activities

We were pleasantly surprised to discover how easy it is to never leave the property. You can swim, hot tub, play golf, frisbee golf, pick fresh fruit from the countless fruit trees, or just relax in the 75-81 degree year round weather. But if you want to take off, we are shockingly close to the most amazing places on earth.

Hamoa Beach

Ernest Hemingway once said that Hamoa Beach was the world’s best beach. The renowned author of “Hawaii,” James Michener, considered it the most beautiful beach in the Pacific. This beach is literally TEN MINUTES from our door.

Hamoa Beach has clean, gorgeous, soft salt and pepper sand, and fantastic boogie boarding and body surfing. This is also a great surfing location – it’s where I learned to surf. Hamoa Beach is my favorite beach in the world.

Koki Beach

Koki Beach is a red sand beach with a good break for surfing and boogie boarding, but for strong swimmers only.  It’s eight minutes away.  The last time we went there a mother seal was rolling around on the beach and teaching her baby to swim.

Hana Bay

This beach is literally 5 minutes from our door. There is spectacular coral and very good snorkeling to the right past the pier and near the light house. Take the trail to the right past the pier. The last time I snorkeled there, I saw everything from various tang, surgeonfish and parrotfish to a three foot long needlefish, and two five foot long white-tipped reef sharks (harmless but exciting!).

Red Sand Beach

This is a hippy beach. Be prepared to see naked people, red sand, and great snorkeling when the water is right.

Venus Pools

These pools are my favorite cliff jumping spot anywhere. They have different heights to leap from for all ages. This also a cave off to the right and pools for climbing and exploring.

Ohe’o Gulch/Seven Sacred Pools

There are actually dozens of pools and a multitude of natural staircase waterfalls (not just 7) which flow through the ‘Ohe‘o Gulch into the ocean nearby. This is one of the bigger “tourist spots” to visit on Maui, so I’d go early if you head there on a weekend. That said, it’s definitely worth a visit. There’s cliff jumping, bridge jumping, swimming in freshwater pools, some great hikes, and many picturesque waterfalls.

Wainapanapa (Black Sand Beach)

In addition to a gorgeous volcanic black sand beach, this public park has fresh water caves to explore, swimming back so far you need to bring lights.

There is also a blowhole like none other.

Lava Tubes

We have a couple of small lava tubes on the Estate. But just a few minutes away, you can tour one of the worlds largest lava tubes. The operator, Chuck Thorne, is also a published author on scuba diving Maui and general contractor for our home. Tell him we said hi. http://www.mauicave.com/

Pipiwai Trail Hike

The Pipiwai Trail, above the Seven Sacred Pools, is one of our top two favorite hikes in the world. It is 4 miles roundtrip, gaining 650-feet in elevation. It takes 2 1/2 – 5 hours to hike, depending on how much nature loving you do. There are several great waterfalls along the route with the final destination fall being Waimoku Falls, falling 450-feet down a sheer lava rock wall. Here’s a picture we took of the waterfall.

Waimoku Falls

Glider plane rides and motorized hang gliders (ultralights) at the Hana Airport

These flights are amazing. You can show up at the airport (2-3 minutes away) or call (1) 572-6557 for ultralight reservations or (2) 344-9663 for glider reservations. Here are some pictures from my latest flight.

King’s Highway Hike

The Hana-Waianapanapa Trail follows a portion of the ancient “Kings Highway” from Pailoa Bay in Waianapanapa State Park to Kainalimu Bay. The hike follows the jagged, windswept coastal cliffs, crossing lava flows above caves, underground tunnels and irregular islets. The trail passes blowholes, sea arches, tidepools and an ancient Hawaiian temple site. We also found part of the trail full of the famous noni plants.

Keanae Arboretum

On the road to Hana this park has many types of native trees. We found the rainbow eucalyptus trees particularly beautiful.

Hanoa Spa

We can have massage therapists come straight to the home, but if you want to go out, the Hotel Hana Maui has an amazing spa. The Honua Spa has nine treatment rooms, men’s and women’s facilities, steam rooms and spa boutique. Call 270-5290 to make reservations.

For more great tips on things to do in and around Hana, visit our friends here: www.hanamaui.com