Maui 2018; Wailea and Hana

Maui

We were in Maui in January. Enjoyed it as we always do. We stayed at the Ekahi https://waileaekahivillage.com/ condos in Wailea. The condos are independently owned and can be rented from various sources. We used AirBnb and it was not the best experience as the management company for our condo changed after we made the reservation and paid. The new company changed some rules and did not inform AirBnb so AirBnb did not know about the new company.
Trying to contact AirBnb was not that easy and they have never fully resolved my issues. The unit we rented was a great layout and in a very good location. However the unit had old furnishing and things were not in good order. The grill was rusted and not usable and the dishwasher was broken. The shower was not the cleanest and other small issues. We paid about $425 per night so we expected better.

Ekahi condos are located on our favorite beach, Keawakapu, and have a very nice pool and clubhouse right on the beach. Our unit was a 6 minute walk to the beach.

Ekahi is part of the Wailea planned resort which includes a number of hotels, shops and golf course. There is a path along the ocean that we walked every morning. You can stop for a swim or some coffee anywhere along the path at the hotels on the path.

We spent 6 nights in Wailea and 3 nights in Hana. In Hana we stayed at Hana Kai  http://www.hanakaimaui.com/condos We had a very nice corner unit over looking Hana Bay. We also visited Hamoa Beach which is one of our favorite beaches. We had rain in Hana so we did not do much swimming at Hamoa. We did watch the surfers as the waves were good for surfing.

Wailea/ Kihei Food

I cooked most of the time. Bought local fish in Costco and some steaks. Bought local veggies and fruits in Whole Foods and Yee's fruit stand. No mangoes but great passion fruit. Pineapple, papaya, passion fruit and POG, I was happy.. There is a farmers market in the Wailea Shops mall the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. it was surprisingly good as we found string beans, bread, pineapple and great salad greens very inexpensively.
For desserts we went to Maui Pie https://www.mauipie.com/ in Kihei. They make really good fruit pies of every kind. We had mango/strawberry. The small pie is good for 4 servings.

We went out to eat at Monkeypods in Wailea, one of our favs. They have opened a branch in Kaanapali which we did not visit. Sit outside, it is quieter. We go on Sunday nights and all sparkling wine is 50% off. We had a great bottle of Champagne for retail.
2008 Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Premier Cru Cuvée Gastronome Blanc de Blancs Brut for $58. They have happy hour after 9pm and in the afternoon.

Monkeypod can get pricey but if you order wisely, it can be very good.

We also found another happy hour at Sarento's on the Beach. 3-5pm. We had calamari and smoked pork loin with 2  beers for about $25. The food was very good.The restaurant is on the beach. Happy hour is in the bar  which is the back of the restaurant but still real nice.

We also ate at the Paia Fish market https://paiafishmarket.com/best-places-to-eat-in-maui/in Kihei. We love this place. They have great fish at very reasonable prices. You order at a counter , they bring the food to you and you eat at picnic tables. It can get busy around 7 pm but things get emptier around 8 pm.

 Ululani's Shave Ice http://www.ululanishawaiianshaveice.com/locations/ Of course no trip to Maui would be complete with some of Ululani's Shave Ice. No Ka Oi, a combination of Coconut, passion fruit and mango over macadamia nut ice cream. The now have 4 location on Maui and just opened in Kona on the Big Island.

Hana Food

Things have not changed much in Hana. It can still be a foodie heaven but you need to explore. There are 2 restaurants for dinner and I would not go to  either of them The Hana Ranch Restaurant or the Preserve at the Travaasa Hotel http://travaasa.com/hana/hana-dining-overview/ at the hotel.

Braddahs Hut is still good. It is just past Hasegawas. Hasegawas general store is historic and legendary and has been cleaned up a bit. It actually has just about anything you need for a snack and an accessory. Main courses are not the best. There are 3 food trucks in a parking lot after the gas station. Da Fish Shack is fish during the day and pizza on Friday and Saturday nights.

There is a really good Thai place that keeps changing owners. It looks like Pranee is no longer there. Hana Farms has good banana bread some other items. There is also an Ethiopian truck and a Mexican truck. We did not try them. I brought food with me and grilled steaks on the beach.

 Old Hana courthouse.

 

 Red sand beach in Hana. It is a short hike along some cliffs to the beach. Not difficult but you are up high and you  better not slip.

 Bring water shoes.

The 7 pools at Haleakala National Park past Hana.

A black rock beach.

 My favorite drink on the planet. POG is cheap and plentiful in Hawaii and I have never seen it on the mainland.

 Grilling on the beach in Hana.

 We  went whale watching while staying Wailea.

 The whale mugging.

 Makena, which is past Wailea. It is a nature preserve. Volcanic rock fields were very impressive.

 A beach in Wailea.

Wine Tip

Just tried 2 new  Kirkland (Costco) wines. The 2015 Pauillac , Bordeaux $22 and the 2015 Willamette Valley Oregon Pinot Noir $14.99. Both wines come from very good vintages. The Pauillac is the better of the 2 wines and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The Oregon wine is balanced and does not taste like cherry soda, which is common in cheap pinot noirs. Any way, Costco wines can sell quickly although these wines may not appeal to the average Costco wine buyer.

Enjoy.