A little on Maui’s history…Upscale hotel in Kaanapali Beach or a condo in quiet area?

As we stood at the cliff, the ocean was swirling at the shoreline. The color, difficult to see here, was a beautiful aquamarine.

Maui, as well as the other Hawaiian Islands, has a rich history:

“Legends say the demigod Maui pulled the Hawaiian Islands from the sea and lassoed the sun atop Haleakala, the island’s highest peak. The island of Maui was named after this mythological being, perhaps because the shape of the island is said to resemble his head and body.

King Piilani was the first ruler to unite all of Maui under a single family of all (royalty) in the early 15th century. In 1790, King Kamehameha, I defeated Kahekili, Maui’s last king, after a fierce battle in the iconic Iao Valley. Kamehameha took control of Maui and made Lahaina the new capital of the unified Hawaiian Kingdom.

For nearly five decades, Lahaina served as the center of government for Hawaii. Simultaneously, the town experienced a surge in its whaling industry. At the height of the whaling era (1840-1865) as many as 500 ships anchored in Lahaina’s port.

Maui’s first sugar mill began operations in 1828. As the sugar industry in the islands grew, an influx of plantation workers from China, Japan, Puerto Rico, Korea, the Philippines, Portugal, and Europe arrived in Hawaii. These immigrants became the foundation of the multi-ethnic culture of Hawaii today. You can experience these influences at places like the

Lahaina Jodo Mission and in the fusion of flavors found in Hawaii Regional Cuisine. “

A pleasure boat at a distance.

For more details on the history of Maui, please click here which we found to be some of the most comprehensive histories on Maui we found online.

Although on this visit to the islands, we’ve only been to Oahu and Maui so far, having been to the islands many years ago, I am certain, my favorite will continue to be Maui. On December 1st, we leave for the Big Island, also known as Hawaii, and later on January 15th, we head to the island of Kauai until May.

A simple reflection of the sun on the sea.

There are many aspects to Maui but the two most appealing to tourists is as follows:

The busy, shopping, restaurants, nightlife hotel row of Kaanapali Beach, Kapalua, and other resort sections of the exquisite beaches of Maui as found at this link
The quieter beaches with less tourist activity such as where we are in Maalaea Beach and dozens of other similar areas, easily found online

It’s simply a matter of personal preference. In my younger days, Kaanapali Beach was the place to stay, although many tourists in the over 50 crowd prefer to stay where the “action is” in Kaanapali staying for perhaps a week or two, can better afford to pay the high prices in the hotels along the beach.

It would have been prohibitive for us to spend the six weeks we’re in Maui in that area. Although truth be told, had it been affordable, most likely, it would have been impossible to resist.

Had we spent six weeks at the Hyatt in Kaanapali Beach we’d have paid $288 per night plus another $250 per day in meals, taxes, and tips for a total of $538 per day for a total of $24,210, no car needed.

For our entire 45 days in Maui, we paid $5788 for six weeks ($128 per day) in this lovely condo, plus $20 a day for a car at $900 and averaging at $40 per day at $1800 for groceries and dining out. Our grand total (estimated as of today-will post total when we’re ready to leave) is $8488 at $189 per day.

In other words, by forgoing a fancy hotel, we’ve saved $15,722. Of course, one wouldn’t usually stay in a hotel for such an extended period.

Many shorelines in the Hawaiian Islands consist of lava rock.

The question becomes for the retiree considering a visit to Maui – to stay a short time with the convenience of a resort strip on a beach with one hotel and restaurant after another or, choose a quieter location at considerably less cost away from the more popular areas, cooking one’s own meals, renting a car and being away from the hustle and bustle. It’s a matter of personal preference and finances.

For the younger tourists staying for a week or two, the hotel’s fabulous beaches are popular choices if prices are affordable. And, there are numerous condo and resorts in Kaanapali, many at affordable rates that may appeal to a tourist for a short term stay. Maui has many vacation/holiday options available from vacation rental houses (expensive) to studios (less expensive) all over the island.

For our current six week stay, we couldn’t have been more content in another location. We have the beach outside our door, a beautiful pool with views, impeccable grounds, a mid-sized rental car at an affordable rate and easy access to visit Kaanapali Beach, where…by the way we’re hoping to visit tomorrow with many photos to share on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The humidity was heavy when we took this photo as shown in the brush.

We’ll be back tomorrow with more photos and a post before we hopefully depart for Kaanapali Beach later in the morning.

Today, as soon as I hit “upload” we’re on our way out to the pool where we’ll lounge for an hour, eyes peeled on the ocean for signs of life.

Have a wonderful Sunday! We plan to!

Photo from one year ago today, November 9, 2013:

On this date, one year ago, we visited the goats in the backyard of the house in Kenya, always laughing over how they’d stare at us. Check out those “bedroom eyes.” For details of that date, as we began to wind down our time in Diani Beach, please click here.

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