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 Ho'okipu Beach, a surfers paradise on the north shore

 

Maui

 

Life on Maui is like a shave ice...you always know whatever you get is going to be pretty damn sweet!  

 

Paradise Checklist:

  1. Sunshine a
  2. Warm Weather a
  3. Sandy Beaches a
  4. Lush Waterfalls a
  5. Fabulous Snorkeling a
  6. Great Surfing a

Maui has it all!

 

 

 Oneloa Beach in West Maui

The two resort areas of West Maui & Wailea (South Maui) not only have great weather (thanks to being in the rain shadow) but also have magnificent beaches.  Picking the best one is futile as they all feature lots of sand are virtually free of rocks.  Between each one of these golden gems are reefs teeming with turtles & exotic fish.   (More snorkeling info here)     

The boogie boarding left a little to be desired  as it seemed to either be too rough or not rough enough but that may have just been a seasonal thing.  The only other negative was the traffic and in some places (West Maui in particular) free parking was difficult if not impossible to find.


 

Haleakala

Rising beyond the resort areas is 10,023ft Haleakala, the volcano that created the bulk of the island.  There is a road all the way to the summit and it's worth the drive just to gaze into crater.  If you go at sunrise there is a chance it will actually look like the post cards you will find at the visitor center otherwise the caldera just looks like it's filled with dull brown sand.  There are hiking trails down there too if you want to get a closer look and even a few places to camp, just remember that it's quite chilly up there.

 

The road to Hana actually goes all the way around the volcano and is the gateway for many scenic delights.  Too many in fact which is why most people just stick to the drive-up waterfalls like Three Bears and Wailua Falls (left).  When it comes to waterfalls though the best of the lot is probably the one that drains into the Blue Pool.  Backed by the ocean (which makes it impossible to photograph in its entirety without an ultra wide angle lens) it really has to be seen to be aprreciated.  However it's located at the end of a rough road (where locals are trying unsuccessfully to collect parking fees) across a tidal stream & lots of boulders - windsheild tourists need not apply. 

If you have a tent one option is to camp at nearby Wainapanapa State Park, worthwhile in itself for its black sand beach and abundance of fresh water caves, it also doubles as a fine picnic spot.  Red sand is the feature of another beach in Hana (right), a short but sketchy trail leads to this secluded cove with patrons who are not known for their modesty. 

Beyond Hana, just before the two lane paved road becomes a single lane pothole you will find the lower segment of Haleakela National Park.  This is probably the best reason to spend a second day on the Hana side of the island.  Here just up stream of the 'Seven Pools' is a two mile trail featuring waterfalls, guava trees and a bamboo forest.  At the very least it provides a natural counterpoint to commercial excess of the resorts.  Photos

  

 

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