If you can dream it, you can find it and experience it in the fun and exotic island destination of Maui. Lush hiking trails in the forested uplands or along the lower rims of waterfalls will envelop you in the sweet perfume of red ginger and plumeria. Your eyes will be dazzled by the bright greens, yellows, oranges and reds; colors that you can’t reproduce on a printed page or even online. You just have to experience it! What is your pleasure? Surfing, hang gliding, fishing, jet skiing, scuba diving, golf, whale watching, swimming in the ocean or in the sparkling waterfall pools? Activities on Maui suit every personality, budget, and level of adventure.
Cruises, dinners, sailing, snorkeling tours or whale watching are the most popular activities that people pay for on the island. With good reason too. The clear, placid waters that surround Maui are unparalleled anywhere in the world.
Haleakala
Did you know that the entire island of Manhattan could easily fit inside the Holeakala crater? Not that we send it there, but what a prospect! For centuries, the 3 a.m. pre-dawn climb to the top of Holeakala Volcano has topped the Maui list of “must do” activities for visitors from around the world. Mark Twain called it “…the most sublime spectacle I have ever witnessed.” (Be sure to call 808-877-5111 for a weather report before you continue on your way.)
The best campsite on the island is in the Haleakala National Park. With a three-night maximum, you can combine it with stays at one or more of Maui’s elegant beach resorts. Since 1946, the Hotel Hana Maui has maintained its reputation as an exclusive hideaway. It’s a short drive from Kaihalulu, the only red-sand volcanic beach in the Pacific.
Snorkeling off the coast of Maui
If you love to snorkel and are traveling with a diving buddy, Maui offers great experiences you can do together. Snorkeling cruises include dive sites where you can snorkel on the surface of the water, paddle gently with your fins, and be surrounded by colorful fish, coral, and marine life as you watch divers explore the sea below.
Some of the best snorkeling destinations in Maui are right in front of a beautiful hotel. When that is the case, the hotel can cooperate with a dive shop to provide local snorkel equipment and guides. Three of these destinations are Kapalua Beach, across from the Kapalua Bay Hotel, Napili Bay Beach, and Wailea Beach, across from the Four Seasons. Snorkeling is particularly good in the crystal clear waters near the lava rocks that form Wailea and Kapalua Bays. Additionally, Wailea’s Mokapu and Ulna beaches are highly regarded for snorkeling adventures.
The hard-to-find snorkeling destinations
Black Rock on Kaanapali Beach is considered by locals to be the best snorkeling spot on the island. West Maui, a much-loved protected marine life conservation district; is another must-see destination for avid Maui scuba divers. Another not so well known place is the place in Olowalu near mile marker 14; offers a snorkeling experience you won’t forget. But the best kept secret might be the snorkeling destination at Ahihi Kinau Nature Reserve. Ahihi Bay is difficult to reach, but well worth it. This 2,000-acre state nature reserve is a rich panorama of color and marine life.
I keep reading that the days of traveling for traveling are over. Adventure travel is what we are all looking for now. We want to go and experience firsthand the landscape and terrain of our travel destination. Maybe it’s because we’re all working so hard, spending long hours in gray office buildings, staring at computer screens and printouts; some of us don’t even go out to explore our local beauty. So when we think of ‘vacation’ now, we think of ‘extreme opportunities for fun and adventure’. Well, Maui’s activities and opportunities for snorkeling adventures won’t disappoint. Happy trip friend.
