Family Trip to Maui 2024
A trip to Hawaii which celebrated my mother turning 70 this year with her four kids (2 bio, 2 by marriage) and two grand children. We escaped the mainland for the island of Maui at the end of October.
Accommodation
We opted to stay in Kihei, and I actually couldn’t be happier with the choice. We stayed at a condo resort called Koa Resort that was able to accommodate everyone comfortably. It wasn’t the swankiest condo, but the amenities made up for it. The pool is a great size for such a small number of units. It was never busy and had a great deep end.
One thing that I always mention when talking about Maui is that you will have the added expense of a car rental. Waikiki is my Hawaiian city of choice if I’m not in the mood to beach, but you really can’t beat the beaches on Maui if that is your thing. Don’t get me wrong, Waikiki has a great beach, but if you aren’t driving, then you are stuck there.
Beaches
We went to 3 beaches and one cove for our water activities.
Keawakapu Beach
This beach was awesome. The water was absolutely lovely, although that is not hard to find on this island.
This one is just before Wailea at the end of S Kihei Road. The parking is convenient, and the beach was stunning. Sandy and clear waters. We actually went here twice after coining it the AI beach; we got the suggestion to go there from ChatGPT. The beach was sufficient for snorkeling, especially for the beginners that were with us, and the convenience of having a shower right at the exit was awesome.
One item that we don’t regret bringing was an umbrella, our condo had some beach accoutrement available for our use. Shade is so welcome on the hot beaches.
Kamoele Park II
A staple of Kihei, it is a lovely beach, but I have a car, I would probably go to the other beaches. But if you are on the main strip or staying in the area, it is a great beach that could be within walking distance. We walked across to Coconuts after we went for a swim. The sand is soft… until the wind picks up and gives you a micro-dermabrasion facial. We were there at a very windy time, so the sand was flying…
Maluaka Beach
I think this beach was pretty perfect. The only negative was the walk to the beach. My mom did just fine though… although I’m the one who normally doesn’t like to walk in a wet suit with my wet, thick thighs. The beach has access to some good snorkelling and lovely water. This is where we could show the kids their first sea turtle. It did get a bit windy, so the waves, although fun, did manage to sweep away my mom’s sunglasses. Another benefit of this beach is a huge tree that provides shade, an umbrella is not required.
Ahihi Cove
This little gem isn’t for lounging in the sand; it’s for snorkeling, maybe a turtle or two, and a really good time. I have come here every visit, and it is always great to see the hundreds of fish. No turtles this trip at this location. It isn’t the easiest to get into; it is very rocky and potentially slippery, so if someone isn’t able-bodied, it’s not the best choice. Parking is restricted to a lot just past the cove for $5.
Food
Food ain’t cheap on this island. We stocked up at Costco for snacks but the grocery store was not cheap. Restaurants weren’t that cheap either, I guess a tourist tax… and sadly, it’ll only get worse with the new President.
Nalu’s South Shore Grill
Damn, this was good. Brad and I split a cubano sandwich and an Ahi Club. The club is what I want to talk about. Yellowfin tuna seared rare, with bacon, butter lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions, and sourdough that was probably doused with butter and toasted on a pan. As my mother would say, it was “to die for”.
I’m always a fan of a restaurant business model where you order, pay, and then the food is delivered to your table. Efficient, and you can just leave after you are done. They were very accommodating, finding us a table that seated seven as well.
Da Kitchen
A strip mall meal that did not disappoint. I do love the Japanese influence in many dishes in Hawaii. I had a mixed plate that had breaded mahi, teriyaki chicken thigh, teriyaki beef, and chicken katsu. Scoop of rice and mac salad. This meal lasted me almost 2 more meals! It was a lot of food.
Cafe O’Lei
This was Mom’s birthday dinner. It seems like a pretty popular place. The food was tasty. The only complaint was the weak children’s burger. The kid at the table did not approve. I’m sure there are better value meals around on the island. I had a macadamia-crusted pork.
Coconuts
I found the food here great. I had a kalua pork taco salad and an amazing mochi tart, which is something I have never had before. The prices are somewhat tourist-priced, but the portions are healthy. But be warned, if your order is over $100, they automatically add a gratuity. The machine still offered to suggest more gratuity… Thankfully, my brother-in-law saw the little sign.
Ululani’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice
According to my niece, the best shaved ice in Hawaii. We went twice… I specially enjoyed the Macadamia Nut Ice Cream that you could get under your mound of colourful powdery ice.
Honourable mention to the home-cooked shakshuka and warm, crusty sourdough that we had at a friend’s place.
Maui is expensive! I think after investigation, we found that Maui is 64% more pricey than the mainland. Everything at Safeway just seemed pricey, for example one of those gum packs of 60 pieces or whatever that you put in your car cup holder was like $6.99 USD. Convert that to CAD and that is just too much for gum, I just checked out price gougers called Loblaw’s and the gum is $4.79 CAD!
Travel Stuff
Gear
Insta 360 Camera. I never regret taking, but I do get lazy and I don’t take the time to edit, I’m trying to change that.
Insta GO3S. Always a camera that I travel with. The palm trees above were taken with the camera from the deck and those are stars. I still need to figure out how to capture starlapses.
DJI Mini 4 Drone. Lot’s of places to fly in Maui. The airport is in the middle of the island so very few restrictinons. It held it’s own even in the wind and I got some really fun shots.