Three days, two nights

My second trip back to Maui was with a friend of mine from college. We had a bit more time to explore, as well as some camping gear, so we really got some diversity on the trip. We drove the Road to Hana in a convertible (definitely the way to do it). We found Blue Pool and of course hiked to lots of waterfalls. That evening we had dinner in Lahaina, and spent the night in the Maui Seaside ($90/night).

The next morning we drove up Haleakala with the top down the whole way, even though it got real cold towards the top. We hiked into the crater on the Sliding Sands trail and then went back down the mountain to have dinner. I highly recommend NOT doing that, as going back up and down the mountain gets tiring. Its a beautiful drive, but don’t do it over and over again. Bring food with you is the moral of the story. After dinner we setup the tent at our campsite near the summit of Haleakala (again, bad idea to do that in the dark without a good flashlight).

Early the next morning while it was dark and freezing cold, we drove to the summit of Haleakala to watch its famous sunrise. DEFINITELY worth it. It’s like the view from an airplane, as you are above the clouds. Dress warm. Dress warm. Dress warm.

After breaking down our campsite, we drove to Ma’alea Bay to go whale watching with the Pacific Whale Foundation. The guides were very knowledgeable, and we saw TONS of whales, but the boat was a bit too crowded for my taste. Still though, it was an awesome experience for a reasonable price, with the money going to a good cause.

After whale watching we explored Ka’anapali Beach and then drove back to the airport to leave.