I have two friends in the search industry who are visiting Maui soon and instead of posting a huge comment on their blogs or a gigantic email, I thought it would be better to just post about it here.
Here is the best website for Hawaii Vacation rentals on the net.
http://alternative-hawaii.com/
You’ve probably stumbled upon the website already and probably hit the back button because the website looks like its run by people who are not that savvy with web design… and it is. However… It’s absolutely the best website for this type of research. Great content created by great people with integrity. Tom & Laine are great folks. (Notice the total absence of advertising) This has always been very strange to me considering how I know for a fact they have a huge volume of visitors. But… They refuse to compromise. I need to admire them for that.
If you need a Maui Vacation Rental… Here is the exact page you’re looking for.
http://alternative-hawaii.com/accmau.htm
The next thing I would highly recommend is purchasing THIS guide book. Maui Revealed.
This book is written buy a local guy who is always getting in trouble with the local population for revealing all the best spots that were previously unreported. These books are the ultimate authority on the islands. The guy tells all in a common sense way with no fluff or marketing BS.
Another good resource that I’ve recently found is a website called Home & Abroad.
They have a set of “Wizards” where you use a check-box form to let the website know what you’re looking for. The results are great. I was very surprised the first time I used it. The results it returns based on your preferences is just about as good as I can do by hand.
You’ll be just missing Hawaii’s whale watching season takes place from late November to mid-April but you might still see some whales anyway.
Even if you don’t see any whales, I would still recommend getting on a boat for some sort of short cruise regardless which island you stay. Dinner cruises sound a bit cheesy but it’s a lot of fun. The food isn’t all that special but being with your wife out on a boat and watching the sunset & city lights is a great experience. The Maui Princess has the best dinner cruise.
The other type of cruise is the snorkel cruise. I can recommend two for Maui.
You should go on a snorkeling cruise to a place called Molokini. The best motorized boat to go on for that is the Pride of Maui. This motorized boat will take you to two destinations. Molokini & Turtle Town. Molokini is a crescent shaped volcanic crater that has collapsed into the ocean on one side. It’s the best amature snorkeling location in Hawaii. The other destination is called Turtle Town. Something about the coral formations and abundant food supply attracts dozens of huge sea turtles. They are also amazingly friendly and allow you to swim very close to them. It’s very tempting to just reach out and touch them but that’s a no-no.
The other boat cruise company on Maui is Trilogy Excursions. Also very highly recommended. They have sail boats which offers a completely different experience than the Pride of Maui. They also have Sunset Sails which is guaranteed to me a very romantic experience.
The other must-do thing when you visit Hawaii is go to a Luau.
Maui has the best Luau. This is the “Old Lahaina Luau“. This Luau is extremely popular. It’s not that big and it’s always sold out several weeks in advance so if you intend to go, you will need to book it when you book your hotel, etc. You can’t just show up and expect to get in.
If you like Golf… The best place to research that is at the Hawaii Visitors & Conventions website.
One of the other Must-do things on Maui is visit the Haleakala Volcano. (World’s Largest Dormant Volcano) The best experience is to get there before dawn and watch the sunrise. You’re well above the clouds at that altitude and the sunrise from that angle is spectacular. (It’s freezing up there before dawn, so bring a jacket)
If you enjoy riding bicycles. You can rent a bike coast down the Volcano, with only 100 yards of pedaling. There is only one company that offers “Self Guided” bicycle tours. Haleakala Bike. The others… You’re stuck in a group and can only go as fast as the slowest person. (That sucks) The Haleakala Bike Company drives you up to the summit, and gives you a mountain bike and a map to find your way back to the office. You can go as fast or as slow as you like and you can stop along the way and eat lunch or whatever you want. (Very Cool). The only down side is there is no hotel pick up and you might get lost if you can’t read a simple map.
The other Must-do activity on Maui is to drive a winding road called the Hana Highway to a small town called Hana. This drive is rated as one of the top 10 scenic drives in the US. You go from lava fields to dessert to a lush rainforest. The main attraction along the way is the “Seven Sacred Pools”. This is a stair step formation where each step has a waterfall with a large pool at the bottom. You can easily hike to each waterfall. It’s great. (It’s an all day drive)
Now that you’ve just driven ALL DAY to Hana… Why not stay the night there and relax? I can’t remember the names but Hana has some fantastic resorts and vacation rentals. It’s a very secluded place & very romantic. Oprah has a place there as well as several other celebrities.
Feel free to email me with any questions you might have. I’m always happy to help.
Aloha,
Dave.
