#HAWAII TRIPS PLUS#

Big Beach is located south of Kihei and Wailea. There are two beaches, one called Big Beach and the other Little Beach. It sits nestled between two outcroppings of lava, affording it protection from trade wind. Makena Beach State Park is one of MauiвЂ™s finest beaches, including nearly a mile of white sand and incredible views towards the islands of Molokini and Kahoolawe.

#HAWAII TRIPS PLUS#

Nonetheless, it still has great beaches (think Kam beaches, Charley Young, and more), plus less expensive accommodations. It has a local feel and is a good place for shopping and dining.

South Maui is known for its generally relaxed feeling, and the towns of Kihei, Wailea, and Makena are in some ways very different from their West Maui neighbors. South Maui from Kihei to Makena Beach State Park The areas north of Lahaina are renowned for spectacular white sand beaches and good snorkeling. Maui is blessed with abundant Humpback whale viewing from late fall into spring, and weвЂ™ve even seen them from the highway.Д¬ontinue to Lahaina, once a whaling village and now a bustling town of stores, dining, and art galleries. The drive from Kahului out to MauiвЂ™s West Coast, home to Lahaina (pictured above) and the popular beach resort areas of Kaanapali Beach, Napili Bay, and Kapalua, is at once one of the most heavily trafficked and also one of most scenic driving adventures on Maui.Д®n route, leaving Kahului, youвЂ™ll enjoy beautiful verdant hillsides views as you head towards Maalea Harbor beyond. Kahului is the islandвЂ™s commercial center and is home to the islandвЂ™s main airport and the cruise port, where visitors arrive and depart. It is cold, and we tend to bring everything we have, including blankets. Depending on your starting point, the drive up can take up to three hours, and it is quite the journey.ДonвЂ™t forget to dress warmly for this adventure, especially true for sunset and sunrise viewings. It is now necessary to have reservations when arriving for the sunrise viewing, and some visitors choose to begin the journey as early as 3 am. Visitors can enjoy the slow and winding road to the summit while taking in the views and preparing for an indescribably beautiful sunrise or sunset over the crater. Mount Haleakala sits within Haleakala National Park, renowned for its valleys, lava fields, and silversword fern, and over one million visitors are attracted to the summit each year. Mount HaleakalaДЄt 3055 meters tall, Mount Haleakala is a huge dormant shield volcano that makes up three-quarters of MauiвЂ™s landmass and is both the highest peak on the island and the second-tallest mountain in Hawaii. Also, read Why Hawaii TourismвЂ™s Shocking Return Hit Maui Hardest. Hana town is a step back in time, and if you continue even further, youвЂ™ll be greeted with more fabulous views, including Hamoa Beach, a favorite of Ernest Hemingway. Nearby youвЂ™ll find epic windsurfing at Hookipa Beach Park, another favorite stop for photos, if nothing else, which along the way before getting serious about this drive. A first stop might be Paia town, where youвЂ™ll have plenty of chances to refill your stomach, your trip supplies, and your gas tank. There are many stops possible along the way. You will be greeted with waterfalls and unparalleled views of the Maui coastline and rainforest. Many of the bridges are over 100 years old.

The road is narrow and winding, with some 59 bridges, of which most are one-way. This is not a road to be rushed, and the time to cover the distance is longer than expected. The 65 mile-long Hana Highway takes you from Kahului to Hana town in east Maui. The state has created a flyer for visitors traveling the Hana Highway. Maui is trying to find new ways to mitigate traffic, illegal parking, and dangerous pedestrian crossings along the highway.ДЄs you recall, 70 no parking signs were installed, with warnings of a $35 fine with a $200 surcharge. The Hawaii Tourism Authority recently asked that visitors use tour companies rather than individual cars when heading to Hana.

So it is not surprising that it is plagued with traffic and now controversy. The Road to HanaДЄ top favorite, this is one of the great road trips anywhere, not only in Hawaii. Read on for six of the favorites we recommend from personal experience. So it comes as no surprise that the island makes for among HawaiiвЂ™s most spectacular driving trips. MauiвЂ™s prominence in HawaiiвЂ™s travel puzzle is no doubt due, in part, to its profound beauty and its larger-than-life sense of adventure.

Hawaii trips