Activities Contest Winners

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Contest – Activities: Winners

Best Memories Of An Activity On Maui

We challenged our Maui Facebook fans to an activities contest for the best memories of a Maui activity. For future contests and giveaways, subscribe to our Maui newsletter. It was very difficult to choose the winners, but here they are!

Winners of the Activities Contest

Hey All! Wanted to tell you about my fav Maui activity that I recently experienced: We went on 4 whale watching tours, actually 2 and another 2 trips out to the crater. The whales were absolutely AMAZING! Moms & Calves, Moms/calves/&Escorts, Competition Pods! Breaches, flukes, close encounters of the best kind. Even got to swim w/ some White Tip Reef Sharks at the Crater as well as just 20′ off Airport Beach. Swimming with those magnificent creatures was a lifetime experience. However that is not my story; On the way to the Molokini Crater our craft spotted a bunch of drift nets; floating, abandoned, and nomadic. So we stopped and gathered the garbage to find a 1-inch Frogfish clinging on for dear life, floating in the middle of nowhere in 300′ water. So we put the Frogfish in a 5-gallon bucket and re-located him on this incredible reef just off Lanai. With all those huge whales and incredible Shark encounters, it’s a 1-inch Frogfish that is now living in a new magnificent home and makes me smile every time I think of Maui. Can’t wait to go back to the reef and see him all grown up!

~Michael


Maui fan photos16 years ago, my husband and I adopted our son from Honolulu, and we spent the first two weeks of his life on Maui waiting for interstate paperwork to finalize before we could return to Maryland, our then-home state. We stayed with cousins who live in Haiku. Those were magical moments, our first bonding time together, peaceful, quiet, and loving. We went whale watching as a new family, enjoyed the freshest pineapple, and thrilled ourselves by watching our new son breathe. We’ve returned to visit our cousins several times, and that magic has never disappeared for us. Maui is Ohana, in every sense of the word. Our family was born in paradise!

~Vivian


June/July 2010 was my favorite of all trips. Celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary and my remission from breast cancer... 5 yrs cancer free! My husband was on his laptop and I said, “you promised no work this trip.” Well, he was working alright, he was planning a surprise vow renewal! I had the Hawaiian wedding I always wanted….barefoot on the beach at sunset with our boys as our witnesses. The minister played the ukulele and we even had honus spying on us! My profile pic is one the photographer took of us. We will be returning to Maui in 2 months! The best trip ever….and next month I will be 7 yrs cancer free!!!!!

~Debbie


The year was 2009, It will go down as the worst year of my life: Lost my job of 21 years, My dog died (he was 20 years old), and I was accused of a crime that I did not do. Later I was found innocent after spending thousands of dollars on lawyers and court costs.

In January of 2010, we did our annual visit to Maui, flying from Ohio to West Maui for a much-needed 3-week stay. This makes our 8th visit to Maui.

This was going to be a special trip. I brought with me a simple Rock from Ohio with the date 2009 engraved on it. On January 17, My Birthday, I went to the top of Haleakala, Stood at the edge of the crater, said a little prayer of forgiveness to people I needed to forgive then tossed the rock into the crater.

Suddenly a fresh fulfilling sense filled my heart, tears filled my eyes and I knew then that the heavy burdens of 2009 were gone forever.

We also visited Maui in January 2011 and 2012. I LOVE Maui!!!

~Greg


Runner-Up Activities Contest Entries

I have been to Maui 5 times and enjoyed every minute of our stay there. Choosing just one favorite memory will be difficult. I am an adventure seeker and have done just about all the most exciting things advertised for Maui, volcano climbing, ziplining, countless boat tours, we even swam into the butt crack at the back end of Molokini, whale watching, I can go on and on….but the most amazing thing that ever happened to us on Maui was not discovered until we returned home with our daughter and son in law and their announcement that “our grandson to be born was made in Maui”….they named him Nico Makai.

~Gail


25 Best Things To Do on Maui


To just pick one thing, that’s really hard. Maui to me is Heaven on Earth. It’s the most amazing place I have ever been. I felt more alive there than I have ever felt. I guess if I had to pick that one spot in Maui, I would have to say, The Road To Hana. What an adventure. We started out in the morning with a tape of the sights and tried to make sure we saw everything. The rainforest was incredible. The flowers, plants, and trees were amazing. Where else can you go and see waterfalls built inside the sides of the road? We stopped and went on foot to discover hidden secret treasures.

The scariest thing was when it started getting dark, we didn’t turn around and go back the way we went in, but continued on. Wow, that is all I can say when we were going around those curves, but the view below was fantastic. Further down the road, we encountered a donkey crossing the road, it was quite comical.

We had to get the I Survived The Road To Hana T-shirts after that. My only hope is to do it all again before I die.

~Norma


I love Maui, I have a timeshare at Kaanapali beach, that I use every other year, and I love it. It is a beautiful island because it has nice beaches and da people r sweet. The last time we were there we tried ziplining out by Kula, I believe, and it was exciting despite the anxiety we had. It was so exhilarating and so nice to see the lush vegetation up high in da trees. We climbed about 6 trees!! The guys were so sweet and calmed us down when we thought we were going to give up!! Mahalo!! I would definitely do it again when I visit in 2013. Anyway, mahalo for letting me share.

~Ines


My favorite memory of Maui is the first time we visited in 1995, my parents used to rent a condo at Kanai A Nalu in Maalaea Bay every summer and I flew out to join them with my two kids, ages 13 and 8. We spent two wonderful weeks there, including a snorkeling trip to Molokini. It was the 1st real vacation my kids ever had since I am a single parent and could not afford to go on my own. It was heaven on earth and we had so much fun… my kids have many happy memories of time spent walking around Lahaina, the Maui Ocean Center, or just playing on the beach at Kanai A Nalu.

Maui truly is a paradise. Since then we have been back several times. We are going again in August. My parents are both in a nursing home now and cannot go anymore, but we are determined to carry on the tradition and plan to make a trip every year in August. It is a special place for us.

~Catharine


My wife and I got married, oops I mean Maui’d on Elua beach, as usual, I was running late so the wedding started late, as the wedding closed, the sun was setting and we had pictures taken as the sun was setting. By the way, did I mention that it was Halloween night? We rode in a limo over to Chuck’s steak house and everyone we met kept saying “great costume!” We had to tell them WE REALLY DID GET MARRIED!

~Bob


In March 2003, my husband and I flew from Chicago to Maui on our first visit to the islands. While we were in the air, the US began the war in Iraq. We arrived in Maui to all news channels showing the shock and awe bombing in Bagdad. Despite the grim news, we began the vacation of our lives. We snorkeled, sea kayaked with spinner dolphins, cruised the Maui channels and saw the whales for the first time, and saw the beauty of the volcano. The island was magic to us. Each year we would travel to one of the islands, and always had to stop in Maui for part of our trip. Because of our snorkeling adventure, we became scuba divers and would dive Maui on every vacation. We always wondered how one could ever be so lucky to live in paradise. Last July, we moved to Kauai for a career move, but it was Maui that always drew us here. Maui spirit and karma helped us sell our home in Chicago in 2 weeks and have an opportunity of a lifetime In this beautiful state. Mahalo nui loa, Maui!

~Nancy


My favorite memory of Maui is a whale-watching trip. It was our last night there and I reluctantly went with my two daughters. I’d never been ON the ocean before, even though I’ve lived in a coastal (WA state) community my entire life.

After a while, I was brave enough to move on to the front of the boat. While we were spotting whales, they were a bit too far in the distance to really get a good look. Suddenly two whales came right beside the boat. Everyone gasped in awe. We were told the whales were males trying to impress a nearby female. They were slapping their tail fins for several minutes- the captain said this was a fairly rare show we were getting.

I loved Maui so much, that I cried when I left… I’m normally a homebody and don’t enjoy travel, but I will one day return to Maui!!

~Lee Anne


My favorite Maui memory is the one that is bringing me back “home”. I was born in Hawaii, on Oahu to be exact but my mom always took me to Maui to visit friends and it’s been my favorite island for years. Have been talking for years about moving back. Last year, I was there with friends and was playing tour guide. We decided to go snorkeling at Black Rock at Ka’anapali, while there the winds picked up and there were some nice waves coming in. We decided to do a little body surfing and just “bobbing” around in the waves. Ended up that I, the one that was used to the waters, got slammed pretty good in the surf and ended up breaking a few ribs. A trip to Kihei Urgent Care ended up with a job offer (I’m an ER nurse) at the clinic. I’m packing up my life here and hoping to be there by the start of ’13. Looks like I’m coming home soon !!

~Michael


We were in Maui just a year ago April. Spent 2 weeks with our good friends and had a blast the whole time. I don’t have one specific favorite memory about our trip because the whole vacay was unbelievable!!! I can tell you that I LOVED every minute I spent just walking the beaches with my Romeo, no matter what time of day it was, it was always romantic and very special. The most fun I had was when the 4 of us rented scooters and “cruised” up and down the beach road in Kihei. My Romeo and I are already planning our next trip… can’t wait!!!!!

~Candace


Aloha from Canada. I took my mom to Maui this past April for a mom and me trip. I have already been and wanted to share the island with her. She is getting older and I feel I need to spend more time with her as you never know what life will bring. Our greatest memory was sharing with her the sunrise at Haleakala. When I was there last November I found myself tearing up in the beauty that was given to us and I needed to share that experience with her and once again, the sunrise did not disappoint. It was a spiritual experience that made us even closer than we are. Thanks, Maui for sharing with us your beauty!!

~Bonnie


My favorite Maui activity was snorkeling with my family at Black Rock. My 10-year-old son is always up for an adventure, but my 8-year-old son is much more cautious. The closest he’s been to snorkeling is in the bathtub! After some convincing and a flotation device that made him feel a bit better, he ventured out with us slowly along the rock face. What a first for him to see a Humumunukunukuapuaa fish that we read about in picture books all the time! Everything was fascinating for him, all the beautiful rainbow-colored fish and amazing coral. He was so proud of himself for facing his fears (it can be a bit scary the further out we went) and discovering a whole other world in the ocean. Every day was a perfect day on our visit to Maui (our favorite place on earth), but this one was extra special!

~Shauna


My husband and I visited Maui in 2001 on our honeymoon. It was the most beautiful place we had ever visited. I am an avid (amateur) photographer, so, as you can imagine, I was in heaven. No matter where we looked, we saw nothing but pure beauty. I literally took 68 rolls of pictures. That was back when I didn’t have a digital camera yet so I can’t even begin to imagine how many I would take now!!! We had so many wonderful times on Maui that it is hard to pick one in particular. We did particularly enjoy our trip to Hana. We took a van tour there and a helicopter ride back. Our guide who took us in the van was amazing. He showed us the true aloha spirit. Not only did he show us some of the “secret” spots that we wouldn’t have found on our own, he actually stopped at his own home to pick up lunch. The trip showed us how important culture and ohana are in the Hawaiian islands. If only all people would live their lives in this way. The world would definitely be a much happier place. The beauty of Maui is undeniable. The way of life is incredible, too. I don’t think I’ve ever been as happy as I was being in Maui with the man I love. Unfortunately, we have not yet been able to return to your beautiful island. The funds just aren’t available to do so. We will try everything in our power to get back there, however. My dream is to actually live there, but, I fear it is only a dream. For now, I will remember my amazing time on Maui by looking through my photos and videos, as well as keeping in touch through the internet and Travel Channel specials. Mahalo for bringing a little bit of Maui to my FB page every day!

~Pam


My goodness, hard to believe it’s been 10 years since our anniversary to Kauai and Maui. Maui was our absolute favorite. But if we had to pick one activity we still talk about and would do over again in a heartbeat? No doubt, the early morning trek up to the top of Haleakala to see the sunrise, and the bike ride down to the bottom!

We were picked up around 2:30 a.m. at the Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua to meet our group at the bottom of the mountain before the ride up to the top. It was impossible to even get any sleep on the ride up because everyone was so excited as to what to expect. Our hosts told us it would be cold at the top and gave us jackets. I thought they were kidding until we got to the top. Who knew?!?! Once we were up there, it was fantastic. I’ll never forget that sunrise for as long as I live, and we’ve got a bunch of panoramic pics to make sure we never do. The bike ride to the bottom was fantastic as well, such a liberating feeling! We hit a little coffee shot and then the beach after reaching the bottom to cap off an awesome morning.

Can’t wait to get back and do it again!

~Marc


I just got back from 2 weeks in Hawaii. For the last 10 of those days, we were on Maui. I stayed at the Bay Villas at Kapalua and the joy and peace I found just sitting on the lanai looking for the last of the whales and enjoying the spectacular sunsets, has got to be what heaven is like. Sooooo worth the 12-hour trip to get there. There’s no place like Maui, LOVE IT!

Most people think of beaches, sun, and glorious sunsets when they think of Maui. These things are most definitely true, but I am inspired by the people and the peaceful way of life, and the true Aloha Spirit on Maui. Getting away from the tourist areas and exploring the island on our own in the small towns was the best thing we did on this last trip in April. You get a real sense of everyday life on Maui and how simple and happy life can be. The locals were very hospitable and genuine. It is really hard to put into words other than to say: Maui no ka oi!

~Cathy


My husband and I went to Maui on our honeymoon. My husband rarely traveled growing up as his family didn’t have much money. He’s never been on a plane for more than 2 hours and the 6-hour flight from Phoenix to Maui was his biggest trip ever. We spent the best week of our lives doing all that we could to enjoy the beautiful island of paradise. We did the road to Hana, snorkeled, spent nights in Lahaina, parasailed, laid on the beach and relaxed, shopped, and went to a luau. Maui is perfect and has something for everyone. We met the young boy who lit the torches at Black Rock for sunset and enjoyed watching the boats come and go on Kaanapali beach dropping off the people who took day trips to snorkel Lanai and Molokini. Before we left, we went to the amazing aquarium and watches surfers at sunset. Now we have a baby and can’t wait to come back and enjoy everything the beautiful island has to offer and the people that call it home who were so nice and friendly to us. We only wish that we could have stayed longer. We can’t wait to take our children and let them play in the sand and see the beauty Maui has to offer.

~Jamie


My favorite memory of Maui would have to be this last valentines day. My parents took our entire family. My husband and I planned a whole day together. Our major activity was scuba diving and we had been looking forward to it for months! (Since we are from Wyoming, we had never been before and didn’t really know what to expect).

So we get out on the boat and our instructor walked us through everything that we would need to know. My husband got in the water first and they had forgotten to turn his air on! He of course panicked and got out. He refused to go. So I went by myself with these strangers!! He will never live it down…he missed out on an experience of a lifetime.

Once I was in the water and had been swimming for a while, our instructor had us all stop and listen. You could hear the whales talking back and forth!! It was incredible!! It’s an experience ill never forget. I can’t wait for our next trip to the beautiful island!

~Abby


My favorite memory is when we lived on Maui at Papakea and my daughter was a year old. She learned to walk there, on the putting green, and on the beach. Every night we would say good night to the sunshine and the birds would wake us up every morning. She started talking while we lived there also and would point & say “whale” when she saw them. We had a gecko that lived with us and we named him George. That was such a sweet time in her childhood.

~Audrey


I will have to say my favorite moment or memory of Maui would be when my 76-year-old Aunt come for a month’s visit. Between the road to Hana and the whale watching tour, she was in complete Awe! I am glad she was able to make the 2-mile hike up to the waterfall. And she loved every minute. 4 years ago she was diagnosed with cancer. Her first words to the doctor were “I can’t die yet I haven’t been to Hawaii.” Who would have known that 4 years later *cancer free* her niece and her family would be living on the Beautiful Island of Maui? I will say there are probably hundreds of stories that are far more touching than this one. But for me seeing my Aunt conquer the two-mile hike to the beautiful falls was priceless.

~Tamara


My favorite memories of Hawaii will always be the look on my 5-year-old son’s face. Just the awe in his eyes when he saw all the beauty that Maui has to offer. I had been to Hawaii & knew the beauty that awaited us, but he being so young, didn’t know what to expect. He to this day (2 years later) still talks about Maui & how it’s a magic place, more magical than Disney World & that’s a lot coming from a small child. On this same trip, I was with my nephew who was only 2 months old. This was the very first time he would see the ocean and the first time his little feet would ever touch the ocean water…such memories. When I think of Maui I think of the beauty of the island both above & below the water, but it also just brings back so many memories of closeness & family. Hawaii REALLY is a magical place!!!!!

~Kim


My favorite Maui memory would be when we were doing a shore dive off the old airport beach. I had found a rock overhang with some red big-eye fish hanging out underneath it. I took a picture of them. When my camera flashed, I saw the glint of some eyes under there. Curious as to what I had found under there, I tried getting in deeper and deeper, flashing my camera as I went to illuminate the hole. I was freaking my husband out as he was sure I had found a shark and was going to get bit. As the eyes started coming out from under the overhang I also started to panic and back peddle out of there. My husband was tugging at my flippers trying to get me out faster. Of course, I am still flashing away trying to get a good picture of whatever is coming my way. As we finally get out from under the rock cropping, out comes a beautiful Honu. We still tell the story and laugh about it.

~Jaye


Snorkeling all around Maui, especially at beautiful Honolua Bay and on Honoapiilani Hwy at “mile marker 14”. The waters are teeming with brightly colored fish like Stripe Belly Pufferfish, Blue Stripe Snapper, several types of Butterfly fish, sea turtles, etc… We also saw several Humpback Whales which are truly magnificent!

We enjoyed a Luau at a private residence which included Kalua Pig, and Wahoo which was truly ono. Dancers (family and friends from the islands) performed the Haka from Moorea and Halau from Hawaii etc. It was a great day.

We love all of Maui from the shops in Lahaina, glorious Upcountry, the incredible Iao Valley, and the drive to Hana. From the waters of Molokini to the top of Haleakala, Maui is truly the best!

~Nick


My favorite Maui memory was from our trip in 2010. I went snorkeling for the first time and as I was in the water I was remembering the guide’s comment about not touching or swimming with the sea turtles. As I was swimming I had a huge sea turtle swim up right under me. It was amazing and all I could think about was not touching the turtle. No matter which way I went the turtle followed me. It was such a great experience that I designed and had a sea turtle tattoo done, my very first tattoo before we left Maui. I can’t wait to come back, which won’t be too long because we are coming back for our 10-year anniversary In June of 2012!

~Debi


Here is one of my favorite Maui memories: Going to the top of Haleakala for the sunrise in April 2005.

Now, I’d read a lot of material on this particular activity and much of it said how cold it got up there and that one should dress warmly. Well, seeing as how I was from Minnesota, I brushed off the concept that it could be THAT cold–surely years of living in the sub-zero climes of Minnesota made me immune to the spring chill at 10,000′ on Maui! So, I chose to wear a light jacket and jeans, and for shoes…SANDALS!

The moment I stepped off the tour bus at the top of the volcano, I realized it was, indeed, pretty chilly up there–but, hearty Minnesotan that I was, I made my way to the viewing area with the many other tourists. As you know, it also gets a little breezy up on Haleakala and, after having stood in the dark at 10,000′ for only about 20 minutes, I realized I had made an extremely poor choice in what I’d worn that morning.

I tried to strategically place myself behind other people (some who had been smart enough to bring blankets!) and shield my very cold and sockless feet from the wind, but it was of no use. I eventually started shivering, my feet started hurting from the cold and I was miserable. I could stand it no longer and, long before the sun peeked out over the eastern horizon, I headed back to the tour bus to warm up.

Drinking coffee in the tour bus I missed the actual sunrise, but I still came away with a wonderful experience: I knew it was of no use to walk back to the eastern ridge, where the hundreds of tourists were standing because the sun had already broken the horizon. Instead, I walked out to the western edge of the parking lot, the only person there, and looked out over the island itself. What I saw was a breathtaking vista. I watched the island come alive and saw the shadows disappear as the sun began to illuminate paradise 10,000′ below me. I may not have seen the sunrise I’d come up there to see but I still had the most beautiful start to a most beautiful day!

~Ann


One of my favorite memories is driving to Lahaina for work. I used to work in Whalers village and lived in Wailuku. I would commute every day and not once did I get tired of the drive. I would look for the turtle in the mountain, and check for whale spouts. It was kind of a reward to me when I actually got to see them. Beautiful creatures in a beautiful setting. I think I told myself daily that I was not only lucky but blessed to have been born and raised in Hawaii.

Also, one of my favorite memories of Maui is walking down Main Street in Lahaina on Halloween. I was just out of high school and went to enjoy the night’s festivities. I had gotten my face painted like a cat and was walking down the road when I saw a woman and man. The woman was dressed in a leather bikini and the man was in a leather thong. She was walking him with a leash and he had a studded collar around his neck. When he saw me he began to bark and come toward me. It was a little scary and funny at the same time. We had fun dancing and listening to music.

~Jeana


We were in Maui in February of 2012. We decided to go about 4 miles out on a kayak. We were quickly surrounded by whales. The sound of them releasing water was awesome. At one point one momma whale dove in the ocean directly at our kayak. We figured we were going for a dip. Not only was there no wave, but she came up on the other side and not a ripple was felt. I did videotape this with my underwater camera… there was silence… but I missed the actual video of the whale coming toward us… I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest, but I wouldn’t give up this memory for anything.

~Sugar


Maui is my favorite place on earth, yes it touched me deep inside. I want so much for my chronically pained body to live out my final years there. I’m only 50 years old but with increasing chronic pain. I’m just one of those poor mainlanders single w/no kids who can dream and believe in miracles!

~Paul


How can I answer what my favorite activity was while in Maui? But, I would have to say it was when my daughter & I found this absolutely fantastic spot to snorkel. She had a book that spoke about this fab place by La Perouse Bay to snorkel. We parked and walked down the lava trail to these pools. I have never experienced anything like it! It was the first time EVER that I snorkeled. And, it was the second time I had tears in my eyes. The first was seeing the Island from the plane. This was a dream come true for me and my daughter was there to share it with me. I thought I would never be able to see anything as beautiful as this trip to Maui was!

~Beverly


We arrived with my parents at night so we could not see anything. The next morning upon awakening we were in complete shock. My mom yells from the north bedroom of our condo “I don’t believe it!”. We yell from the south bedroom “look at the ocean!”. North of our condo was the green mountainsides and the beautiful blooms of hibiscus. South of our condo was the most beautiful deep blue sea we had ever seen. We kept going from North to South and back through our condo windows. For the first time in our lives, we knew exactly what the word “paradise ” meant!

~Monica


My favorite Maui memory is the Road to Hana. We saw such beautiful country and sites we had never seen before. Also, the ride back was even better, we got to see the “dry” side of the island which was very interesting. LOVED Maui, my favorite of all the islands!!

~Eileen


My favorite Maui activity by far was simply waking up, grabbing a cup of coffee, sitting on the beach, and watching the sun rise. The only things I could hear were the waves crashing and birds singing. The promise of a new day in Maui is the promise of life itself.

~Joe


My favorite Maui memory is in March of 2010. My mom was living in Maui and wanted my son Liam, husband Ryan, and me to experience the island. She paid for us to fly out there from Seattle and stay with her in Haiku for 12 days (not enough time lol). It was such a generous gift and an experience I will never be able to forget. As soon as we got off the plane my mom took us directly to La Perouse, It was one of the best places! We got to experience sunset and my son got to see the ocean for the first time. It was so quiet and we were the only people there. It was simply divine. I was 6 months pregnant at the time of our trip and still undecided on a name for a daughter, upon traveling around the island and going to different beaches, it was our experience on Makena Beach that helped us find a well-suited name for our baby girl. It was an amazing trip and my husband and I often talk about going back and bringing both our kids.

~Jennifer


Snorkeling at Black Rock. For years, we went on family vacations at the Royal Lahaina and would always snorkel at Black Rock. My Mom would stand in the sand watching and waving and laughing at us, just content to watch the view of all of us having fun. This year was our first family vacation without my Mom, she passed away last January and when we were snorkeling, I could just imagine her standing in the sand and hearing her laugh. Great memories that we will cherish for a lifetime.

~Kelly


One of my several favorite memories was snorkeling near Lahaina and seeing a small sea turtle swimming nearby. He was absolutely breathtaking. I will never forget my momentary swimming companion.

~Jen


My favorite Maui memory is from our trip back in April 2010. It was my daughter’s first trip to Maui and she had never snorkeled before. We were at Napili Bay and she was swimming around with her snorkel gear, but close to the shore so she wasn’t seeing any fish. I went in and took her out farther, well as soon as she saw the fish she freaked out and swam as fast as she could back to shore. I’ve never seen her swim so fast, and for the rest of the trip, she wouldn’t snorkel again. The funny part is that she did go swimming again. I guess she figured if she couldn’t see the fish they weren’t there.

~Lori


My favorite Maui memory would be the third time my family and I went there for vacation (from ‘Oahu). I was 13 years old and I got my first kiss on the beach! Now I live in Pennsylvania and love looking at all the beautiful pics you folks post of home.

~Stephanie


My husband and I went to Maui on our honeymoon in August of last year. We stayed at Valley Isle Resort in Kahana. I will never forget waking up every morning and eating cereal on the Lanai and watching the Sea Turtles swim.

On our last day, I was laying on a boogie board in the water and a BIG shadow passed under me. I thought for sure I was going to get eaten by a shark!! To my surprise, a giant head popped up out of the water. It was a sea turtle and he seemed to be staring me right in the eyes. It was incredible. They are such gentle, soulful creatures. I have always loved sea turtles and that moment was so awesome! We now have a wall in our home dedicated to all of the sea turtle prints/artifacts we bought in Maui.

~Sabrina


Well, Mr. Gandalf and I had a lovely time there we did, it was awful hot it was, that Mr. Steve McCarrot from Hawaii Six-0 met us at the airport he did he was a nice man he was him and Mr. Gandalf got some ironing boards they did and went to The North Shore!

Mr. Danno bought me an ice cream he did but I dropped it I did, then, that Mr. Steve McCarrot told Mr. Danno to give me a book he did!!

Poor Mr. Gandalf had to buy me he did! We got on the airplane and came home we did!

~Frodo


My husband and I had been traveling all day from Wisconsin for our honeymoon in January 2009. When we FINALLY got to our hotel (Hyatt on Kaʻanapali Beach) it was 9 PM our time and we were starving. We decided to just do a quick dinner in the restaurant downstairs and then we’d find more exciting places to go the following days. Little did we know that that would be the most memorable dinner we had. It was perfect outside, right at sunset, overlooking the water, and the food was delicious! Even a basic dinner can turn into a memory to last a lifetime in Maui!

~Susan


My husband and I just spent 12 days on Maui at the beginning of May. Our favorite activity/memory was driving up to the Haleakala Summit to watch the sunrise. It was the most amazing sight I have EVER seen! The trip up was a little scary in the dark…but sooo worth waking up in the middle of the night!! I would definitely do it again on our next trip to Maui.

~Toni


Maui was absolutely the best vacation I have ever taken! The week I spent there left me more relaxed and happy than I had been in years! (I am in desperate need to get back there!) I think that driving the road to Hana with my husband and just taking our time and enjoying the breathtaking beauty was my favorite. But the helicopter tour was amazing as well!

~Allison


Snorkeling Honolua Bay is our (wife and myself) favorite thing in the world. Last June, we followed a turtle across the bay. Along the way, we saw some spotted rays and other great fish. Then when we came up for air on the other side of the bay, there was a large school of spinner dolphins about 50 yards out putting on a show. It was such an unbelievable moment.

Definitely, one we will never forget.

~Patrick


Favorite memory: staying Punahoa in Kihei, morning coffee with my toes in the ocean, and looking for shells!

~Jill


Favorite Maui memory: My first trip in April of 2010. Had just met my boyfriend 3 weeks prior and spontaneously invited him to come along. Had been to Oahu the year before but you haven’t really been to Hawaii until you’ve visited the stunning beaches of Maui. We fell in love at Charley Young Beach and nicknamed the rock cove on the north end “the wedding rocks” should the timing ever be right :o) Have been back to our favorite vacation isle 3 times since and are coming back tomorrow for one much deserved week of sun, snorkeling, and mai tais. Attached is a photo of my Maui-themed tattoo, which just finished up last month. I think the pink Honu shell for the iPhone 4/4s would go very nicely with my tat!

~Angie


My daughter, sister and I were in Maui in March of 2011. We live in North Dakota and we were very excited to visit our friends that had moved to Maui from Minnesota 3 years earlier. None of us had visited Maui before. As we were preparing for our trip, our host, Bruce, cautioned us that the only worry we might have would be the scant possibility of a tsunami. But, he pointed out, they don’t happen very often. Well, surprise! The big Japanese earthquake struck while we were in Maui and the resulting tsunami raced across the Pacific toward Maui. We were up all night watching the news coverage and were then bombarded with communications from people back home, once they woke up to the news. Thankfully, we were all safe.

It was certainly not your typical Maui activity! And not one we really want to re-live either. But it was a major life experience for all of us, and a night of memories that will never be forgotten! We wonder how many North Dakota natives will ever be able to say they’ve survived a tsunami.

~Kim


Maui is my Paradise, I call it the hand-holding flip-flop state where the fragrance of flowers fills the air and mountains so high they make you cry. And no matter where you go the music speaks of the ocean palm trees and love. This is the Maui I see and feel…

~Paulina


Our favorite memory of our first visit to Maui is going to Makena Cove Beach where our son and his wife were married and where our grandbaby got her middle name. We were there in January of this year.

~Jackie


Last January my daughter took me to Maui for the first time. She had been many times and has friends who live there. On the first night, we met up with some of her friends at a beach because of a full moon celebration. She warned me it was a clothes-optional beach, but because it was an evening event there shouldn’t be too much nudity.

A huge bonfire was made and drummers began making music. Some local fire dancers performed and anyone could join in. It was a wonderful way to begin my vacation, seeing native and local people doing their thing. I didn’t feel like a tourist, it was most welcoming.

~Diane


My favorite moment on Maui was when I was snorkeling at Kaanapali beach and saw 4 turtles in 20 minutes. As soon as I got out of the water, a whale came within 1000 ft. of the shore and almost knocked over a paddleboarder! What I would have given to be snorkeling at that moment. Those pictures are awesome!

~Michelle


Let me be up front and say that my wife and I went last year for the first time, stayed in Kaanapali, and we still talk about it like we just got back yesterday. She and I both now share the same dreams of returning as soon as possible…even with our kids!

As far as moments, it’s hard to pick one…from stealing the blankets off our flight because we knew it was cold at the top of a mountain at sunrise…to the little dog that hangs around the picnic tables in Hana Bay (he only ate your scraps if it was seafood, I’d never seen a dog turn its nose up to ham.)

I’d have to say every single night we had the most amazing view of a sunset it was hard to not feel a little guilty that not everyone in this world can see such wonder. It never got old. It never got old seeing turtles, it never got old listening to the music, and the coffee and pancakes never got old.
We miss it. Cannot wait to return.

~Chris and Ashley


My favorite thing to do on Maui is to wake up in the morning and have my coffee on the lanai. When we are in Maui we stay at the Mahana and all the condos are oceanfront. I can just sit all day and listen to the waves. It is so calming and peaceful. Having issues with high blood pressure, it was the best medicine to lower my pressure.

~Anna


My favorite Maui activity is weekend camping on Lanai with great friends, stand-up paddling with dolphins in Manele Bay, and topping it off with a great brunch at the Four Seasons before catching the ferry back to Lahaina. Lanai is so exquisitely beautiful, and truly makes one appreciate the natural beauty of Maui County!

~Chris


When in Maui, I loved going snorkeling at Molokini. Our whole family went out on the catamaran and went snorkeling there and at Turtle Town. Loved every minute of my visit to Wailea, Maui, Hawaii. We also went to a different beach every day. That is something that we can not do here at home. The surf at each beach was so different. I really want to come back to Maui!!

~Lisa


My favorite Maui moment is swimming with the turtles. I purchased a Maui Revealed book as soon as we landed. We went to one of the harder-to-find black sand beaches suggested in the book to guarantee that we would see some turtles. They definitely didn’t disappoint. My dad became obsessed with finding turtles everywhere we snorkeled. Later on in our vacation, you could see him running down the beach telling other swimmers “There’s a turtle over there!” He couldn’t get enough of them! It was so great to see. I have snorkeled in the Caribbean but it was nothing like snorkeling in Maui. The fish are beautiful, and there’s nothing like putting your head underwater to hear the crackling shrimp or the song of the humpback whales nearby.

~Cathy


My name is Rick, and my family and I are from Calgary, Alberta CANADA. We brought our family to Maui last Christmas and had the time of our lives!!

Our best memory is one day we went for a drive to find a place to snorkel. We ended up turning at a sign called Makena Landing. I am sure you’ve heard of it! We put on our snorkel gear and headed out into the ocean by some rocks. My 2 kids aged 6 and 8 and my wife. We were in the water only minutes when giant sea turtles started swimming all around us!! We couldn’t believe seeing these beautiful creatures so close!! We could literally reach out and touch them( but didn’t, of course!)

The kids and I loved it, and have been cherishing this lovely memory ever since! We will be back this Christmas!

Thank you, Maui for a beautiful memory!!

~Rick


My most favorite and amazing time in Maui was when my husband and I got married in Maui at Kapalua Bay on 10/10/10. Actually, all the times are my favorite and amazing We go every year and stay at the Royal Lahaina. We love it there, it’s so beautiful and entertaining along with relaxing. If and when we retire we will be moving there (hopefully).

~Neesa


I will have to say that my favorite Maui experience was not my own. I have three sons that all graduated from High School in 2008, they were given a trip to Maui as a graduation gift from their Grandparents. They enjoyed EVERYTHING! I would have to say the most memorable experience they had was the helicopter ride. My daughter is graduating this year and will get this great gift also. I just hope she has half as much fun as the boys did!

~Peggy


It is wonderful to go to Maui anytime, but it is especially wonderful to go when the humpbacks are there. That’s what I did this last February. Seeing them is great, but my best memory was actually hearing their eerie song. We went out to sea on a stunning, sunny day. The Pacific Whale Foundation boat dropped a microphone down into the water, and we only waited a few minutes. Then we heard the song. That was the best!

~Amy


My husband and I visited Maui for the 1st time for our 25th anniversary – stayed in the least expensive hotel on the island – cockroaches and all, but loved the island – especially snorkeling. We looked for sea turtles every day and finally saw our 1st one on our last day there. We’ve returned with our daughter and are returning this August for more fabulous snorkeling. We did discover good turtle spots last time – especially Honolua Bay.

~Wendy


I went to Hawaii 5 years ago on vacation with my mom and dad. Their treat. We visited Honolulu and Maui on the Perillo tours and spent 3 days each on each island. Maui was incredible and beautiful and I felt like I was in a tropical paradise. We spent time at the beach, visited majestic Mount Haleakala, and were mesmerized by the Drums of the Pacific Luau. To spend that kind of quality time with my parents was very special. So, that in itself was the most important and favorite activity to me… to be able to enjoy each other’s company and in a way… rediscover each other!

~Debi


A story about my favorite Maui activity? Impossible: picking one favorite Maui activity is like picking one favorite part of heaven.

Force me to pick one, and it is simply being on Maui with my better 2/3rds, Sherri (my wife of 25 years). Wherever we are, whatever we’re doing, when we’re on Maui it’s like the first time I realized I was in love with her. Every time there is our honeymoon all over again.

Bergman and Bogart may have always had Paris, but “We’ll always have Maui.” With luck, we’ll have Maui a few more times!

~Steve


Where to start! Maui had always been a “bucket list” of mine….ever since I was a little girl. My husband and I had always said we would try to get there for our 25th wedding anniversary…well, wasn’t I excited when my company announced that Maui would be the incentive trip destination last year!!! Now I would be able to take my husband to Maui for our 10th anniversary!! I had butterflies in my stomach when we landed while flying over those windmills thinking, I cannot believe I am actually here. Maui did not disappoint. From the lei’s at the airport, the road to Hana, Upcountry, whale watching, Paia, beaches, Mama’s…..ahhhh, I didn’t want to leave. As my husband and I lay on the beach watching our last sunset I said to him “Can’t we just call home and ask them to put the kids (4 & 6 years) on a plane?”

To me, Maui spoke to my soul. It filled my cup for months to come. I found it a very spiritual place and I described it to all my friends as the closest place to heaven on earth that I have discovered. Mahalo for sharing your beautiful land with me.

~Holly


Our favorite story is that in April 2005 we were married in an intimate setting here in Bartlett, IL. After a little time, we realized that we had never taken our honeymoon (other than staying our wedding night at a local resort) and my husband asked where I would like to go. I told him Maui since I knew someone who was recently there and said how beautiful it was. My husband made all of the arrangements and also arranged to renew our vows while we were there. I went shopping and found the perfect dress! We had just a couple of pics for our original wedding. We had a wonderful ceremony at sunset near Big Beach with LOTS of beautiful pictures! Our original wedding date was 4/9 and our “renewed” date was 9/4! Perfect!! We have vacationed each year since September so we can be there for our “anniversary”. We always stay out by Kaʻanapali Beach. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!

~Denise


My favorite memory was back in 2010 when my husband and I spent time just relaxing and sightseeing the beautiful Island of Maui together. A year later he passed away but my memory of our wonderful time together will always remain with me.

~Sonja


Our favorite Maui memory was when we went there for our honeymoon. We drove on the road to Hana. We stopped at every waterfall on the way. There was one waterfall (can’t remember the name) that we went to and kids were jumping off the side of the cliff into the water. I decided to jump off too and when I jumped, my foot slipped a little and kind of jumped at an angle. I landed in the water with part of my back hitting the water first. People were laughing at me. It was embarrassing but had a great time on Maui. I will always remember that time.

~Glenn


We were married last year on May 14 and came to Maui for our honeymoon! It was phenomenal! We loved Lahaina – all of the great places to shop and eat! Moose Magillicuddys had the best breakfast – and I had a Mai Tai with breakfast!! LOL, We got to meet Carlos Santa at the Lahaina Grill (and the food and service were outstanding!!), we met A’Tim (sp?) at the Pioneer Inn, and the hospitality of the Island was amazing!! We got to see the sunrise at Haleakala – which was truly breathtaking (once I got past having to drive up those winding roads and feeling like I would be sick!). We also LOVED the road to Hana – we drove around the entire island and enjoyed the breathtaking views and the colorful locals. We went to the Old Lahaina Luau which was done so beautifully! Our waiter Randy made it such a fun experience – with of course many more Mai Tais!! We had so many great experiences on Maui and we can not wait to return. Maui was the perfect place for us to start our marriage – a marriage of best friends.

Thank you so much for sharing your island with us – Aloha!!

~Teresa


We were just in Maui in April and we had the most wonderful time! We stayed at Napili Shores and every day was marvelous. A great surprise to us was to discover the sea turtles at Honokeana Bay – right in our backyard. It was the second to last day of our holiday and someone in the hot tub asked if we had seen the turtles yet. Bright and early the next morning we walked over and were rewarded with at least 10 turtles playing in the water. My husband snorkeled with them and was amazed at how close they came to him. Our little girls felt they were playing hide and seek with them as they popped their heads out in different spots in the bay.

~Linda


One of My favorite activities was a free trip to Road to Hana!!! It was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen up close and personal, the black sand beach, Twin Falls, and the sheer beauty of the tropical flowers! It was my first trip to the island in August and these memories will last a lifetime! I Maui!!!

~Lori


We spent Thanksgiving week on the beautiful island of Maui, myself, my husband, and our two teenagers. Every day made wonderful memories for all of us. It’s hard to pick just one. When I asked my daughter, she immediately said the best was surfing! We all took lessons from Maui Wave Riders and it was so much fun. Colorado folks CAN surf! (-: We loved everything about our visit…the ocean, beaches, sunsets, food, towns, luau, zip line, snorkeling, and the list goes on! Thanks, Maui!!

~Emily


I’ve never been to Maui but really want to get there soon. I lived on Guam for 5 years as a child and 6 as an adult, teaching for DOE. I’ve been to the Big Island, Oahu (several times), and Kauai. I went to the Big Island in 2004, a week after I found my sister dead in the shower from a seizure. We were to take a cultural class there. I went alone and tried to find some peace. My next trip was to Kauai a few months later using my sister’s ticket. It rained almost every single day. I didn’t mind since it was Christmas and being from Alaska, it was so much warmer. I just had a tattoo of a honu with a hibiscus on its back. I’ve lost all of my family except my brother (who just had a stroke 3 weeks ago) so I need a little good luck from my honu. I’ve added a pick of my honu tattoo. The iPhone case has a honu so it would be great to have it to match my tattoo. Longevity is my goal so I try to surround myself with honus as well as get healthier. I have to add that I must have lived in the Pacific area in a past life as well. Each time I have to leave my islands, my heart breaks, and I leave a part of me behind. Mahalo.

~Linda


On my wedding day, we were getting married on Changs beach but staying in West Maui. I got my hair and make-up done at the four seasons and my husband-to-be, being stubborn decided to get changed into his tux at the beach. Little did he know there was no restroom there. Needless to say, he changed in the parking lot. When the Rev. Kenneth Hoopai jr showed up my husband to be was putting on his pants and accidentally dropped them. In front of the Rev! Glad to say he had a good sense of humor and asked “nervous are we?” “Aloha, nice to meet you.”

There is a toss-up for my favorite activity, scuba and powered hang gliding on a trike. Both offer beauty, tranquility, and excitement.

~Dena


My favorite trip was the summer of 2009. My husband had just lost his job but we already had the trip paid for so we decided to go anyway and have a fun family vacation. We didn’t do all the extras we had hoped for but did have a yard sale before the trip and rode the sugar cane railroad, swam in the ocean, and at the hotel pool. We bonded as a family in the beautiful Maui sun and we finished every day on the Lanai with milk and cookies.

My then 3-year-old son said it best when we landed at SFO….”I don’t want to go back home I want to go back to Maui!” everyone on the plane including us agreed with him.

~Laura

I go to Maui every summer to visit my aunt in Haiku. One of my favorite memories is going to Hamoa beach in Hana with my sister, her friend, and 3 of my cousins. We would lay on the wet sand like “beached” whales and let the water take us in and out. It was rough at times but so much fun! we had sand stuck in every part of our body for days but it was so worth it! I can NOT wait to bring my one-year-old daughter to Maui in August…

~Megan


Just leaving the living room door open and hearing the waves…

Doing the half marathon one year then going to mass in town and having a smoothie after.

~Carol


I was twelve and I didn’t like snorkeling then so we went to the fishbowl. At first, I didn’t go in but my mom came out and told me it was like an aquarium so I went in and was blown away by its beauty. I have been in love with Hawaii since that day and have been back two more times since and hopefully more in the future.

~Stosh


Our favorite activity was snorkeling at Kaʻanapali beach! and the sunset too. It was the most beautiful moment of my life!!!

~Ishrat


How do you pick “A” favorite activity on Maui?

Some of my best times have been sitting on one of the points & watching humpback whales and enjoying the amazing blue water, sky, and being with my husband.

Other times it’s a simple, peaceful evening staring at the ocean and stars.

Other times it’s having an Ululani’s Shave Ice.

Other times it’s seeing the smile on my parent’s faces when we are all together.

Another time it’s seeing the sunrise on Haleakala…then riding a bike down the slope!

Or waking in the morning & seeing the sunrise and exclaiming “yes, there is a God”!

I love Maui!

~Julie


When I was in Maui in 2010 I rented a moped in Kihei and drove it from Maui all the way to Hana and back around to Kula and then back to Kihei. It was the most amazing experience because I got to stop and more places than a car would be able to and was able to see much more. It took 12 hours just to get to Kula, we ended up having to stay in Kula for the night because it was too dark to get back down to Kihei. It was unbelievable and I enjoyed every moment, even when it started raining and we were freezing!

~Brittany


My favorite memory is when Maui Downhill picked me up at 2 am from my hotel and in the van ride up to the Haleakala crater, the guide asked all 12 of us if anyone was nervous about biking down the volcano. I was the only one who raised my hand. The guide asked me why I was nervous. And I told him that the last time I was on a bike was 21 years ago in 8th!!!
He said I should have practiced riding before signing up. He made me be in the back of the line. I survived though. It was pretty stupid of me not to ride a bike beforehand. I was so pumped about it and so excited to ride again that I bought a mountain bike upon my return home and have been riding ever since. So 3 years now!!

~Niray


I just returned from Maui on my honeymoon a few days ago and I am still flying high on swimming with turtles. We were staying at the Mahana in Kaanapali and we saw turtles swim by our condo every day. We would stand on our lanai for a half-hour just watching the dude swim around and feed in front of our place. We went on a snorkel trip and visited the turtle cleaning stations where we got to swim with them. Truly magical. We had purchased a great underwater camera for the trip and took over 1800 pics, plenty of them turtles. We also had an encounter with a turtle as we were snorkeling out in front of our condo. It was my first time to Maui, I have visited 3 other islands, and Maui is my new favorite. Love love love, and especially that the weather was so incredible and all of our experiences were perfect. No better place for a honeymoon.

~Erica


My favorite Maui memory is when the girls in my family went Parasailing on Kaanapali Beach in November 2010. As I was going up with my 10-year-old cousin, the drivers of the boat were dragging our feet in the water, little did they know, my seat had turned around and my swimsuit bottoms FELL DOWN, and I mooned the entire boat. Thank god my family and the two employees were on the boat! Embarrassing, but something I will never forget. can’t wait to revisit the Parasailing experience this September!

~Caitlyn


Aloha, My favorite thing to do in Maui is just to stay at the BEAUTIFUL, Hale Napili, lay on that breathtaking Napili cove beach, Snorkel with the awesome sea turtles, and eat fresh fish and pineapple all day. Maybe get an amazing dinner at the pineapple grill or sensei, and drink Mai tais and lava flows. I always end my vacay by going to the Gazebo for their famous banana macadamia nut pancakes!! awww, Heaven on earth. Mahalo!!

~Lynne


I just want to share my love for Maui.

I moved to Kihei in 2006 for a little over a year…. the best time of my life. The food, the people and all of the experiences I had. Many of the locals took me under their wing and showed me many things! How to cook, bodyboard, and sweet spots on the island.

Loco Mocos became my favorite meal and Da Kitchen had killer food. I had the pleasure of working at Roy’s Kihei – I brought s’mores to the open fire in the kitchen. They taught me about fish, fresh products, and the love of cooking!

There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about my time spent there. It changed my way of thinking – I’m no longer uptight about life, time is only a number, and if you can’t laugh while at your job – well find something else.

I cant wait to go back and visit – I’ve been lucky to keep friendships with the people I worked with. I will be celebrating my firstborn’s birthday there with the people who showed me the true meaning of life. Happiness.

~Trista


My favorite memory of my trip to Maui last year in May. I went with a co-worker and it was an absolutely amazing 10 days! The best of my life! I didn’t think I would be able to relax, but I have to say the minute I smelled that air when I walked outside, I instantly relaxed. I was in paradise. I’m 36 years old and went snorkeling for the very first time at Black Rock. I was a little scared at first, but I slowly and very clumsily walked out into the ocean wearing that silly mask and my flippers. My friend told me what to do and we set off. I stuck my face in the water and saw what felt like millions of fish in so many beautiful colors!! The farther and farther we got the more fish I saw. When I raised my head out of the water and turned back around to look at the shore, I couldn’t believe how far out I was. I got a little terrified, but I just took a deep breath and started back to shore. I made it back after what seemed like a lifetime and my friend was so thankful I made it, she thought she was going to have to get someone to come get me. I will never in my life forget that moment, I had a disposable underwater camera and only managed to take 4 pictures of fish, the rest were of my finger or my face. Haha!

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to re-live my memory!

~Kara


We were just in Maui this past April & I was kicking myself for not getting one of these cases while there! lol

My favorite memory of our recent trip to Maui was, getting to take my 2 kids 15 & 10 on a zipline adventure! They were so scared but so excited to do this & we all had a fantastic time & can’t wait to do it again the next time we are there.

~Tammi


Wow… there are so many experiences about Maui…

As we deplaned from the Alaska airline flight…the smell of flowers was everywhere…then I was whisked away in our private car…with my special “drink ” in hand. Everyone seemed to love where they were on every little corner. As we checked into the hotel…I knew we were up to an exciting week.

My favorite part of the week was sitting on the beach with our snorkel gear in hand, barbecue in place, and ready to explore the water with fish I had never seen before…purple, pink, orange, and red… all moving in different directions…after staying out there for hours…where my husband proceed to snorkel..with a hot dog in his hand so the fish would come closer…I set up a dinner…as the sunset over the islands… Colors like you see nowhere in the world…Magnificent Maui….come to me…beckons to me…I shall return!!!

~Jane


We were married in 2009 and honeymooned at the Kapalua Ritz. The entire visit to Maui was like a beautiful dream. The warm September water in the bay near Merrimans bathed over us and we were so happy.

~Mark


My husband & I have been to Maui 5 times and the other islands1time! We love Maui! last year we took our kids there for Christmas! What an awesome time we had! We went snorkeling, hiking, and whale watching! And just had the most awesome time! Thank you, Maui for a wonderful vacation!

~Careen


My favorite memory is the first time we went to Maui and my Grand baby was 6 months old she played with the sand and then tried to eat it got some cute pics with sand all over her face. Will be returning in February 2013. Love Maui!!!!

~Samantha


I have too many amazing stories of the living goddess that is Maui to count. But two of my favorites are hiking up the Kaupo gap to the crater as the sun was setting and finding the second half of the way using nothing but the light of the moon; the second was watching a meteor shower on the hill above Hamoa beach. the sky was so clear it felt as though the stars would fall upon the grass around me.

~Eliza


When my kids were 11 (they’re 17 now) I took them to Maui for an EPIC 10-day vacation… stayed on Ka’anapali beach and spent every day playing in the surf, snorkeling at Molokini and Turtle Town, driving to Hana, visiting the aquarium (best one we’ve ever been to), and shopping… to this day it is the BEST family vacation we’ve ever been on… as a single mom, it wasn’t an easy task to save up for such a grand vacation, but it was so worth it… and I’m now looking forward to someday moving to and retiring in Maui... my favorite of the Hawaiian islands… Aloha and Mahalo 🙂

~Liana


A day of love, a week of paradise..! My husband and I were married on Big Beach in 2006, exactly 6 years ago yesterday! We fell in love with Mother Maui so much that we are planning on moving there soon. We have scrimped and saved, became gypsies, gotten rid of a lot of possessions, and sacrificed a 5-minute work commute to a 2-hour commute so we don’t have to pay rent and this is just to mention a few sacrifices. Maui is magic, love, generosity, and compassion and I plan on living a happy island life even if it’s in a shack.

~Briana


I’m Heike from Germany in Europe, I was blessed to spend my 30. birthday on Maui! It was unforgettable, and I fell in love with it at first sight!

My favorite memory of Maui would have to be when my husband and I (I was 22 weeks pregnant) were laying on the beach and we decided on our baby boy’s name and wrote it on the sand! We took a picture of his name in the sand and announced it to everyone! Beautiful moment! We are taking him to Maui in November!

~Becca


Maui is wonderful. We have taken our 4 boys to Maui twice and love the Kaʻanapali area. We always went to the beach early in the morning before the crowds and then walked along the boardwalk (a favorite for my husband and me). It is hard to pinpoint a favorite though. We celebrated a couple of birthdays at Bubba Gumps which is so fun, snorkeled, and relaxed. One interesting note was when I was stung by a centipede in the dark. What a shock. But the neighbor (owned a place there so knew about services etc) at our complex took us to a clinic in the Hyatt and the treatment I received was great. Something to remember out of the ordinary. Anyway, hope to be back in January…fingers crossed.

~Monique


We have spent our last 3 vacations on Kaʻanapali and we were married on Makena. Maui is a way of life. This is what we have adopted into our home.

The beautiful Maui Spirit of Aloha.

~Lynda


I wanted to share my favorite moment in Maui. It was July 19, 2007, in Makena at the white orchid beach house and it was my wedding day. It was an amazing day and had been promising that it was the dry side of the island. Well, literally a few minutes before I walked down the aisle it started to rain. I was asked if I wanted to wait but I knew that rain was good luck so I went for it and had the night of my life and so many memories.

~Caitlin


Our MAUI honeymoon trip was the best. We did the hotel thing and also experience the hostel (banana bungalow). Snorkel in LANAI saw a dolphin swum along with our boat, saw white fin shark about 6 foot long, V.I.P. luau in LAHAINA, I shopped till I dropped in WAILEA, zipline in HAIKU, HANA tour was super fantastic: Had the best banana bread ever, seen the waterfalls, huge trees like u guys posted not too long ago, Black sand beach, caught a crab, ate at the side road fam restaurant, site seeing, hiking going home I got car sick but the trip was worth it the best sickness ever, KIHEI lunches, especially at Fat Daddy’s, D&B and Hard Rock, Drove the around whole ISLAND, we go to the beach e-v-e-r-y single day for 10 days we were there, watched the sunset/sunrise, we also shopped at the other mall, seeing the natives perform live, drink coconut juice, had shaved ice. MAUI is always gonna stay in my heart forever & on top of all the beauty out there I got to spend it well with my LOVE. my husband.

~Sheila


I have so many memories in Maui that I could choose from. It’s where my heart is. Since I have to choose one it would be when I was paddleboarding in Lahaina near Shark Pit. I was looking from far away and saw little things sticking up out of the water swimming around and I got scared. My friend was catching waves on his board and I called him over and asked what those were, he said just snorkels. I paddled over there to investigate. I found out those weren’t snorkelers! They were baby sharks!!! 🙂 it was so amazing getting to paddle around them! They would swim right underneath my board! They were amazing! I would go out there daily to swim with them and they were there most of the time 🙂 one time a huge turtle was nearby and he swam under my board as well. And then that seal that would always come up and chill on the rocks, he was there near shark Pitt too! I love all the creatures of the ocean 🙂 and I love Maui! I will go back soon to live forever! I’m not so sure why I left in the first place 🙁 but I’ll be back! Save room for me 🙂

~Kayla


My favorite Maui activity is going to Haleakala for sunrise and listening to the Hawaiian chant. There is no better way to connect to the island and its people than through sunrise and sharing Hawaiian heritage…

~Bill


Driving the road to Hana – I have been on it 4 times and each and every time there is a new surprise and something wonderful to explore around every bend – rainbows, birds, flowers, bamboo forest, waterfalls, the ocean views, roosters, cows, good food and friendly people! and the beaches and water spout at Waiʻanapanapa State Park and Black Sand Beach.

~Trish


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