Best Adventures/Activities Maui

[capjak]

ok Maui Experts:

Going to Maui March 21-28 staying Westin villas: Me DW, DS-17, DD-15

Please give me the best activities you have done?

This will be our 3rd time on Maui but have only gone whale watching and road to HANA.

What would be good to do with two teens?

 

[kapear]

DH and I took a smaller boat on a snorkel trip that went off the coast of Lanai. We had fun snorkeling and enjoyed the spinner dolphins who played near the boat.

 

[DeniseM]

There is a wealth of info. in the old posts on this topic. For lots of good info. use the search feature to search for MAUI ACTIVITIES.

One thing you can do on Maui, that you can't do on any of the other islands is to take day trips (without flying) to other islands.

These are the day trips that we've taken:

Lanai-

Trilogy has a fantastic all-day catamaran trip that includes 3 good meals, snorkeling, a tour of Lanai City, Beach Activities, etc. It's our all-time favorite Maui activity-
http://www.sailtrilogy.com/pages/lanai_sunset.php

This last trip, we did a private, 4WD island tour, and if you mostly want to see the island, it's excellent. We took the ferry over and we met at the dock by our guide. We even saw TWO monk seals together, lounging on the beach - very rare to see 2 together! After our guided tour we had lunch (on our own) at the Four Season's Hotel where we watched dolphins playing in the bay and then we walked a short distance down to the beach where we snorkeled. We had our choice of 3 after noon ferries to take back to Maui.
http://www.go-lanai.com/reservation...ge_size=1&current_page=1&actkey=596&catkey=29

Molokai-
You can fly to Molokai or take the ferry. The ferry trip is about 1 hr. 45 min. and can be rough coming back. If motion sickness is a problem, you might want to consider flying or at least take precautions. If you primarily want to visit the Kalaupapa (leper's coloney) then I would suggest flying instead of the ferry, because the only way down to the coloney is to fly, hike, or ride a mule.

Molokai Ferry & Island Tour -
http://www.molokaiferry.com/molokaiday.html#Alii Tour

Leper's Coloney tour-
http://www.muleride.com/rates.asp

 

[Piper]

Have you been up to the top of Haleakala? You can hike into the crater and it feels like walking on the moon. Check out: http://www.nps.gov/hale/ for more information.

If you're not up for walking, there are horseback riding trips into the crater. Book it early! Last time I was there, I really wanted to do it and was unable to get reservations.

 

[Henry M.]

I enjoyed the Ka'anapali course of Zipline Adventures.

It was a blast and the views were great. I've never tried the Haleakala version, but I hear the lines are shorter and in the woods so you can't see quite as far.

 

[Time2Ponder]

I second the ziplining suggestion. It was the most fun we had while there! They have added a new ziplining tour in Lahaina itself, but the scenery reportedly is quite blah and the tour is so dusty that they actually give people masks to wear while on the tour, so I'd avoid that one. Stick with the Haleakala-based one. It is gorgeous, relatively inexpensive, and a complete blast! You won't be sorry!

 

[capjak]

Thanks for everyones suggestions:

We contacted conceirge at WKORV and got some ideas as well. Unfortunately we are going for springbreak and a lot of tours are Full.

We booked a luau at Hyatt (old lahnina was sold out)

waitlist for Zipline tour

now looking at options for snorkeling.

thanks

 

[Henry M.]

The zipline tour seems to have a perpetual 2 week waitlist. I did the Ka'anapali one and enjoyed it a lot. There is some dust getting to the ziplines, but they are longer than at Haleakala. They didn't hand out any masks when I was there. I thought the views were nice too. I especially enjoyed not having to get up early to get to the first tour of the day and was happy to have the rest of the day available at the beach rather than in the car. It takes something on the order of 1.5-2 hours to get to the Haleakala location.

 

[Henry M.]

The snorkeling right in front of WKORV is pretty nice already. I would also drive myself to Honolua Bay. Get the Maui Revealed book for directions to this and many other great locations.

I also enjoyed hiking uo the Waihe'he Ridge trail. Just go early or the clouds will block your vies.

 

[DeniseM]

now looking at options for snorkeling.

Some of the best snorkeling on the island is right in front of the WKORV - actually in front of the WKORV-N.

The Trilogy trip, that I posted above, is a snorkeling trip. You go to a marine preserve on Lanai - no other activity orgs are licensed to take people to this bay. It's a fun trip - but the snorkeling in front of the WKORV-N is just as good (or it used to be.) I haven't been there since North opened.

 

[gnipgnop]

For an evening of fun, I would suggest Warren & Annabelle's show. We were there last year and it was wonderful. Also appropriate for teens. We did not go for the food, by the way looked great, we just had a drink before and then went off to the theater. Very entertaining and funny. Good fun for the whole family.

 

[glenn1000]

Adults only due to alcohol laws

For an evening of fun, I would suggest Warren & Annabelle's show. Also appropriate for teens. Good fun for the whole family.

FYI- the minimum age is now 21. There used to be a family show but that no longer exists. Found out when I tried to make reservations for our family today.

 

[julienjay]

If you go on the Trilogy Cruise, you can get half off "owners tickets" on 3/1 with the A3H Gold card. http://www.hawaiifun.org/GoldCard.shtml

 

[gnipgnop]

I'm so sorry to have mis-led you. :ignore: I was referring to the show itself. There was never a vulgar word or anything that was even suggestive in a sexual manner. It was a very good, clean performance. I didn't realize because of serving alcohol in the theater that they would not allow minors. I realize they could not be served but didn't realize they could not watch the show. What a shame!

 

[LisaRex]

One of my favorite activities is taking a sunset catamaran ride. Alas, the Kiele V sank, but there should be others. Sailboats are great, too, but not as comfortable.

 

[nell]

One of my favorite activities is taking a sunset catamaran ride. Alas, the Kiele V sank, but there should be others. Sailboats are great, too, but not as comfortable.

This is one of my favorites too!! We've always used Kapalua Kai. They boarded right in front of Leilani's at Whalers Village.

 

[Hawaii123]

SUNRISE at Haleakala. Quite a show. Bring/wear lots of warm clothes, blankets, etc.

 

[capjak]

Canoe, Kayak tours

My wife wants to know if anyone enjoyed canoe/Kayak tours (sounds like work to me but she really wants to do this)>

 

[DeniseM]

Kayaking is hard work, but the paddling isn't the hardest part. The thing that many people don't realize is that kayaks often flip over (if you're a newbie it WILL flip over) and getting back into a kayak when you are in water over your head, isn't easy.

Two summers ago my husband and I did an ocean kayaking trip on Maui. My husband is a big, strong guy, but he had a hard time getting back in the kayak from out of the water, specifically because he is big. (He's 6'3") To get back on the kayak, you kind of have to hurl yourself out of the water. You can't hold onto the boat and drag yourself back in, because it will just tip over again. Seriously, I thought he was going to have a heart attack or something, when he finally made it after 3-4 tries, each time capsizing the the kayak!

I am sure experienced kayakers don't have any problems, but we were rookies and he found it terribly hard. I wouldn't recommend this for someone who is out of shape, over weight, or not comfortable with boats that tip over. He said he would never do it again.

 

[capjak]

I wouldn't recommend this for someone who is out of shape, over weight, or not comfortable with boats that tip over. He said he would never do it again.

I'm out!:rofl:

 

[LisaRex]

I did the ocean kayak/snorkel trip with my husband. I have very little upper body strength but was able to haul my butt back into the kayak. The guide gave us the tip to use your flippers to propel your body out of the water like a dolphin. Once your hips are above the kayak (which sits very low), you're golden. Can't say it was all that graceful, but it worked.

 

[DeniseM]

Lisa - I had no problem getting back in the boat either, but it's much easier for smaller people I think. My husband is 6'3" and 250 lbs.