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ebe326
October 16th, 2008, 01:07 AM
My wife and I are heading to Hawaii in December. It's a once in a lifetime vacation for us. I don't want to miss out on anything. We'll be in a condo on the beach in Maui for 8 days. So far I'm looking at doing a 30 mile downhill bike ride and a zip-line tour. Anybody got any advice on what else to do?

david

rokclimb15
October 16th, 2008, 02:03 AM
Where are you going in Hawaii? There are lots of cool things to do there, depending on which island(s) you will be visiting.

cardinals_fan
October 16th, 2008, 02:20 AM
I've been to Hawaii many times - it's a perk of living in Alaska :)

Maui is great. Taking a hike inside Haleakala crater is highly recommended. Just start down the Sliding Sands Trail and go as far as your desires take you. Also snorkel your heart out - there are tons of great spots on Maui (Po'olenalena Beach is awesome). Which side of the island are you staying on? You can still do stuff on the other side, but driving back and forth across the flat center of the island gets old fast.

If you don't have Maui Revealed (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0971727996/wizardpublicatio), get a copy. It's the best guidebook you'll find - period.

kk0sse54
October 16th, 2008, 02:28 AM
I've been to Hawaii a few times since I got family there and it's an awesome place but at the same time slightly depressing how commercialized parts of it have become (but that's applicable to a lot of places, like the Florida Keys....). Anyways there's so much stuff that you can do and I can tell you, me and my surfboard are definitely jealous of you :D

cardinals_fan
October 16th, 2008, 02:31 AM
I've been to Hawaii a few times since I got family there and it's an awesome place but at the same time slightly depressing how commercialized parts of it have become (but that's applicable to a lot of places, like the Florida Keys....). Anyways there's so much stuff that you can do and I can tell you, me and my surfboard are definitely jealous of you :D
I haven't seen too much commercialization outside of O'ahu. Maui does have some pretty touristy places, and the Kohala coast on the Big Island is certainly built-up, but it's minor. As for Kauai, it's a whole other world :)

kk0sse54
October 16th, 2008, 02:34 AM
I haven't seen too much commercialization outside of O'ahu. Maui does have some pretty touristy places, and the Kohala coast on the Big Island is certainly built-up, but it's minor. As for Kauai, it's a whole other world :)

It definitely depends on what island you are on and knowing people on some of the more private islands is a definite plus especially when that means beaches to yourself :guitar:

ebe326
October 16th, 2008, 03:10 AM
Thanks for the tips. I'll definitely get a copy of that guidebook. We will be staying near Lahaina in west Maui. We have a friend with a timeshare so we're getting a good deal. I guess it would have been better to be more central but it's too good of a deal to pass up.

david

rokclimb15
October 16th, 2008, 03:27 AM
West Maui has the best beaches. Definitely go to Haleakala and take a day to do the road to Hana. I recommend snorkeling at Slaughterhouse Beach or Honolua Bay (both of which are near where you're staying).

cardinals_fan
October 16th, 2008, 03:36 AM
Thanks for the tips. I'll definitely get a copy of that guidebook. We will be staying near Lahaina in west Maui. We have a friend with a timeshare so we're getting a good deal. I guess it would have been better to be more central but it's too good of a deal to pass up.

david
I've stayed on both the west (near Lahaina) and south (near Wailea/Kihei). Both are excellent. Just be sure to:

1) Visit Haleakala. Yes, the drive takes forever, but it's worth it. No matter how many pictures you see, you can't really imagine what it's like. Hike around for as long as you can :)

2) Enjoy the ocean. Snorkel, swim, surf... whatever you like. Maui's waters are what distinguish it among the islands.

I also recommend:

a) The southern tip of the island, near Le Perouse Bay, is an awesome place to explore. The lava is pretty raw, and there are some coves with great snorkeling. The guidebook will help here. Big Beach is also in the area and is definitely worth a stop.

b) The long hiking trail on the southern side of the western lobe of the island (I can't remember the name) is awesome. It can get quite hot, but it's still worth it.

c) Don't try to see and do everything. Pick some priorities and save some down time. Racing back-and-forth across the island will just give you headaches from traffic.