Maui, Hawaii | January 2024
Maui:
Weather:
High 70's. Sunny and beautiful.
The surf conditions, not as amazing. Waters were murky too. Sign up here for a daily email with the snorkel report.
Transportation:
We rented a car through Hertz. The highways are smooth, parking is a non-issue, and if you do the Road to Hana roadtrip, you'll definitely need your own car.
Accommodations:
Wailea Beach Condo Airbnb - Beautiful airbnb. It's in a complex with a stunning pool. The only downside is the checkout process. The host requires you to do a load of towels, take out the garbage etc.
Maui Kosher Farm - Mendel Zirkind and his amazing wife, Chana, run a farm in Maui. You can stay at their cottages for a fee, or work on the farm and get free room and board. You can see more details on their website.
Kosher Food:
Maui Kosher Farm - This is a must! They have daily dinners with delicious food. Mendel is a world-class chef. He used to work at top Kosher restaurants in NYC including, Prime Grill, Wolf & Lamb and Le' Marais. Check out their website for the menu. Although there is a delivery option, I highly recommend you drive to the farm and experience it for yourself. *Count 10 speed bumps once you turn on to the road. #iykyk
Chabad - Chabad delivers food to your place. Generous and tasty portions! Super convenient if you want to eat dinner while watching sunset at the beach. Note: You must place the order 48 hours in advance. Order here.
There is a Target and Walmart - you're not in a 3rd world country:)
Attractions:
Beaches - Here is a list of the beaches we visited:
1. Napili Bay - clean, pretty beach.
2. Ho'okipa Beach Park - known for the turtles that come to the shore at sunset. We didn't see any, but I think we went to the wrong part of the beach.
3. Po‘olenalena Beach - perfect for watching the famous Hawaiian sunsets.
Surfing - You cannot visit Hawaii if you don't try surfing. It's practically illegal. We used Maui Waveriders for surfing lessons. It's approximately $150 for a 1:1 two hour lesson. It's really not so complicated to ride the waves. I was able to stand up on the board on my first try. (lowkey flex;) Shoutout to my instructor, Gitan!
Underwater Scooter Snorkeling - The waters were murky, so our appointment was cancelled. They did try their best to reschedule us, but our schedule was too tight:( Book here.
Waterfall Rappelling - Insane experience! Learn how to rappel down a waterfall with the strong waters cascading over you. That first moment of leaning backwards is scary, but SO worth it! Reserve here. They are located within the Garden of Eden botanical gardens.
Snorkeling in Molokini Crater - This is a highly recommended activity, supposedly super cool. Our slot was cancelled due to murky waters, but they had such good customer service. Totally try it! They offer a 2 hour tour option, which is pretty unique. Most companies only offer half day tours. Book here.
Lahaina - Ever since the wildfire (or gov't arson #conspiracy), Lahaina has been off-limits to the public. However, be sure to drive through the Lahaina Bypass highway so you can at least see the burnt town. So sad:(
Road to Hana - This is a full day trip. We left our house well before 8am and got back 10 hours later, around sunset. There are sooo many ways to do the Road to Hana. This is what we did, based on hours of research. Thank you P!
1. Twin Falls - Short hike to a few waterfalls and you can swim there. Try to get there early in the morning to beat the crowds.
2. Ke'anae Peninsula - Pretty lookout near the water.
3. Waiʻanapanapa State Park - Chill at the famous black sand beach and walk up to the dramatic blowhole. You'll need to pay in advance for entry and parking. Click here for the website. For parking, you must arrive within the first 30 minutes of your reservation period.