We checked out of our lodging in Lahaina on the morning of July 29, and would spend the rest of our day making our way over to central Maui until we got to the cottage we were renting in Kihei for the rest our stay in Maui. Before we left West Maui, though, we all agreed that we wanted to make one last stop in downtown Lahaina to get another taste of Ululani’s before we left the area.
This time, I got the Rising Sun shave ice from Ululani’s – a combination of green tea, almond, and lychee flavors, topped with homemade mochi. I loved the Japanese-inspired combination of flavors – it became an instant favorite for me!
The rest of the fam ordering their shave ice.
Miwa digging in.
Me, visibly sad that my shave ice went all too quickly…
We spent about an hour doing some souvenir shopping in downtown Lahaina.
Beautiful sky and waters in Lahaina
Mio and I on the bridge overlooking the shore.
“Goodbye, Lahaina!”
Dan loves getting fresh fruit in Hawaii, so he had to make a stop when he saw this large fruit stand.
We then drove over to Iao Valley State Park, which is one of the top attractions in Maui. Iao Valley is formed from the remnants of Maui’s first volcano that created the western part of the island, and the valley is a narrow gorge 5 miles long, flanked by heavily forested walls almost a mile in height. Iao Valley is also the site of one of the Hawaii’s most famous battles, the battle of Kepaniwai in 1790 when King Kamehameha I destroyed the Maui army of Kalanikupule in an effort to unite the Hawaiian Islands.
Iao Valley State Park
The Iao Needle (on the left side of the photo) is a volcanic monolith 2,250 feet high, soaring nearly straight up 1200 feet from the valley floor. This is widely considered a lookout for warriors of Maui, and the view from the bottom is quite impressive.
The Iao Valley was very lush, green, and beautiful.
Mio looking uncomfortable on Dan’s back.
The family at Iao Valley State Park
Ted and Miwa are mimicking Dan’s pose. Kosei was not a very good sport and didn’t want to play along.
Miwa and I against the lush mountains of Iao Valley
It is said that during the battle of Kepaniwai (“damming of the waters”), the Iao river ran red with blood all the way to the ocean and that the number of warriors fallen held back the waters of the river, thus the name given to the battle. There’s some morbid historical background for ya…
Look at these ginormous leaves! You could use them as umbrellas, like in Totoro!
For lunch, we stopped by Pukalani Superette and bought a whole bunch of poke, musubi, and other Hawaiian dishes to share and ate picnic style.
In the afternoon, we checked into the private cottage rental in Kihei and got settled in, resting and cooling down.
Mio was so hot that she refused to wear clothes.
Although I have to admit, there’s something really adorable and cherubic about a baby clad only in a diaper…
Mio, only a few days away from turning 16 months old.
Cheesing with Mama’s sunglasses.
After getting some rest and settling in, we walked over to the ocean which was right by the cottage, so we could get some beach time before we lost daylight.
Making our way down to the beach in Kihei
The beach was conveniently right by our cottage.
Sharing a mother-daughter moment on the beach.
There was no one else there, and we had the whole beach to ourselves! Although the beach wasn’t as breathtaking and manicured as those in West Maui, it was really peaceful.
The ladies! 🙂 All of us (with the exception of Dan, so all of the Yokoyamas) were frequently mistaken as locals. With our darker complexions and Asian background, I guess we look Hawaiian to some people.
Soaking in the last of the sun’s rays.
The boys frolicking on the beach. Mio couldn’t stop laughing as Daddy held her and her uncles ran circles around her.
We retired early that night, since we had an early wakeup ahead of us the next day to catch the sunrise at the Haleakala summit! 🙂
With the rest of the family having arrived the night before, we could finally get our vacation off to a start with everyone on our second day in Maui. We fixed breakfast together, took a dip in the pool at our lodging, and then set out to hit the beaches!
A sleepy Mio with her morning pick-me-up. lol
Preparing breakfast in the kitchen of the 2 bedroom condo we rented during our first three days in Lahaina.
My brother Ted swimming in the pool.
Mio had a great time in the pool with everyone!
Driving to Kaanapali Beach.
Mio and I at Kaanapali Beach.
A sandy-faced Mio.
Dan teaching my brother Kosei how to snorkel.
The girls soaking up some sun.
Kaanapali is one of the resort areas of Maui, and it was really gorgeous with its clear blue waters, smooth sand, and well-manicured grounds.
Dipping our feet in the water… Mio does not look very excited, probably because she’d just woken up.
A video of Mio giggling while playing on the beach with Uncle Ted:
After a couple hours at Kaanapali Beach, we moved a little further south in West Maui to Launiupoko Beach, which had a rocky cove, and had sand that was a lot darker, almost like a black sand beach. It was different from Kaanapali but still very beautiful!
A beautiful photo taken by my brother Ted.
My sister Miwa and I at Launiupoko Beach.
Gorgeous skies and water!
My sister and I trying not to crack up while posing for our “candid” photo.
It was so relaxing to just sit on the beach!
Dan and Mio playing in the sand
Sand creations in the gray (black?) sand.
Our family at Launiupoko Beach
My brothers and sister playing frisbee in the water.
Meanwhile, Dan, Mio, and I played in the sand.
Watching the waves come in.
Mio was a little apprehensive of the waters, but she felt safe with her aunt and uncles.
Later in the afternoon, we drove over to downtown Lahaina area to visit the Banyan Tree Park.
Mio is all smiles with Daddy!
Our family by the Banyan Tree
The Yokoyama siblings
Our first time in Maui!
The Banyan tree forms multiple trunks from roots that drop down from its branches. Here’s Dan and I by one of the clusters of its several trunks.
The huge central trunk of the Banyan Tree.
Mio’s face in this picture cracks me up…
We then walked around downtown Lahaina and did some souvenir shopping, and enjoyed an afternoon snack at Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice stand.
We had heard from our friend that Ululani’s had the best shave ice in all of the Hawaiian islands, and we were at first skeptical. Our favorite shave ice during our last trip to Hawaii was Waiola Shave Ice in Honolulu, which we’d found out about from our friends who had lived in Oahu who told us it was so much better than the more famous Matsumoto’s Shave Ice (and sure enough, Waiola was 10 times better than Matsumoto’s)! Dan and I have been having cravings for Waiola since our trip two years ago, so it was hard to imagine any shave ice could be better than Waiola — but we were pleasantly surprised to find that Ululani’s ice was really similar to Waiola, but even better! The ice was really fine and soft, the flavor variety expansive with their locally made syrup, combined with lots of great topping choices (like sweet cream, azuki beans, mochi pieces, and the option of adding ice cream at the bottom), and they poke holes throughout the shaved ice before pouring the syrup on so that it gets evenly saturated. It was truly shave ice perfection — so amazing! Ululani’s has since dethroned Waiola in our minds, and it’s now the new shave ice we dream of tasting again. (Thank you Komy for recommending it to us!)
The wait was really long, but it was well worth it!
I had watermelon, mango, and lychee flavored shave ice with mochi pieces.
Obligatory pictures of every one with their shave ice…
Kosei in mid-complaint about Ululani’s being out of azuki beans.
Mio got to try a couple bites, too!
After a fun-filled day, we headed back to the condo to wash up, cook and eat dinner, and play board games at night (our favorite thing to do when we’re reunited with my siblings). I’ll post about Day Three next, in which we explore more of West Maui! 😀
(Special thanks to my brother Ted for taking some of the amazing photos that were used in this post.)
It’s been almost a week since we returned from our family vacation in Maui, and I’m finally getting around to uploading pictures and videos! We got to do a lot of things while we were there and there are so many photos we want to share, so I’m going to split the trip up by days, like I did with our previous vacation in Hawaii. Two years ago, Dan and I got to experience Hawaii for the first time when we traveled to Oahu and Kauai for our belated honeymoon, and we fell in love with the islands! We’d since been dying to go to Maui, as a lot of our friends (including friends who were originally from Hawaii) had told us that Maui was the most beautiful island in Hawaii — some even told us it was the most beautiful island in all of the Pacific Ocean! After spending a week and a half there, we could understand why. Maui has such a rich variety of different landscapes and gorgeous views! Last time we were in Hawaii, we felt like we experienced two opposite ends of a spectrum, with Oahu being uber-touristy and Kauai being much more rugged and rural; I enjoyed both, but a lot of friends had told us that Maui was a great balance between the two, and they were right. There are definitely resort-like offerings there, but very rugged and undeveloped terrains as well, and I really appreciated that multifaceted experience.
Our trip to Maui was also markedly different from our honeymoon trip two years ago, as we invited along my three siblings from Virginia, and because we had a toddler in tow. It was definitely a very different experience — it changed the type of lodging we stayed in (we opted for private cottages with kitchen and washer/dryer, instead of hotels), how often we ate out, what kind of vehicle we needed to rent (a minivan for our party of six), and what sort of activities we planned. Last time, we really packed each of our days full of activities, but this time, we focused on only one or two major activities/locations per day, and didn’t adhere to a strict schedule. It ended up being a really memorable and relaxing family vacation, and while we definitely faced certain unforeseen challenges of vacationing with a young child, we’re so glad that we went!
On the first day, we took an early morning flight out of Oakland airport and arrived at Maui’s Kahului Airport in the early afternoon. My siblings’ flight wasn’t coming in until the evening, so we had several hours to kill while we waited and didn’t have anything planned, so we mostly wandered around and took Mio to the local park and beach, and went shopping at Costco and other stores to gather groceries and supplies.
Our first order of business upon arrival was lunch! We couldn’t wait to grab some poke from one of the local markets…
Shoyu-marinated ahi poke… amazing!
Dan also got some wasabi ahi poke.
Mussel poke flavored with kimchee. This was also delicious!
Dan showing Mio our first look at the ocean upon arriving in Maui.
Walking on the beach in Kihei.
Mio seemed sort of stunned and overwhelmed. She just stood there, taking it all in.
Wading in the water and getting all wet!
Picking up seashells with Mio.
After some beach time, we took Mio over to the nearby playground.
As usual, she loved the swing!
Already trying to climb trees…
“How did you get up there?”
A gorgeous afternoon in Maui.
Look at this chubster’s smile! She went down the slides over and over.
Mio made friends with one of the local kids!
It was nice for all of us to stretch our legs after the 5-hour flight!
Walking around more of the beach.
After spending the afternoon running around the beach and playground, we treated ourselves to some shave ice!
wSurfing Monkey Snack Shack in Kihei
Dan can’t wait to dig in!
Mio got a taste, too!
Later in the evening, we went back to the airport to pick up my siblings (who were understandably exhausted after over twelve hours on the plane) and drove over to our lodging in Lahaina, where we’d stay for the next three days. Stay tuned for our adventures in West Maui! 😀
On Day 7, our first full day in Kaua’i, we woke up at dark o’clock to drive over to Eleele, where we boarded a catamaran for a seven-hour tour that would take us up the Na Pali Coast and to see Niihau Island. Neither of us is a morning person, but we fought our sleepiness and embarked on the boat, banking on the promise that we would see some of the most stunning views of the island of Kaua’i.
Here comes the sun!
Leaving the dock.
We came across a small raft, that happened to be dolphin watching!
Spinner dolphin flipping about.
Dolphins swimming right in front of our boat!
They were super cute! I don't think I've ever seen dolphins so up close!
We sped up and soon approached the Na Pali Coast...
We were greeted by an amazing view.
The beautiful Na Pali Coast
This is what paradise looks like....
Towering mountains over a lush valley.
Steep mountains... this area of the Na Pali Coast is only accessible by boat or helicopter.
The Honopu Arch, where they filmed the movie Six Days Seven Nights
More majestic views of the Na Pali Coast
Na Pali Coast against a clear blue sky.
Dan and I at the Na Pali Coast
An amazing rock formation called The Keyhole.
Closeup of the natural bridge...
The hubby and I by the Keyhole!
Niihau Island in the distance
Approaching Niihau Island, a privately owned island known as the "Forbidden Isle" because it is off-limits to the general public.
The catamaran parked itself near Niihau Island, where passengers got the opportunity to go snorkeling for an hour before lunch. Here are some nice underwater shots that Dan took while snorkeling!
Fish in blue waters.
Uni! A sea urchin.
So many fish!
Closeup of a fish.
Underwater coral.
Trenches by Niihau Island.
Underwater life.
Here’s some video footage that Dan took with my camera while snorkeling…
The crew was super nice. Thank you Holo Holo Charters!
After snorkeling and lunch, it was time to head back to Kaua’i. The crew purposely gave us a very bumpy and exhilarating ride back! You can see more photos from the Na Pali Coast and Niihau Island in this photo album. If you are ever in Kaua’i and are considering a catamaran trip to see the Na Pali Coast, we really recommend Holo Holo Charters! They had top notch service and were really knowledgeable and skilled, and very personable, too! 🙂
When we got back to land, it was still the early afternoon, so we had plenty more things to do and places to see…
Dan before leaving Port Allen.
Jo Jo’s Shave Ice was strongly recommended as the best shaved ice in Kaua’i, so we stopped by while we were in Waimea.
Jo Jo's Shave Ice in Waimea
strawberry + guava + melon
Jo Jo's storefront
Dan enjoying his macnut shave ice!
Jo Jo’s Shave Ice was really good and was very refreshing, especially on a hot day! I personally still liked Waiola from Oahu better, but Jo Jo’s was definitely the best shaved ice we had in Kaua’i. (And we got shaved ice pretty much every day while we were on Kaua’i… haha* It was so hot there!)
A river running through the Kaua'i landscape.
An epic photo of Dan.
After making our way through winding dirt roads for over half an hour, we finally reached our destination in Waimea: The Waimea Canyon!
Arriving at Waimea Canyon Lookout
Stunning Waimea Canyon.
On top of the world.
The canyon stretching before our eyes.
A gorgeous view.
People at the Waimea Canyon lookout
Dan and I at Waimea Canyon
The pictures just don't do it justice!
Clouds over the canyon.
Hubby with the canyon in the background.
Dan was fascinated by the red dirt that could be found all over the island.
We picked up some fresh fruits at this roadside vendor right before they closed up shop.
For dinner, we stopped at the Shrimp Station in Waimea. If you know how much I love shrimp, you can imagine how psyched I was to go here….
Kaua'i's Shrimp Station!
I got shrimp tacos!
Dan got the Thai shrimp. Super good!
We wanted to try more, so we even got some coconut shrimp to go...
We then drove back to our hotel in Kapaa to kick back and relax for the rest of the evening.
Dan cut open this mystery fruit that he picked up at the roadside vendor. To this day, we’re still uncertain of what it’s called, but we were curious so we decided to try it out. To be honest, it was not very good…
Looks unappetizing... and did not taste very good, either.
Me enjoying some of our leftovers on our hotel balcony.
The hubby eating... the coconut shrimp was delicious1
The view of the beach from our balcony.
After waking up super early in the morning, we were totally pooped by the end of the day! We got to see so many amazing sights though, both along the Na Pali Coast and at Waimea Canyon — these are definite must-sees if you are ever in Kaua’i. 🙂
