Weekend In Maui

Before I came to Hawaii, I never thought much about the fact that the state is a chain of disconnected islands. There are no bridges or (currently) ferry services, so each island is unique and separate. We currently live on the island of Oahu. To travel to the island of Maui, you have to book a flight, rent a car, book a hotel, etc. So travel isn't as straightforward as taking a road trip!

Fortunately, there is heated competition between airlines, so flights can be ridiculously cheap if you plan ahead. DeAnna spent several weeks studying things to do, planning a wonderful agenda and making reservations. Here are brief descriptions of events. Be sure to check out the links to satellite images!

SATURDAY

We took a flight out of Honolulu at 6:30am and were on the road in Maui by 8:00am. Our target was to drive from Kahului to Hana along the "Highway to Hana". This highway is only 52 miles long, but typically takes 3 hours to drive because it snakes along the cliffs above the ocean. Though it is paved and maintained, the road is very primitive. It has numerous one-lane bridges and many, many one-lane sections where it is impossible for two cars to pass each other (much less tour buses)!

Starting out early in the morning, we drove all the way out to Waianapanapa State Park where the beach is made of BLACK volcanic sand!





There are lava tubes and rocks all around (check out the hyperlink - you can actually see the black send on the satellite photo!)

Aside from the stunning 1,500-foot drop-offs (without guard rails) as you drive the road, there are many waterfalls to visit. Several are visible from the road, but many require a hike back into the rain forest along muddy backwoods trails. I won't bore you with the countless pictures we took, but here's a representative one...

We stopped for a while at the Hookipa Beach Park to get our feet wet and watch the countless windsurfers before ending up at the world-famous "Mama's Fish House" restaurant. We got beachside seats and ordered fresh fish dishes (fish that was swimming just hours earlier).

Yes, that's a whole fish I'm eating! It's called Moi which is traditionally only served to royalty. We stayed for a couple of hours and watched the sunset. Take a look at DeAnna's dessert. It's called "Black Pearl" and is an amazing chocolate cake-type dish.

SUNDAY
Arising early, we drove into the mountains to see Iao Valley State Park. Aside from the towering peaks, the most striking vista is a peak called "The Needle". The peak is 2,250 feet high and juts out of the valley floor. The clouds and sunlight changed quickly, making the peak stand out in 3D. We hiked for a little while and then headed along another winding road to West Maui.



The coast is savagely rugged, strewn with various types of volcanic rock. We hiked along cliffs and boulder-hopped down to crashing surf. This volcanic rock is extremely abrasive and sharp. Just leaning against the rock can scratch your skin. I have many pictures of various types of lava and ash, but this picture of the "Dragon's Teeth" in Honokahua can give you an idea. Again, we have many more pictures, but I don't want to post too much!

After a day of hiking and touring, we shopped for T-shirts in Kapalua, then settled in at the Royal Lahina Luau. DeAnna had arranged VIP seating, so we were right in front of the stage. The first show was the beautiful sunset over the neighbor island of Lanai. The second show was the feasting (buffet) and then it was time for Polynesian dance (hula) demonstrations and singing.





The finale was torch handling. Without lights, the entire ensemble twirled and threw flames all over the stage.






We flew back home early Monday morning. It's still unbelievable that I call Kailua, Hawaii "home", but here we are! If you have Virtual Earth, you can actually see our roof top lanai (the lower left 'block' of the U-shaped complex). Work is going great and we are enjoying each day of blessing that God has given!