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The Magic Isle

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Sovereignty

Around this time last year, we were on a plane on our way to Maui. Maui reminds me a bit of Quebec in that it’s struggling to keep its cultural identity while being part of a larger entity. Like Quebec, there’s a sovereignty movement here but this isn’t a political blog so I won’t open that can of worms. We like to keep it light so let’s get back to food and travel.
Lahaina Shores

Lahaina Shores

Lahaina Shores Hotel

On this trip, we spent the first part on the “touristy” side at the end of the strip in Lahaina. The Lahaina Shores Hotel is perfectly situated a few feet away from the ocean. It’s the best of both worlds, you can spend time on the strip and visit the tourist attractions in Lahaina and then walk back to the hotel at the end of the strip, away from it all. The hotel itself has mountain view rooms (all rooms have their own kitchen and there is laundry facilities on each floor), which at the time were not renovated and noisy as they face the street and parking lot. We had booked one of these rooms but were kept awake by barking dogs and roosters cock a doodle doing. The next day we switched to an ocean view room, it was a little more expensive but well worth it. There’s nothing like being lulled to sleep by crashing waves or sitting out on the lanai for an afternoon cocktail watching jumping whales.

Wo Hing Temple Museum

While in Lahaina we took in the Wo Hing Temple Museum, the Lahaina Jodo Mission and, a few beaches.
Kitchen at Wo hing Temple Museum

Kitchen at Wo Hing Temple Museum

Buddha at the Jodo Mission

Buddha at the Jodo Mission

Jodo Mission

Jodo Mission

Kihei

Kihei

Aloha Mixed Plate

Maui isn’t cheap but you don’t need to blow the budget, there are plenty of good, lower priced places to eat, one of our favourites on the West side of the island is Aloha Mixed Plate in Lahaina (they have a great happy hour), there’s also the Olowalu General Store where you can snack on manapua and huge shave ice or grab a tasty fish taco at Jawz on the way to Big Beach.
Happy hour at Aloha Mixed Plate

Happy hour at Aloha Mixed Plate

Olowalu General Store

Olowalu General Store

Jawz taco truck

Jawz taco truck

Anya’s House

The island has lots to keep you busy (and enough material for a few more blog posts) but this time we were here to relax and decided to spend the rest of our time on the other side of the island, passed Hana, in Kipahulu. We were told that this side of the island was where the real Maui could be found, and it’s exactly where we found it. We rented a house on the back side of Haleakala. Anya’s House is so secluded the bathtub/shower is outside. At first, we thought this was weird but after the first day we were over our shyness and loved the fact that you could have a shower amongst the greenery with the sun shining down. The house has a large deck facing the ocean, where we could sit and watch the sun rise and set. The property is large and lush with a variety of fruit trees.
Anya's House

Anya’s House

Fruit picked on the property

Fruit picked on the property

Outdoor bathtub

Outdoor bathtub

Haleakala crater

Haleakala crater

Laulima Fruit Stand

Down the street is the Laulima Fruit Stand where they make wonderful espresso from beans grown on their farm. They also have a *bicycle (meaning you pedal) powered blender for fresh fruit smoothies. There’s a taco stand that pops up one day a week not too far from Laulima and a couple of secret restaurants that do dinner a few nights a week.

Laulima fruit stand

Laulima fruit stand

Pop up taco stand

Pop up taco stand

Seven Sacred Pools

This side of the island has plenty to explore. There’s the Pipiwai Trail with all its waterfalls including Waimoku Falls. The Seven Sacred Pools are not too far away, not sacred at all, named this way to attract tourists, which they do, by the busload.  

Waimoku falls

Waimoku falls

Seven sacred pools

Seven sacred pools

Lindbergh's grave

Lindbergh’s grave

Palapala Ho’omau Church

Charles Lindbergh was so enamoured with the island he once said “I love Maui so much, I would rather live one day in Maui than one month in New York.”, he’s buried on the grounds of Palapala Ho’omau Church in Kipahulu.
 
* Update: the bicycle has since been taken away because of ruling from the health board.

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