Beware of stand-after-stand of cheesy sales people trying to sell you on $9 whale watching trips and 2-for-1 booze cruises. Here are the people who do it right:
Maui Ocean Riders – On our most recent trip to Maui, we were treated to the comedic styling of Patty our zodiac captain on a snorkel/whale watching trip around Lanai. Usually, I am not one for organized tours or anything of that nature. I feel stifled and restricted by time limits and kind of like a herded sheep. Well my friends, this is the anti-tour tour. Only two crew members, both of whom were rad. Helpful and fun with great stories and info, not canned one-liners and cheesy sales pitches like a lot of tours. They don’t time your snorkel stops meaning it’s up to your group to determine how long you want to stay out. The “provided food” was actually good – a welcome surprise when lunch rolled around. I would recommend any of the excursions offered by Maui Ocean Riders they are a phenomenal company to work with.
Lahaina Divers – We’re repeat customers at Lahaina Divers. From my first (and only) scuba experience to my husband’s dive certification, these guys do it all. I was nervous about taking my first intro dive – worried I’d hate it, be scared, freak out, be patronized, etc. They made me feel so comfortable and gave me practical, useful tips. I enjoyed (nearly) every minute of it. (My ears feeling near explosion was not their fault, just a case of sensitive sinuses.) Great staff, organized excursions, an all-around good time. These people are just cool. We’d hang out with them off the boat too!
The Hana Highway – I have mixed feelings about this, it’s a looooong way in the car (at least 3+ hours round trip) and if you EVER experience motion sickness, there’s a good chance this drive might kill you. The first time, I took enough Dramamine to keep a humpback whale from becoming nauseous - I was practically in a coma. The next time, I drove which alleviated the motion sickness, but extended the trip to nearly 5 hours. I KNOW. I drive slow. It’s a scary road people! And on the way back, it was DARK! OK!?! And at the end, you’re rewarded with this little town called Hana. It’s “meh” at best. I understand some people would feel cheated without this experience. I however, will likely never go again.
Waimoku Falls – If you do decide to make the trek to Hana, you might as well drive the extra 9 miles to get to Haleakala National Park and Waimoku Falls. You have to buy a $10 (cash only) National Park pass to park in their lot, which is good for a week and you can use to go to Haleakala Crater as well. You reach Waimoku Falls throught a 3.5 mile hike round trip through a haunting and beautiful bamboo forest. There is no sound like the hollow clatter of bamboo hitting together in the wind. There are approximately 1856 mosquitos per square inch of trail. For some reason, I leave everytime peppered with bites, while my husband emerges unscathed. For those of you whose blood smells like a nice cold beer to insects, definitely pack bug spray.