plus the road to Hana has so much to offer, you can’t do it all in just one or two days.

Have you toured the road to Hana independently and on a guided tour? Which method did you like best?

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Just to give you an idea of what the trail is like, I want to show you some scenes from the trail. As you can see from the following photo, the terrain can be very uneven and even muddy with rain. You should definitely wear footwear that’s designed for hiking.

About a half mile into the trail, you’ll see a large banyan tree.

Further along, you’ll cross a bridge that takes you into a thick bamboo forest.

You’ll be thankful for the smooth, clean boardwalk through the bamboo forest.

Then, finally, your two-mile effort rewards you with a view of the 400 foot (or more) Waimoku Falls.

Waimoku waterfall is so tall, that it’s hard for photos to do it justice. I took this 18-second video of it to help give you a better idea of how impressive it is.

(Email subscribers: click here to watch the Waimoku Falls video.)

Here’s what to know before you go:

• You pick up the trail head from the parking lot at the Kipahulu region of Haleakala National Park. A parking fee of $10 per car is required. If you have or will be visiting the summit of Haleakala Park, keep your permit. It’s valid for three days at both sections Haleakala National Park.
• Before beginning the trail, look up towards the mountain. If you see rain or heavy clouds, stop into the visitors center at the bottom of the parking lot and ask if they advise hiking to Waimoku Falls.
• Do not attempt to cross flooded streams. (I’ll write more about this later, but it is shocking how quickly streams can flood and become dangerous.)
• Obey the signs at the base of the waterfall and do not get too close.
• Do NOT attempt to swim at Waimoku Falls.
• Plan between 2 to 2.5 hours round-trip to hike the Pipiwai Trail
• Do yourself a favor and wear proper hiking footwear that you won’t mind getting muddy or wet. Though there are bridges over most streams, you will have to cross in a stream to get to the Waimoku Falls view.
• Stay on the trail.
• Bring water.
• Bring/wear mosquito repellant.

See other photos from our hike on the Pipiwai Trail.

Have you hiked the Pipiwai Trail? How was your experience?

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Kapalua Sunset

As I mentioned yesterday, we’re back from 11 days in Maui. This trip was our fifth to the Valley Isle and, still, we feel like we need to return for new experiences.

I’ll be writing many more details about individual aspects of our trip. In the meantime, I wanted to provide you with a summary of what we liked and didn’t like on this trip in case you’re planning your Maui visit.

Where We Stayed

We spent the first six nights at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua. We had high expectations and they were met at this luxury resort. We’ve loved the Kapalua area ever since our first stay in the villas in 2003. By the way, their best deal starts at $399 per night and includes daily breakfast for two.

We ended our trip with a four-night stay at the newly rebranded Hana resort, Travaasa Hana. We felt like we’d taken a step back in time to the real Hawaii on a relaxed pace. See my review of Travaasa Hana.

Where We Played

A semi-private, guided-tour of the Road to Hana with No Ka Oi Adventures – Wade’s knowledge and expertise of the Road to Hana definitely provided me with many new experiences that I may not have ever discovered on my own. See my full report on touring the Road to Hana with No Ka Oi Adventures.

We did some great hikes and walks around Kapalua, the Kipahulu area of Haleakala and around Wailea.

Horseback riding along the Hana coast was superb! Jolynn lead us through Hana Ranch land by the coast for gorgeous views. One interesting tidbit I’ll go ahead and share is that Jolynn’s grandfather and friends climbed to the top of Alau Island to plant those curious palm trees you see on top of the island. (See a photo of Alau Island.)

Surfing Goat Dairy Farm – because when you think of Maui, you immediately think of petting goats and tasting goat cheese, right? A short tour at Surfing Goat Dairy was a fun side trip in the upcountry and definitely something the kiddos would enjoy.

Two self-guided garden tours – one at Kahanu National Tropical Botanical Garden off the road to Hana and Kula Botanical Garden in the upcountry. I rate Kahanu Gardens a four out of five with its beautiful coastal views and peeks at the massive Pi’ilanihale Heiau. I rate the Kula Botanical Garden a three out of five. It’s a fairly small garden with some lovely protea flowers.

We tried SNUBA with our friends at Trilogy. Unfortunately, we both failed at this first and possibly our last SNUBA attempt. We snorkeled instead and got to see some honu (Hawaiian sea turtle). So, all wasn’t a loss during our SNUBA experience.

Andy had a blast at the Maui Photo Festival!

While Andy was in the photography festival, I did a bit of exploring on my own. I wanted to go back to Iao Needle to see if I could capture a better photo for our collection. I was disappointed to find that they are now charging visitors $5 per car to park. (Hawaii residents don’t have to pay.) On top of having to pay to park, the restroom facilities were closed. These were the same restrooms that were open and worked back when parking was free. Grr! There was no security in the parking area either. I wouldn’t mind paying such a steep parking fee if they provided security so that your car didn’t get broken into and they had proper restroom facilities. What a rip off that they charge a fee and don’t even offer basic services! They did have a few port-a-johns that were disgusting, of course. (On a side note, just to top off my frustration, someone literally tried to break in the port-a-john that I was using. I had to yell several times that it was occupied. Double grr!)

We got some great spa treatments at Hana Travaasa and Ritz Carlton Kapalua.

Where We Ate

We always aim to try new restaurants with each island visit because we want to be able to provide you with a list of the best restaurants. Here are the new restaurants we tried this time:

- Monkeypod Kitchen in Wailea – excellent, fresh, relatively inexpensive food in a casual atmosphere. I think I heard about this one from my friend Nathan, after he described his Maui foodie experiences. Andy loved the Banana Cream Pie. He said it was one of the best desserts he’s had in Hawaii. We highly recommend Monkeypod Kitchen!

- Star Noodle in Lahaina – Wade from No Ka Oi Adventures told me to try this place and he didn’t steer me wrong. We stopped in for lunch and loved this Asian Fusion fare. Prices were reasonable and the food was very tasty. We highly recommend Star Noodle.

- The Beach House in Kapalua on DT Fleming Beach – Believe it or not, there’s not a plethora of restaurants right beside a beach. That’s one of the reasons that The Beach House is so special. The food is very tasty, though not light on your wallet as a burger and fries will set you back $18. The views, oh the views, they make dining here worth it, though. It’s generally only open for lunch.

- The Banyan Tree in Kapalua – Good food and good views. The appetizers are very generously sized. We found we didn’t need entrees after having appetizers. At The Banyan Tree, they provide a delicious nut and spice mixture called Dukkah along with olive oil for bread dipping. I kept raving about it to our waiter and he provided the recipe.  If you are a vegetarian, you’ll love all the options available on The Banyan Tree’s menu.

- Coconut Glen’s between mile markers 27 and 28 on the road to Hana – Wade of No Ka Oi Adventures stopped here during our day touring the road to Hana and beyond. What a yummy treat to try coconut candy and ice cream made of coconut milk. You really ought to experience this tasty stop off the road to Hana. Here’s my post about Coconut Glen’s off the Road to Hana.

- Merriman’s at Kapalua – We actually liked the view better than the food here. The sunset view was super.  I don’t know if we hit this restaurant on an off night, but the food was nice, but didn’t blow us away. For the elevated prices here, I recommend it for sunset pupus (appetizers) and drinks only.

- Lahaina Grill in Lahaina town – When I was recently voting for my favorite Hawaii restaurants in the HONOLULU Magazine Hale Aina Awards, I noticed Lahaina Grill was on the list and knew I had to give it a try. The food was pretty tasty, but didn’t knock our socks off. The atmosphere here is very lively, e.g. loud. I think maybe this popular restaurant is not for us because we prefer a more relaxed atmosphere. There’s no view here and parking in Lahaina town is a pain in the rear.

As much as we try to force ourselves to only go to restaurants we’ve not yet tried, we can’t resist going back to some of our favorites. We like to call these visits quality control checks to see if these restaurants still worth recommending. Here are the restaurants we revisited and still love:

- Pineapple Grill – We first tried Pineapple Grill in 2009. Everything was delicious! In our opinion, Pineapple Grill serves the best food in Maui. Period.

- Honolua Store in Kapalua – We found ourselves walking to the restaurant for a light, inexpensive breakfast almost every morning when we were staying in Kapalua.

- The Plantation House in Kapalua– We tried The Plantation House on our very first visit to Maui in 2003 and haven’t missed going there on each return visit.

- Haliimaile General Store in Haliimaile – We have a new tradition of having our last Maui meal at Haliimaile before flying home.

I’ll be updating our list of best Maui restaurants soon.

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So, that’s the skinny on this trip to Maui. As I mentioned, I’ll be detailing most of these experiences in future posts. In the meantime, do you have any questions about this trip?

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Since it was our first time to Maui, and this particular trip was all about scuba diving – we went straight to a trusted dive friend for his advice on which dive operation to choose.

He gave us just a few options: Extended Horizons in Lahaina, and two in south Maui, depending on where we were staying. I was picking where we were staying based on where we were diving, and just a little bit based on the best hotel deals I could find along the way.

I settled on the convenience of Lahaina (we stayed in Kaanapali Beach) and Extended Horizons immediately after reviewing their website and TripAdvisor reviews. I liked that the operation focused on smaller groups per dive leader (6 max), and seemingly had a large variety of dive sites they frequented, just off Maui and across the channel, closer to Lanai.

As an added bonus, they are an outfit committed to environmental sustainability (the dive boat even runs on biodisesel and they’ve reduced wasted on board) and engage in responsible diving practices.

Maui Dive Day 1: Mala Boat Ramp Shore Dive

This day started out a little rough due to some miscommunication about the time of our planned private shore dive. We had scheduled the dive to brush up on our dive skills as well as work out the kinks in new equipment we’d purchased prior to the trip.

The dive operation’s owner, Erik, was amazingly cool about the whole thing and smoothed it out quickly, to make sure we got out for a least a 1-tank shore dive to kick off our week.

Enter dive leader Mark to the rescue. He was available at the last minute and hurried to the shop to lead us to Mala Boat Ramp, an area with a long-ago collapsed pier, which makes for an interesting reef to trawl.

Image via Extended Horizons FB

This last minute mixup couldn’t have worked out better. Mark was immediately helpful and patient, listening to my diving neuroses and helping me through my issues as we went from one end of the pier to the other.

To top it off, we asked Mark afterwards for a good “locals” spot to grab a beer & a bite to eat, he recommended Cool Cat Café in Lahaina for its burgers. We were a little skeptical when we walked up to the place, as it was smack in the middle of the tourist zone.

We were quite relieved when we saw him at the bar with a friend. So we sent a couple of beers over for an extra Mahalo.

Lanai Dive Day 2: A Dive Site With No Name

Feeling a little better about my new gear and overall skills, I was relieved to see Mark on the boat as our dive leader for this first full day, as he’d continue encouraging me every step of the way.

We loaded up with the other guests, met Victoria, the other dive leader and photographer, and Captain Aaron. As we made our way toward Lanai, we stopped at one or two potential dive sites, but a quick check of the currents determined they weren’t suitable that day.

From the boat, we spotted both spinner and bottlenose dolphins, and Captain Aaron quickly slowed the boat so we could watch them (the Extended Horizons guides were always happy to pause the dive briefing when wildlife was spotted…rather than continue to talk while everyone is distracted).

For our first tank dive, we settled on “No Name Paradise”, a dive site that would bring us down to 70’ or so.

As we’d learned from chatting with Erik days earlier, Extended Horizons boasts hiring guides with a depth of marine life knowledge and naturalist tendencies, and that’s something the dive leaders lived up to every day.

Image via Extended Horizons FB

Pointing out the smallest of organisms to explaining marine animal behaviors, Victoria led the pre-dive briefings about endemic species and things to look for in a highly educational and interesting way, and they shared recaps and sample photos of our daily sightings on the Extended Horizons Facebook page, which we were glad to see.

(Note: one piece of dive gear high up on our shopping list is a decent underwater digital camera; we opted not to purchase photos any of the days we dove, which worked out just fine  for us, but many other divers were happy to order shots from EH.)

The second dive of the day landed us at the famous First Cathedral site, a must-do when you’re diving in Lanai and Maui.

It’s a large lava formation, with plenty of open space where light filters down into a ‘pulpit’ – giving the appearance of stained glass windows in an old church, and a “shotgun” exit, which Mark expertly led us through. He also reassured me about going through a smaller lava tube, and for hitting depths of 70’ a second time that day, I was feeling pretty good.

Lanai Dive Day 3: The Cathedrals

Did I mention that the boat dives required getting up at 5:45 am and meeting at the ramp at 6:45?

For the second day in a row, it was amazing enough that I was able to manage that feat. Mark ended up having the day off; Victoria would lead all of us on the boat that day, as it was a smaller group.

We started off at Secret Cove, where Victoria began to teach us a little about how to look for and appreciate the smaller species making up the reef ecosystem. (Meanwhile, I was still a little focused on finding reef sharks to observe – I like the bigger fish, what can I say?)

Again skunked by some unfavorable currents and visibility issues, visiting the “Second Cathedral” was a no-go that day for us, so we headed back to First Cathedral to baptize the other divers.

While it would have been great to dive Second Cathedral, safety always comes first in diving, so we were completely fine with heading back to First, as it gives us a reason to go back to try again later!

Unfortunately, we ended up spending a little too much time hanging around the bottom before finally circling around to enter the underwater lava structure.

By then, I’d gone through a fair amount of air, and was nearing the edge of my comfort zone, so Victoria sent me back to the mooring line along with my dive buddy, to make our safety stops and ascend to the boat on our own while the divers who hadn’t seen it yet went in for confessional.

For photos, see this link: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150243137327583.317947.129610867582&type=1

Maui Dive Day 4: Carthaginian Wreck Dive

Originally, I was not planning on going diving this day, as it was a ‘wreck dive’ to 97 feet, I didn’t think it was in my comfort zone just yet. The Carthaginian is a replica ship which was scuttled by Atlantis Adventures to become an artificial reef and so the submarine tour operator could create an underwater attraction for the tourists on board.

Image via Extended Horizons FB

A couple of things played in my favor for me to go dive that day: the boat left at 12:30 PM, to time the dive so the submarine would go by, and the guests aboard also got to see scuba divers exploring a ‘shipwreck’; and I was feeling ok about 70-ish feet and generally having an enjoyable week of diving.

I also had Erik cheering me on, and he eventually persuaded me to fill a spot on the boat. He told me that even if I didn’t actually go in the water for the wreck dive, I could opt for the second shallower dive, which would again be at Mala Ramp on the way back into shore.

By now, I had developed a lot of trust in Mark, and when he showed up as the dive leader, he immediately began talking me into doing the deeper dive and making me feel safe and comfortable with it. We devised a new strategy of getting me in the water first, rather than last, so I could settle my nerves down before descending.

In reality, there was nothing to be worried about – a permanent mooring line was to be our safest and easiest way down to the ocean floor. From the surface you could see the entire ship clearly, with nearly 90’ visibility in all directions that day. Before I knew it, we were down 75’ and I was following 3 spotted eagle rays as they circled the area.

Feeling good, I proceeded to swim away from the safety of the line, following Mark and the group of more experienced divers toward the other end of the ship. I floated about 10 feet above everyone else until Mark eagerly waved me down to him to point out a hiding, rare juvenile Hawaiian Turkeyfish.

After I let him know I saw it, he pointed out his computer depth of 98’ to me and we high-fived to celebrate a successful week of improvement and good teamwork.

I did bail out of the dive earlier than the rest, due to my rapid air consumption, but even that is improving as I get more comfortable.  Of course, the rest of the divers saw two frogfish on the wreck, but I didn’t even care, I’d already met my goal for the day.

For photos, see this link: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150244839152583.318412.129610867582&type=1

Once back on the boat, we verbally confirmed the success of the dive and headed for Mala Ramp. Of course, another diver on board practically jinxed us prior to arrival, by saying he’d seen reef sharks there the last time he dove the site.

Finally comfortable, I settled into the final dive of the trip, focused on being relaxed and making my air tank last as long as possible, still eagerly scoping for any signs of sharks sleeping under the wreckage of the old pier.

As with any new hobby or sport, you do get better at it the more you do it, and after our most recent trip to Maui, I can say with confidence I’m enjoying diving more, and I’m already looking forward to diving the Hawaiian islands again.

One thing’s already on the agenda for our next trip to Maui – scuba diving at Molokini crater, and maybe eventually diving with Hammerhead sharks over by Molokai, which is a dive best suited to advanced divers for many reasons. Looks like I have some dive training to do…

Until then, Aloha!

About the Author: Elisabeth Ostrander is an experienced travel journalist, although a past life saw her writing mainly about snow based activities such as skiing and snowboarding, she has slowly started to succumb to the allure of surf, sand & scuba … in between ski seasons, that is. 

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I was on a nine-night, “once in a lifetime” vacation to the state of Hawaii. At least that was what I thought before touching ground on Maui.

I vividly remember so many details about that trip. As I reflect back on those memories now, I can almost smell the air, hear the birds and feel the gentle, cooling touch of the tradewinds. Memories and images like these come to mind:

- Being amazed at the glorious sun coming into view just above the clouds from the peak of a volcanic crater. (See my post: See An Unforgettable Sunrise at Haleakala National Park.)

- Standing in Iao Valley Park with eyes wide open in admiration of the green spire – that is the Iao Needle. (See my post: Making a Point to Visit Maui’s Iao Needle.)

- Observing in the vibrant colors and pageantry of Polynesian dances at the Old Lahaina Luau.

- Savoring the many waterfalls and coastal views through the rainforest on a journey to Hana and beyond.

- Observing pink, purple, and orange sunset skies.

Ah, sweet memories!

So, that’s where, when and how my love of Hawaii began. What’s your story of how Hawaii first captured you?

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The above photo is of a Giant lily, also known as a Spider lily, from the amaryllis family. We found this flower at Maui’s Garden of Eden  Blooms and birds abound here. There’s also an excellent look out to Puohokamoa Falls.  See more photos from the Garden to Eden.

The Garden of Eden is on the east side of Maui, not far into the Road to Hana. If you are driving the Road to Hana, I don’t really recommend you stop here as you probably won’t get your money’s worth with admission being $10 per person. We visited the Garden of Eden on a separate day from driving the Road to Hana so that we could leisurely tour the whole garden.

Have you been to the Garden of Eden or to another Maui garden? How was your visit?

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First, let’s check out the view from Wai’anapanapa State Park which is a must visit before you arrive in the sleepy town of Hana. This black sand beach amplifies the surrounding shades of blue and green, doesn’t it? I can still recall the first time I saw Wai’anapanapa Beach, I almost had to lift my jaw off the ground.

As the road to Hana threads through the rainforest and cliffs, beautiful coastal scenes come into view.

Oh, even more beautiful coastal views await your gaze.

Numerous waterfalls flow beside the road to Hana. Several are within view from the road and many others are a short hike away. On our journeys on the road to Hana, we enjoy keeping the windows down while we’re driving so that we can hear the waterfalls before we approach them.

Approximately ten miles past Hana town, you’ll find the Kipahulu area of Haleakala National Park with the famous Oheo Gulch, which is also known as the seven sacred pools.

It is said that there’s some 600 curves and more than 50 one lane bridges on the road to Hana. The roadside scenery definitely makes the road to Hana worth the effort. Just for fun, we took this photo of these signs as a reminder of the challenge of this beautiful drive.

I’ve only provided a small sampling of views from the road to Hana, but hopefully enough to give you an idea of what you’ll see. See more road to Hana photos from our collection.

If you’ve toured road to Hana on your Maui vacation, would you agree that the views are worth the many curves and pauses before crossing dozens of one-lane bridges?

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Fidel and his wife took the early morning drive up to the top of Haleakala to watch sunrise, making sure they arrived early enough for the outstanding stargazing. Fidel tells me he was in awe when he arrived at the summit at 4am and adding, “Looking up the sky, seeing the thousands of bright stars and the milky way interspersed in between them made me breathless.  It felt like I could just grab and play them in my hands!  It was one of the most amazing sight I’ll ever see and remember.“

Fidel notes the following planets he found among the stars: Jupiter (top), Venus (below left) and Mars (right of Venus).

I’ve had a similar experience as Fidel had on Haleakala. It’s simply incredible to see that many stars in that dark, night sky. As you are making your Hawaii vacation plans, I’d encourage you to read my article about stargazing in Hawaii for tips on when and where to go.

Fidel took this photo just a bit later in the morning. He noted that, at this point, Mars became so faint that it was almost unnoticeable.

If you are planning to go to Haleakala to watch sunrise on your Maui vacation, I highly recommend that you read my tips to make the most of you Haleakala sunrise visit. I recommend that you arrive early to stargaze and watch for shooting stars.

Fidel went on to note that most people at the summit seemed completely unaware of the star-filled sky. Sadly, they seemed focused on the sole task of watching sunrise. If they only realized what they were missing, they would have seized the moment.

Mahalo to Fidel for sharing these beautiful pre-sunrise Haleakala photos and his observations with us!

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I fell in love with scuba diving at the age of 18 after diving Lahaina’s crystal-clear water. After diving dozens of locations around the world, Maui remains among my favorites. The following are my five favorite Maui dive spots:

Airport Beach (Perfect for Beginners)
Located along the northern shores of Kaanapali Beach, this dive site is perfect for beginners thanks to its easy entry. While depths reach 40 feet, the best diving lies between 20 — 30 feet. Along the coral you’ll find dozens of fish species, including lemon butterflies, Moorish idols, lionfish, yellowtail coris and needlefish.

Kapalua Bay
Another stunning shore dive, Kapalua Bay is as enjoyable above the surface as it is below. You can literally walk into the water, swim a few strokes, and begin your descent into world-class diving. Lava formations line the bay, while thousands of fish – and the occasional turtle — swim in and out rocky outcrops.

Best part? After your dive, dry out on golden sandy shores and work on your tan.

Black Rock
This shore dive is perfect for diving groups with different levels of experience. The entry is easy, with depths of 35 feet. Because it’s a popular snorkeling spot, the fish are very accustomed to humans (many of whom feed the fish).

Black Rock can be considered a wall dive (albeit a shallow one), which makes for great night dives. Eels can be seen feeding at night.

Black Rock at Kaanapali Beach

Molokini Crater
Without question, the Molokini crater is the premier snorkeling spot for tourists (up to 2000 snorkelers visit per day).

But its real treasures lie deeper.

A quick 30 minute boat ride from Maui, divers descend to 60 — 70 feet, where white tip sharks, manta rays – up to 15 feet wide — and Garden eels glide effortlessly along.

This is my second favorite dive in Maui, and with good reason.

But my favorite dive is…
The Cathedrals
Named for its tall rock features (created by lava formations) protruding from the ocean floor, the cathedrals are completely, utterly and jaw-droppingly beautiful.

A 45-minute boat ride from Lahaina Harbor towards Lana’i, the Cathedrals are a fantastic diving location for open water and advanced divers.

Deep blue water shines through several openings, while multi-colored tropical fish give the impression of swimming inside an underwater cathedral with stained-glass windows.

With depths up to 60 feet, you enter the Cathedrals from one side and swim out another.

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About the Author: Adam Costa is a freelance blogger/writer. He is the author of Business in a Backpack, a book which shows people how to travel the world (to wonderful places like Hawaii) while building a business.

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* Hawaiian Airlines is celebrating their fourth Airbus A330 with $334 roundtrip fares. That’s fares starting at $334 for all Hawaiian Airlines direct transpacific routes! You must book these fares by May 5, 2011 for travel between September 9 – November 17, 2011, which happens to be one of the best times to visit Hawaii. Visit Hawaiian Airlines website to book.

* Alaska Airlines has summer sale to Hawaii with fares starting at $398 roundtrip. The sale fares are valid for travel between June 10 and August 21, 2011.

* The best-selling Maui guidebook, Maui Revealed, is available on a really slick iPhone app for $5.99. Check out the demo in this YouTube video. I’m really impressed.

* Four Seasons Hualalai on the Big Island has reopened as scheduled following the damage sustained during the March tsunami. See this Big Island Video News segment.

* The mule and hiking trail to Kalaupapa National Historic Park on Moloka‘i has
reopened with a brand new name. Kalaupapa Rare Adventure takes visitors on a
guided 2.9-mile mule tour down the highest sea cliffs in the world to the storied leper
colony of Kalaupapa. Travelers will be trained to ride and control the mules
before embarking. For more information, visit MuleRide.com.

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The following photos illustrate the different environments. First, we have a photo showing a totally green tropical scene at one of the many waterfalls that flow near the road to Hana.

Next, we look at the crater at Haleakala’s summit, with barely a dot of plant life surviving in this harsh alpine environment. 

Let’s also take a look at a couple of videos that show Haleakala’s two sides. This first video (email subscribers, click here to access this video.)

Now compare all that verdant rainforest to this dry and wind battered summit video. (Email subscribers, click here to access this video.)

The combination of Mount Haleakala’s elevation (10, 023 feet) along with the moist Northeast tradewinds create these two opposite climates. See my article, What does leeward and windward mean, for a little more explanation.

When you go to Maui, I hope you’ll have a chance to see the two sides of Haleakala. Some more resources you may want to review:

• Haleakala National Park’s website
• Catching a beautiful Haleakala sunrise
• Explore the area virtually with this Google map

What do you think of the two sides of Haleakala, separated by mere miles?

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When you visit Hawaii, try to check out a lava tube, if you can. These cave-like structures are a amazing formations whether active or inactive for centuries.

What are lava tubes? They might be best described as pipes for underground lava rivers. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has produced a nice little video with an explanation of lava tubes. (Email subscribers, please click here for the video.)

Where can you find lava tubes on your Hawaii vacation? Here’s some top spots across the islands:

BIG ISLAND

- Thurston Lava Tube (the Hawaiian name is Nahuku) in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is one of the finest to explore as you can walk through a large section of the tube.

- When lava is actively flowing to the ocean a lava tube. Most likely, you will not be able to see the tube up close as the conditions are unstable and dangerous. You will, however, be able to see the effect of the lava reaching the ocean in the form of a plume of smoke and a red glow. For example, we were able to see both effects when we observed this lava flow to the ocean from a safe distance. back in 2008 (Email subscribers: click here to watch the video.)

MAUI

- There’s a fantastic lava tube at Wainapanapa State Park that’s off the Road to Hana. The photo below shows a view from the interior of this short tube. To see this tube go to the black sand beach at Wainapanapa. Once you are on the beach and facing the ocean, you’ll see an opening on the right side of the beach.

- Also off the Road to Hana is Kaeleku Caverns.

KAUAI

The most impressive blowhole in all of Hawaii is Kauai’s Spouting Horn in Poipu. Ocean water enters the ancient lava flow tube until enough pressure builds to forcefully spew out the water. This next video shows Spouting Horn in action.

- There are several sea caves and lava tubes along the Na Pali coastline. If you’re very fit and adventurous, see them by a kayak tour. For the less fit, a catamaran or inflatable speed boat tour will give you great views of the coast, plus a possible glimpse of a lava tube. (I’ve toured with Captain Andy’s and Blue Dolphin). With a catamaran tour, you may want to mention to the crew that you’d like to see an old lava tube so they can point one out to you.

OAHU

- The only lava tube example that I know of is the Halona Blowhole which is off HWY 72 just past the Hanauma Bay entrance as you’re heading away from Waikiki and towards Kailua.

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Have you seen any of these lava tubes or others on your Hawaii vacation? What did you think of them?

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Today’s Aloha Friday Photo was submitted by Catherine who enjoyed spending New Years in Maui along with her husband, son and good friends.

Catherine took this photo from the Kipahulu region of Haleakala National Park that you can find beyond Hana off the spectacular road to Hana. More specifically, she took this photo from the Kuloa Point Trail, which is an excellent and relatively easy loop hike from the visitors center to the Oheo Gulch (also called the Seven Sacred Pools).

Mahalo to Catherine for sharing her beautiful Maui vacation photo with us!

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I had begrudgingly gotten up at 2am in order to make the two-ish hour, winding journey up to the top of Haleakala before sunrise. (My traveling partners and I had erred on the safe side so we wouldn’t miss the sunrise.) When I reached the summit, I saw the sky loaded with stars – layers upon layers of stars from horizon to horizon. Any sleepiness I had from the abrupt 2am wake-up call was immediately exchanged with wide-awake-amazement.

Keck-2 telescope on Mauna Kea. Photo credit to Paul Hirst.

As you are making plans for your own Hawaii vacation, I’d encourage you to check out the night sky. On moonless nights, you’ll see the most stars and planets. If your vacation happens to fall when the moon is shining, you won’t see as many stars, but the view of the moon is quite nice, too.

Since my Haleakala star encounter, I’ve learned that Hawaii is a hotbed for astronomy, because of the low light pollution and access to tall summits like Mauna Kea on the Big Island and Haleakala on Maui. Another very intriguing draw to Hawaii for astronomy is Hawaii’s latitude. At 21 degrees North Latitude, you can see both the Northern Hemisphere and most of the Southern Hemisphere. Hawaii the only state in the US where you can see both the North Star and the Southern Cross. Of all the stars that are visible from the planet Earth, from Hawaii, you can see over 80% of them!

For your planning, here’s a list of articles and resources that will help you plan in some Hawaii stargazing:

*  Astronomy calendar of celestial events. This calendar lists all the events, including moon phases. It can be useful for your Hawaii vacation planning, as well as what you might see from your home town.

*  I was able to interview the Maui Astronomy Club President, Becky Sydney. I’d encourage you to take a look at that Stargazing Q&A with a Hawaii Astronomy Expert.

*  On the Big Island, you can find tours that take you to the summit of Mauna Kea for sunrise and then to a lower elevation for good visibility and warmer stargazing with a telescope. See my article: Advice for Mauna Kea Sunset and Stargazing Tours.

*  In Hilo on the Big Island, there’s the Imiloa Astronomy Center. (I haven’t been there yet, but I definitely have it on my Hawaii vacation to-do list.)

*  On Oahu, the Bishop Museum has a great planetarium. Their website is useful too, for finding night sky events in Hawaii.

*  There’s loads of information for the astronomy-inclined at the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy.

*  If you’d like to see the stars from Haleakala, like I described, see my article with Haleakala sunrise tips, making sure you get there early on a moonless night.

*  Some hotels offer stargazing programs from their rooftops. For example, you can find a stargazing experience at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort in Kaanapali. I believe there is still one at the Sheraton Maui, as well. (UPDATE: I checked with Sheraton Maui and they are not currently offering the stargazing program.) Ask the concierge at your hotel for stargazing tours and/or advice.

*  Over the years, I’ve come across a few websites of catamaran tour companies that offer stargazing from the ocean for special night sky events. If that sounds of interest, I suggest you google for those kinds of tours.

If all else fails and you want to see the stars, finding a dark spot from a beach or in the upcountry, is easy to do. Just try to get outside the main towns are resort areas for best viewing.

Have you had an eye-opening stargazing experience in Hawaii? Please share in the comments.

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Hawaii Sunset Video HD: Maui, Kihei, Kamaʻole Beach from Aclara Promotions on Vimeo.

(Email subscribers: if this video doesn’t display in your email, click here to access it.)

The talented videographer is Christopher Ruffell.

Thanks to my friend, Ross Dunn, for bringing this video to my attention.

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Mahalo to Go Visit Hawaii’s Italian friends, Marco and Laura, for providing this perfectly captured shot of the daily cliff dive ceremony at Sheraton Maui on Kaanapali Beach. Laura and Marco traveled all the way from Italy to visit three Hawaiian Islands back in August, 2010. Laura writes,

We spent our last week at Kaanapali Beach Hotel on Maui;  just a few steps away on the beach there is the famous BLACK ROCK. While having  pupus … and a gorgeous sunset at the nearby Sheraton Maui bar, we met this lovely Hawaiian guy who was going to “perform” that amazing CLIFF DIVING CEREMONY they hold each day at sunset!

He told us that, for ancient Hawaiians, that rock was  where a man had to prove to be brave (diving down). They also believed that this place  was a sort of passage, a “way” to the “Other World “!

And here it is : HE jumped … and I could get him on my camera … still don’t know how I could be so fast …

That’s an excellent description, Laura!

Just to share a few more bits from my Sheraton Maui Review:

Ancient Hawaiians believed that Pu’u Keka’a (Black Rock) is one of the three places where souls of the dead leaped from earth into their ancestral spirit. The Sheraton Maui Resort tells the story and reenacts the cliff diving skill of King Kahekili each evening at sunset. This Maui king was famous and especially revered because he leapt off Pu’u Keka’a (Black Rock) and returned to shore unharmed. Essentially, Hawaiians believed that he jumped into the afterlife and returned.

I really enjoy watching this free torch lighting and diving ceremony at the Sheraton Maui. I do recommend you catch it, too — especially if you are staying in or near Kaanapali Beach. You can observe the ceremony from the beach, but you might enjoy sipping a drink at The Cliff Dive Bar where you can listen to a recorded narration explaining the history of this ceremony.

Thanks again to Laura and Marco for sharing their gorgeous photo and Hawaii vacation memory with us.

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