Aloha A Maui Blog readers and friends. Today we have a guest blogger, Tania, who will share with us her 10 favorite things to do on Maui. It’s a great reminder for us locals and and a wonderful resource for our visitors and guests on Maui. Here is her list of 10:
1. Watch the sunrise... If you can do it from the top of Haleakala, spectacular (remember to bring a hoodie) but it is also quite beautiful to simply enjoy the start of your day from a porch, lanai or beach.
2. Get your daily dose of vitamin sea… My favorite beach is Wailea, in the morning. Immersing myself neck deep in the clear, clean and blue saltwater makes my troubles drift away. All I can think about is how beautiful the ocean and sky is and how fortunate I am to be on Maui No Ka Oi. I’m a beginner stand up paddler and Wailea before 10 is the perfect flat water for my newbie legs.
3, Go out to breakfast… My favorites spots are Stella Blues (great Mexican inspired dishes), Big Wave Café (perfect hint of honey in their hollandaise), Longhi’s (special occasions) or Moose’s (pub watch the game vibe) in Kihei.
4, Visit a farm… I love visiting the Alii Kula Lavender Farm. They have a gorgeous view, an incredible garden and wonderful calming lavender products. On my Maui bucket list is a visit to the Surfing Goat Dairy and a tour with Maui Country Farm Tours.
5. Take a road trip… Sundays are meant for just packing a cooler and exploring a different part of the island. Check Maui Time, Maui Now or Maui News for weekend events or just go where the road takes you. My unplanned, impromptu road trips to Lahaina, Kula or Hana are some of my best Maui memories. Don’t forget your camera.
6. Go for a walk (or run, if you must)…The pathway that runs behind the Wailea resorts, along the ocean, is long enough to get a good workout in and is beautiful enough for you to forget you’re working out. I’ve seen whales breaching and turtles heads peeking out of the water on this walk.
7. Get your shop on…Paia is my favorite little Maui town. It’s got undeniable charm, a mix of old plantation style buildings, a surfer vibe and hippie chic. At least once a month I cruise the best contemporary boutiques on the island, admire the artistry at Maui Hands and pick up yummy organic goodies at Mana foods. Paia is the place to find locally made and designed jewelry including your own custom piece from the jewelry bar at Sophie Grace.
8. Eat shave ice…My favorite shave ice joint is Local Boys on Front Street or on South Kihei Road. My poison is the baby size with Roselani ice cream, cream on top with raspberry and lime syrup.
9. Watch the sunset…preferably while enjoying some spicy ahi poke from Foodland and the offerings from Guava Gouda & Caviar in Wailea.
10. Eat sushi or fresh caught fish…My favorite night out is a night of sushi, dynamite shrimp and a pomegranate martini at Sansei in Kihei or a fresh caught fish at Mama’s by Hookipa, a fine dining experience in a casual atmosphere.
About the blogger: Tania Ginoza is the blogger behind MauiShopGirl, one of my favorite blogs to read. Tania is a Maui girl who loves design, organization and living well. She adores small homes, big accessories and happy colors. She recently got interviewed by the Wall Street Journal for their Personal Journal section for a feature they are writing on Etsy. (yes, Tania blogs about her Etsy finds.). I really enjoy reading Tania’s posts, she is a creative writer and eloquent as well. Check her her blog http://mauishopgirl.com/ so you can see for yourself/
Photo Credit for Maui Sunrise. It was taken by Mike Neal of http://www.nealstudios.net/ –
The other two photos are from Tania.
Awesome post with typical Tania style and finesse 🙂 I hope to make it out to Surfing Goat Dairy soon too and would LOVE to hop in a van with Marilyn for a day of Up Country farms. One of these days…
Thank you Ihilani for the kind words! I am looking very forward to spending more time with Marilyn too. I think she is an awesome lady and her passion for Maui’s farms is infectious.
Wow, wonderful list. Making a resolution to do all of these one day. Haven’t been to Maui yet, but it’s on the bucket list. My dad was in Maui as a U.S. Marine in the 1940s and talked about Maui with awe for the rest of his life.
Love me some MauiShopGirl!
Thank you for reading Melanie and yes! You need to come to Maui. All the islands in Hawaii are wonderful but Maui is my favorite. It is a nice in-between. Still a very mellow small town lifestyle but there is quite a few events and dining for those times you want to get out and about. One of my favorite things about Maui is also the focus on local farming. Sound good? We hope to see you soon.
I love Tania’s list and thank you for mentioning Maui Country Farm Tours. I want to add Makena (Big Beach) as my must do on Maui. The experience is wild, blue, deeply healing and I can’t wait to get back there myself. You’ve got me wanting sush and egg plant at Sansei, a fresh catch at Mama’s Fish House and pictures in their coconut grove. Ah Maui, so much to do and love on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean…
Mahalo Marilyn and you are very welcome for the mention, I may give you a tweet or ring as I am on vacay all of next week. I haven’t had the eggplant at Sansei! I’ll need to try that, I got there once, sometimes twice a month. Haven’t been to Mama’s in awhile but have very fond memories and need to get back there.
Makena is a wonderful place, very untouched. I am in total agreement 🙂
Tania-
What a great list- I love number two- vitamin sea! So great- hoping to visit someday and do these things and MORE!
Thanks for sharing.
Aloha!
Thank you Deirdre and I have to confess I didn’t coin that term but unabashedly use it all the time because it is such a perfect description.
Maui is a wonderful place to visit. We would love to see you here one day. Great beaches, dining and a wonderful creative feel.
What a great list to really enjoy all that Maui has to offer. Wish this list was available for Really Petite. She seemed bummed about her recent trip to Maui — said it was more tourist-y than she thought! :(. Did you take some of these photos??? And congrats on the interview with WALL STREET JOURNAL! WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Lisa, I did read Really Petite’s post and thought about how each island is unique. The Hawaii Visitors Bureau began to market each island separately a few years ago and her post shows how important that is. She wanted a very secluded area, I think maybe Lanai might have been a better option for her. Maui is not super crowded but in the resort areas, it’s not secluded either. In the earlier morning before 10, Wailea (where she stayed) is wonderfully peaceful though, not much people around the resorts haven’t put up all their chairs/umbrellas yet. It’s funny, I can ignore everyone around me. When I’m in the ocean or gazing at it, it is as if no one else is there.
Her take on people not speaking Hawaiian to her did take me aback a little. I do feel if you want to experience local culture, you need to leave your hotel and from her post I gathered she preferred not to go out very much. It is like complaining NYC is not what you thought it would be and you spent all your time in Times Square. I was very sad though to hear she didn’t enjoy herself (I want every visitor to have a wonderful time).
I took the 2nd two photos. The first was taken by Mike Neal, a professional photographer here on Maui.
I was interviewed by WSJ on why I like etsy, the writer found me via my blog. They quoted me in an article they wrote about etsy but didn’t mention my blog. Still cool though but yeah I never really mentioned it on the blog.
Too bad she didn’t consult with you first. Tho I agree if you stay on the resort, you get what you paid for — a resort. Great analogy about NYC and staying in Times Square. I like the landscape photo you took. Looks so dreamy and peaceful! Great colors in the hills in the background. I can’t wait to read the WSJ article. Is it up yet?
“Vitamin Sea” – OMG I love that and it has oceans full of wisdom in it! Thanks for presenting the “organic” view of Maui and not just a list of places to spend money. Though being part of a Maui cash mob is great for our local entrepreneurs too… I just like the mix. The combination is really part of what makes Maui special – starting of course with the friendly peeps. 🙂
The reasons I love Maui Roxanne is the beauty and all the creative people that live here. The Maui I grew up on didn’t have as much fine dining, less tourist driven activities companies and the shopping left much to be desired. But yet, all of us who grew up here and moved away have fond memories and long for home.
I spent many years in Honolulu not appreciating the ocean, flowers and sunsets. Working long hours and barely noticing the beauty around me. Too focused on the big issues and not taking pleasure in the little joys of life. Toward the end I found that part of myself again. I now appreciate how important it is and won’t lose my way again. Living on Maui again reinforces that although Oahu has much to offer as well (I do miss hiking in the bamboo forests in Manoa, the old Pali trail by the Ko’olaus and watching the sunset by the Natatorium.)
great list! i was there a few times… but would love to be back and check some of these…
I love your thoughts on the perfect Maui experience. I make sure to take my 4 year old son for a walk on the beach at sunrise whenever visiting. One time we stopped for a moment and I said “SHHHH….Listen to the sound the ocean makes.” He listened for a moment and said “Listen daddy, the waves are making music!” I love Maui…Glad to see Paia makes your list, as well 🙂 Check out this video I finished on Paia Town (it’s a love letter to the Flatbread Company!) – I hope you like it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ6cAmztCmA&feature=plcp
Completely concur with ‘Vitamin Sea’. Taking my son to Keawakapu Beach all the time has strengthen my bond with him and has nurtured his love for the ocean. And the fact that it’s never crowded is always a plus for me.