What should I do in Hawaii?
FiShFrEnZy asked:
So I’m considering going to Hawaii this December. I would be going to conferences in the morning and late night, but thought I could do some touring during the days. Do you know of anything fun to do there? Money really isn’t much of an issue, so include the big things but don’t overlook the small things that are fun too. Can I take ferries to different islands too? Do they have reefs there with tropical fish and life (I love tropical saltwater fish and am a big aquaium hobbyist, so if I could go diving to see these creatures it would be a HUGE highlite for me!) I would be staying in Kahului. Thanks!
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So I’m considering going to Hawaii this December. I would be going to conferences in the morning and late night, but thought I could do some touring during the days. Do you know of anything fun to do there? Money really isn’t much of an issue, so include the big things but don’t overlook the small things that are fun too. Can I take ferries to different islands too? Do they have reefs there with tropical fish and life (I love tropical saltwater fish and am a big aquaium hobbyist, so if I could go diving to see these creatures it would be a HUGE highlite for me!) I would be staying in Kahului. Thanks!
December 29th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
You will be on the island of Maui. See the old whaling town of Lahaina, Drive up Haleakala from there. Ferrys go from Lahaina to Lanai and Molokai. Have Fun!
January 2nd, 2009 at 12:58 am
The Hawaiian Superferry now goes from Kahului, Maui to Honolulu, Oahu as well.
But whales prefer the shallow waters between the islands of Maui County (Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, and Molokai) to the busy waters around Honolulu. December is when you have enough humpbacks in Hawaii that seeing some on a whale watching expedition, like the ones given by the Pacific Whale Foundation out of Maalaea and Lahaina, is reasonably likely.
I’ve seen whales while standing on the shore many times, and you might see some from a ferry. I even knew someone who was paddling a one-man canoe near Molokai when a humpback whale surfaced under him, and knocked his canoe over with a startled flick of its tail! He wasn’t hurt or scared, just in awe!
There’s good snorkeling on Maui, but the best locations change due to weather conditions and the direction and size of waves. Ask the folks at Snorkel Bob’s, “If you were going snorkeling instead of working today, where would you go?” I see humuhumunukumukuapuaa just about every time I go snorkeling, so I usually consider it to be a successful trip.
Molokai actually has better coral reefs than Maui and few tourists, but Molokai Fish and Dive doesn’t take snorkeling expeditions out every day. Sometimes they lead fishing, kayaking, or whale-watching expeditions instead. There was a woman from Illinois on one of their expeditions one time, who didn’t want to snorkel, she was just going to tread water and wait for everybody else. I told her she didn’t know what she was missing, put my face in the water, brought it back up again and said, “You know, there’s a huge green sea turtle right under you.” Next time I saw her, she was wearing a mask and a snorkel!
You’ll also want to check out the Maui Ocean Center, where you can walk through a clear tunnel under swimming rays and sharks.
There’s a fantastic show in Lahaina, that combines local traditions like hula and taiko drumming with the same style of performance as Cirque du Soleil. I’ve paid good money to see it three times, myself!
The warm clothes you wear on the plane and will wear again when you go home? Don’t forget to wear or take those to Haleakala, 10,000 feet above sea level and cold, so very cold. Every day, dozens of lunatics get on bikes up there and coast 38 miles down the volcano, but I wouldn’t do it. I’m always afraid I’m going to run over one of those people, too.
January 3rd, 2009 at 3:50 am
There is MUCH to do in Maui. There is snorkeling, swimming, scuba, boogie boarding, aquarium, Whale center, boat trips, fishing, whale watching, taking ferries to the other islands, lots of reefs with tropical fish. There are more suggestions on the website below, including the links.
January 3rd, 2009 at 9:59 am
ooo if you’re going in december then go watch the competition they have at the pipeline! those surfers are crazy it’s amazing to watch! December is also great cuz there are less tourists everywhere. Go to the Polynesian Cultural Center for sure you won’t regret it, it’s on Oahu! Other things to do on Oahu is vist the Dole Plantation, The Aloha Bowl (aka swap meet), and eat tons of fruit cuz when you get back to the mainland the fruit will never be the same. Try and go to Oahu its my favorite island for sure
January 4th, 2009 at 4:01 am
Here’s a good website that you can do. Since you love the ocean. Also theres another website it tells 101 things to do on Maui. Your right you can take ferries. Scuba excursions to off south of Maui, you may know of it its a scuba diving spot off piece of volcanic crater Molokini.
January 6th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
You’re on Maui. You should go out to Hana. If you want to see fishies, you get on a catamaran day tour. A friend of mine, Chris, skippers and is runs one of those businesses. Say Hello to him from Bobby in Germany. I am his brother’s friend from college. Those tours do trips out to Molokini where you can dive around the reef. That is probably your best bet to see underwater life. If you get to Oahu, Haunauma Bay is a fish sanctuary. Lots of fishies there. A little ways from Haunauma Bay is Sea Life Park. My father helped build the park in the 60′s. There is a reef tank Aquarium in the park. There is a ferry, but I am not sure if it is running. I am not sure what the political situation is. I think they just don’t run to Kauai. I used to work for Seaflite in the 70′s, but the hydrofoils could not handle the channels. Have fun in December.