Betsypaige

Aloha again !

So, I'll be in Honolulu next June, and now I'd like to think about planning the most delicious part of any vacation: restaurants. I will do my own research because I always do, but I thought I'd get a kick start by asking my friends here for recommendations they have.

I'm a solo diner - but I don't need to sit at bars as I'm perfectly comfortable dining solo. I'm interested in enjoying what Hawaii does best (so, local cuisine, seafood, etc..), but I'm open to anything. The only thing I doubt I would go out of my way for would be Italian (I get plenty of that in NY, and pasta is a staple in my life). French? Yes - not Italian, although I will keep an open mind because I don't know that I'd want to eat the same kind of food all the time (4 days before cruise, 3 nights after).

I've heard good things about MW Restaurant...........thoughts?

I like Leanne Wong as a personality; is Koko Head good - especially for lunch/brunch?

I’ve heard good things about Duke’s, so that will likely be on my list.

Thank you!

Aloha Betsy:

 

Mahalo for all of the information! Since we believe you mentioned that you would enjoy getting away from the regular tourist routes to see more of the real Maui, you are doing right to take Baldwin Avenue up from Paia to Makawao. One suggestion when you get to where Haleakala Highway and Kula Highway split is to take Haleakala Highway up as far as Lower Kimo Road (just before Kula Lodge - your tour guide will know where). The ride through the eucalyptus (sp.?) trees and then across pastures is a favorite of ours and the views are spectacular. At Lower Kimo Road make a right and take it down to where it ends at Lower Kula Road. Make a left and that should take you past Nui's food truck and garden (Thai food) you spoke about. Then just a little further turn right at the hardware store and there will be Kula Highway. Make a left on Kula Highway and continue your tour as the article says. Just a thought...

Hi Silver!

Thank you so much! I'm going to print this out and put it in my Hawaii folder, so this way when it's time for the tour, I can pull this out and discuss it with Marilyn.

I read some quick reviews of the food truck - it sounds so yummy I'm almost tempted to want to make a stop even though lunch will be at the ranch, lol.

Mahalo for all of your help!!!

Question: what tour company is this, or is thru the cruise line (POA?) Thanks..

 

Big Al

Hi Al

It's a private tour company.....

http://www.kauaiislandshuttle.com/

Hi Silver

So this is the post I referred to in my post above:

I love it up there and go every year but we have a car and just ramble around ourselves. I hope you enjoy your tour and that this article from one of our DE's help you! Aloha!

For those interested in some Upcountry sights, check out the Hui No'eau Art Center, located on Baldwin Avenue in between Paia and Makawao. It once was a family estate (the Baldwin family), called Kaluanui, and has been lovingly restored. It has a wonderful view out over the slopes down to Kahului and across to the West Maui Mountains. The hybrid Norfolk-Cook pines that flank the driveway are incredible, and are thought to be two of the oldest trees on the whole island. The Center also has rotating exhibits, and a very nice gift shop with some wonderful wood pieces. Here's a link to the Hui's site:

http://huinoeau.com/

In the same area stands Makawao Union Church. Connected to the Baldwins as well, the stone church is really beautiful. If you're ever on island and have the chance to attend a concert there, the acoustics are incredible. Here is a link to a wiki page about the church:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makawao_Union_Church

Pi'iholo Ranch, still owned by Baldwin family members, continues to preserve history and protect resources here. When they began offering tourist activities, many felt they had "sold out". But as Peter Baldwin said, the ranch had to change and grow in order to survive. They run ziplines and horseback rides---but still ranch and are very involved in preserving Maui's ranching legacy for generations to come. Along with Sumner Erdman of Ulupalakua Ranch, this family is responsible-- IMO-- for the vast open pastures and ranchlands one still sees. They are truly stewards of Maui Nei.

Other sights in the Kula and Ulupalakua area include the winery and Holy Ghost Church.The history of the winery is well documented-because it was part of the Rose Ranch, which later became Ulupalakua Ranch (as it's known today). Holy Ghost Church was built in 1894, and carefully restored and preserved over the years. The first masses were celebrated in early 1895. It is built on land donated by the Von Tempsky family, another old Maui family which was heavily involved in ranching and the community. Here's a link to the Wiki page about the Kula area; scroll down and you'll find some other links and info, plus a link for the church: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kula,_Hawaii

Also, don't forget to take a few minutes to enjoy the beauty of St. John's Episcopal Church, in Keokea, the Sun Yat Sen park, the views from Rice Park, and so much more. The whole Upcountry area is a feast for the senses!

This link leads to a pretty decent article that includes a lot of the Upcountry sights:

https://www.tripsavvy.com/driving-tour-of-up…

Hi Silver.....

So, just to update...

Marilyn, the tour owner, e-mailed me back regarding my requests (based on some conversations I had on Trip Advisor (I'll make a separate post in this thread for that because it's long). She told me that we could definitely visit the Hui No'eau Art Center and Holy Ghost Church and then play the rest by ear. By the way, her husband is the one who restored the ArtCenter!

I'm fine with playing things by ear as long as we do the above, Granny's, the lavender farm/ranch and Makawao (which is a must for me)....

She's terrific and I'm so glad I booked atour with her.

I just wanted to give you a heads up - and of course I'm still very much interested in hearing any suggestions you may have.

I do want to add - that horseback ride/lunch at Piholo ranch is tugging at me. I'd have to do that on Monday, however. Right now I'm seriously considering doing the POA surfing lesson/Lahaina excursion or (if they offer this) a Maui Beach day, but the ride/lunch sounds so unique and fantastic. However, it would be a 30-35 minute taxi ride from Kahluhi (sorry, I always misspell this) to the ranch - so obviously pretty expensive. I don't think I'd have any problems getting back to the ship (we leave at 6pm, I believe), so it's a matter of whether I want to exert myself to do that trip. Do you have any thoughts on that?

Thank you again!

It was even worse earlier this year in Kauai with over 4 feet within 24 hours on the northshore.

 

“Heavy rain April 13-16 flooded parts of Oahu and Kauai, including a possible U.S. record amount of rainfall in a 24-hour period in Waipa on the Garden Isle, where one gauge recorded just under 50 inches in a 24-hour period ending midday April 15“.

 

http://www.staradvertiser.com/2018/05/25/hawaii-news/kauai-to-receive-100m-for-flood-repair-projects/

 

Sections of Kuhio Highway still only have periodic escorted access as work continues to stabilize the hillside. The tallest Kauai mountain (Mt. Waialeale) is reported to on average be the wettest recorded location at about 450” per year. The West Maui mountains are reported to have the second highest total of 350” although the majority of it remains there to fill the underground aquifers for the island’s drinking water. I’ve read that mountain at one time was taller than Haleakalā (10,000’) but erosion that created the Valley Isle’s isthmus between these volcanic peaks has resulted in a 5,000’ mountain now.

 

It’s the tropics & storms coming across the Pacific can dump a lot of rainfall on windward rainforests but not much on drier leeward sides with cactus & keawe (mesquite) trees with occasional brushfires such as in Lahaina. And with the tall mountains on Maui & the Big Island, there are microclimates from rainforests to snow capped mountains.

Whoa, 4 feet? I'm finding it hard to comprehend that kind of rainfall. We get plenty of nor'easters in NY - and in Superstorm Sandy, I believe parts of Long Island had 13 inches dumped on it. That storm was devastating - I can't even imagine 4 feet of rain, all the mudslides, etc....

Probably not, unless it's a weekend where they might be having a brunch crowd. It can't hurt to make one - you can do it on Open Table.

 

Our first time there was in 1980, when it was a little beach shack on stilts over the water! It's had to rebuild a couple of times, each time getting better. I learned to snorkel right in front of it - lifted my head out of the water and saw a perfect rainbow right overhead! It's been a special place to us ever since.

Ok, thanks!

We'll see how this fits into the proposed itinerary - it sounds like it would be a memorable experience, something I couldn't get in NY, and that's priceless......

Haven't been to any except L&L once - and we'll never go back. It's a pretty standard chain available in many locations even in the US. Check Trip Advisor - none of those restaurants are in the top half of their reviews, so I would have somewhat low expectations for lunch. We recommended the Beach House, as it's one of our all-time Top 10 favorite restaurants, with a beautiful location right on a great little bay, with excellent food and service. For us it's a Kauai "destination", while the others are just "lunch".

Oh yeah, that's definitely NOT for me; I wouldn't go there even if it were in NY. I was going to say that perhaps restaurants are problematic because a meal there would be at least an hour (the other places seem more fast food types), but then again, she mentioned the steak house - and that's obviously not fast food.

Holy .......I just checked out the Beach House menu; I'm drooling....(naturally I checked desserts first, lol, but everything......). I want to go here.........now, lol. I love to eat, I love good food - and when I'm away from home, I love to eat local. I have to go here. I will mention it to Elena, the tour owner, and see what she says. Since lunch is not included, I don't see why it should be a problem - I would sacrifice some other things (if needed) to have a phenomenal meal by the ocean.

Would we need reservations for lunch?

Thanks!

Oahu and Kauai has dodged the bullet is seems. The big island is still getting pounded by record rains. So is Maui. In Honolulu the sun is coming out a bit and a touch of blue sky is appearing. And Tourists are going to the boat for the sunset / dinner cruise. No cruise ships in port but the POA will probably come in tomorrow.

Oh wow, still? I'd hoped it was "over" by now.....Hawaii is so unique in many way; we on the mainland are used to weather systems either hitting a place or not, but with Hawaii, it's many islands- so that one island may get hit, none may get hit, several may get hit. Here's hoping that those rains finally end..............

AstroFlyer.......3 FEET? Wow.........

Let's try the above location again. Make that the western slope - not eastern.

 

The original of this note and your last letter must have just crossed in the mail. In reading your letter, if you want to cut a few items to leave room for Haleakala at sunset, we would be happy to offer suggestions again but don't want to seem pushy.

Oh my goodness, you're not pushy at all - I'm the one who asked for suggestions. I probably wouldn't want to cut everything out on the itinerary, because I love the idea of visiting farms and such, but I also highly value your opinions - and I love the idea of doing/seeing things that are different from "the usual". I do wish I had more than one day, but....... it just means I'll have to return some day!

It has been an interesting couple of days - and there is definitely some rain yet to come - but at our home we have been blessed with nothing more than some manageable rain, some manageable wind and the power being on and off quite a few times. Our whole-house generator came to the rescue again though. We are at the 1,700 foot elevation on the eastern leeward slope of Haleakala, and the general area seems to have done well. Mahalo for your good wishes!

 

As to your Upcountry schedule, we thought about it a lot and, since you prefer not to rent a car, the rate your tour company quotes for driving you all around is probably a bargain - especially if they will be flexible without charging a fortune. To be honest, their Upcountry tour list is somewhat dull. How much will they allow you to customize it?

Silver, I’m glad to hear it! I’ve not heard about any injuries - or worse - thank goodness.

As to the tour, I had also looked at Maui Crafts Tours, and they offered much the same itinerary, so I’m guessing that’s standard for any tours in the area. Their customized tours (they list other things that they often add to tours) seem even better. As it’s my tour, I’m sure I can customize it any way I want to - which I have already just by adding Haleakala at sunset. Of course any customization has to take into account that part (so I’ll have less time in other areas) and the fact that some places are closed on Sunday (like Kula Farms).

I asked about an itinerary based on what I’d previously discussed with the owner, but I didn’t want to push with the details since the hurricane was approaching - and she’d been busy beforehand. The tour isn’t cheap by any means, but that’s something I give up since I’m uncomfortable renting a car.

Mahalo for all of your help !

Itinerary sounds great, though it's packed - will be a very full day with probably not enough time allowed to swim at the beach. Another option - it's very simple and inexpensive to rent a car in Kauai and do this on your own. That way you could leave out the things that don't interest you. I'd skip the fish pond and the Spouting Horn and stop at the Beach House Restaurant (in Poipu, near the Spouting Horn) for lunch instead of the diner.

 

You don't say when your trip is - keep monitoring the news stories to see how much damage the hurricane does to Kauai. If it's extensive, it could take a long time to get roads and some public venues open for business again. Hopefully they won't have anything near the damage that Iniki caused in 1992.

My trip isn’t until next May - so hopefully (for residents far more than for myself) all will be well.

I’ve customized the itinerary a bit after chatting with some folks on Trip Advisor.

We’re going to cut out shopping at the Hawaiian Trading Post, the coffee plantation and possibly the fish pond (I’m not sure) so I can spend an hour at Poipu Beach. Also, this gives me more time to explore Hanapepe, which I wanted.

Lunch is normally in Waimea town, at one of: Shrimp Station, Island Taco, L&L Hawaiian Barbeque, Chicken in a Barrel or Wranglers Steak House. I’m not sure of where we’ll be at around lunch time - Poipu or Waimea. You recommend the Beach House? Have you been to the other places?

Thanks !

We used MaryLou’s for both Hilo and Kona in 2016. in Hilo we had Marylou and there were 4 gentlemen in addition to my friend and I. We had a great day. The next day in Kona we had her husband Ken. When he met us we were the only 2 who had booked the day. Another family had emailed but never confirmed. We saw a couple who we had met on the ship and asked if they wanted to join us. We had a blast. Becuase there were only 4 of us we often conferred about places to stop. We did hit the highlights including the Cook Monument (from across the bay) and we stopped at Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Monument and had a greta lunch. Both Marylou and Ken are very knowledgeable and will give you a great tour!:cool:

NYcruiser, I’m from NY as well!

Thanks for sharing ! I’ve spoken to Marylou - what a doll she is. I’ve booked Kona as well, so now I’m in her hands for two days and I couldn’t be happier !

I just read that the officials are hoping to reopen VNP on Sept. 22nd. Not sure how much will be open....but I am sure more info will be forthcoming.

That would be great news - not for me, but in general. Thank you!

Yes...the photos are in my review that I mentioned above.

 

https://mysouvenirmemories.blogspot.com/2016/03/kona-hawaii-captain-zodiac-snorkel-tour.html?m=0

Awesome report and photos - thanks !

I have booked Marylou for Kona as well as Hilo....and requested that I be able to swim at one of our stops. I think I’ll ultimately get more out of my vacation this way.

We took a helicopter tour one day which flies over the Canyon and NaPali Coastline. The pilot also points out areas of interest. We rented a car the next day and drove through the Waimea Canyon.

I intend to take a helicopter tour of Kauai on my 2nd day in port - I’m so excited for that !

I’ve tried to follow Lane as much as I could...it sounds like it could have been worse than it might have been.

Still, it was a lot of rain, wind - even fire. I hope everyone is safe and sound, and that whatever damage there is can be repaired ...

I just wanted to share that we did see a bunch of spinner dolphins off in the distance when we were stopped to snorkel and our guide specifically told us that he could not take us any closer to them or he could get reported. They were far enough away that I didn't even try and take a photo.

 

The whale shark and short fin pilot whales that we did see close up were because they approached us! Seeing the whale shark was something I have always wanted to do and to have it circle our zodiac was incredible.

Arya, thanks for that - that’s good to know.

You saw a whale shark? Wow!

Hi Silver!

Well of course this is the last thing on anyone's mind, but I figured I'd post this (stay safe, please - my thoughts and prayers are with everyone).....

This is the link to the general Upcountry tour - but we won't be able to do everything because (a) some things are closed on Sunday's and (b) I'm adding on Haleakala at Sunset. I think we'll have time for Makawao for sure (sadly Komoda's is closed on Sunday). I'm hoping we'll have time for Grandma's Coffee House - I assume we will.

https://mauicountryfarmtours.com/upcountry-farm-tour/

I do know that the tour owner mentioned some other things, but I think it will be awhile before she's able to put something together.

Again, stay safe - you and all my friends in the Aloha state.

As I mentioned before, snorkeling at Molikini is medium...not great, not bad.

 

You m ay be wasting a lot of effort worrying about Molikini snorkeling. I am not sure when you are going, but as a hurricane is going to get very close to Maui and the rest of the islands, the dynamic of snorkeling there may change totally- maybe for good, maybe for worse. Just as it does from time to time in the Caribbean. Hopefully the providers can make the required adjustments.

Hi Bruce

I'm not going until May of next year..........but, that's a great point about the affects of the hurricane; I hadn't thought about it.

I guess it comes off like I'm worrying, but really I'm just all over the place in my excitement, lol. One day I feel one way, another day - another.

NCL does offer an excursion called Catch a Wave and Lahaina On Your Own, where you get a surfing lesson and then get a chance to explore Lahaina. Now, that sounds like fun....even though I'll suck at surfing, lol

Their molokini trip leaves from ma’alaea harbor :)

 

 

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Oh it does? I didn’t know that - and it appears that it’s only about a 15 minute cab ride from Kahului. The only thing is, I’ve read that snorkeling at Molokini isn’t that good...

Thanks for the info - I’ll definitely consider it !

I've just booked Hilo and Kona with Marylou for next May - and spoke with her last night; what a wonderful woman she is.

Obviously I hope that at least some of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is open by the time I'm there, but regardless, they will be wonderful tours. She was even able to accommodate a couple of requests I had....

If you want a great experience, I would look into trilogy! I visit Maui like 2x a year and go out with them multiple times. Small groups, great service!

 

 

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I’ve heard wonderful things about Trilogy, but the POA docks in Kahului, so that would be about a 45 minute drive to Lahaina, where Trilogy is based - that doesn’t work for me.

Thanks !

If this trip is done through trilogy, it’s fantastic! They are my favorite snorkel company on the island! They will motor for the most part and try sailing back for a portion of it if the wind is there!

 

 

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I posted this on TripAdvisor, and someone who's been helping me thinks it's probably done through Pacific Whale Foundation, which apparently is problematic.

I think I may stick to the beach day because the Lanai excursion would be a hugely long day on top of the previous very long day. that is, if NCL offers the Maui beach day; thus far (and it's obviously extremely early), it's not yet listed among their offered excursions.

Thank you!

It's a great beach. Public, with changing facilities, showers, parking. All free. The turtles do come up on shore occasionally and the lifeguards will keep people from getting too close.

Oh great - I’m sure I’ll want to have a quick swim!

I love turtles - can’t wait to see them! I’m glad there are lifeguards there to prevent people from disturbing the turtles; I know they are adorable, but the best thing we can do for them is to let them alone....

I’m so excited - thank you!