Maui: Coconuts, Surfing, and Volcano Sunsets

Hawaii is obviously known for its world-class surfing, so while we were on Maui, we knew we had to check out some of the big wave spots. Some of the biggest waves in the world happen at “Jaws”, a spot on the north shore near Pa’ia. Unfortunately none of the swells were big enough to attract the major pipeline competitions while we were there, but not for lack of trying on our part – we checked three days in a row to see if we could watch the surfers! No luck. We did, however, get a chance to see some of the smaller waves on Ho’okipa Beach, the world’s number one wind-surfing destination. The athleticism of those surfers is incredible.

After we had watched the surfers dance along the waves, Chris bought me a coconut to drink from a nearby van. This was my first time drinking a coconut, and it’s safe to say I’m obsessed. Coconut water is now a staple in my fridge.

We devoured that coconut on the beach while watching the waves, killing time until our lunch reservation at Mama’s Fish House. The lady from the coconut van had recommended we each at Mama’s, saying that it was the best food on the island. I had read a lot about it prior to arriving in Maui, but chalked it up to more tourist hype. Once we heard from the locals that it was a “must-try”, we made reservations right then and there. It did not disappoint.

We ordered a series of small plates to share: oysters, sashimi, beef in a papaya, kalua pork, and poi. It was delicious, and we washed it down with fruity tropical drinks while watching the ocean. We had the best seats in the house – right near the open window that looked onto a picturesque beach.

After lunch we wandered out onto the beach, to join the throngs of our fellow diners taking pictures. We especially loved the hanging palm tree. Chris had fun posing on that one!

Over lunch we decided that we would like to watch the sunset atop the Haleakala Volcano. On our way up to the volcano, we stopped in Pa’ia for a little shopping, groceries, and a walk. Pa’ia is a surf town on the north shore, and is dotted with trendy boutiques, lively restaurants, and hippies wandering barefoot.

With our Jeep stocked with provisions from the Pa’ia organic supermarket, we embarked on our 2 hour drive up to the top of the volcano. It was pouring rain when we neared the clouds, around the 8,000 foot elevation marker. The road was so windy and narrow, and the rain was pounding so hard, that it was nearly impossible to navigate. A few cars ahead turned back and gave up, but we kept on going. When we broke through the cloud cover, it was silent, cool, and dry.

We quickly changed into warm clothes and continued driving up the rest of the way to the summit, which is around 10,000 feet above sea level. It’s the highest I’ve ever been, and I definitely felt a bit short of breath and dizzy. We joined a small smattering of people on the summit, taking some photos before Mother Nature began painting the sky.

It was arguably the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen. We were above 99% of the clouds, yet there were still some above us. Chris quoined the term “sandwich sunset” to describe it. It was breathtaking, and because we were so high up, it felt other-worldly…so quiet…the air so crisp…the temperature so low. It was hard to believe that we had been sweating on the beach just a few hours ago.

As soon as the sun dipped under the clouds, everyone left. We stayed and watched for another 40 minutes as the sky continued to smoulder and change colour. The picture above was taken when everyone had already left! We had the place to ourselves, and literally slow-danced on the summit of a volcano as the clouds swirled around us. I’m so thankful to have had that experience, even if it meant driving down the treacherous roads in the pitch-black. Thanks, Mother Nature, for putting on that show for us. We loved it.

Maui: The Road to Hana

Why yes, those are rainbow trees in the photo above. We saw those on our drive along the Hana Highway. “The Road to Hana” is one of Maui’s most famous sights. It’s a winding highway along the north shore, through the most scenic parts of Hawaii. While many of the guidebooks describe it as “hair-raising” and “death-defying”, I would definitely not categorize it as such. In fact, after our jaunt around the Kahekili Highway (which I described in my first Maui post), the Road to Hana seemed downright easy. Our first stop was at a little roadside stand to ask for directions. Everything is done by “mile-markers”, so we wanted to make sure we were reading them correctly. While there, Chris bought a steaming hot square of pineapple-banana bread. Yum! As we zipped around a corner, something bright caught my eye. “Stooooopppp the carrrrr!” I yelled, reminiscent of the woman in the IKEA commercial. Chris pulled over and we jumped out, making our way into a rainbow eucalyptus grove. Rainbow eucalyptus! Who knew? I did not, and was pleasantly surprised. They were even more spectacular in person.

Our next stop was to find a hidden waterfall. We were using the guidebook, Maui Revealed, which chronicles tons of little insider tips and secret gems. No touristy stuff, just the way we like it. We tucked the Jeep into a teensy pull-out near the side of a one-lane bridge. After a slippery descent we emerged into a dry riverbed. We hiked about 800 feet along the slippery, mossy river rocks upstream. We could hear rocks falling from above, and one actually ricocheted off some boulders and hit Chris. Danger! That made me speed up a bit.

But then we finally reached our destination: a massive rock face with a clear aquamarine pool beneath. Unfortunately the water fall wasn’t in full swing, but there were little rivulets streaming down making melodic sounds in the canyon. I couldn’t get over how clear the water was! We jumped in and spent a while floating around while looking up at the canyon surrounding us, like a rock cocoon.

What an amazing experience. I think I’ll remember it forever. It was truly paradise – the bright green jungle, the huge rock face, the waterfalls, the blue pool…someone take me back there stat.

It was so typical to see gorgeous waterfalls just off the highway. The photo below was taken out of the car window, I believe.

There are very few places to stop for food along the Hana Highway, so when we saw the “Halfway to Hana” roadside stall, we stopped. Chris and I shared some traditional Hawaiian shave-ice: coconut and pineapple flavoured, naturally.

The next stop was a goodie too. We pulled off the highway and ducked under a metal gate with “keep out – no trespassing!” signs plastered all over it. The road was used for hunters, who hunt wild boar in the jungle. We walked about 15 minutes up the muddy road to a clearing, where we found the most gorgeous tiered waterfalls.

We decided to explore a bit more, and hiked down to see what the upper waterfall looked like. Turns out, it was the perfect place for Chris to cool off.

Ok, is that not the creepiest picture you’ve ever seen? That sh*t gives me nightmares.

Anyway, we hiked back up onto the road, where Chris hung out a bit..har har.

Then it was time for a proper lunch. We pulled up to an outdoor marketplace with lots of little restaurants and cafes. We opted for the pork tacos and shrimp/rice bowl, and washed it down with fresh fruit smoothies from a little cafe nearby.

With full tummies, we set off to our next destination: Maui’s black sand beach. In the state park, you’ll also find some historic caves where a gruesome Hawaiian legend took place. Chris met some local Hawaiian friends there, and cliff-jumped into the icy water below. I watched. Sometimes I feel like I’m just watching him do crazy things, while sitting on the sidelines…but then I think, “Heather, do you really want to jump down 20 ft into an icy cold cave at high tide?”…and I’m happy again with my decision. Haha.

The black sand beach was more my speed, even though the waves and undertow were pretty intense. It was just so gorgeous to see the black beach against the bright green foliage, and the turquoise water. Ahh I love Maui.

When we made it to Hana we stopped at a little restaurant for some pop, watching the local canoe club paddling through the calm waves in the cove. Then it was time to reach our final destination before night-fall: O’he’o Gulch and the Seven Sacred Pools. They were beautiful, if not a bit touristy. There were signs everywhere warning people of impending doom and danger. While we most certainly heeded the signs, they seemed a bit over-kill considering the many waterfalls we had swam in, and hiked up to, during the entire day. But O’he’o Gulch is home to flash-flooding from the mountains, and lots of tourist deaths, so we were definitely a bit more careful there. Something about the setting sun made the experience seem a bit ominous too.

Instead of driving back the way we came, we decided to do the full loop around the Hana Highway. Even though our rental car company forbade us to. And even though our guidebook said that the road was not paved, very curvy, and home to lots of sheer drop-offs. I was so thankful we had our Jeep, and that Chris was able to maintain his eagle-like focus during the next THREE HOURS in the pitch dark on the scariest road of life. Seriously, this thing was intense. There were sections of it that disappeared due to wash-outs, completely blind turns, and locals’ monster trucks driving at top-speeds around the corners. It was a white-knuckle type of experience that I’m just happy we survived. When we finally reached the jungle house that night, I scarfed down a bowl of cereal and passed out from exhaustion. It was SUCH a good day – so full of adventure and excitement and marvel at how truly beautiful this island is.