Would appreciate advice on good things to see/do/eat in January
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Where are you staying?
Da Kitchen. Deep fried spam musubi… everyday.
Wailea
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Take Trilogy’s boat out for snorkeling at Molokini. Great food, great employees. Gone out there with them twice and had a great time both times, once in Feb. and once in August.
Will second the recommendation for Trilogy. Went with them in August, had a great time, and great food.
Rent a bike from West Maui Cycles and ride the West Loop that goes out past Lahaina to Napili-Honokowai down to Kahului and back. The scenery is unbelievable and there was virtually no traffic.
Maui has awesome cycling. The West Maui Loop has already been mentioned, and is a world-class ride. Also in that class: the Hana Road, and the ride up Haleakala. The section of Haleakala from 4,000 feet to 7,000 is especially wonderful if you don’t feel up for the entire 10,000 foot climb.
Mama’s Fish House. Awesome eats.
Rented a Cannondale tandem from West Maui Cycles and did the west loop (60ish miles I think). Awesome trip for the both of us, so def recommended if the significant other is a cyclist. Nice scuba just offshore, with a mix of coral and lava reef. We did not windsurf, but it is supposed to be one of the best places in the world for that.
In Lahaina -
Aloha Mixed Plate, $1 mil view, $12 meal price http://www.alohamixedplate.com/
Star Noodle - owned by the same people as Aloha Mixed Place and up in a weird industrial park. Don’t let that fool you. Some of the best food I have ever eaten and a super creative bar menu. Crowded. http://www.starnoodle.com/
Momma’s is great but real pricey.
Merriman’s in Kapalua, other side of island from where you are staying. If you go right around sunset and sit on the patio you can just order hors d’oeurve’s which are crazy good. If you eat in the restauraunt it is great, just expensive. Hike the waihee ridge trail (assuming its not raining). Star noodle was good (lahaina). Drive the road to hana, if you’ve never been and don’t plan on going back. Take the time and get out and see the sights, there is an app which tells you where to go. If you drive it in hurry then it is just a miserable 6 hour car ride. When we were there (may) it was windy most of the week. The snorkel boats couldn’t get out to molikini so they would tuck in on the leeward side of the island where it was calm. Most places they would stop you can drive to and get out and snorkel with the people that paid $100+ a person. I’ve never done the trilogy first time over too poor, next couple of times too windy. It’s an awesome island with lots to do.
I forgot about this place-- Mick Fleetwoods place. http://www.fleetwoodsonfrontst.com/
If you can get on the roof deck at sunset they have a crazy Hawaiian sunset ceremony with a Maori dancer and a lot of fire.
Lot’s of Fleetwood Mac memorabilia.
thought of a few more things:
There’s a neat hike at the end of the road past Wailea at La Perouse Bay. Lava, a blowhole, etc. It’s just an out and back, so go walk as far as you want and turn around.
I thought the drive to Hana was just O.K., but really liked Hana once we got out there. The Pools of O’heo hike is good, as is the black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park.
Napili Bay is nice snorkeling especially for kids – lots of stuff to see and quiet water (we stayed in Napili both times) but a bit of a drive from Wailea.
See: Sunrise at Haleakala, surfers just east of Pa’ia or Honolua Bay
Do: Molokini Crater snorkel/whale watching tour with Blue Water Adventures, ferry trip to Lanai to snorkel at Hulapo’e Beach and lunch at the Four Seasons, road to Hana, snorkel at Napili Beach, crater walk on Haleakala, I’ao Valley State Park visit, shopping in Wailea
Eat: Old Lahaina Lu’au, Flatbread Pizza Company in Pa’ia, Sunrise Grill for breakfast in Lahaina, there’s a great breakfast place on the main drag in Kihei but I forgot the name. Skip the Aloha Mixed Plate as the food and service sucked. You can get better food and view at the beach bar at Ka’anapali Shopping Center.
Don’t skip Aloha Mixed Plate.