Best of Maui 2012

Aloha from Maui!

Jordan and I just got back from 7 jam-packed days on The Valley Isle. Other than forgetting to bring socks (me) and spilling a Mai Tai on our iPhones (also me), the trip was flawless and filled with adventure. Here are the highlights.

Marine life Turtles and dolphins and geckos - oh my! I was overjoyed at our wildlife sightings last week, particularly the afternoon that a pod of about 40 dolphins swam, jumped and twirled by about ¼ of a mile off shore in clear sight from our room. Jordan said I sounded like the Double Rainbow guy as I squealed and snapped pictures; I'd say I was more excited. Because of their apparent size, I believe they were the spinner dolphins that are unique to tropical waters and characterized by their smaller body and impressive acrobatics. I wanna be a dolphin!

Dolphins splashing on by. Although they're hard to see in this picture, trust me that there were so many of them!

Jordan taking in the view. 

Hey turtle.

Potassium-rich diet

If you’re not one for warm-watered beaches or dolphin sightings, good news: Maui has banana bread...everywhere. Baked goods in general are the way to this gal’s heart, and banana bread is abundant on the windy, country roads of Maui. So while we toured the northern and southern lobes of the island -- and only in the interest of writing a thorough blog post for you -- I did my fair share of taste testing, so I can attest that Julia’s was indeed the best banana bread in the world.

Snack time.

I did it for you...and the potassium. 

Black Sand beach

My favorite stop on the obligatory road to Hana was the black sand beach around mile 31 on Hana Highway. Nestled inside Waianapanapa (why-anna-pah-nah-pa) State Park, the beach’s black sand is striking, and its waves are perfect for swimming and floating.

Underwater cameras are so cool.

Lunch in a crater

Haleakala volcano was the most unique adventure of the trip. 10,023 daring feet above the sea, the crater hike offers a scene that is otherworldly -- very Stars Wars-esq. We made our way down Sliding Sands trail, which Jordan aptly pointed out was named after Hawaii’s first settlers, Arthur Sands and Tom Sliding.

Veggie sandwich with a view.

Ziplining  

I surprised Jordan on his birthday with a zipline adventure. The 4-hour excursion was filled to the brim with classic adventure guide tomfoolery, not to mention amazing views and thrilling zips. Shout out to Skyline Eco Adventures for having a delicious veggie sandwich waiting for me at altitude. More to come on this soon! 

Mama’s Fish House

I also had the best meal I’ve ever had last week. Mama’s Fish House serves fish that was caught on Maui that day, and because it was Jordan’s birthday we treated ourselves to Mai Tais, crab cakes and a banana crisp too. We basically rolled out of the restaurant. Hands down, this was the most delicious dinner I’ve ever had, and the company wasn’t so bad either.

The view from Mama's Fish House - home of the best Mai Tai.

Aloha!