re: Has anyone here ever been to Maui

One of the most beautiful places I've been. We visited 3 days on each island. Ahhh, the good ole days.

Did a 6 week travel assignment in Honolulu as an ER/Trauma Nurse and visited Maui while in Hawaii. Definitely would recommend.

Maui is an incredible place to visit! Buy the Blue Book

The islanders refer to the book "Maui Revealed" as the "Blue Book" which is an excellent source for information related to the island's secrets. It's not a travel guide, but rather a book that is written by people who live on the island and who know the secret locations of waterfalls, nude beaches, hidden beaches, best local restaurants (local being the key word), best times to drive on or avoid certain highways, etc. Incredible book.

Maui is an awesome island and an unforgetable experience. I suggest that people visit "Turtle Town", Molokini crater snorkeling, ride bikes down the volcano, stroll the entertainment and art district of Lahaina, drive thru the upper crust section of Wailea to visit Big Beach and the hidden nude beach right next door.

Drive the Hana Road, an incredible experience and by some accounts the prettiest yet perhaps the most dangerous road in the 50 states. It'll take you roughly two hours, but the reward at the end is incredible.

Hana is a very small town. Visit their old grocery store and perhaps have a drink at the Hana Hotel. Hana has some great black sand beaches that are a must see. There's also a very cool hidden beach that requires a very dangerous trek along a cliffside path.

The hidden Hana beach is in a small cove situated between high bluffs. There's a nude old man who looks like Santa Claus who frequents the beach. Say hello to him. He'll probably want you to join him for a "cigarette". Be careful...it's the STRONG kind of "cig". One puff is all you need. He said he's been sitting on the beach for nearly 30 years. Whether or not that's true is up for debate, but his beard sure looked about 30 years old.

Just beyond Hana are the most beautiful series of waterfalls imaginable called the 7 Sacred Pools (Pools of Ohe'o). Be careful, though, you must first drive across an incredibly sketchy temporary bridge to reach the falls. Here's an image of the 7 Sacred Pools:



Here's an image of the Hana Road:





Image of dangerous washed out bridge replaced with rickety temporary bridge near 7 Sacred Pools:



Image of Hana Hotel (now known as Travaasa Hana):



However, if you want a more private Hana experience, I encourage you to rent the private Hana home "The Sunrise House" located on the side of the volcano a couple of miles above the town of Hana.

The Sunrise House is a Japanese style home designed to allow the exterior walls to completely open up to the outside so you can lay in bed or have sex in the privacy of your home but in the outdoor air. It has an outdoor shower and incredible view of Hana and the Pacific Ocean from a high vantage point on the side of the mountain. An old lava flow has created a creekbed right next to the house.

At night, I suggest that you barbeque shish kebabs and enjoy the chirping geckos that will crawl up the porch screening that protects the house from bugs. Geckos chirp like birds. Very romantic. I give the Sunrise House in Hana 11 out of 10 stars:






Maui is an incredible place to visit. I hope at least some of y'all decide to make the trip.

WARNING: Some (not all) locals can be incredibly rude drivers. You don't want to drive fast on the Hana Road because 1) you won't be familiar with the twists and turns, and 2) if you drive off a cliff you will certainly die. However, some local people will ride your bumper, honk their horns, and flip you off. When they get an opportunity to pass you, they'll either yell or gesture at you.

Ignore them. Other locals told us that those kind of people a few and far between. They're more than likely young adults who are looking for an excuse to fight.

MIZ...

Yes and I recommend taking your time in traveling the road to Hana and plan to stay a couple of nights at a bread and breakfast instead of doing it all in a day trip.

Get the book Maui Revealed and it will tell you where to stop along the way to see some really cool waterfalls that are off the beaten path.

I wouldn't spend any time in Oahu except to see Pearl Harbor.

Worth it?
Absolutely. I went this April.
I visited Oahu for one day to see Pearl Harbor and spent the rest of the week on Maui.
Whale watching and The Road to Hana were both awesome. Just the drive from the airport to Ka'annipali shores where we stayed was amazing. Beautiful scenery all the way.
Like everyone said, all the tourists are on Mustangs, Jeeps or Camaros.

We did the Old Lahaina Luau.
The kaluah pork was awesome.
Expensive for what it is, but everyone wants to do a luau I suppose.

Is there any good seafood in Maui?

One thing. It's been a while but if you get off the beaten path on the W/NW side of the island beware the Private Property - Do Not Enter signs. Those aren't pineapple plantations.