Maui, Hawaii

First things first. I love Maui. I’ve been visiting my favorite Hawaiian island for years. In fact, I’ll continue to return every year or two for as long as I’m able. Curiously, this annoys some people. “Aren’t there more interesting places to travel in the world?” they ask with a yawn. “Why would anyone want to visit the same place again and again?” These questions are my cue to find someone in the room who gets it. I live in Western Canada – not just in any corner of Western Canada but in Calgary, Alberta, where the fiercely cold and frosty winters are a fact of life. In other words, there’s always someone around whose eyes meet mine and together, we share an instant understanding.

Maui, after all (and for so many reasons) rates high on our “happy place” list. Why? Well, for one thing, visiting the island – which is named for a Polynesian demi-God believed to have raised all of Hawaii from the sea – is a family tradition. Over the years, I personally have built a lifetime of memories on the island. Heck, my brother would eventually even name his second born child “Makena,” after South Maui’s signature stretch of white sand beach. The perennially pleasant weather on Hawaii’s second largest land mass doesn’t hurt either. Stepping off the plane into that welcome wall of healing warmth, sun and humidity always sends a warm rush of good feeling from my head to my toes.

Singer Willie Nelson, who I had the privilege of interviewing a few years back at the Maui Film Festival, said it best. “Maui’s kind of like a hospital,” he said. “You come here, and like it or not, you just feel better.” “What I mean is,” continued Nelson (who, like Oprah, owns property on the island), “I never know how unwell I am until I come here, and then I feel so good.” To assume that Maui isn’t sophisticated, which many naysayers suggest, is just plain ignorance. One of the most elegant properties in the world, if you ask me, is the Four Seasons Maui. The hotel’s gardens (brimming with pale pink orchids), overall design (artful at every turn), location (can’t be beat), dining opportunities (rock star chefs), level of service (extraordinary) and attention to detail (mind-bending) simply doesn’t get much better.

Also, to suggest that I couldn’t possibly be an adventurous traveler because I make regular visits to my favorite South Pacific island is dead wrong. Many Maui lovers are huge globetrotters. But we’ll also argue in favor of travel that revolves around the comfortably familiar. For example, when our family visits, we always make a point of catching at least one sunset at Dragon’s Teeth, an outcropping of land located off the coast of Kapalua, where dramatic windswept rocks pose jagged against the horizon.  And no matter how often they visit, the children thoroughly enjoy the Maui Ocean Centre, home to all manner of sea creatures including fast swimming hammerhead sharks and big-nosed (strangely human-like) unicorn fish.  As for me?  I’ll never leave the island without at least one date at the Fairmont Kea Lani’s Caffe Ciao for an early morning dark roast and the Sunday New York Times, a ritual I started years ago with my mom.

There’s no question, an undeniable richness comes with getting to genuinely know a destination (and the people who live there) and visiting that place at different stages of your life. But here’s the twist. As much as our family enjoys what we know about Maui, no matter how often we visit, we always find new ways to experience it.

For fun, I gathered up eleven (count ‘em, eleven!) examples of new experiences from our most recent trip. Take that, you Maui naysayers!

1. We typically stay in hotels over the 14 day period, but this time we also gave a condo a try. The accommodations at Wailea Ekahi Village were beyond comfortable. Our every need was met right down to daily housekeeping and backpack style beach chairs available for our own use. It was perfect for young families and awesome to have our own kitchen.

2. Since we were condo living, we organized a delivery of local produce and farm fresh eggs from Kula Fields – a company that connects visitors and locals to Maui farmers and artisan food operators. Highly recommended!

3. We checked out the Canadian founded Napili Kai Beach Resort – a long time tradition for other Maui-loving Canadians and Americans. The resort is perched on a storybook beach featuring an open air bar with a killer view. Lemon crater breakfast crepes at the Sea House Restaurant are a must.

4. We went net fishing with Andrew Park Jr., an employee at the Travaasa Hana Hotel during our stay at this unforgettable property.  If you stay at this legendary hotel, be sure to get a Lomilomi massage – delivered in the Hawaiian healing tradition – from resident masseuse Carmel Woods. You won’t regret it.

5. We checked out the wild Hamoa Beach near Hana. Best people watching ever. Think beautiful girls in mismatched bikinis, dudes with interesting tattoos and lots of straw fedoras. If you’re out this way, you’ll also want to check out Koki Beach – stunning but dangerous. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a makeshift restaurant run by locals featuring affordable and delicious food.

6. We drove “the other road” to Hana.  Note:  Not “the road to Hana.” This turned out to be hair-raising but the landscape was otherwordly.  En route back to a more civilized Maui, after an extraordinary, soul-stoking stay in Hana at the Travaasa Hana, we zip-lined through a eucalyptus forest (smelled fantastic) with Skyline Eco-Adventures.  Awesome eco-company with great staff.

7. We rented a personal villa at The Fairmont Kea Lani, our favorite family hotel on the island. (Elegant but not stuffy). While enjoying the benefits of “condo” living we had the option of partaking in a thriving and exciting hotel property when we wanted. We also hung out with Jonelle Kamai, the hotel’s culture coach, who “talked story” with us and taught our daughter how to make a lei. Kamai is passionate about Hawaiian culture and what’s more, our daughter loved her.

8. We finally ate at Mama’s Fish House on Maui’s north shore. This epic and storied restaurant delivered on every level. Felt like we were eating in a forest. Throw in a few macadamia nut crab cakes with fire and ice relish and we were done for. Not publicized is the fact that Mama’s Fish House, located on a beach off a coconut grove, also offers dreamy, island style accommodations (perfect for romantic getaways).

9. We went diving with the Maui Dive Shop, more specifically with employee Greg Shepherd, who organized an intro scuba course for our twelve year old son. Incredibly professional and wildly enthusiastic about marine life in the South Pacific, Shepherd offered an exceptional trip. In short?  You need to find this man if you visit Maui and you’re interested in diving.

10. Sure, paddle boarding is all the rage but have you done it? We did as a family and it was a blast. The Fairmont Kea Lani works with a company called Ultra Dive. We rented our boards from them and got instruction from the owner’s daughter. Nothing like paddling along in the open ocean and having a sea turtle paddle alongside you. Very relaxing and great for fitness!

11. OK. This is a seriously cool thing to do on a very special occasion. Emphasis on “very” special. We organized an “Ultimate” family dinner at The Four Seasons Maui. You meet the chef the day before, talk about your likes and dislikes, and he designs a meal tailor made for your family. What’s more, you get to enjoy it at your own private table embedded in a hillside under the stars. If you’re a lover of fish, you must try the hotel’s signature salt crusted mongchong.  Remarkable, all around.

Did I mention I love Maui?

www.gohawaii.com

Note from the TS Editors: 

 Kim Gray is the editor-in-chief of www.toqueandcanoe.com – a nationally award-winning blog/online magazine about ‘real’ Canadian travel culture. I guess she has a soft spot for our favorite U.S. island.