I knew our trip would involve three separate islands, Oahu, Maui, and the “Big Island” of Hawaii. However, there were many ways to figure a path. The route simplified when I realized we could take a direct flight from the mainland United States to several Hawaiian islands, not just Oahu. We had multiple options inbound and outbound, and could eliminate at least one hop through Honolulu. So the adventure began in Maui.
Welcome to Hawaii
I always experience the same awe and delight when I fly into Hawaii. It takes as long to get across the continental United States as it takes from there to the islands. Except the second part goes entirely over water. Five hours of ocean and clouds and then suddenly land appears in the literal middle of nowhere.
This was my first glimpse of Maui from the airplane window. My phone GPS didn’t stamp it for some reason but I was able to find it later (map) after scouring satellite images. The road structure gave it away, hidden along the southern coast. We landed a few minutes later and I added Maui County to my County Counting list.
Kama’ole Beaches
We settled into a rental condo amongst the Kama’ole Beaches, across from Kama’ole Beach III (map). This is a high tourist area catering to those who appreciate typical beach vacations. We walked from the condo and stepped onto sand in less than five minutes.
That’s a fine option, maybe for a day or two, and at the same time I prefer a higher level of activity. So the beach was there for us when the mood struck, and otherwise it served as a good base for broader exploration.
Molokini
Molokini is a small crescent-shaped islet a couple of miles off the southwestern coast of Maui. Once it was a volcano. Now it has greatly eroded and only half of the rim rises above water.
The rocky remnant is a bird sanctuary and people cannot climb on it without permission. However, the underwater part of the caldera is the real attraction, where scuba divers and snorkelers swim with scores of aquatic species in the gentle waves of a sheltered bay.
Out To Sea
But first they have to get there. Various commercial operators shuttle boatloads into the caldera every morning during the calmest winds. We departed from Maalaea harbor and arrived at Molokini about an hour later. Perhaps there were quicker options but I always enjoy on open water cruise so I didn’t mind at all.
Within the Caldera
We entered the sheltered bay and joined several other boats. I think every tour operator probably has a regular spot because of the even, orderly spacing. They were just far enough apart to keep snorkelers from overlapping with other groups. Overall it was a bit more crowded than I expected without being overbearing.
Below the Surface
Snorkeling there felt like living inside a giant aquarium. Fish were everywhere, the coral reef added scenery, and two hours passed like nothing. Reluctantly, I returned to the boat for the ride back to Maalaea. The return trip was much more choppy, the wind having picked up as afternoon approached.
In Town
Kihei and Wailea are adjoining towns, or technically “census-designated places”, on Maui’s leeward coast (map). Our accommodations nestled at their approximate juncture. Both are clearly beach destinations although Wailea is primarily a master-planned community with multiple gated resorts. It didn’t feel like “real” Hawaii although I don’t think most visitors noticed or cared. Still, there were some nice diversions including the weekly Craft Fair held on Wednesday mornings, and that helped break the routine of beach, sun, eat, repeat.
But soon enough I ran through the list of local activities and I had to explore beyond this sunny patch of Maui.
Breweries
This might be a good place to talk about some Hawaiian breweries because Kihei and Wailea offered a trio of choices. I’ll reference the usual disclaimer and also add that everyone needs to eat lunch and dinner somewhere. So why not a brewery?
Maui Brewing – Kihei
Maui Brewing’s flagship facility in Kihei sat a little bit away from the shoreline in a business park. It was a sizable place with indoor space bleeding into the outdoors, which is a common feature of restaurants around here. All the better to let the wild chickens wander freely. Oh, and the irony of eating chicken accompanied by chickens (map).
Waikiki Brewing – Wailea
Later we stopped by an outpost of Waikiki Brewing. Obviously this is not Waikiki (the beach) it’s Wailea (map); I went to their downtown Honolulu flagship on an earlier trip. The vibe couldn’t be more different. Honolulu hummed with activity and foot traffic. The Wailea facility was much more controlled, basically part of a shopping mall, called the “Shops at Wailea”.
The shops featured enclosed courtyard space right near the brewery, and a band played there as we dined. Hawaiian-style cover tunes felt a little strange. Imagine “Sweet Caroline” accompanied by ukulele.
I noticed a trend, too. Most of the Hawaiian breweries featured geographic names that made less sense when they expanded to new locations. So, Waikiki had an outpost in Wailea; and Maui in Kailua, and Kona in Hawaii Kai, and…
Lahaina Brewing – Wailea
Right. We visited the Lahaina Brewing in Wailea (map), not the one in Lahaina. It was just around the corner from the Waikiki spot I mentioned above, which of course wasn’t actually in Waikiki.
I skipped the actual town of Lahaina because I wanted to show some respect in the wake of the 2023 wildfires that largely destroyed it. I wasn’t there to gawk — I’m not a disaster tourist. It felt too similar to what some of my family went through in Hurricane Katrine back in 2005. So let them fully rebuild and recover, and maybe I will return someday.
See Also: The Complete Photo Album on Flickr.
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