Covid Escape to Maui

Trip date: October 2021

I took my first long-haul flight since the Covid-19 pandemic in late October to Maui. My friend Gail and I were using another Westin condo deal (my 4th time on one of these!) for the Kaanapali Ocean Villa Resort. This was the 4th rebooking of the trip, once due to work constraints and twice due to Covid. For $948 we would be staying for 5 nights/6 days in a one bedroom/2 queen bed apartment. This included a rental car which we upgraded to a convertible for $318. 

We also used an Alaska Air companion fare and upgraded to Premium seats which gave us free drinks as well as the middle seat free, something Alaska had done during the pandemic for a while. 

There were forms to fill out for entry to Hawaii, including proof of vaccination, and masks were required on the flight. It felt heavy & a little uncomfortable but it also was exciting to finally be going somewhere again!  

Our first stop after leaving the airport (which has a huge new rental car area that you take a trolly to) was Tin Roof to pick up some lunch. The casual eatery, owned by Chef Sheldon Simeon of Top Chef Seattle season, was doing take-out only from its strip mall location. We pulled in, made our order online (dodging the line in the hot sun), and found a random beach along the highway to eat at. My mochiko chicken with garlic noodles were delicious!! And the orders were huge!

Upon checking in to the Westin the front desk agent gave me an option between a few rooms, we ended up with a fantastic location, mid pool with peek-a-boo views of the ocean and a balcony spanning the living room and bedroom. Room #2311 if you are so inclined. Bliss. 

Most of our days started with a walk along the beach path, breakfast at the hotel's restaurant Aunties (one of only two restaurants open due to hiring challenges), then down to the pool (masks were required inside the hotel but not by the pool or on the beach) where we rented a clamshell cabana for $75. We had gone grocery shopping so we could have our own wine or margaritas (our kitchen was fully furnished including a blender) and snacks by the pool. Daily drinks on the beach at sunset became a wonderful study in the changing clouds over Lanai.

One day we booked a snorkel trip with Ultimate Whale Watch out of Lahaina out to Lanai. We were on a Zodiac style boat but it had seats built in. Our captain Chris and his mate Levi were awesome. It wasn't whale season but we did see spinner dolphins which I hadn't seen before! 

We went past Manele Bay, where the Four Seasons is located, and snorkeled just near this rock and coast cliffs. The coral was absolutely gorgeous and there were tons of fish. Gail and I were first in and last out and had a blast! Once back onboard the crew handed out homemade banana bread as a snack. Very sweet. 

Unfortunately on our way back across the channel our boat had some engine problems, but instead of stressing about it, our crew pointed out flying fish and told us things about the islands and their diving. And when we did finally get back over to Maui they took us to Turtle Town. This area, where an old cement wharf had come down in a hurricane, is a favorite hang out for honus. As soon as we jumped in there were 3 huge turtles swimming towards us! I had to try to back up to give them way! We ended up swimming around with 8 turtles and spied a small shark under one of the sunken cement blocks. We celebrated the great snorkeling back on board with mimosas we had brought with us!

Another day we drove up the to the very northwest tip of the island for a hike to the Nakalele Blowhole. The drive is very windy but beautiful. We parked at the 2nd trailhead which is just past MP 38. There isn't really one set trail, it's a very dusty and rocky hill that you kind of have to scamper down. 

It's only about a mile down to the blowhole and the last part of the scramble is mainly old lava flow. The rock formations are super interesting and there are lovely views of the ocean of course. But the main attraction is the blowhole and it certainly did not disappoint! We hung out for a bit taking in the cooling spray!

The climb back up wasn't exactly hard, but it was difficult to pick out the best way up through the rocks and lava. Two guys who were just a head of us were super sweet, pointing out the best routes and even lending a hand up the steeper parts. It was a great adventure!

We drove back down towards Kapalua, stopping to take in a great view of Honolua bay and a pod of dolphins swimming around. 

Originally our plan was to snorkel at D.T. Fleming beach but the red flags were out and the surf was big so we continued driving thru Kapalua to check out the other beaches. We passed a sign for the Sea House restaurant, which offered parking and ocean views, and decided to have lunch there. Turns out they are right on Napili Beach! We had a great lunch on their deck and then grabbed out gear (we had rented from Bob's) out of the trunk and went for a snorkel. Immediately upon entering the water there were 2 large honus!! This will be a reoccurring stop for me on future trips!

Another day we drove up to the old town of Paia. I had never been and with Covid the tiny town was even quieter than normal it seemed. We had a good time shopping at some of the cute boutiques before heading to Mama's Fish House for our lunch reservation. 

While wandering their grounds before lunch we spotted another huge turtle sleeping in the shade on the beach! 

Mama's is beautiful and delicious and very expensive. I've been just once before for dinner and I have to say that lunch is the better bet because you get the gorgeous views!

During our trip we also ate in Lahaina a few times. It was easy to take the Westin shuttle and then Uber back as we were generally returning after the shuttle ended for the night. 

Kimo's is one of my regular stops; I go simple with their fresh catch and brown butter. If you have a sweet tooth their Hula Pie is ridiculous and not to be missed. 

We had a surprisingly great lunch at Lahaina Fish Co one afternoon. My poke salad was HUGE, the Mai Tai was solid, and the view was gorgeous! I'll return here.

We also tried the Mala Tavern, not at sunset as most people do since sunset was at ~5:30 and we just don't eat that early! It's a very cute spot with nice cocktails and great food. 

And the Mexican food we had at Frida's on our last night was sooooo good! My black beans with grilled fresh prawns in garlic butter were thoroughly enjoyed sitting outside with this view of sailboats moored in the bay.

It was great to have some new places to check out in Lahaina and none of them disappointed. Closer to our hotel we walked over to Dukes on two separate occasions for dinner. It was close and waiting for a table in the sand with one of their big Mai Tai's is not a hardship for me!

Of course I had to sit through a 90-minute timeshare presentation at the Westin which is now owned by Marriott Bonvoy. In years past I had scheduled the presentation for my last day and then canceled, saying I had to leave to catch my flight. But the fine print now states that if you don't attend you will be charged at full rack rate upon checking out.

I booked it on the first morning we were there as I knew jet lag would have me up early anyway. It was painless as I just kept saying that I wasn't interested. Upon leaving they offered me another vacation package! Since I still had 4 more days I could think over that offer while enjoying a Mai Tai or two! I did end up purchasing another package so I'll be visiting this resort again in the next 2 years :)

Total turtle count: 11! Sun, sand, snorkel...it was a fantastic girls' trip and a bargain on top! 

All Maui photos here. 

Big Island Bliss

Trip date: June 2018

Last June, just 26 hours after arriving home from San Francisco, I repacked for much more tropical weather and headed off for a little solo, chill trip to the Big Island of Hawaii. It had been 20 years since I had visited the island, for the funeral of one of my uncles, who passed away much too young, and I was looking forward to returning and exploring.

I was happily surprised with an upgrade to first class on Alaska Airlines, especially as it is a 6 1/2 hour flight! Alaska doesn't hand out mai tais on their Hawaiian flights anymore, but my mahi mahi on schnitzel, and the Nancy Silverton cherry gelato were unexpected and delicious!

It was about 8:30pm when I landed, I picked up my convertible rental car and drove 30-minutes north up the west coast to the Fairmont Orchid. There was barely anyone on the road at this time so it was a very quick and easy commute.

Self-parking at the resort is free and is onsite, so after figuring out how to close the roof of my car in the dark, I made my way to the hotel lobby. Originally upon checking in I was given a room in the North Tower. It seemed a bit run down and really far from the restaurants and bars so after requesting to be moved, I was given a fantastic room in the South Tower. King bed, balcony with partial ocean & pool view, and huge marble bathroom with a separate tub and shower. Hello holiday! Of course it was dark so I wouldn't get a peek of my view until the morning. For the time being I settled for a mai tai in the bar.

As someone who sleeps later than most, it's always strange for me to wake up so early when I'm in Hawaii because of the time difference. I've gotten into the habit while on vacation on the islands to use that time for a morning walk or hike. On my first morning on the Kohala Coast I did a 4-mile walk south along the seaside. It was sooooo beautiful out!

This side of the Big Island is known for the lava flows which cut large paths into the ocean. I loved the scenery as I made my way from the Fairmont's property to the Mauna Lani Resort. Just past the resort there are some very cool fishponds, which naturally catch and trap fish. They've been used since prehistoric times and are still used today. Farther along and just off the golf course there was an ancient Hawaiian dwelling from the 1600s. Quite an interesting walk!

The rest of my first day was spent by the pool. Ahhhhhh! There is a nice shopping center right near the Fairmont so I took a break from my tan and did a little grocery and booze shopping for the week. In the afternoon I was booked for a massage at the hotel's spa. By prepaying my spa appointment when I booked my room online, I got $100 credit for $75. I took advantage of prepaying restaurant visits for the same type of deal.

The massage rooms at the spa are individual outdoor huts right on a waterfall/stream. OMG! My room also had a little glass pane in the floor that allowed me to watch fish while I was laying face down. To say that the atmosphere here was amazing would be an understatement. I loved this experience so much that I booked another 3-days later!

That evening I had dinner at Brown's on the resort, an outdoor restaurant that sits right off the beach. My meal was good, and service was great, but it was very overpriced.

The next morning the hotel grounds were very busy, with lots of very fit people. Turned out that the Fairmont was hosting the Ironman qualifier. There was a lot of good people watching!

I set out, past all the bicyclists, for a 3-mile hike to the Petroglyph park. There are lava stone carvings as soon as you enter the area, laid out to be viewed, but if you follow the trail, deep into the mesquite forest, you can try to spot them on your own.

After a while I reached a clearing where flimsy fencing protects large rock tiles of carvings. Wow! These carvings of people and animals date from 1200 AD! I made my way back along the rocky shoreline and treated myself to a pineapple mimosa and pineapple fritters for breakfast!

Originally my Big Island vacation plan was to check out of the hotel on this day and head to Volcano National Park to spend a few days hiking around Kīlauea Volcano. Unfortunately for me and the residents of this area, the volcano had erupted and was still very active. With the park being closed and a lot of seismic-activity happening, I decided to cancel my plans and extended my stay at the Fairmont. The hotel was great and kept me in the same room.

Morning #3, I drove 30 mins south from the resort to do a 3-mile hike at Kiholo Bay. The thing I always forget about driving on the islands, is that the highways can be busy, and turnouts for beaches and trails can be hard to spot. You really need to pay attention to the mile markers and be prepared to turn off onto a dirt path quickly.

I loved this hike! Most of it was on this black sand beach which was stunning. I started at the far south end, and climbed up the lava for a view and also to peek into a few caves.

As I made my way north, the beach changed from all black, to black and white. There were huge flats of lava, worn smooth by the surf, hiding tide pools and even petroglyphs. There was no one on the beach when I was there. Normally it's known to have lots of turtles, but I didn't see any that morning.

I finally came upon a very large yellow house, with the proprietor enjoying coffee on his patio. It was Earl Bakken, the inventor of the pacemaker! My trip was in June and Mr. Bakken passed away in October. He had given me a very friendly wave and smile. RIP.

Not to much farther I came upon Bali House, built by the co-founder of Paul Mitchell hair products. Story goes that he had it built in Bali, then deconstructed, moved here, and rebuilt. It's pretty unique looking!

From here I followed a trail away from the beach, I was trying to find the Queen's Bath, a fresh water pool in an old lava tube, but for the life of me I couldn't find it. I did find part of the tube and caves further inland. As well as some friendly feral goats!

Back at the resort I spent the entire day by the pool. It was heaven! Because of the active volcano the area had a bit of VOG making for a hazy but pretty sunset.

Morning #4, I headed back to the Shore Trail again, but did a shorter 2 1/2 mile round trip. After breakfast (with a breakfast pina colada!) I headed to the Fairmont's beach for some snorkeling. The Big Island doesn't have the same number of sandy beaches that Maui has, but the Orchid is known for their nice beach and protected bay. The snorkeling was fine, typical pretty tropical fish, but I found that I wasn't super comfortable snorkeling on my own so I was only out for about 30 minutes.

The afternoon pool routine was improved by the Ironman contestants finishing their trials and relaxing with well earned beers, excited to talk about their races. After another full, sun-soaked day, I checked into the spa for another blissful massage in a hut on the waterfall.

Afterwards, I took the hotel shuttle to the neighboring Mauna Lani resort and had a cocktail in the bar. It seemed like the hotel was practically empty and when I spoke to the bartender he explained that it was getting ready to close, a new owner had purchased it and was going to start remodeling. They also had had a lot of cancellations because of the volcano erupting on the other side of the island. Late 2019 is the expected reopening.

Dinner was outside at the Canoe House restaurant and was lovely. I had passed it multiple times during my walk on the Shore trail, it sits just a stone's throw from the beach, and the sounds of the waves was wonderful. My food was great as well, but that's a moot point with it being gone.

On my last full day of vacation I skipped my walk, slept in, and woke up to a message from Alaska Air that I had been upgraded to First Class for my flight home! Fantastic!

I arranged with the hotel to borrow a picnic basket filled with ice, picked it up and went to Foodland in the nearby shopping center for, from what people told me was, some of the best poke on the island. They weren't wrong!

There were soooo many choices, and by the time I finished with their free tastes I was almost full! I  bought a couple, along with some edamame and Hawaiian mac salad. I added these to my cooler of ice, water, and rosé and off I went. Destination Hapuna Beach.

It was a gorgeous day to spend at the beach with my picnic, the water was so calm and warm! This beach is really large too, so it doesn't feel crowded with room for everyone.

I was back at the Fairmont in time for a last Happy Hour Mai Tai and a dip in the pool.

The VOG on this night was worse than before, it didn't affect my breathing or eyes, but it sure looked eerie as the sun started to set!

That night I took the shuttle again, this time to the restaurant Napua, technically on the Mauna Lani property but not part of the hotel. They gave me a fantastic table, looking right out onto the bay. And the service was exceptional, with owner Brandon coming to sit and chat with me, and my server bringing me a gratis dish and pouring extra wine.

And the food was delicious! Actually the best I had on the island, outside of my beach poke. I'd highly recommend as they are mainly using ingredients within 50 miles of the location. They are also open for lunch, which I have on my list for next time!

The next morning I only had time for a quick cup of coffee while taking in one last view from my lanai before packing the convertible for one last drive to the Kona Airport.

There was no traffic on the way, but the lines at the airport to check in and drop bags were really really long. I only had time for a quick pineapple mimosa before boarding. Good thing I was in First Class!

I'm hoping that the lava flows again at Volcanoes National Park, but that the mountain itself stays quiet. I'd still like to get back and hike that area. But I'd also go back to the Fairmont Orchid any day! I absolutely loved the property and the service. Mahalo!

All Big Island photos here.

Other post from this trip:
Dear Greg, Wish You Were Here, xo Hawaii

Maui Girl's Trip

Trip date: March 2017



I don't know about you but when one of my friends says "hey, I got this great deal for 5-nights at the Westin Kaanapali Resort, want to join?" chances are slim to none that I'm going to say no! Especially when I've taken advantage of that same deal in Maui and Kauai and know the resort is wonderful!

I cashed in some miles for a First Class ticket on Alaska Air and had an easy 6 1/2 hour non-stop flight to the Valley Island. Although I did almost miss the flight as I had my earbuds in while standing outside the gate and was thinking that they were late in boarding; turns out they boarded right before I walked up and they were ready to close the gate when I finally asked the agent what the hold up was. Dumb!



Normally the flight is a bit shorter but we had 1180 mph headwinds and a fair amount of turbulence! Thank god for free Mai Tais!

Judy was waiting for me at the airport in our complimentary rental car and we made the 1-hour drive to the Westin Resort. We checked into our room on the 2nd floor in Building 4 which had a nice lanai but no view. More importantly, we made it down to the bar just in time for Happy Hour Mai Tais which we enjoyed by the outdoor firepit. It was an early night for both of us after long flights (Judy had flown all day from North Carolina!)

Judy and I have very different schedules, so while she was up before dawn each day, I woke up around 8, went for a beach walk/run, and then settled into breakfast at the Westin. As with the resort in Kauai, they have the program that if you don't want daily housekeeping you can have one free buffet breakfast each day. She took the buffet while I ordered something different off the menu daily.



Kaanapali Beach has a nice little beach front walk that follows the shore and winds through some of the other resorts. The first morning Judy joined me & we followed the trail towards the east for about 2-miles round trip. It was absolutely beautiful out and a perfect temperature! When we finished I had this delicious breakfast of fried egg, spam, and fried rice. With a mimosa of course!

After I did a bit of work back in the room, we headed out to lunch at Star Noodle. We'd both been before but it is delicious so we were happy to go back. We had fried wontons, chicken wings, and the Vietnamese crepe which were all good, but that crepe is amazing!



Judy then drove us to the adorable town of Makawao, which I had never been to before. It didn't take long to walk up and down the main street with its old wooden buildings. We popped into a few shops, including Maui Antiques which is owned by the brother in law of my neighborhood coffee shop, and browsed the little farmer's market.

It's a sweet little town to stop in if you're driving around this part of the island. Very artsy and interestingly located on the mid-slopes of Maui’s Haleakala volcano.



From here we continued on to the North Shore, hoping to score a seat at the bar at Mama's Fish House but unfortunately they were packed full. We settled for some amazing views of the waves, rocks, and surfers.

Back to Kaanapali we rolled up to the super old-school Kaanapali Beach Hotel and got seats at their outdoor tiki bar. This place is amazing in a John Ritter kind-of-way!

It was Happy Hour but the special is only on the drink of the day which was something like a tequila sunrise. We were there for tiki drinks! Two Tropical Itches were delivered to us by the man himself, Dale, complete with actual back scratchers. And a lot of dark rum! This place was a hoot!

Judy decided to stay at the resort that night while I took the handy shuttle into Lahaina. I thought I might have dinner at Fleetwood's which a friend had recommended but as soon as I sat at the bar and ordered a drink, the noise and the ambiance completely turned me off. I felt like I was in a southern California strip mall. I basically was. So I walked down to my old stand by, Kimo's. This place is practically in my family history.

Dinner at the bar, which is open-air, sounds of the surf hitting the rocks, live local music, and fresh catch in a butter caper sauce. Delish! I took an Uber home after as I had just missed the shuttle and didn't feel like waiting around for the next.



The next morning Judy joined me again and we walked the opposite direction on the beach path. After breakfast and a bit of work for me, we met back up at our beach chairs and umbrella that we rented for the day at the low price of $40. The entire day was spent soaking up the sun, sipping on rose, swimming in the warm water, spotting a turtle close to shore and a lot of whales farther out!

That evening I made us rum old fashions with pineapple garnish served with Maui potato chips for aperos. Cuz we are fancy like that!

We grabbed the hotel shuttle to Whaler's Village and had drinks and dinner at the Hula Grill. The thing you are going for here is the beach-side atmosphere, of which there is plenty! Our server was also really great and as they are owned by the same group as Kimo's, he let me order the butter caper sauce on my fish even though that isn't on their menu.

Saturday I took my run/walk to the beach where I had to jump over logs and avoid the tide coming in. It was such a gorgeous morning! After our Mimosa happy hour breakfast ($5 until 11 am!), Judy and I checked out the pool farther from our building. It's all black tile and felt a bit colder. I wasn't a fan even though the pool closer to us had a kid-attracting water slide in it.



It was time for lunch so we decided to get sandwiches and pie at Leoda's which is just delicious! On our way back we stopped at the Jodo Mission in Lahaina and walked around, checking out the Big Buddha (one of the largest outside of Asia) as well as the strange cemetery in the sand.

That night we chilled out at the resort: Happy Hour Mai Tais, the lighting of the tiki torches, another glorious sunset, and a pretty good dinner at the hotel.



Sunday morning's walk was quite special as there was a 400 lb Monk seal sleeping on the beach! Judy had seen it when she was up before dawn and it was still there when I went out at the more respectable 8am.

The Hawaiin Monk seal is one of the most endangered species in the world, only 1100 or so left. They are frequently caught up in fishing debris and drown, they were also hunted to the brink of extinction in prior years. Luckily this guy had a wonderful volunteer who roped off the area for him, allowing him to rest undisturbed, while she informed the onlookers about their plight.



Monk seals are especially rare in Maui as there are only about 150 of them around the main islands. It was fantastic that we both got to see this one and a wonderful start to our last full day!



We did a rinse and repeat day at the beach and I spotted even more whales than I had the other day!

That night we went to Sansei Sushi in Kapalua, which strangely has a location here in Seattle! It was good, not great.



Last day. One last beach walk/run.

One last Mimosa Happy Hour breakfast with fried rice.

One last (breaching!) whale spotting from my $50/ 1 hour Uber.

One last Mai Tai at the airport.

One last view of Maui.

All Maui photos are here.