MAUI!! This is one of my favorite places to vacation too; I’ve been going since I was a little kid.  I’ve been almost 20 times, so I’ve tried a lot of different charters and activities.  When going, we always try to find a new activity to do.  Here are the top four activities that we’ve done several times, and I always tell people they should do.

Don’t worry I’ll be doing separate posts on beaches, snorkeling, and where to eat as we get closer to our next trip to Maui in May.

1. Our number one snorkel charter is Ocean Riders because it’s an extreme snorkeling experience.  We love this because it is different than all the other charters out there, it is not a sailboat or a catamaran.  This is a zodiac coast guard style boat, with twin 250 motors on the back, so you really haul across the ocean.  The adventure begins in Lahaina, and then you have a whole day on the boat circumnavigating the island of Lanai.  They pick out different snorkel spots around the island.  We have gone at least five times and each time is just slightly different because the spots they pick are weather dependent.  One of the stops that is always consistent is the pukka shell beach and a WWII shipwreck.  At this beach, you get to jump off the boat and swim to shore, where the beach is made of all pukka shells.  This last time we went we saw two monk seals sunbathing here!  During the drive around the island, you get to learn about historical spots as well.  With a smaller boat, they can get to some of the smaller less known snorkel spots that no other charters go too.  Some of these spots have underwater arches, and all of them look like you are swimming in an aquarium.  You will not get an experience like this with any other charter.

2.  Ziplining in Ka’anapali is one hell of an adrenaline rush with Eco Adventures.  We chose to do one of the morning tours; that way it wasn’t too hot.  You start in town, and they gear you up and then take you to the top of the mountain above the town.  There are several different length lines and a couple that go over some amazing gorges.  The last zip was by far my favorite; it was the longest run of the day.  The views from this section of the course were insane.  You can see all of ka’anaplai as well as Lahaina town.  This is an adrenaline rush, and I would do this again in a heartbeat — tons of opportunities for scenic pictures.  We didn’t own a go pro when we did this, but I would say you could get some great footage.  Afterward, you are close to whalers village for shopping and lunch.

3.  Olivine pools is a spot we found in 2018, and it was unbelievably beautiful.  It is quite a hike down to the pools, but well worth it.  To get to them you have to drive north past Kapalua before the road turns into a one-lane road about milepost 16, you will most likely see cars parked on the side of the road.  I would recommend going early in the morning before all the tourist because there is no parking lot.  The rock/lava formations here are stunning.  There are several different tide pools when you get down to the bottom that are great for sunbathing.  There is one really deep pool that you can swim in that is a deep turquoise color with lots of coral.  Wear reef safe sunscreen if you are going to be swimming in the pools so that they stay the stunningly blue turquoise color.  Wear shoes for the hike down as it is steep, and the rock can get slick.  These pictures speak for themselves!

4.  The road to Hana is a typical adventure that everyone talks about as something you need to do while you are on the island.  I love the road to Hana, but I also do not get car sick, if you get car sick, I would say go to the halfway point.  This is where you will find the best banana bread EVER!  (we have tried a lot of banana bread from around the island).  If you can make it all the way around it is well worth the drive.  You will need to make sure you get on the road early and fill your car with gas.  While the drive at times can be a little intense, the beaches, waterfalls, and scenery are some of the prettiest you will see.  There are black, red, and white sand beaches.  We always like to pull off in some of the lesser populated areas because you can get some great scenic shots of the island.   The seven pools at the end of the drive are gorgeous and a great place to have lunch.

An honorable mention would be Haleakala. I have never done the sunrise or sunset tours here.  I’ve always driven up the mountain on a clear day to make sure I could see everything.  If you get car sick, I would recommend getting some patches from your doctor as this road is very windy.  The view from the top is incredible to be able to see the whole island and that far into the ocean.  It is very high in elevation so make sure to bring a jacket or sweatshirt.  It will be almost 20 degrees cooler up here.

On our next trip in May we want to play soccer golf in Kapalua, hike the needle, and ATV on Lanai.  What activities should we try out?

MORE MAUI BLOGS COMING AS WE GET CLOSER TO OUR TRIP IN MAY!  AS WELL AS A PHOTO DIARY OF OUR 2018 TRIP!