Cynthia & Frank

Breathtaking Ioa Valley

To fly into Maui, you have two options:   Kahului (OGG) Kapalua, and Hana, but 90% of all flights come into Kahului, which is conveniently located to everything (the airport is located on the north shore by Kanaha).

Link to Maui Map: http://www.windsurfari.com/
Click on Helpful Maps: Maui in center of screen and zoom in by clicking on North Shore, or South Shore for a more detailed image.

Have the name of a land mark, but don't know where it's located on the island???

Click here for an interactive map and "sky views" of the areas.   http://www.bluehawaiian.com/photo.php#

Want to see what Hawaii has to offer?   Or just have a chance at winning a Hawaiian vacation?? Click here...
http://www.gohawaii.com/hawaiivacation/

Humpbacks are so powerful, it only takes two strokes of its tail to propel its entire body out of the water.

Humback Whales

Maui is THE island for whale watching. In the winter months (December thru April), humpback whales frequent the coast lines of maui. Many times, you can spot them breaching right from the shorelines! For an upclose and personal experience, charter a boat out with experienced guides who gaurauntee sitings, or your trip is free! Charters are usually daily and very resonable.

For more information on these magnificent creatures, visit NOA's website: http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/about/humpback.html

Snorkeling off of Sugar Beach

Snorkeling on Maui

The best island for snorkeling, fins down, is Maui. If snorkeling sounds like your idea of fun, check out this link for a map and details of the best snorkel spots on Maui.

http://adigitaldreamer.com/snorkel/maps.htm

We'll be here..... let us know if you want to join!

Diving with Sharks?!

If your adreneline junkies like us, you'll want to check out these links:

http://www.hawaiisharkencounters.com/index.html

If you scuba dive and want something different:

http://www.mauioceancenter.com/NewsandCalendar/PressKit/SharkDive.html

Maui's Ocean Center/Aquarium

If you want to experience the ocean without getting wet, visit the maui ocean center in Ma'alaea, the three-acre marine park has more than 60 self-paced interactive exhibits; an expansive outdoor central courtyard; two restaurants – Seascape Ma‘alaea Restaurant and Reef Café; and the Maui Ocean Center Store.

With 750,000 gallons of waterspectacular live coral displays (the largest collection in the nation), you can marvel at elusive garden eels and majestic lionfish, muse at the colorful Hawaiian wrasse, enjoy playful swimming displays by Hawai‘i’s beloved green sea turtles and awe at close encounters with sharks, rays and more – while learning about Hawai‘i’s natural history and cultural heritage.

http://www.mauioceancenter.com/home.html

Red Sand Beach

Hana, in East Maui, has beaches of many colors and sizes. Kaihalulu (Roaring Sea), or Red Sand Beach, is worth a trip on the legendary Hana Highway. This beach, located in a volcanic cinder cone, really is red. The coarse, colorful sand is caused by erosion of the red volcanic cinders. The burnt-red sand against turquoise waters, blue sky, and black lava is a fantastically vivid feast for the eyes.

Access to the beach is tricky, due to its wild, remote setting. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes or sandals. Take Uakea Road beyond the turnoff to Hana Bay. Keep going until you pass tennis courts on the right and a community center on the left. Across a field between the community center and a hotel, pick up a path. Take the path to a Japanese cemetery and turn right. The trail is steep and slippery and you will need to hang on to the ironwood trees. The trail suddenly turns a corner and into view comes the stunning red beach.

Lava formations make the area safe for swimming. Snorkeling is excellent as well. There is even a sort of natural whirlpool bath on the Hana Bay side of the beach, but be careful not to get too close to the ocean opening of the pool, which can be dangerous. You may even see a nudist or two. Exotic and unusual, Red Sand Beach is also one of the most secluded beaches in Hawaii.

Venus Pools

Waikoa Pond, or Venus Pool, in southeast Maui, is a naturally formed swimming pool in an incredibly beautiful setting next to the ocean. The pool, in between Hana and Oheo Gulch Pools, is one of a series of waterfalls and pools. Local lore says that in ancient Hawaii only royalty were allowed to use this exquisite site.

The freshwater swimming area is a perfect place to spend a secluded day. Sunbathe on the large, smooth rocks and indulge yourself in the warm, calm water. It’s best not to go near the surf at the ocean end of the stream, as the undertow is strong.

The trail to the pool is not marked and is easily missed by the crowds heading south to the waterfalls. Park at mile marker 48 on Hana Highway before the bridge. On the other side of the fence follow the well-worn footpath that parallels the stream. Turn right toward the stream and take the path down to the smooth rocks above the stream.

Enjoy your stay at this unforgettable hidden place in paradise.

Leleiwi Lookout, Maui

On the way to the summit of Haleakala, one of Maui’s two dormant volcanos, there is an overlook that should not be, well, overlooked. At 8,800 feet, Leleiwi Lookout commands views across the crater all the way to Kihei on the coast.

The panoramic moonscape view is not the main attraction here, however. Leleiwi offers a phenomenon that occurs in only two other places on the planet: Scotland and Germany. When the clouds are low, and the sun is in just the right place behind you, usually around sunset, you will see the reflection of your own shadow on the clouds, ringed with a rainbow. This amazing optical illusion, called “Specter of the Brocken,” is caused by just the right combination of sun, shadow, and mist. In Hawaiian, the spectacle is called akaku anuenue (reflection rainbow.) Some, including indigenous Hawaiians, have likened the experience to seeing one’s own soul.

To look over the Leleiwi Lookout, look out just beyond mile marker 17 on Highway 378, along a short trail from the parking lot.

An interesting website, this one is privately run by a couple that travel extensively. You can find links to ANYTHING on Maui here.....

http://www.johann-sandra.com/hawaii/maui/index.htm

Nathans page is a great interactive map of points of interest on Hawaii. Just click on each picture to see more images of places on maui!

http://www.nathanspage.com/pictures/maui/index.html