Reader review: Maui Nei Native Expeditions

Today we have a wonderful reader submitted review from Hawaii fans Marco and Laura. This lovely couple travel to Hawaii all the way from Italy! They’ve visited the Hawaiian Islands several times and are currently planning for a return visit in 2016. 

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During our splendid week on Kaanapali Beach, my husband and I were lucky enough to have an extraordinary  experience with Maui Nei Native Expeditions. They provide a beautiful walking tour of some  historical sites in Lahaina. They have been doing so for several years.

From what we understand, they are a subsidiary of the Friends of Moku’ula, which is an organization that’s involved in the restoration of many Hawaiian cultural sites.

We took the two hour tour about many ancient and interesting sites in Lahaina town. Our guide, Kalapana, is native of the islands. He told us stories about Lahaina colorful past, from the arrival of the first Polynesians to the Monarchy era, the Missionaries and the whaling periods.

We took several photos during our tour. These first two photos were taken in the Old Lahaina Courthouse, which today is home to Lahaina Heritage Museum – showing a variety of  very interesting exhibits.

The  next picture is the Baldwin Home Museum. Reverend Baldwin helped to save many native people from the smallpox during the terrible epidemic of 1853.

The last picture was taken in front of Hale Paʻahao, the “Old prison”: that was Lahaina  jail at the peak of the whaling era.

During our fun cultural tour, we also made a nice stop to sample a delicious pineapple at a local shop – they can send “Maui Produce” all over US!

At the end of the morning  Kalapana  sang  a moving  chant to ask permission to enter the”Moku’ula royal complex”  and we were  so impressed by his love for the land and his deep respect for the ancestors. (By the way, Kalapana performs “The Young Ali’i”  in Ulalena  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1GYyVnetqo.)   

This tour is highly recommended to those who are into history, but also to tourists wishing to understand  a bit more about the rich  Hawaiian  culture.

We had a wonderful time with thanks to our guide Kalapana!

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This two-hour walking tour of Lahaina by Maui Nei Native Expeditions is currently priced at $45 per person. From the Maui Nei Native Expeditions website, they show a brief video overview of this tour.

Mahalo nui loa to Laura and Marco for writing this review!! We’re going to put this tour on our list of things to do the next time we go to Maui.