Posts Tagged ‘Maui’

Maui Helicopter Tours ? Enjoy the West Maui Molokai Tour

Boasting nearly perfect year-round travel weather, thousands of acres of unspoiled natural beauty, the best beaches in the world, award-winning restaurants and cuisine, world-class golf courses, upscale shopping, luxury resorts, art galleries featuring local artists, amazing snorkel and scuba sites, and more family activities than any other Hawaiian island, it’s easy to see why Maui was named the Best Island in the World by Conde Nast Traveler 15 years in a row!

Hawaii is the most geographically remote, yet well-populated land in the world. North America, the nearest continent, lies some 2400 miles away. Maui is 727.3 square miles with 120 miles of coastline. More than 80% of the most stunning scenery and unspoiled beauty is inaccessible due to lack of roads and hiking trails leading into the interior sections. Taking a helicopter ride, like the West Maui Molokai Tour, is the most effective way to see Maui.

The Hana and Haleakala Tour is probably the most popular flight to do on the island of Maui because it covers the two main scenic points, but my personal favorite is the West Maui Molokai Tour.

The West Maui Mountains, or Mauna Kahalawai as it is traditionally known by Hawaiians, with its many peaks and ridges is the older of two volcanoes that form the island of Maui. The highest peak, Pu’u Kukui stands at 5,778 feet and is located in the upper regions of the mountain on the Western end. Imagine, a bird’s-eye view of this natural beauty via the West Maui Molokai Tour.

Pu’u Kukui is known as the second wettest spot on earth, second only to Mount Wai’ale’ale on Kaua’i. The abundance of water that flow from these mountains is the source of dozens of incredible waterfalls like the Wall of Tears that feed the streams and sparkling blue pools that run along the rainforest floor. The tallest waterfall on Maui, Honokohau Falls, is also located here A West Maui Molokai Tour expedition offers exquisite viewing of spectacular waterfalls!

This first segment of the West Maui Molokai Tour is only a prelude to even more fantastic views. With such eye-popping scenery it’s difficult to know where to begin to describe the wonders that you’ll find on the final leg of the West Maui Molokai Tour, on the remarkable “Friendly Isle” of Molokai.

The Sea Cliffs of Molokai, the tallest in the world, is the first thing to greet you as you journey across the Pailolo channel. The shear size and magnitude of these spectacular sea cliffs will leave you in awe. You can truly appreciate nature’s grandeur from a helicopter excursion, specifically the West Maui Molokai Tour.

From The National Historical Landmark Kalaupapa Settlement to the treasured vistas of Halawa Valley, the West Maui Molokai Tour may provide you a view of Kahiwa Falls (tallest in Hawaii), Papalaua Falls, Wailau Valley, Ancient Hawaiian Fish Ponds, the Molokai Reef (longest fringe reef in the US) and the archeologically rich Halawa Valley with Moalua Falls and Hipuapua Falls.

On the return home the West Maui Molokai Tour will visit Lahaina, once the home to many of Hawaii’s Royalty and the former Whaling Capitol of the World.

Your West Maui Molokai Tour concludes with a visit through Iao Valley State Park where an epic battle to unite the Hawaiian islands were fought between the armies of Kamehameha and Kalanikupule.

The West Maui Molokai Tour promises to be one of the most memorable experiences of your life.

A Maui Wedding

Maui Sun, sand and surf, this tropical island paradise is
something everyone should experience at least once in their
lifetime. The Hawaiian Islands have it all and the island of
Maui has it in spades. Maui is the perfect place for a vacation,
the perfect place for a honeymoon, and the perfect place for a
wedding. What could be more romantic, exotic, and exciting than
a beautiful Maui wedding? In fact, with the costs of destination
weddings dropping steadily, many couples are choosing to travel
to this beautiful island specifically to get married in this
amazing tropical location. Maui weddings are as breathtakingly
romantic and astounding as anyone could ever hope their wedding
could be and they’re much more affordable than you might think.

Should you choose to have your wedding in this fun and exciting
location, the first thing you want to do is search for a Maui
travel package. The price of travel and hotel accommodations may
surprise you once you start looking into them. Contact a travel
agent to see what kind of a package deal you can get on air
travel and hotel rates. Booking your airfare and hotel stay
together this way is bound to save you money as compared to
purchasing them separately. All too often people will find what
they think is a great price on a hotel room only to find that
they can’t afford the airfare, and vice versa. Using a travel
agent to book them together can save you a considerable
percentage. Remember that booking far in advance will usually
get you the best rates and that you’re always going to get a
better price during the off season.

Once you have the hotel and travel arrangements out of the way,
it’s time to start planning the actual wedding. Maui has become
such a popular destination for weddings that several companies
that specialize in planning Maui weddings have popped up all
over the island. Most of these companies offer to hold
ceremonies in a number of uniquely beautiful Maui locations. The
majority of them also have web sites that detail the wedding
packages that they have to offer. These packages include things
like the wedding cake, photography, a minister or other official
to perform the ceremony, and a number of other wedding related
details. Some will even make an appointment with the state’s
marriage licensing department so you can obtain your marriage
license. The cost of the Maui wedding packages vary, of course,
depending on the company making the offer and exactly what you
want to include. Most of the prepared packages range in price
from about three hundred dollars for the most basic to nearly
three thousand dollars for the most exquisite.

A beautiful and romantic Maui wedding is definitely within your
reach. By choosing to marry in such an exotic and romantic
location you are basically guaranteeing yourself a wedding
ceremony that you will remember fondly forever and promising
yourself a wedding experience that you may have thought could
only happen in your dreams

You Really Need to Visit Maui

Seen from above, the two shield volcanoes that make up the island of Maui look like the head and torso of the well-loved demigod for whom the island is named.

Maui was a tricky fellow who is said to have stolen fire from its supernatural keepers, gifting to the mortals. He also captured the sun with a rope woven from his wifes tresses and slowed its path so that we could enjoy more hours of daylight on his beautiful island.

Modern visitors to this most magical of islands still reap the fruits of his labors by making the most of sunny tropical weather, where the temperature rarely dips below 65 degrees and the lush vegetation and colorful animal life just add to the feeling that they’ve just arrived in paradise.

This second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands is host to Haleakala, the largest dormant volcano in the world, at 10,023 feet tall. The summit of Haleakala National Park provides awe-inspiring views of five of the eight major islands. Watching the sunrise on the summit of Haleakala is an experience that visitors carry with them the rest of their lives.

Wainapanapa State Park is another wondrous natural adventure. Discover the black sand beaches, sea arch and caves for yourself. Every year from mid-December through mid-May pods of humpback whales make their way back to the waters surrounding Maui. The Kai Kanani will take you out to Molokini Island as you marvel at the grace of these peaceful giants.

The Whale Discovery Center at the Maui Ocean Center helps visitors understand the humpbacks strange and beautiful life cycle as it takes them from the frigid waters of the Artic to the warm and soothing seas around Maui and back again each year.

The natural beauty of Maui will surround and envelope you as you explore its endless beaches. Swim the calmer waters of the west shore, including Maalaea and Kaanapali.

Or head up to North Maui Ho’okipa for some of the best surfing, boogie boarding and windsurfing in the world. If youre looking for a little privacy, try Oneloa Beach, the last undeveloped beach on Maui s leeward side.

During a daily sun shower, duck into the Hana Cultural Center, a traditional Hawaiian village showcasing hundreds of artifacts and books and thousands of historical photographs.

The Maui Arts and Cultural Center is a 12-acre visual arts center and the Tedeschi Vineyards in the Upcountry offers tours of a unique pineapple wine vineyard. Dont forget to try a sample!

Dining is another fabulous adventure in Maui. It won’t take long before you run into the ever-popular plate lunch. Hawaii’s version of fast food, a plate lunch is inexpensive and perfect to take to one of the island’s breathtaking parks. Each shop’s plate lunch is unique, so stop in at a few shops during your explorations.

For something a little more upscale, try the Tropica Restaurant and Bar at the Westin Maui or Vino Italian Tapas & Wine Bar in Kapalua. Mango Cafe Grill & Bar offers a fabulous buffet on Sundays that includes both traditional Hawaiian fare and mainland comfort foods.

Maui isn’t just a visual and culinary delight, it’s also a shopper’s dream come true. Spend a few hours browsing for interesting island gifts at the Kapalua Shops, enjoy free Hawaiian entertainment while you shop at Queen Kaahumanu Center or do some power shopping in air-conditioned comfort at the Lahaina Cannery Mall.

Maui accommodations are just as diverse as its natural beauty and entertaining activities. Opt for an intimate and cost-conscious stay at one of the island’s lovely bed-and-breakfasts, choose from an array of luxurious condominiums or find relaxation or lots of opportunities to play whatever your pleasure at one of Maui’s golf resort hotels, spa resorts, beachfront hotels, family-friendly hotels or romantic accommodations perfect for honeymooners.

Another great option is to try a privately owned rental. There are a number of private owners who are willing to rent their home or condo. Many rental by owner websites are available to help you locate the perfect place to settle in for your stay in this little slice of heaven.

Like its mythological namesake, Maui Island is powerfully memorable and perfectly magical. Make it a part of your memories forever.

Maui And Family Trips With Kids

Climbing Mount Fuji, paddling the Mississippi, getting lost in the jungles of Brazil – a heroic venture is needed for a traveller’s story. As I mentioned to my friends the next adventure, they seemed to act as thou I was planning to circle the Ice cap of the North Pole in fat bottom boat, or drive in the desert with my motor bike. In all honesty I was taking the family to Maui, the wonderful island of enchantment where my wife and I had met ten years ago during a Christian singles retreat. This time we were are alone, we had added our first keiki to the mix. Would we ruin the opportunity of romance?

Ten years before, we had walked up Haleakala during a cold windy morning to watch the sun rise over the crater, indulging in evening strolls along the white sandy beaches and memorable dinner along the ocean. I won’t go into all the details, but the single most memorable time was driving along the Hanna road following Maui’s north shore. The sea to our left smashed into the jagged volcanic rock. To our right was the deep green jungle.

So, we decided to visit Hanna, in a German utility vehicle, having barely passed around the hip surfer’s of Pa’ia, the kids start babbling of heat and nausea, so we take a break at Ho’okipa Beach, and we stroll down the volcanic rock beach to view the surfers battle tremendous waves. Returning to our drive on the road, our eldest child’s tan pales further with each switchback – and it’s off to the edge of the road. Then it is the youngest child’s turn, though too late this time. During the midst of complaints, the obnoxious smell of breakfast fruit has us returning home. The island’s grandeur remains the same – it is our holiday planning that must alter.

We find our selves spending mornings at the beach, just before the afternoon breeze brings up the surf. The children love to play and swim. I tried to body surf on the whitecaps, and tumbled into the breakwater. Our children build their castles against the sea, bury their feet and legs in the wet sand, and then snorkel with us. In the early afternoon we return to the cottage to shower, eat an excellently prepared lunch, then do school-work Hawaiian style – sitting under a palm tree.

Activities are planned as learning experiences for the children, land-locked mid-westerners who know next to nothing of the ocean. Several thousand miles from any continent or major island group, the islands of Hawaii are the most isolated islands in the world. Being so isolated, it is no small wonder that nearly thirty percent of Hawaii’s marine life can not be found anywhere else in the world.

Ulua Beach in Wailea, we can enjoy the unique opportunity to snorkel with a naturalist from a local marine life foundation, who educates us on names of variety of tropical fish and the urchins that live within the coral. We ventured out on the PWF’s complex of marine life to do some snorkelling at Molokini and turtle viewing at Turtle Town. These trips have a reputation of being great for children, even taking them one on one during the boating expedition for an educational talk, with the opportunity to be an certified Junior Marine Naturalist.

Not all of our time is spent underwater. From Lahaina, we traveled  to Ka’anapali riding the old Pacific Railroad Sugar Cane Train. A long time ago, when sugar was king, the steam train hauled cane from the fields to mills for processing and sold to foreign merchant vessels. Now, the 1890 locomotive steams along the narrow track, while a conductor tells us about the sites along the old pacific corridor.

Our day of fun comes to an end and we walk along the ,many travelers rental vehicles, parking at the end of a long queue. The valet steps out from a car in front of us, mumbling about the smell of spoiled fruit and fish. “Nothing like that back home,” I smile. She seats herself into the driving seat and her nose begins to crinkle. We run off to the airport taxi thinking about how life is so different where you travel to.

About the authoer

Jeff Rowell a writer for the Tulsa Journal writes for major companies of their respective industires,  My Hawaiian Holiday

Maui Vacation Homes in a Glance

The crown jewels of Hawaii, the Maui islands, are renowned in the world for their unspoiled beauty and for their popularity with world’s most hard to please guests. Maui island became a synonym for modern, environmentally conscious vacations.

The nature seems to have given its best to this part of the Hawaii, with Maui flourishing on the rich soil of volcanic origin and draining its energy from nearby hills which also protect the island from winds of Pacific. Long evening walks and the sun drowning into the Pacific, scenes matched only by Hollywood’s most romantic pictures. The total effect is just too appealing. Maui really casts the spell over its visitors.

This place has turned out to be one of the most popular vacation destinations for people from all over the globe. As a matter of fact, over two million people from the US and Canada alone visit this place annually. Maui really stands out in terms of popularity, luxury and attraction.

The consequence of popularity is skyrocketing interest in Maui vacation homes. They are ideal for those who want to cherish the beauty of this place without being hindered by any hassles of the world around us. Maui vacation homes can be found in populated Maui center as well as special vacation home communities which have been designed solely for the purpose of vacation home seekers.

For true relaxation with nothing but privacy all around you and with the all present touch of the beautiful nature, vacation homes alongside the beach should do the trick. Not everyone needs the privacy of a vacation home in Maui, but than again Maui vacation homes offer many advantages to those luxury hotels usually found on Maui.

There are so many things to do in Maui that you can hardly manage your events. Maui vacation homes are just what they promise to be, the facility that gets as close to that “home feeling” as possible. If you like to prepare your own meal, wash your own clothes, if you like to enjoy the luxury of your own apartment, Maui vacation homes have it all.

A special kind of hospitality and ambient can be experienced in top extravagance Maui vacation homes. Among others there are some mind blowing vacation homes in Maui, traditionally designed but equipped with high class furniture, spacious rooms, extraordinary beautiful surroundings, very own luxury bbq, swimming pool, xxl bathrooms, sauna, private club rooms with luxury furniture and mandatory billiard, to mention just few of the highlights.

Regardless how well equipped the true pizzazz to the overall experience is ensured through the beauty of the island itself. The island has thousands of interesting spots to offer and Maui vacation homes are always situated near one of them. When searching for the suitable vacation home, there is always clearly stated the distance to the sea, with luxury vacation homes in Maui this usually means a stone throw away from the beach.

Not only does the island itself offer many activities, the character of the Pacific climate makes Maui a Mecca for water sports especially wind-water sports. The Maui vacation homes come in a wide range of varieties. They are sure to meet your budget plans as well, however varied they be.