An Introduction to Hawaii via Maui

Sometimes it’s just nice to be a tourist for a few days. And when family offers a free room at a Maui resort, you pack your swim trunks and get on a plane! 2,300 miles of cloud and ocean passed below us before we caught our first glimpse of Maui, the Isle of Valleys. It was easy to see how it earned that name as the plane wheeled between massive Haleakalā and the deep gorges of the west. We flew past the airport over central Maui – only about 7 miles wide at its narrowest point – and turned for our approach. Moments later we were on the ground in Kahului.

We got off on the right foot with a quick stop at Foodland to get some poké and beer, which we enjoyed in short order at the resort. We caught up with family and took in the view before hitting the pool. After cavorting in the water, we had a good seafood dinner – including Mahi Mahi and Ono – and witnessed our first vibrant Maui sunset.

I woke up early the next day and, in a jetlagged haze, shoved my camera gear into a day pack. There was an open grassy area near the hotel where I’d noticed some trees blooming with white flowers. Composing to the east, I hoped to get some sunrise color interacting with the ever-present clouds over the mountains of west Maui.

I made sure to dash to the beach before the light became too harsh. Here I played a bit with my filters to get long exposures of the surf. Very few people were up and about. I sat there for a while and enjoyed the warm breeze and the sound of the waves while I watched rowers and stand-up paddle boarders cruise by.

Afterward, I treated myself to a doughnut and a coffee from the hotel café. I’m not joking – it was the best cinnamon twist I’ve had in a very long time!

Nobody was awake yet back at the suite. I brought my coffee out to the lanai and started going through my shots. One by one, my family members woke up and said good morning. The in-laws had a loose plan ready for the day: ‘Iao Valley; Pa’ia and a chance to see sea turtles; and later, dinner and drinks.

We were pretty much ready for lunch by the time we got out of Ka’anapali. Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop had the makings of a perfect stop. It was a little busy, but we had no problem securing some fantastic sandwiches. I was, of course, tempted by the pies, but didn’t want to offend the memory of the morning’s doughnut.

‘Iao Valley State Park awaited under one of Maui’s more somber microclimates. Sheer cliffs and ridges, densely forested, disappeared into the clouds. In addition to the ‘Iao Needle lookout, we branched off the main path to check out the botanical garden.

Many paths were off limits due to heavy rain damage; the park had only just re-opened the previous week. Yet many visitors disobeyed the signs at their own risk. I’m no saint but I’ve become more sensitive to this issue in recent years and had no reservations about pointing this out to a group as they clambered over a fence with a “closed” sign right next to it. They acknowledged that they’d seen the sign but continued on anyway.

As for us, we stuck to the approved paths and spent a good while taking in all the greenery.

We reached Pa’ia during a light rainstorm and parking required a bit of a wait. Soon enough we were peeking in the windows of charming shops and thinking about food again. While the Pa’ia Fish Market came highly recommended, the open doors and windows at Café Mambo. Its open doors and windows were inviting. The service was great, especially since we’d arrived just before happy hour. The server simply offered to wait five minutes to put our orders in.

We had a drink and shared two delicious duck quesadillas. By the time we finished, the weather had cleared, so we took our time and browsed some shops on the way back to the car. I was worried I’d forget postcards and made sure to snag a few at 25 cents each.

A double rainbow heralded our arrival at Ho’okipa Beach. In addition to a number of surfers, the sea turtles were out in force. There were easily 30 of them. They looked serene but also very tired. Apparently they prefer this particular beach because it’s a sheltered spot to rest. After a few more fits of rainfall I was able to get some nice photos.

The original plan had us returning to west Maui for drinks at Merriman’s in time for sunset. Rush hour traffic approaching Lahaina around this time (5-6pm) made it clear we wouldn’t make it. Instead, we returned to the suite and caught the sunset there. The in-laws cooked a simple but tasty dinner which we enjoyed together on the lanai.

After dinner, we played twenty questions; I answered a few, but couldn’t stop myself from protesting some of the more poorly structured ones just to be contrary. We capped off the night with a refreshing swim at the pool.

Lahaina

I woke up early again, this time unintentionally. Peeking out from the curtains I didn’t feel terribly inspired to go out with my camera. Instead I made some coffee and cereal and went to work on my photos from the previous day.

We finally had a few free hours to hit the beach. The golden sand and gentle surf were refreshing. We enjoyed floating on the waves and looking underwater – though we didn’t see any wildlife, close to the shore as we were.

We had leftovers for lunch and got ready to go to Lahaina to check out the hula festival. It was very warm in town as we walked down Front Street, so I was grateful as we reached the shade of the giant banyan tree. The 60-foot tall tree covering .66 acres was planted in 1873 as an 8-foot sapling. It’s an impressive sight and makes for a natural gathering place.

The hula festival was actually about to end, but we were able to catch a few solo dancers and groups. The kids were very talented. The dancing itself was so fluid and beautiful to watch. We got a kick out of an older gentleman, a Californian nicknamed ‘Uncle,’ performing to the song “Maui Boy.” His instructor seemed quite proud of him.

Afterward, we roamed the courtyard beneath the massive banyan trunks and perused the wares of local artists. I grabbed a little wooden sea turtle to put on the shelf at home. I liked how the artist seemed to have carved the shell around rings in the grain and it reminded me of seeing the turtles in Pa’ia.

Then we were off to Fleetwood’s – Mick Fleetwood’s restaurant – where we got a history primer in Scottish influence on the Hawaiian islands from the resident piper. Shortly after we enjoyed yet another beautiful sunset while we powered our way through yet another delicious meal. On the ground floor, we perused the iconic photographs in the Morrison Hotel Gallery. The rest of the evening was given to souvenir shopping and wandering down Front Street.

Central Maui and Haleakalā

A surprise sore throat couldn’t dampen my enthusiasm for our plans to head upcountry. We headed to Makawao for lunch. I took a wrong turn but was rewarded with a nice drive down Pulehu and Omaopio roads. The family convened at Habibi and I had the best chicken shwarma there. Speaking of chickens, they seem to roam freely in Makawao, including under our table!

Our next stop was Ali’i Lavender Farm. We enjoyed lavender-flavored coffee, chocolate, and scones at the very edge of Haleakalā’s cloud layer. The weather was a bit poor and we had a schedule to keep, so we skipped the walking tour, which I think we would have enjoyed. It might have elevated the visit from simple – though pleasurable – novelty.

We backtracked to Makawao to visit some family friends. They were generous hosts and took us on a tour of their property on a trail they made themselves.

Finally, it was time for the main event: sunset at the summit of Haleakalā. I girded myself for a challenging drive and up we went after a quick stop at the Pukalani Superette for snacks. The drive was somewhat uneventful until we reached a backup at the park entrance. I looked nervously at the clock and the sun’s position as people were repeatedly thwarted by the self-service machine.

One truck bypassed the line by driving in the opposing lane, then moments later flew by in reverse because, predictably, another vehicle was coming down that way. Ten minutes later the same truck blew through after all. I can’t say such antics are out of the ordinary at our national parks.

Eventually it was our turn. I paid the machine with my card and we were on our way within a minute, so I’m not sure what problems people were encountering.

As we neared the top, the road became more intimidating, with many sheer drop-offs, blind corners, and – like Lassen Volcanic National Park‘s historic highway – no guardrails. Suffice to say, I was a little stressed out by the time we crested 10,000 feet. To make matters worse, there were no parking spaces. I dropped off some family and pulled out, keeping an eye out for any available space. I ended up back at the visitor center.

It was clear that it would take me too long, especially with the condition of my throat, to hike back up at this altitude. I likewise abandoned the idea of returning to search for spaces as I watched more and more cars wind up the road. On the plus side, there were bathrooms, for which I was extremely grateful. With that out of the way, I focused on getting pictures while I could. The sun was sinking fast.

I was struck by the crater view opposite the setting sun and composed my first images in that direction. Then I pushed myself a short way up the Pā Ka’oao Trail. I set up my tripod and got to work. The way the clouds were glowing was fantastic! The light was changing so quickly that I was taking shots every few seconds. Just after sunset I swapped the 35mm lens for a 55-300mm and zoomed in to capture the color and depth I was seeing. Satisfied, I hurried back to the car – squeezing off a few more shots on the way – and headed for the summit, which to my surprise had already begun to clear out.

Reunited with the family, we elected to stay and watch day turn to night, despite the dropping temperature. We stayed long enough for the stars to come out. It was the brightest and clearest sky I have ever seen. I simply couldn’t take my eyes off the Milky Way. While I could have taken more photos, I convinced myself to be present and experience the sky. I’m very glad that I did.

Eventually it was time to head back. We made sure to eat some food while I prepared for a challenging night slalom down the hill (though I would say watching the night sky had done a lot to calm my nerves). In a first for me, I set the car to manual and basically rode it all the way down in second gear, pumping the breaks on the corners. When we finally got home I was very glad to crawl into bed.

Ka’anapli

With no solid plans for the rest of our visit, we took it easy as I nursed my sore throat (and some heat rash to boot – what the heck??). I tried not to let it color my mood, but I definitely wasn’t feeling very adventurous. I was mostly content to be in our surroundings.

This time our sunset plans included a dinner buffet and performances at the Royal Lahaina luau. I’d heard this is one of the cheesier luaus, but we had a great time. The master of ceremonies has been doing his thing since the late seventies! The dancing came with fokltale introductions and the dancers and musicians were really good.

The following morning, we packed up as much as we could, then walked along the beach in the perfect weather. We had pancakes on the lanai, which as far as I’m concerned, is a great way to end a trip. It was nice to have these last moments in Maui before catching our flight home.

It was kind of surreal to be on a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific and still be in the United States. It was also surreal to be there while North Korea was making noises about attacking Guam; yet for the most part I felt at ease in Maui and really enjoyed myself. I hope we have an opportunity to return to Hawaii and explore the other islands too. Kauai in particular looks like a photographer’s paradise!