Picking up where we left off on Day Two, we explored more of West Maui on our third day. This was our last day staying in the Lahaina area, so we wanted to make the best of it! 🙂
 

Mio in the Maui morning sun
Mio bathed in the Maui morning sunlight.

 

We spent much of the early half of the day at Napili Kai Beach and Kapalua Beach, which are right next to each other. It was a great area to snorkel in, as well as to just sit back and enjoy the beach.

 

Stepping into the ocean.
Stepping into the ocean.

 

At the Napili Kai Beach Resort
Dan and my siblings getting ready to snorkel at Napili Kai Beach Resort.

 

Everyone with their snorkeling gear on.
Ready for some snorkeling!

 

Mio at Napili Kai Beach
Mio stayed behind on the beach, and we took turns watching her.

 

We got some great underwater pictures thanks to the underwater housing that we brought along for my point-and-shoot camera.

sea urchin underwater.
A sea urchin embedded in the rocks.

 

Coral at Napili Kai
Coral at Napili Kai

 

We discovered some sea turtles while snorkeling! We’d seen them last time we were at Tunnels Beach in Kauai two years ago, but it’s always such an exciting experience to see them.

We love sea turtles!
Sea turtles in Kapalua Bay

 

We think they were mating...
One got on top of the other. We suspect they were mating…

 

Closeup of the sea turtle
Closeup of the sea turtle: such majestic creatures!

 

Here are a couple underwater videos we took of the sea turtles!

 

 

Some more underwater pictures that we took…

Dan got some interesting underwater pictures.

 

The fish were so colorful!
Colorful fish and a sea snake.

 

Returning to the shore, we had a great time playing in the sand together.

Mio having fun with the noodle.
Mio having fun with the noodle. (I swear I’m not naked in this picture – bad cropping.)

 

Kosei messing with Ted.
Kosei burying Ted in the sand.

 

Mio getting buried in the sand.
Kosei also dug a hole for Mio to stand in. She looks unfazed.

 

We found out they were from San Ramon!
Mio made a friend on the beach, and we found out upon talking to his mom that they were from San Ramon! We actually ran into a lot of fellow vacationers from the Bay Area.

 

It was a gorgeous day.
It was a gorgeous day.

 

For lunch, we went to Star Noodle in Lahaina, as a bunch of us were craving some ramen.

Star Noodle!

 

Mio is happy to be indoors.
Mio usually loves being outside, but she’d had enough of the heat and was happy to cool down indoors.

 

Lunch at Star Noodle
Everyone at lunch.

 

Delicious pork buns!
For the appetizer, we had some awesome pork buns. They were so good!!!

 

my hapa ramen from Star Noodle
My hapa ramen from Star Noodle, with black miso. Ehrmahgerd… it was some of the best ramen I’d ever had.

 

Dan's saimin from Star Noodle
Dan got the saimin, which was also great!

 

Miwa and I at lunch
Miwa and I, full and satisfied after our delicious lunch!

 

Next stop was D.T. Fleming Beach! It was so hot and we were experiencing some major food coma, so we just wanted to lay out in the shade and nap.

Next stop: D.T. Fleming Beach!

 

Resting in the shade.
Resting in the shade.

 

Uncle Ted playing with Mio
Mio had so much fun with Uncle Ted!

 

Later in the afternoon, we drove up North to see the Nakalele Blowhole. Mio was napping in the car, so Ted (who injured his foot) stayed behind with her while Dan, Kosei, Miwa, and I made the trek down to see the blowhole.

Carefully going down...

 

Scary warning.
Scary warning sign.

 

Down by the Nakalele Blowhole
The hike down was pretty rocky, but we finally reached the blowhole area.

 

Dan was fascinated by these formations
Dan was fascinated by these rock formations.

 

Nakalele Blowhole
The Nakalele Blowhole

 

The Nakalele Blowhole in action.
The blowhole in action. Definitely dangerous if you get too close!

 

Miwa and I by the heart-shaped hole near the blowhole.
Miwa and I by the heart-shaped hole near the blowhole.

 

Dan and I by the heart-shaped hole.
It was a perfect heart! Very cute.

 

We had a wonderful time in West Maui, and thoroughly enjoyed all the beauty it had to offer! The next day, we’d move to our cottage in Kihei, and explore the central and Eastern part of the island during the rest of our stay.