Our Honeymoon: Kapalua, Maui
Day 1
And we're off!
Picking up our sweet rental car.
We had champagne and chocolate covered strawberries waiting for us in our room.
Our terrace where we had breakfast on our third day there (but I forgot to take a picture of it!)
Our private beach, D.T. Flemming Beach. Although all beaches in Maui are public, this one is only accessible through the Ritz-Carlton grounds, so it's as private as you can get.
We had high surf warnings every day we were there. No surf lessons on this trip!
Me on the beach.
Day 2
Our first full day was spent checking out the beach and the pool/grounds.
We had lunch at The Beach House Restaurant and this was our view.
That night we had sushi at Sansei Seafood Restaurant on the Kapalua Resort grounds. This picture was on the way to dinner at Sansei wearing my new Hawaiian dress--a gift from my husband. We had gone shopping in the nearby town of Kaanapali earlier in the day.
Day 3
On our third day we got ready to go to a luau.
I made Ben pose with one of the Hawaiian girls that welcomes you at the luau.
Day 4
On Day 4 we ventured down south a little to the beach town of Lahaina. It is famous for its big Banyan Tree which I did not get a picture of, but I did get this picture of Ben instead.
The Mai-Tai lounge boasts of the #1 Mai Tai in all of Maui.
So of course, we just HAD to try it.
We explored the town which had some great scenery and lots of quaint shops. Ben said it reminded him alot of the beach towns in California.
Then it was back to Kaanapali to get ready to go on our sunset dinner sail. But first we stopped in the little town of Maalea.
Back in Kaanapali, we stopped for a drink at LeLani's on the Beach. This was my favorite drink on vacation, the Lava Flow. It's like a Pina Colada but with a ton of fruit. I think I drank about 10 of these. It's no wonder I gained 5 lbs.
Soon it was time to board for the sail.
Day 5
Day 5 started with our aforementioned breakfast on the terrace. Then we got the most wonderful couples massage ever at the Waiha Spa at the Ritz-Carlton. After the massage, we sat in the "relaxation room" and had champagne. Then they let you use the whirlpool and sauna for the entire day. It was heaven.
We also visited the hotel hot tub and I made Ben take a picture of me in my new swimsuit.
We found this nice spot for some photos before dinner at Kai Sushi.
Day 6
On Day 6 we took a guided tour of the beautiful southern coast of Maui, otherwise known as the "road to Hana." It is a pretty scary, curvy stretch of road, but it allows you to see almost all of Maui, and if you do the guided tour, you are able to drive through parts of the island that the rental car companies don't allow you to pass through. I will let the next few pictures speak for themselves.
Waianapanapa Black Sand Beach
I took this picture out the bus window, trying to show how close we were to the edge. That's the road's railing in the corner.
This is a spot called "the seven pools"--ordinarily, we would have been allowed to swim at the pools, and had our suits on to do so, but the water was too rough when we were there. These pictures do not do the view justice.
At the end of the tour, we stopped at a little winery for some refreshment.
Day 7
Day 7 was Sunday and for us die-hard football fans, Sunday means football, even on our honeymoon. What better way to experience both Maui and our Cowboys than our own private cabana at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua.
Day 8
Day 8 started at 2:30 a.m. with a trip to see the sun rise over the Haleakala volcano, which is about a 3 hour drive. Ben drove it himself and it proved to be just a little less scary than the Road to Hana. It was also about 43 degrees up on the volcano, elevation 10,000 ft. The cold moist air wreaked havoc on our Canon and drained the battery in record time but luckily we got a few pictures.
Day 9 - Aloha Maui
Alas on Tuesday, it was time to pack up and head for home, our dream honeymoon over. We hope to come back to Maui again. Aloha Maui, you are gone but not forgotten.
We would like to thank our family and friends that made this trip possible. We will be forever grateful to you for your gifts that made our honeymoon a vacation to remember always.
Some reviews of our trip:
The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua: A+
Everything about our stay here was wonderful: the accommodations, the food, the people, and the service. The Ritz is located at the northern tip of the west side of the island (the west is where all resorts are located) so you will definitely need to rent a car if you stay here, as there is not much else to do in Kapalua except stay at the Ritz. The hotel does provide free onsite self-parking. The beach was beautiful, and the restaurants top notch (we ate dinner at The Terrace twice and breakfast there almost every day). For sushi, forego Kai and take the 5 minute walk to Sansei next door.
Sansei Sushi and Seafood: A+. We ate here twice because the sushi was as good if not better than Kai but also reasonably priced. Great cocktails too!
The Honolua Store: Also located next door to the Ritz, a great place to pick up some groceries, but avoid the food they serve.
Pineapple Grill: Nice place for lunch, no ocean view.
Beach House Restaurant: Great place to have a burger and enjoy the view of the beach.
Sheraton (Kaanapali) Luau: C
Very cheesy luau experience with so-so food. Avoid this luau and do the one they call The Old Lahaina luau instead.
Kannapali Area: This is where the Sheraton, Hyatt, and Westin are all located. It's a neat area with lots to do and see, shops, etc. It is a large resort area with a big beach. It would be a great family vacation spot, however for my honeymoon, I much preferred the seclusion of Kapalua.
Wailea Area: The one part of Maui we did not visit. This is a large resort area with a white sand beach. Everyone we talked to said it was nice but just a beach like all the others. This is where the Four Seasons, Marriott, and Grand Wailea are located.
There are several small public beaches and scenic outlooks all along the western part of the island. You can pull over to a rest area almost anywhere and enjoy a wonderful beach and picnic spot.
Weather: The beginning of our trip had wonderful weather but by the time we left on 11/17, it was already much cooler, windier and rainier. Nov.-March is winter in Maui with February being the coldest and wettest. But you can't depend on the Hawaiian weatherman--the weather is unpredictable and you just have to go and hope for the best, and you'll probably be just fine. It is windy all the time though--just bring your bobby pins or a baseball cap and forget about a fancy hairdo.
Polynesian Adventures Tour to Hana: A+
Highly recommend this tour. This was my favorite thing we did on the trip.
Teralani Sunset Sail: A
Not the most luxurious of accommodations but a nice dinner and a wonderful sunset.
And again to everyone, from the bottom of our hearts, mahalo.
Some reviews of our trip:
The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua: A+
Everything about our stay here was wonderful: the accommodations, the food, the people, and the service. The Ritz is located at the northern tip of the west side of the island (the west is where all resorts are located) so you will definitely need to rent a car if you stay here, as there is not much else to do in Kapalua except stay at the Ritz. The hotel does provide free onsite self-parking. The beach was beautiful, and the restaurants top notch (we ate dinner at The Terrace twice and breakfast there almost every day). For sushi, forego Kai and take the 5 minute walk to Sansei next door.
Sansei Sushi and Seafood: A+. We ate here twice because the sushi was as good if not better than Kai but also reasonably priced. Great cocktails too!
The Honolua Store: Also located next door to the Ritz, a great place to pick up some groceries, but avoid the food they serve.
Pineapple Grill: Nice place for lunch, no ocean view.
Beach House Restaurant: Great place to have a burger and enjoy the view of the beach.
Sheraton (Kaanapali) Luau: C
Very cheesy luau experience with so-so food. Avoid this luau and do the one they call The Old Lahaina luau instead.
Kannapali Area: This is where the Sheraton, Hyatt, and Westin are all located. It's a neat area with lots to do and see, shops, etc. It is a large resort area with a big beach. It would be a great family vacation spot, however for my honeymoon, I much preferred the seclusion of Kapalua.
Wailea Area: The one part of Maui we did not visit. This is a large resort area with a white sand beach. Everyone we talked to said it was nice but just a beach like all the others. This is where the Four Seasons, Marriott, and Grand Wailea are located.
There are several small public beaches and scenic outlooks all along the western part of the island. You can pull over to a rest area almost anywhere and enjoy a wonderful beach and picnic spot.
Weather: The beginning of our trip had wonderful weather but by the time we left on 11/17, it was already much cooler, windier and rainier. Nov.-March is winter in Maui with February being the coldest and wettest. But you can't depend on the Hawaiian weatherman--the weather is unpredictable and you just have to go and hope for the best, and you'll probably be just fine. It is windy all the time though--just bring your bobby pins or a baseball cap and forget about a fancy hairdo.
Polynesian Adventures Tour to Hana: A+
Highly recommend this tour. This was my favorite thing we did on the trip.
Teralani Sunset Sail: A
Not the most luxurious of accommodations but a nice dinner and a wonderful sunset.
And again to everyone, from the bottom of our hearts, mahalo.
