1st time to Maui & Oahu. Any good B&Ms?

jcruse64 · 09-24-2011, 06:48 AM

If you do the drive to Hana, be sure and either go, or come back, by the gravel road that loops around the southwest side of the island. It's a long drive, but well worth it. You'll come back out on pavement somewhere on the northwest, bottom slopes of Haleakala, if memory serves correctly. We really enjoyed this drive, and there was not nearly as much traffic on this side.

Zoomschwortz · 09-25-2011, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcruse64

If you do the drive to Hana, be sure and either go, or come back, by the gravel road that loops around the southwest side of the island. It's a long drive, but well worth it. You'll come back out on pavement somewhere on the northwest, bottom slopes of Haleakala, if memory serves correctly. We really enjoyed this drive, and there was not nearly as much traffic on this side.

I plan on making the whole Hana loop and after everything that I've heard about not being able to take rental cars on the Road to Hana, I was surprised not to find anything about it in the rental agreement.

I'm also planning on watching the sunrise on Haleakala before I head back home.

Thanks for the information.
Ken

Zoomschwortz · 09-25-2011, 01:53 AM

Tried my hand at snorkeling this morning and found I'm much better at floating than I used to be. Don't know if the water is saltier down here or if my spare tire is actually a floatation device, but I really had to struggle to get under water and found it very relaxing to just lay on top of the water and float around with the waves.

Well it was relaxing until out of nowhere my vision of the fish 5-6 feet below me was abruptly blocked by a stingray measuring about 18" wide that was maybe 2 feet below me. It was close enough that I could have easily reached out and touched it.

Once I figured out what it was, everything was fine, but in that second or two that I suddenly saw nothing but it, I was lucky I didn't leave a poopy in my swim trunks. It must have swam the whole length of my body starting at my feet and going past my face.

Take care.
Ken

dannyboy · 09-25-2011, 04:17 AM

Wow, rays are are rare treat to see! It was most likely a manta ray, as I do not believe we have sting rays here. In my 5 years here I have only seen a handful of manta rays and only one spotted eagle ray. Plan on taking the trip to Hana during the week - Jay's wife is Thai and serves some absolutely amazing food at her stand in Hana 4 days a week. Just be warned that restaurant Thai food will never satisfy you again. Little Beach can be great fun - it is a clothing optional beach and Sunday nights are the hippie drum circle nights, so lots of naked people, drinking, weed smoking, and fire dancing. It makes for some seriously entertaining people watching. Little Beach is a fantastic beach and would be my absolute favorite, if not for the nudity (unfortunately, mostly aging male hippies). I enjoy going there early mornings, since there are not many people there before 10 am.

dannyboy · 09-25-2011, 04:23 AM

One other thing - when snorkeling at Honolua Bay - bring some cash, the access is on private land and the homeowners spend a lot of time to keep up the land and make access easy for everyone. They just ask for a small donation (say $5-10) and that you not leave any trash there. Once in the water, you will need to swim a ways out to the left or right of the bay. The water is murky and there is not much to see right off the shore since the fresh water from the creek kills the coral right there. Once you get out a ways there are some amazing coral heads and life on the reef.

Zoomschwortz · 09-25-2011, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannyboy

One other thing - when snorkeling at Honolua Bay - bring some cash, the access is on private land and the homeowners spend a lot of time to keep up the land and make access easy for everyone. They just ask for a small donation (say $5-10) and that you not leave any trash there. Once in the water, you will need to swim a ways out to the left or right of the bay. The water is murky and there is not much to see right off the shore since the fresh water from the creek kills the coral right there. Once you get out a ways there are some amazing coral heads and life on the reef.

Thanks for the info.
After I went for my morning swim, we ate at Kihei Cafe and had the #8 rice ball and loved it. Thanks for the tip on the Cafe.

After breakfast we checked out the sites south of Kihei and made it down to the lava field but didn't see any of the spinner dolphins.

One thing I gotta say about snorkeling here, I keep getting a jump start of my heart when something large suddenly comes into view and it is very close to me.

My OH SH*T moment this morning, quickly changed to another AWESOME moment. I was floating about 5 foot above some corral and rock looking straight down at some fish when without warning something very large completely blocked my view. After the sudden shock I realized it was a very large turtle. The first picture I snapped fills the screen with about 1/4 of the shell and most of a flipper it was so close and so big.

Those things don't bite do they? That head was pretty big and it looked like it could take quite a bite if it wanted to.

I was able to spin around in time to get a couple pictures as it was leaving me.

I also saw about 20 inches of some kind of eel coming out from under a rock. I only saw the tail and I was only in about 5 feet of water so I didn't stick around for the head to pop out. A guy I work with who was born and raised in Oahu told me to be careful around the eels because they can take a big chunk out of you. Don't know if he was kidding or not, but I really didn't want to find out.

Dan, sorry I missed your call, I was out swimming again after we got back from our trip south.

Take care
Ken

Jason · 09-25-2011, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poker

Great snorkeling at Honolua Bay up above Kapalua. Take a day drive to Hana if you like beautiful rain forests.

I was disappointed in Honolua this year after not being there in 9 years, reef down from 43% to 9% coverage

http://www.savehonolua.org/

Hana and Oheo Gulch were sad affairs as well, nanny warnings, lots of trail closings and 50x the people

first world problems I know but deeply disappointing nonetheless

09-24-2011, 06:48 AM	#1
jcruse64 Adjusting to the Life Join Date: Jan 2009 First Name: Joe Location: Paducah, KY USA planet Earth Posts: 313 Trading: (1)	Re: 1st time to Maui & Oahu. Any good B&Ms? If you do the drive to Hana, be sure and either go, or come back, by the gravel road that loops around the southwest side of the island. It's a long drive, but well worth it. You'll come back out on pavement somewhere on the northwest, bottom slopes of Haleakala, if memory serves correctly. We really enjoyed this drive, and there was not nearly as much traffic on this side.

09-25-2011, 01:53 AM	#3
Zoomschwortz I'm back Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Washington State Posts: 470 Trading: (3)	Re: 1st time to Maui & Oahu. Any good B&Ms? Tried my hand at snorkeling this morning and found I'm much better at floating than I used to be. Don't know if the water is saltier down here or if my spare tire is actually a floatation device, but I really had to struggle to get under water and found it very relaxing to just lay on top of the water and float around with the waves. Well it was relaxing until out of nowhere my vision of the fish 5-6 feet below me was abruptly blocked by a stingray measuring about 18" wide that was maybe 2 feet below me. It was close enough that I could have easily reached out and touched it. Once I figured out what it was, everything was fine, but in that second or two that I suddenly saw nothing but it, I was lucky I didn't leave a poopy in my swim trunks. It must have swam the whole length of my body starting at my feet and going past my face. Take care. Ken

09-25-2011, 04:17 AM	#4
dannyboy Still Watching My Back Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Daniel Location: Maui, HI Posts: 202 Trading: (31)	Re: 1st time to Maui & Oahu. Any good B&Ms? Wow, rays are are rare treat to see! It was most likely a manta ray, as I do not believe we have sting rays here. In my 5 years here I have only seen a handful of manta rays and only one spotted eagle ray. Plan on taking the trip to Hana during the week - Jay's wife is Thai and serves some absolutely amazing food at her stand in Hana 4 days a week. Just be warned that restaurant Thai food will never satisfy you again. Little Beach can be great fun - it is a clothing optional beach and Sunday nights are the hippie drum circle nights, so lots of naked people, drinking, weed smoking, and fire dancing. It makes for some seriously entertaining people watching. Little Beach is a fantastic beach and would be my absolute favorite, if not for the nudity (unfortunately, mostly aging male hippies). I enjoy going there early mornings, since there are not many people there before 10 am.

09-25-2011, 04:23 AM	#5
dannyboy Still Watching My Back Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Daniel Location: Maui, HI Posts: 202 Trading: (31)	Re: 1st time to Maui & Oahu. Any good B&Ms? One other thing - when snorkeling at Honolua Bay - bring some cash, the access is on private land and the homeowners spend a lot of time to keep up the land and make access easy for everyone. They just ask for a small donation (say $5-10) and that you not leave any trash there. Once in the water, you will need to swim a ways out to the left or right of the bay. The water is murky and there is not much to see right off the shore since the fresh water from the creek kills the coral right there. Once you get out a ways there are some amazing coral heads and life on the reef.