I leaving in the morning the morning (11-21-10) to go to stay in Kapalua for 10 days. Although I understand I am my honeymoon I still intend on surfing as much as freakin possible during my stay. I’m just wondering if I can get some advice from the Sways community on where to surf…? Where to rent a decent board…? and other Island activities I should not miss..Any thoughts, advice, ort wisdom is greatly appreciated!!
Bob
Go see Wayne-o down by the rental car offices---- Maui Surfboards---- Honoapiilani Hwy(aka Hwy 30). South of where you will be in Kapalua at the South end of Lower Honoapiilani and the intersection of Honoapiilani Hwy. Two Honoapiilani Hwys. Upper and lower. Wayno is on the inland side of the intersection in the building that houses a couple of car rental agencies. Tell him Lowel sent you. Lots of places to surf on the Lower Hwy this time of year. Wayne-o will steer you in the right direction
Lowel,
Great information! Thanks
I can't wait to get on some Hawaiian peelers. Hopefully I still have a wife after a 10 day surfing stay..
Road to Hana..? Yes or No??
Hana? Sure! Just pack some food the night before. From Kapalua leave early like 6:00 AM. Allow yourself all day. Take your time. Go slow. It's not as long a trek as everyone claims. There's alittle side road once you get out there that takes you down to the beach with a big "palapa" that guys store there boards in the ceiling of. Have lunch there. Turn around and go back the same way. Don't try to circumnavigate the Island. It's hell on a rental car. If you go down to Wailea and Kihei for a day drive down toward the lava field south of Makena and check out a spot called Dumps. South swell only but nice to look at a true lava point.. Gotta go. Check back every other day or so and I'll throw out a few tidbits on places to eat etc. Good kau kau on Maui.
On the return trip from Hana stop at Hookipa and watch the sailboarders. Then go on down to Paia and walk around for awhile. Shop a little and buy her something nice.
Then go over to Charlies' and have a drink(Willies' place). Be careful on the drive back especially on the Pali (cliffs). Don't pass and be ready to yield if you see some idiot coming the opposite direction in the wrong lane. Every year a couple of tourists get killed in a head-on somewhere between Kahului and Lahaina. Don't let be you.
If you do go down to Kihei for any reason. Have lunch or dinner at "Da Kitchen" . Best local food on Maui. I highly reccomend the "chicken katsu" and a bowl of "Saimin". You will NOT be disappointed. Kihei was my hometown for many years and I miss it and the Islands generally big time. If you got the time coming back from Paia and want to stop in on the "Heart" of the Maui surf and surfboard industry; Let me know. Lowel
Howzit McDing, I spent 8 months up country in Ulupalakua in 74-75 and used the back road all the time to go to Hana and at that time the car rental cos told you not to use that road, I have a friend who has live makai of the road about a hundrea yards past the wine tasting place and I always stay there when I go to maui. John was the maitaine man for the ranch for over 20 years and his wife still takes care to the owners yard( another forgotten name) so they have access to the whole ranch and I have been over the whole place myself. The last time I was there (2005) there were lots of cars using the backroad and even tour buses. Most of it was paved except for from hana to just past the seven falls hee the road had a steep place with coral for the road. Bottom line is the road was a little scary for some people backin the 70's but in the later years it seemed fairly tame. I must admit on surf trips to other countries I was always he designated driver so that back road never scared me but for the not so brave I will agree with you about driving to Hana via the paved road. Aloha,Kokua
Thanks for all your help Lowel for all your great suggestions!! I finally got a break to reply back to you. My first order of business was to go see Wayne and get a surfboard. Very cool dude! I started out with an ole school 10’ noserider because the waves were smallish. I went to a right point break on the north side of the Island near Paia and caught some nice chest high waves. I had an awesome lunch at Mamas Fish House! Paia is an awesome town! The bell hops at Kapalua suggested going to Honolua Bay the next day which I did and caught some fast lines on the 10’. Went back to see Wayne and traded in the board for an 8’0’ and caught an early morning stomach high session at the Bay. This morning I went down to the very end point of the Bay at 6am, which were the only waves working. Chest high and surfed 2 hrs by myself!??! 5-7 cars pulled up and didn’t paddle out. Was like a religious experience! I have till next Friday to do Hana and to get to your hometown of Kihei for the famous Chicken Katsu. Thanks again for the help and suggestions. So far I’ve been surfing, did a 1 hour helicopter tour of the Island, ate fresh fish every meal, watched Cirque Polynesia and snorkeled. We are going to the Feast of Lele Luau tonight and reef fishing in the morning. This place rocks!! Bob
I am sooo glad that you and yours are having such a great time on the "Valley Isle". Since you have already done Paia; when you come back from Hana turn left up W. Kuiaha rd. right before you get into Haiku. Watch for it on the way out to Hana so you will have an idea where it is when you come back. As you pass the town of Haiku on the inland side going to Hana Kuiaha will be about the third right up a canyon. A left coming back from Hana. You gotta either know where it is or be looking for it. Otherwise you will blow by it. Go a ways up and you will come to Pauwela Cannery on your left. Park in the big lot and wander around a little. Walk down thru the inside hall of the building and you will see the names of Island shapers, ding repair etc. Da Kine has their Island HQ there and there is the small Pauwela Cafe for coffee. Timpone's shaping room is on the Parking lot side in the back next to " Gramps Rockin' Chair Ding Repair". Jeff will most likly be there shaping if it's a week day. The best Glass shop on the Island is next to Gramps'; Gott Glassing Poke your head in the door and tell Dave Gott and Duane Ignacio Lowel said "Howzit"! Pauwela Cannery is a slice of surfing lifestyle and history that won't be there forever. Take a few pics. This is Hawaiian. Have Fun! Lowel
Having mentioned Charlies in Paia; I just heard that Wille and the boys got busted again in their tour bus down in Texas. Got pulled over and the Trooper smelled Marijuwana. Lol. He has some $#!t luck. The bus got busted a couple of years ago as well. There wasn't anybody on the bus under the age of sixty. Six ounces of no doubt good weed. Those Texas Troopers are "UN-cool".
Don't need to go to Kihei for the Chicken Katsu. Da Kitchen has a place in Lahaina, right across for the Banyan Tree on Front Street. Plenty of good place's to grind on the Lahaina side.
Since you are in Kapalua, you might consider hitting Honokawai Deli for lunch. New owners, but still pretty good. The Honolua Store is decent also, and that place has a fond place in my memory, and we used to stop there for gas and food on our way to and from H-Bay.
I have not talked to Wayne since before the past election day, but I am sure that he is quite pleased that his wife was elected to the County Council.
A trip to the Cannery in Haiku is worth it just to see Gramp's (Richard), a true character.
This place has changed, but I am glad that you are enjoying yourself.
There's a Da Kitchen in Kahului too. But the best Chicken Katsu on Maui is still at Da Kitchen in Kihei next to Denny's. It's all in the cook His name is Ken and he's got it down.
Well I left Maui the end of last week and came home to two feet of snow on the ground. My visit there was amazing!! Road to Hana……Took off at 530am from Kapalua heading for Hana. Light drizzle met us as we hit the legendary corkscrew roads, one lane bridges, and beautiful waterfalls that pop up every so often. Zero traffic! I had the opportunity to stop and gets some photos of a few waterfalls along the way. Stopped and a little place before Hana and got some amazing banana bread and a strong cup of Kona coffee. The girl working there pointed us to the black and red sand beaches that are in and around Hana. Funny, I had this image of Hana being this big tourist type town but was surprised to see how small it was. Very cool place! I was going to take your advice and stop by the Cannery of the way home but we couldn’t resist continuing our drive all the way around the Island. WOW! What a sweet drive. Single lane roads..dirt roads..rough up pavement through so many different personalities of the Island. Rainforest, lush cattle land, lava flows, back to up country.. It took us about 7.5 hours to get back around to hwy that takes you down from up country..We went straight the Buzz’s at marina for some fresh ahi sashimi, and a Mahi lunch. This was one out of ten fantastic days.
The star of my tip was Honalua Bay! Woke up every morning a 530am to get down there when it was till dark. I got many dawn patrol sessions in virtually alone. A caught subs chest high one morning and surfed for two hours by myself. A few cars would pull up and look but nobody paddled out. What a spiritual place.. When I did surf in the line up with the locals I never had any problem with “localism” that I was warned about from the bellhops and the resort. The surfers I encountered in the water were all very cool and there was a very positive vibe in the water. I sat on the point in the lineup and waited to my turn to drop into some of the longest lines I have every surfed. It was fun just to sit on the cliff and watch people surf such a special wave. It was hands down the funniest surfing experience ever for me. Wayneo’ hooked me on a triple stringer 10’0” the first couple days then I scaled down the an 8’0” the rest of the trip. I feel like I left a part of me in that Bay..
Here is a few pics of the trip..
So I take it this means you might go back for a future anniversirary(sp)?