The Hawaiian Islands offer perfect year round weather with it’s amazing beaches, beautiful sunsets and spectacular sights. Maui is one of the most popular destinations.
By Jason Lewis
“Aloha” must really mean “paradise,” because that’s exactly what Hawaii is. The dark blue ocean water merges into the picturesque light blue skies. The sunsets are amazing. Warm-water beaches are a short distance from plush green rain forests. And the resorts offer amenities that combine cultural activities with luxury.
“Hawaii has year round perfect weather and a diversity of what you can experience,” said Leanne Pletcher, director of public relations & marketing of the Maui Visitors Bureau. “We have everything from the oceans to the mountains to the tropical rain forests. If you’re more of the adventurous type there’s a lot of hiking all over the Hawaiian islands. There’s adventures from zip lining to snorkeling. If you’re doing a honeymoon, there are a lot of romantic parts with the beautiful beaches and romantic dinner settings. And the accommodations range from the quant, smaller retreat type resorts to the family friendly resorts.”
There are several places to visit among the Hawaiian Islands, with Maui being one of the most popular. This island is great for people who want to get out in nature and also great for people who just want to relax by the pool at a resort.
Being out on the water is one of the main attractions of this island.
“There’s snorkel cruises, sunset cruises, and fishing,” Pletcher said. “During whale season, it’s pretty fantastic. And a lot of people will take surf lessons and standup paddle board lessons. People like to come and soak in the sun and splash in the waves.”
One of the most popular activities is to drive down the Road to Hana.
“It’s considered a bucket list item for many people, so it’s frequented by a lot of people,” Pletcher said.
The Road to Hana wraps around the northern and eastern portion of the island, and there are several must-see sights, such as water falls, rain forests, black sand beaches, and small towns.
While this part of the island is a must see, the Maui Visitors Bureau is promoting safety.
“We’re having people review the Road to Hana code of conduct,” Pletcher said. “There’s a lot of locals who live in Hana who use that road to commute. There’s a lot of people who park on the side of the road that shouldn’t because they’re blocking traffic. We’re really trying to push the safety side of it.”
Certain properties along the highway are private, and other areas are not safe to park at or hike to. Hana Highway regulations can be found at www.hanahighwayregulation.com
The Hawaiian Islands are well known for the luaus.
“At a lot of the luaus there are interactive experiences, such as making the lei or learning how they do the tattoos,” Pletcher said. “It gives you an idea of some of the Hawaiian cultural activities. And then the shows that tells the stories of the Hawaiian luau. And the food is amazing. You get a chance to taste the Kalua pig, which they bury at the beginning of the day so that it can cook it for dinner. A lot of the resorts have luaus.”
Like many places that are by an ocean, Maui has some amazing restaurants.
“Maui had an incredible food scene,” Pletcher said. “We have food trucks all over the island, and we have some great farmers markets. There’s a focus at the restaurants to use locally sourced products. We have some top notch chefs on this island, so you won’t go hungry, and you won’t get bored when it comes to the food scene.”
While many travelers like to be out and about, many others just want to lay around and relax. Many of the resorts give tourists a Maui experience without having to leave the property.
The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui, is right along the beach, so people can walk from the pool right to sand, and the resort offers a complementary 50-minute outrigger canoe ride.
“It’s a great way to see the island and the resort from the perspective of the water,” said Alexis Eaton, director of public relations and communications, Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui. “You can almost always see the honu (green sea turtles) as you’re paddling along. Guest can jump in and snorkel if they like, or stay in the canoe.”
The resort has a Hawaiian cultural program which features activities such as a Hawaiian sunrise chant; walking tours that feature the native plant life; Hawaiian language workshop where guest learn how to pronounce the words that they hear and see around the island; hula lessons; a night of art and culture; and a sunset torch lighting ceremony.
The resort also features unique restaurants, a spa, and a fitness center.
Whether a person wants to get out and explore Maui, or just lounge around a resort, it will be extremely easy to find paradise.
For more information about Maui, visit https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/maui
For more information about the Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui, visit https://www.fairmont.com/kea-lani-maui/
This trip was booked through Costco Travel https://www.costcotravel.com/
