Exploring the Green Maui Mountains for St. Patrick's Day

America's St. Patrick's Day is celebrated with lots of drinking and the color green. We opted for the color green for this year's celebration. We kept the day mellow, as we've done the bar hopping thing in past years. Instead we decided to keep the theme GREEN. We went on a hike along the Pali that has been the greenest it has been in YEARS due to all of the rain. Another free adventure to partake in on Maui. 

The Pali Coast is the stretch of highway that overlooks the ocean along the cliffs. Above that highway is a trail. This trail's high vantage point results in an almost 360 degree view of the turquoise blue ocean with the completion of the green mountains alongside the trail. We had done this trail 3 years ago when we first moved to Maui, and WOW what a difference. This winter has been the wettest, rainiest winter Maui has seen  in a very long time. It's been colder than most locals appreciate, but with rain comes rainbows... and green mountains! 

First here are a few photos to show a comparison from the first time we went on this Pali hike:

To be honest... I thought once was enough for this hike. The dry dead grass that surrounds the trail is kind of a bummer when there are hundreds of other places on Maui to be with green lush surroundings. We drove along the Pali highway countless times during the last few rainy months, shocked (as everyone else was) at how beautifully green it all was. So finally we strapped on our hiking shoes and headed to the top. 

The Pali hike is done in a few ways. The full trail is 5.5 miles one way and the full hike takes an approximate 4 hours. Most people just hike one way, unless you are interested in an 8 hour hike. This creates a dilemma because the parking for both ends of the trail are small little pull offs on the side of the road. There are no bus services from the end of the trails so you are on your own to get back to your car.

Some people caravan two cars to the end and drop a car off. Then they drive to the beginning trail head, that way there is a car at both ends. 

To do as the locals do, you take one car to the beginning trail head, and at the end of the trail hitch hike your way back to the car.

And yet we do it our own way. Once you get to the windmills, the half-way point, the trail looks basically the same the rest of the way as the first half of the trail does. So we just hike back the way we came to where our car is parked :D

The elevation gets up to 1600 feet, and with the positioning of this trail along a point of the island, the wind hits hard! If this GIF/photo plays correctly you can see my hair attacking me because of the wind!

These windmills are 30+ feet tall. The first time we went on this hike there were only 20. In 2012, 14 more went up and the windmills now generate electricity for 18,700 Maui homes! This was our first time up close and personal with the windmills because these closer ones were not built yet. Being up there made me realise just how much wind flows through this side of the island and it makes me so proud that Maui County and the Hawaii government are pushing towards renewable resources. Sun and wind are so prevalent and available, Hawaii could save so much money and energy by using these natural resources. Hawaii's goal is to get 40% of its energy from renewable resources by 2030! (MauiHawaii.org)

Overall it was a pretty successful St. Patrick's Day. In the end we had to at least be a little festive with a round of Guinness at our favorite restaurant Honu, and a little snack at Star Noodle.

Maui No Ka Oi

Beach Walking and Bar Hopping in Maui

Hello

My name is Tiffany and I am a walk-aholic

So is my husband Jon (I'm sorry to out you like this Jon...)

Would you like to see the evidence of our addiction? Read on...

Not only do we love our hiking adventures around Maui, but walking can be just as fun. Our theory: Walk up an appetite, eat and drink a bunch of calories, then walk off the calories on the way back home. It seems to be working.

Our latest drug of choice: an 11 mile walk (about 5 miles both ways) from Honokawai, or North end of Ka'anapali Beach and down to Lahaina at the beginning of Front Street. This walking route includes many bar stops for a drink and/or a snack (that part is key)

Okay, let me start at the beginning. Maybe through some photos and video blurbs(they should just skip frames and play on their own without pressing the play button) you'll come to understand why we put ourselves through such a thing.

We park in the beach parking lot next to Honua Kai, across from Times Supermarket. Duke's Beach House is only a few feet into the long walk, but we must stop in for a drink. There's a nice breeze usually, the ocean is only a few yards away and you can see it from the bar. The staff are friendly and it is apart of the TS restaurant family in which I am employed through... which means a 50% discount :D

Next we pass a few hotels along the beach walk and go in to say "hi" to a bartender friends working at the Marriott KOR bar. The breeze is light and sweet, keeping the warmth from the sun on our bodies a perfect temperature, even as we work up some body heat along the walk. (That's right, BEAT IT calories, get outta here!)

Jon, high off our walk addiction...

We wander through a few well groomed outside hotel grounds like the Royal Lahaina and Sheraton. Sometimes we see glimpses of a Luau starting with hula dancers and loud tribal drumming. The beach walk through Royal Lahaina leads to the beautiful Ka'anapli Golf Course.

And sometimes, mid-addiction, I do things I'll regret...

Next stop is a bit of a distance since Duke's Beach House because we have to pass through the hotels to get past Black Rock (the lava rock formation disrupting the continuous beach, gliding down the cliffs into the ocean). Hula Grill is my place of work. Why would I want to come in on my day off? Well, number one: I get 50% off. Number two: all the people working there are my friends so we have people to talk to!

Then right across the way is Leilani's on the Beach- another TS restaurant. The bar also overlooks the ocean and the the staff know us. Sometimes we'll get a Fish Taco during Happy Hour on Tuesdays but we love to order their Sweet Potato Fries or Hummus Plate with pita bread to hold us over, because the next bar stop is much further away (2.5 miles or about an hour's walk).

The view

After these few drinks and snacks, sometimes we'll grab a hammock (supposed to be for guests only at the hotels but how would they know..?) to relax or take a quick nap. It's rather romantic- an ocean side hammock nap with your beloved

But beware, if you stay in the hammock for too long without a blanket, towel, or mat, you'll get many indentations on your skin... it looks like you have a rash or have been whipped...

Next we pass the end of the Ka'anapali beach walk which ends at the Hyatt, transition onto the beach that connects with what the locals call Canoe Beach. This is where the outrigger canoes and kayaks are kept for the Lahaina team to meet up and practice with. This connects to the canoe beach parking lot and begins the Wahikuli beach walk.

This beach boardwalk lines the highway and at points drops down a level from the highway so you don't necessarily notices the cars beside you. I had also considered Wahikuli a little sketchy and trashy but I had never walked it! Granted we do pass a few homeless men along the walk, but they aren't scary and don't beg, they just seem to need a place to crash. It is actually one of my favorite spots now- it is beautiful! Especially walking along while the sun is going down so the sun is reflecting off of the water, and even better- during sunset!

Jon playing along the way, pull ups on trees or just some good old fashioned tree climbing :)

The semi-dangerous walk along the 3-foot wide walkway between cars on the highway and falling down the rocks. We are sure to walk a bit slower and more careful after our last stop for drinks at Honu and Mala.

And alas the goal! Honu Seafood and Pizza is our favorite, and sometimes we'll stop in at Mala Ocean Tavern if we have enough time during Happy Hour. Many times we misjudge how long it takes to walk from Hula Grill to here (about 2.5 miles) and want to catch the tail end of Happy Hour to get our favorite Lamb Riblets and Steamed Mediterranean Mussles (with white wine, olives, tomatoes, and garlic... yummmmm) which are discounted between 3-4:30pm, as well as some wines and beers. We literally run to the restaurant to catch the discount. It's silly really, the food is still available after Happy Hour ends but we are DETERMINED to get there by 4:30!

And often we arrive to an empty restaurant and have the bar all to ourselves. No worries, it fills up- it's usually booked solid every night so get a reservation ahead if you would like to eat dinner here.

An array of our dishes the many times we have done this walk. As I mentioned above the Lamb Riblets and Steamed Mediterranean Mussels are to die for and are discounted (as well at their pizza for happy hour which are also great), but the Ahi Bruchetta is the best item on the menu and easily the most popular. It is expensive but you can get a half order of 2 or a full order of 4.

We love that we are known here, by our usual bartender Monica (love her), and we always have interesting things happen to us. One day a man noticed us drinking Guinness (it was St. Patrick's Day, the next blog will tell you more about that day) and he highly recommended this Scottish Stout from Harviestoun Brewery called "Old Dubh" that only Honu offered, so he bought us one (which is $17 for one 11oz bottle...). We also had another local lady start chatting us up and bought us a round of oyster shooters, which I had done only once and Jon has never done! Locals in Maui are very sweet, friendly, and inviting. Just give out your Aloha vibes and you'll be welcomed with open arms!

We leave Honu at different times. Either long before sunset, right before sunset, or at sunset. All times are amazing to see the sunset at different areas along the walk

This time we reached Ka'anapali Beach by sunset and enjoyed a "long walk on the beach at sunset"

Or this time it set during our Wahikuli walk, and Jon jumped in one of the canoes to show off his paddling skills

Or this time it set right outside of Honu and Mala. This sunset was unbelieveable. Every now and then the sunset lights up the cloudy sky and paints in varying colors of pink, yellow, and orange, with the ocean mirroring it.

In the end, We covered 11.85 miles with our walk from Honua Kai to Honu and back. That sounds like a nightmare on our one day off... But as you've seen in the above photos- it's not. I get many guests in my restaurant asking what is something they can do that is "off the beaten path" or something the locals enjoy. This is one of my top favorite "local things" to do. It is simple, easy, and really not that strenuous because you can move at your own pace. But taking in the beauty of Maui requires exploring it- not just sitting by the pool of your hotel for 7 days straight (but hey, if you came to Maui to only do that, do what makes you happy). You don't need to stop in for drinks, the beach walk alone is an experience in itself and costs nothing. A cheaper option might be to bring our own beers or a bag of chips to snack on during a pit stop on the beach. Walk for a shorter distance, or longer even- but get out and see Maui, experience Maui- you won't regret it!

I'm a walk-aholic.... and proud of it.

Maui No Ka Oi