Pat and Ron's Travel Adventures
Friday, January 28, 2011
January in Maui and Kauai
Maui is one of the most popular tourist destinations of any of Hawaii’s islands and also has many things to do. Maui, as with all the islands, has only a few, windy, narrow roads since access around the mountains can be limited. While we were there, rain storms, flashfloods, and rock slides closed the roads to Hana, Kihei, and Lahaina!
The remoteness and serenity of the Hana area on the east side of Maui is mainly due to the famous “road to Hana” which is not for the faint-hearted. But with road improvements many people have discovered its beauty and make the journey from the west side daily. It is still beautiful and serene and we were glad we chose to stay for a week there, getting ahead of the crowds for such sights as the lava flow in Haleakala National Park, Venus Pool and Seven Sacred Pools, Charles Lindberg’s grave, and Waianapanapa Black Sand Beach.
Kahanu Gardens, located on beautiful shoreline acreage, is one of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens and showcases native and Polynesian-introduced plants. A massive temple started in the late 1200’s and finished in 1570, called Pi’ilanihale Heiau, covers more than three acres itself. Notes of interest from a few plants there: Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world. The record is 4 ft in a 24 hour period! Breadfruit Trees have fruit that can get up to 10 lbs, and are 5-8” in diameter. The Hau plants have flowers that are yellow in the morning and turn red in the evening. Children are told to be home before the hau blossom turns red.
On the western side of Maui is the center of the island’s activities, the most popular being whale watching boat trips this time of the year. They did not disappoint! We saw the whales up close. There were breaching over and over so many times that we lost count, fin slapping, travelling with their young, travelling alongside the boat, and diving (showing their humpback posture and tails.) There are ~20,000 humpback whales in existence and they are still an endangered species, although increasing in number. 60% of them winter in Hawaii. Japan and Mexico are the other main breeding areas. Norway, Japan, & Iceland still hunt whales and do not abide by the International Whaling Commission’s ban on commercial whaling, calling their kills “scientific.” The area in-between Lana’i, Maui, Moloka’i (leprosy settlement in 1800s), and Kaho’olawe is the primary Hawaii winter area, as the water is shallower and warmer (no predator orcas or sharks) for their birthing and breeding. Only the males do the singing and each group (Hawaiian, Mexican, Japanese) sing their own group tune. The whales do not feed while in Hawaii and lose much weight before their trek back to Alaska or Russia. Gestation is nearly a year, and calves weigh 2 tons at birth, are nursed for 10-12 months, and double in length their first year. Whales do not mate for life, or for very long for that matter.
We attended a Luau that was more native than touristy. They served potent mai tai’s, as well as traditional cuisine including poi, Kalua pork (cooked in underground oven lined with banana leaves and covered with burlap and sand,) Polynesian Mahi-Mahi, Kuili chicken, Ahi, taro salad, and much more, earning praise from Zagat Survey and Emeril Live and many guidebooks. The entertainment portion included Tahitian drumming and showed the migration of the hula dancing starting with ancient hula, the changes with the Polynesian’s arrival in Hawaii, going through the missionary period, and up to today’s contemporary version.
Kauai is the most northern island and, as such, receives the brunt of the oncoming weather. The Hawaiians believe that the 7th chakra is located there and the energy from the gods for the islands passes through here. It is the oldest island, the most mountainous, and, as a result, has the most inaccessible amount of land area. The famous rugged Na Pali Coast is viewable by boat, airplane, or the famous 11 mile Kalalau Trail.
We decided that a helicopter trip around the island of Kauai was the best way for us to experience these mostly inaccessible parts of the island. It was an overcast day but the clouds were higher up so we still were able to see the island. We couldn’t even imagine how many waterfalls could be on one island as they were falling all over each other. The Wai’ale’ale Crater is a 3-sided wall of waterfalls 3,000’ high with a lushness that is beyond comprehension. It gets an average of 440” rain/year and is the rainiest spot on the planet. The top of the peak was covered in cloud as it almost always is. Kauai is so green and is like no other place in the world. Over 90% of the Kauai is completely inaccessible and this trip showed us why. The beauty of the backcountry is beyond description in its lushness, greenness, and primitiveness.
Kaliuea Lighthouse National Wildlife Refuge is where we saw many spouting and breeching humpback whales, red-footed boobies covering nearby cliffs, albatrosses dancing their mating dance, and frigatebirds in flight. These birds have 6, 7 and 8 feet wingspans respectively and are amazing to watch soar.
It is impossible to talk about any island in Hawaii without mentioning the beaches. There are red, black, and white sand beaches. Some beaches are protected by bays or coral reefs providing calm water for swimming and snorkeling. Others have high waves and rugged coasts. Some are tough hikes to access and some can be driven to. All are beautiful to visit. There is a wealth of choices from which to swim, snorkel (once with a large sea turtle), watch waves, watch surfers, look for whales, or just lie in the sun. Many of these beaches have been used in Hollywood films (as have the lush valleys and waterfalls on the islands) such as “South Pacific”, “Jurassic Park”, “Six Days, Seven Nights”, “From Here to Eternity”, and “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
Our two months in Hawaii have gone by quickly. A more adventuresome winter with great weather could not be imagined. The people were wonderful and the aloha spirit was seen everywhere. While we have done so much, we still have things on our list saved for the next time. We will return someday. Until then we had to say Aloha and mahalo to our only state that was once a kingdom.
We are in the Phoenix area now through the end of April catching up with friends, playing tennis, working out, hiking, sightseeing in the state, seeing the desert in bloom, and, in general, having a great time until the weather warms up elsewhere.
Until next blog, Happy Trails!
Pat & Ron
The remoteness and serenity of the Hana area on the east side of Maui is mainly due to the famous “road to Hana” which is not for the faint-hearted. But with road improvements many people have discovered its beauty and make the journey from the west side daily. It is still beautiful and serene and we were glad we chose to stay for a week there, getting ahead of the crowds for such sights as the lava flow in Haleakala National Park, Venus Pool and Seven Sacred Pools, Charles Lindberg’s grave, and Waianapanapa Black Sand Beach.
Kahanu Gardens, located on beautiful shoreline acreage, is one of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens and showcases native and Polynesian-introduced plants. A massive temple started in the late 1200’s and finished in 1570, called Pi’ilanihale Heiau, covers more than three acres itself. Notes of interest from a few plants there: Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world. The record is 4 ft in a 24 hour period! Breadfruit Trees have fruit that can get up to 10 lbs, and are 5-8” in diameter. The Hau plants have flowers that are yellow in the morning and turn red in the evening. Children are told to be home before the hau blossom turns red.
On the western side of Maui is the center of the island’s activities, the most popular being whale watching boat trips this time of the year. They did not disappoint! We saw the whales up close. There were breaching over and over so many times that we lost count, fin slapping, travelling with their young, travelling alongside the boat, and diving (showing their humpback posture and tails.) There are ~20,000 humpback whales in existence and they are still an endangered species, although increasing in number. 60% of them winter in Hawaii. Japan and Mexico are the other main breeding areas. Norway, Japan, & Iceland still hunt whales and do not abide by the International Whaling Commission’s ban on commercial whaling, calling their kills “scientific.” The area in-between Lana’i, Maui, Moloka’i (leprosy settlement in 1800s), and Kaho’olawe is the primary Hawaii winter area, as the water is shallower and warmer (no predator orcas or sharks) for their birthing and breeding. Only the males do the singing and each group (Hawaiian, Mexican, Japanese) sing their own group tune. The whales do not feed while in Hawaii and lose much weight before their trek back to Alaska or Russia. Gestation is nearly a year, and calves weigh 2 tons at birth, are nursed for 10-12 months, and double in length their first year. Whales do not mate for life, or for very long for that matter.
We attended a Luau that was more native than touristy. They served potent mai tai’s, as well as traditional cuisine including poi, Kalua pork (cooked in underground oven lined with banana leaves and covered with burlap and sand,) Polynesian Mahi-Mahi, Kuili chicken, Ahi, taro salad, and much more, earning praise from Zagat Survey and Emeril Live and many guidebooks. The entertainment portion included Tahitian drumming and showed the migration of the hula dancing starting with ancient hula, the changes with the Polynesian’s arrival in Hawaii, going through the missionary period, and up to today’s contemporary version.
Kauai is the most northern island and, as such, receives the brunt of the oncoming weather. The Hawaiians believe that the 7th chakra is located there and the energy from the gods for the islands passes through here. It is the oldest island, the most mountainous, and, as a result, has the most inaccessible amount of land area. The famous rugged Na Pali Coast is viewable by boat, airplane, or the famous 11 mile Kalalau Trail.
We decided that a helicopter trip around the island of Kauai was the best way for us to experience these mostly inaccessible parts of the island. It was an overcast day but the clouds were higher up so we still were able to see the island. We couldn’t even imagine how many waterfalls could be on one island as they were falling all over each other. The Wai’ale’ale Crater is a 3-sided wall of waterfalls 3,000’ high with a lushness that is beyond comprehension. It gets an average of 440” rain/year and is the rainiest spot on the planet. The top of the peak was covered in cloud as it almost always is. Kauai is so green and is like no other place in the world. Over 90% of the Kauai is completely inaccessible and this trip showed us why. The beauty of the backcountry is beyond description in its lushness, greenness, and primitiveness.
Kaliuea Lighthouse National Wildlife Refuge is where we saw many spouting and breeching humpback whales, red-footed boobies covering nearby cliffs, albatrosses dancing their mating dance, and frigatebirds in flight. These birds have 6, 7 and 8 feet wingspans respectively and are amazing to watch soar.
It is impossible to talk about any island in Hawaii without mentioning the beaches. There are red, black, and white sand beaches. Some beaches are protected by bays or coral reefs providing calm water for swimming and snorkeling. Others have high waves and rugged coasts. Some are tough hikes to access and some can be driven to. All are beautiful to visit. There is a wealth of choices from which to swim, snorkel (once with a large sea turtle), watch waves, watch surfers, look for whales, or just lie in the sun. Many of these beaches have been used in Hollywood films (as have the lush valleys and waterfalls on the islands) such as “South Pacific”, “Jurassic Park”, “Six Days, Seven Nights”, “From Here to Eternity”, and “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
Our two months in Hawaii have gone by quickly. A more adventuresome winter with great weather could not be imagined. The people were wonderful and the aloha spirit was seen everywhere. While we have done so much, we still have things on our list saved for the next time. We will return someday. Until then we had to say Aloha and mahalo to our only state that was once a kingdom.
We are in the Phoenix area now through the end of April catching up with friends, playing tennis, working out, hiking, sightseeing in the state, seeing the desert in bloom, and, in general, having a great time until the weather warms up elsewhere.
Until next blog, Happy Trails!
Pat & Ron
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