more Hawaii travel ~ part 1

It has been almost 2 months now since we got back but Hawaii is still in my mind :-) It was the most unforgettable two weeks in Maui and the Big Island. These pictures are proof that paradise on earth exists.

in Maui, we drove by Ho'okipa Beach everyday
from our Haiku rental place

lava on the beach along the Road to Hana

small waterfalls are a common sight along
the Road to Hana

It was hard to capture the beauty of the Bamboo Forest in pictures. It's one of those that you have to experience to truly appreciate the sounds (the bamboo made a neat percussion sound as they swayed with the breeze), the colors (monochromatic green from young to mature bamboo) and the zen moments within the tall and lush bamboo. There was a portion of the hike when the bamboo got so thick that it turned dark in their midst. The impressive Bamboo Forest can be found at the Pipiwai Trail, one of the most popular and key stops along the Road to Hana. Such a unique experience!

We did another day trip to the Haleakala summit. Each turn along the twisty road leading up to the summit at 10,000 feet elevation (road map is shown below) had the most amazing views of the valley below.

road map to the Haleakala summit

the amazing out of this world view at the summit 

Waianapanapa State Park black sand beach

coral heart mosaic by a creative soul on the black sand beach

tourists hiking at the beach 

one of our most memorable meals in Maui was at Nuka 

first taste of spicy ahi tuna poke with rice 

Colleen's at the Cannery breakfast in Haiku

Vietnamese crepe at the Star Noodle restaurant in Lahaina

off the beaten path Hawaiian meal and the best papaya
at Tasty Crust 

colorful Hawaiian Shave Ice with tropical flavors 

our complete lunch at Star Noodle in Lahaina

Chez de Amis breakfast crepes in Paia town

Spam musubi and kalua pork at Da Kitchen in Kahului 

farewell dinner at Sala Dang Thai restaurant in Haiku

the road that leads to the Iao Needle in Maui

Iao Needle

Overall we were quite pleased with our week in Maui. From the sightseeing to the food, it was a very impressive destination. The one-lane roads and bridges along the Road to Hana was a driving adventure for us. However, the bumper-to-bumper traffic we encountered along the rough and narrow cliff side roads of Kahekili Highway, where we had to almost scrape the side of the mountain just to let other cars pass, will remain the most thrilling for me. I'm glad we did it for the experience as it may take years before we pass that road again :-) Next up...our week in the Big Island!