Surfing, sunshine, pineapples, beautiful beaches, aloha, hawaii shirts, hula necklace, kalua pig, laid-back folks, volcanos, blue sea, macadamia nuts,… words that come to mind when you just start thinking of Hawaii. In my case at least. Last summer I traveled for the first time to Kauai and Maui. My imagination was pretty close to reality. Hawaii is a nature paradise for foodies and sport geeks.
Thanks to my awesome friends who are Hawaiians (or Hawaiians by choice), I got some great insights and tips for a two week vacation on the Islands before my trip. Here is the inspia-guide for Kaui and Maui.
KAUAI – the garden island
Nice meals, coffee and drinks
- Hanalei Coffee Roasters in Hanalei is great for good coffee and awesome breakfast – try the waffles!
- For a good quick casual fast food bite do try the Ahi Tuna Wrap at Mermaid Cafe in Kapaa
- Kalua Pig Taco at Tiki Taco in Kapaa (see photo – sooooo good!)
- Beach House for lunch in South Poipu. Nice dishes, great lunch prices.
- The Dolphin in Hanalei Bay has great sushi and fish.
- Tiki Iniki in Princeville is a fun tiki bar. They serve good dinner too!
- St Regis Bar Princeville – drinks just before sunset with a beautiful view over the Hanalei Bay.
Fun activities
- Napali Coast – catamaran sunset dinner boat cruise. See dolphins, an unforgettable landscape and quite goof food and drinks. Cruises take about 4.5h. Not so good if you get seasick. Capt Andy’s or Blue Dolphin Charters are the places to go to.
- Napali Coast – Kalalau Trail: many people told me that the trail was an unforgettable experience. We couldn’t go as the trail was closed during the stay last year. But I’ll definitely be back for it!!! Make sure you get your permit in advance and check the hurricane season.
- Wailua River Kayak Tour – that’s on the list for next time. Kayaking wasn’t possible during our stay due to landslides.
- Waimea Canyon – drive into the Canyon and do some nice hikes (eg. Canyon Trail). It’s feels like Grand Canyon, but warmer.
Best beaches
- Anini Beach – A tranquil stretch of beach protected by Hawaii’s largest coral reef.
- Ha’ena Beach – is a slice of heaven where lush tropical jungle meets white sand beaches and turquoise waters.
- Hanalei Bay – calm water in summer, which is great for stand-up-paddling. You can rent a SUP in Hanalei.
- Queen’s Bath in Princeville. A beautiful Lava landscape and pools to bath in while viewing famous Bali Hai.
Accommodation
Airbnb in Princeville: Jenna’s place is one of the cheapest gorgeous rooms on the beautiful North Shore.
MAUI – the hippy island
Nice meals, coffee and drinks 
- Paia Fishmarket was the place to go for food during our stay. The plates are full of great fish and healthy veggies.
- Mana Foods in Paia – our go-to food market for snacks and little take-out meals for the beach. They have a self-service food bar with great healthy options.
- Ice cream at Paia Gelato – highly recommended if you have space for a desert.
- Paia Bay Coffee – satisfying breakfast and great coffee in this laid-back café. Open air. Love it!
- Sip Me! – recently opened café with only healthy options in Makawau. Try the gluten free cinnamon roll! Great after a yoga class at Mangala Yoga.
- Choice Health Bar in La Haina – best Acai Bowls and
smoothies on the Island. - Mama’s Fish House in Paia – very popular place, make sure you have a reservation for your dinner. The beat location and decor are phenomenal, the food is a bit overpriced in my opinion. For lunch you might get a better deal.
Fun activities
- Sunrise at Haleakala National Park. This was one of the most beautiful days during our stay in Maui. Here’s how we did it: Leave very very early to be on top before sunrise. We parked our car at Halemau’u trailhead and hitch-hiked with one of the many cars to the top (take a flashlight so people can see you). Once you are set up on the hill close to the visitor center, the sunrise spectacle begins: Chanting Hawaiians are saluting the sun and tourists are shooting for the best picture. Actually, here it is best to just enjoy the beauty of nature.
- Moonscape Trails at the Haleakala National Park – Start your hike “above the clouds” directly after the sunrise spectacle. We took the trails via Sliding Sands, Holua and back out of the crater to Halemau’u Trailhead. Check out the trail map for other tours or Chris’s detailed description of our hike.
- Surfing – take a lesson in one of the many surf schools. Goofy Foot in La Haina was very cool (about $65).
- Road to Hana – the route is quite winding, so take it slow and make several stops (Hanawai Falls, Waikamoi Ridge Trail for a hike, Wailua Falls, Wai’anapanapa State Park for the back sand beach) – Check out Roadtohana.com for details on all the stops along the route.
Best beaches
- Baldwin beach close to Paia – favorite afternoon beach: Long, wide and sandy.
- Honolua Bay in the west – a path through an awesome park with huge trees leads to the bay. The beach is best for snorkeling not so good for sun bathing.
- Hookipa Beach Park is best for watching surfers or surfing if you are a pro.
- Big Beach in the South is well over a half a mile long, and is also uncharacteristically wide by Maui standards.
- Little Beach next to Big Beach is a nude beach. While public nudity is technically illegal in Hawaii, it has been generally accepted that this is a nude beach, and the law is not enforced here.
For more beach tips check out the mauiguidebook.
Accommodation
Airbnb in Haiku – Pauwela was great. Place was clean and spacious and the location was a bit off the beaten path. So we were able to discover less touristy areas. Had breakfast at Baked on Maui choosing from a huge selection of freshly brewed coffees. Makawao is a nice little town with small shops and less tourists.
Yoga
Yoga at Mangala Yoga in Makawao. The heated vinyasa classes with Clover are the best 😉
Running
Running along the beaches in before sunset is the best.
Trail running in the crater was amazing as it mostly goes down. Leave the heavy hiking boots at home, light trail shoes are completely fine for the crater route.
Tips
- Renting a car is really necessary if you want to see anything of the island.
- Hawaii is quite pricey compared to Europe and even to San Francisco. Having an apartment (airbnb) allows you to prepare at least some meals at home. Hanalei Harvest Market or Mana Foods in Paia have awesome healthy food options for picnic style dishes and breakfast at home.
- Book accommodation in advance as it can get quite pricey the closer you are to your arrival date.
- Overnight flight from Maui to San Francisco is quite nice with United, not as uncomfortable as I thought.
Many THANKS:
Mark, Jenna and Karl – with your recommendations you made our trip preparation easier than ever before.
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