Hawaii feels a little like the Polynesian

[Tikiman]

Hi Steve, I read your posts and you got me really looking forward to our Maui trip in January. This will be our third trip to Hawaii in the past 4 years. This time we are only going to Maui and spending ten days there. The other two times we were in Maui we stayed at the Four Seasons in Wailea and we loved it there. So that is where we will be staying this time as well. We have not had the shaved ice in Maui, just at Massimoto's on Oahu. Can you tell me where you get the banana bread and the shaved ice on Maui? Our favorite restaurants are Momma's Fish House, PacificO, Spagos, Roys and Nicks. We have been to Hula Girl for lunch and it was very good. Are there any other restaurants that you could recommend? Thanks.

The Four Seasons is a top rate Hotel and one of the better ones over in Wailea along with the Fairmont and the Grand Wailea. We just prefer the Ka’anapali area. We do always go over to that side of the island for a visit. Another great place to eat and there is one over in Kihei is Sansei. It is the best Sushi and they do have plenty of cooked dishes also and the fish is brought in every day caught that morning. Go to happy hour at 5:30 and most of the stuff is 25% off anything you order in the first 30 minutes.

There is a small town around the top of the West Maui mtns called Kahakuloa just past the Blowhole and there is a place that sells the banana bread across from a guys house that sells the fruit and just before it is a pink stand on the side of the road that knows how to make Shave Ice the right way.

Also try the Fish and Game brewery for some of the best food and beer that they make there. They have a beer that has passion fruit in it and it is the first thing you taste and the last. I could drink that all day and they have a great mango tiramisu. It is in the Kahana Center. Café O’ Lei in Lahaina is great also and you can’t miss the Mac Nut pancakes with coconut syrup from the Pioneer Inn (great Loco Moco also). It would be a shorter list if I named the places that were not good to eat at. Basically don’t eat at a place you can eat at back home like Outback Steak House or Mc Donald’s although they have a good Spam Sushi.

 

[Patty3]

Steve, thank you so much for the recommendations! We love sushi and will definitely go there as well as the other places your recommended. I just love going to Maui in January and February to see the whales!

 

[BCV23]

Kai is beautiful, Tikiman. What a sweet time of life your family is in right now!

The Polynesian reminds us of Maui too. We're Grand Wailea members but did stay at the Sheraton way back in '79. The snorkeling by Black Rock is incredible. Is there still a huge open air restaurant in the Sheraton? We do like the Wailea area better but your area sure has more night life and restaurants.

We have yet to dine at Mama's. One of these trips.

When we first started taking our children to Maui, our middle son would sign WDW every time we were in Maui and Maui every trip to WDW. It drove my DH nuts because he thought our guy was signing he'd rather be at the other place. I think he was just trying to talk about both.

 

[Tikiman]

Kai is beautiful, Tikiman. What a sweet time of life your family is in right now!

The Polynesian reminds us of Maui too. We're Grand Wailea members but did stay at the Sheraton way back in '79. The snorkeling by Black Rock is incredible. Is there still a huge open air restaurant in the Sheraton? We do like the Wailea area better but your area sure has more night life and restaurants.

We have yet to dine at Mama's. One of these trips.

When we first started taking our children to Maui, our middle son would sign WDW every time we were in Maui and Maui every trip to WDW. It drove my DH nuts because he thought our guy was signing he'd rather be at the other place. I think he was just trying to talk about both.

80% of the Sheraton is completely new and there is an open air restaurant but it is different than what was there in 79. You might not recognize the Sheraton now. I know I did not when I first went back. You can’t get me to leave the Ka’anapali area. Ka’anapali beach was voted #1 beach in Maui by the locals and travelers and I love not having anything up behind us but mountains and pineapple and sugar cane fields.

A friend of mine use to live in Oahu and Kona and was a dive instructor and he stayed at our villa and said the diving right at the beach where the villa is located was some of the best he has seen anywhere. One day I was snorkeling around and a pod of spinner dolphins swam right around me. I love all the sea turtles also. We will have to go during the whale season. I saw a photo of some whales less than 15 yards from the beach at the villas.

 

[BCV23]

Yes, my husband and oldest son snorkeled off Black Rock a few years ago and my DH said that the free standing units that we stayed in are completely gone now.

We like Wailea because it is so beautiful having the ocean in front of the resort and Mt. Haleakala behind it. From the concierge lounge, all you see is the mountain. The vast majority of rooms face the ocean at least on an angle. We like the relative peace and lots less traffic although the main drag in Kihei is usually very busy. Wailea just feels less touristy if that's a word. And we do love the Grand Wailea.

Watching the whales is terrific although I've never seen one that close to shore.

 

[skiwee1]

We did Maui and stayed at the Maui Prince. It was beautiful~ Out of the 3 islands we visited, Maui was our favorite. We keep saying we will live there when DH retires.