Aloha Friday

In a nutshell: Big Beach is a beautiful, long, wide, undeveloped sandy beach. Impressive, with huge views and a large shore-break. Big Beach is a must-see.

Minuses: A wicked shore-break exists here when the surf is up that can be dangerous for the inexperienced.
Sound-bite: [monster crashing wave]

Details:
One of the most outstanding beaches in Maui. Big Beach is well over a half a mile long, and is also uncharacteristically wide by Maui standards. That means loads of real estate to stake out your claim, and this beach, while always drawing lots of people – is never so crowded as to be packed.

Big Beach has a significant on-shore break that can be downright brutal when there is a large south swell. This is never a beach that is safe for small children or inexperienced swimmers. Adults might want to think twice during high surf, as well.

Recently three lifeguard stands were added. If any beach on Maui should have had lifeguard stands, this is it. This is one point glossed over in most guidebooks, and is very important that visitors know: the waves here are often big, and powerful. The shore break crashes right at the water’s edge, and you should always enter the ocean here cautiously. If in doubt, consult a lifeguard.

When the surf is up, you’ll also be front-row to the most extreme boogie boarding you’re likely to see during your visit.

Here is the link to the full article:  http://mauiguidebook.com/beaches/makena-big-beach-oneloa/

About The Author::
Mark Goldberg lives at the edge of the rainforest along the Road to Hana with his wife and four children. Mark’s captivation with extraordinary environment and people of Maui has inspired his mission to create the most comprehensive and balanced online guide to Maui. [Visit MauiGuidebook.com].

1. Stretch out on the best beaches in the world
Isn’t this what you came for in the first place? Luxuriate on the world-class beaches that are Maui’s middle name.

2. Watch the sun set over the Pacific.
What’s more glorious than a sunset on the beach! The majority of beaches in Maui offer outstanding westerly views. Just park yourself on your favorite Maui beach before sunset and let your soul soar as the setting sun shimmers on the water.

3. Explore Wai’anapanapa State Park
Wai’anapanapa State Park just outside of Hana offers sweeping panoramic views, sea arches, a black sand beach, fresh-water pool caves, and more. It’s a must for all Hana adventures.

4. Discover the Road to Hana.
The Road to Hana is a legend. Miles of twists, turns, lush rainforest, scenic ocean vistas, waterfalls, flowers, and the unexpected at every turn. A journey not to be missed.

5. Drive on from the Road to Hana.
If you’re an adventurer who appreciates “the road less traveled”, continue on past Hana and Kipahulu to Haleakala’s back side. It’s a wonderfully scenic continuation of the Hana trip as the road hugs the coast before gaining altitude above South Maui.

6. Ho’okipa, Lookout!
Ho’okipa Beach on the North Shore (five minutes past Paia) is a world-renowned surfing and wind-surfing destination. Ho’okipa Lookout is a parking lot on the edge of a cliff overlooking the action. During the winter months, when the North Shore surf is up, this is a great balcony for watching the best surfers in the world shred.

To read numbers 7 through 60, check out the link to the full article here:  http://mauiguidebook.com/.

About The Author::  Mark Goldberg lives at the edge of the rainforest along the Road to Hana with his wife and four children. Mark’s captivation with extraordinary environment and people of Maui has inspired his mission to create the most comprehensive and balanced online guide to Maui. [Visit MauiGuidebook.com].

 In a nutshell: A dramatically beautiful beach, not just for kids. Protected lagoon for swimming.
Minuses: Can get very windy in the afternoons.
Sound-bite: “E hau`oli e nâ `ôpio o Hawai`i nei.”

Baby Beach is a beautiful beach and protected lagoon just before Paia on the North Shore of Maui. An exposed stretch of reef, connected to a rocky red-dirt point on the west end of the beach creates a calm lagoon protected from the ocean. This lagoon is perfect for young keiki and parents. It is also a great place to swim laps, explore, or just and hang out on the beach soaking in the scenery.

Baby Beach is at the Western end of a one-mile long stretch of uninterrupted beach which includes Baldwin Beach Park and Baldwin Cove.

If the tradewinds are blowing strong, a pleasant afternoon at Baby Beach can shift into an irritating sandblasting. Escape into the water, or head to the other end of Baldwin Beach (Baldwin Cove) which is sheltered from the wind.

Link to article & photo: http://mauiguidebook.com/beaches/baby-beach/

About The Author::
Mark Goldberg lives at the edge of the rainforest along the Road to Hana with his wife and four children. Mark’s captivation with extraordinary environment and people of Maui has inspired his mission to create the most comprehensive and balanced online guide to Maui. [Visit MauiGuidebook.com].

Twin Falls

In a nutshell: Twin Falls is the first easily accessible string of waterfalls and pools on the Road to Hana. It also has one of the better snack stands on the journey. Twin falls is typically underrated by guidebooks, and is a worthy stop.
Minuses: You must budget your time properly here if you are cramming the Road to Hana into only one day.
Sound-bite: “How much further to the falls?”

Twin Falls has an access road that makes hiking easy, This travels the better part of a mile alongside Ho’olawa Stream. A jungle largely restored by the residents over years of loving care accompanies you as you hike uphill on the well maintained graded and graveled path/road. After about a half mile or so, the wide path splits off into two foot-paths that fork in the general direction of Ho’olawa’s two main tributary streams. To the left lies Ho’olawa li’ili’i (Little Ho’olawa) Stream, and to the right Ho’olawa nui (Big Ho’olawa) Stream. Both streams are tapped at this point by EMI irrigation ditches.

The snack stand is right in the parking lot, and is really worth a stop. They have tasty and fresh home-grown fruits (many grown right on this land), smoothies, cane juice, and home-made baked goods, to name a few.

Tips:
Wear clothes and shoes that you can get dirty.
Bring a towel.
Wear swim gear.
There are several falls.

Link to article & photo: http://mauiguidebook.com/adventures/twin-falls-tips/

About The Author::
Mark Goldberg lives at the edge of the rainforest along the Road to Hana with his wife and four children. Mark’s captivation with extraordinary environment and people of Maui has inspired his mission to create the most comprehensive and balanced online guide to Maui. [Visit MauiGuidebook.com].

In a nutshell: The biggest wave surfed in the world each year has been at Jaws more than any other place.

Minuses: The access road can be 4WD?Sound-bite: [crashing waves, cheers and helicopters]

If you’re a fan of big-wave tow-in surfing, Jaws is a must-see if you are visiting when one of our winder North Shore monster swells come in.

Tow-in surfing is when the waves are so large that the only way a pro surfer can get in to them (in one piece, anyway) is to be skillfully towed in, and dropped off, via Jet Ski.

Jaws is Maui’s biggest tow-in surfing wave, and the yearly Billabong XXL Global Big Wave contest has listed Jaws as the winning break more than any other place. The top names in surfing flock to Jaws when it is going off – and mere mortals like us follow to watch in awe.

Big wave surfing is something that, when seen in person, allows you to fully appreciate the magnitude of this feat – check out the You Tube video on our full article for better perspective of how big these waves actually are.

The lookout on the Peahi cliffs above the break are the best vantage points outside of a boat or helicopter. Directions and map are on the full article.

Here is the link to the full article: http://mauiguidebook.com/adventures/jaws/

About The Author::
Mark Goldberg lives at the edge of the rainforest along the Road to Hana with his wife and four children. Mark’s captivation with extraordinary environment and people of Maui has inspired his mission to create the most comprehensive and balanced online guide to Maui. [Visit MauiGuidebook.com].

In a nutshell: If you like the road less traveled, continuing on past Hana around Haleakala is an adventure worth taking. In about the same amount of time as it would take you to go back the way you came, you can see a side of Maui most are persuaded to miss.

?Minuses: The road becomes rough for portions and rental car companies say “you’re on your own.”
Most visitors will travel toward Hana in a clockwise direction, and when they reach Hana, they’ll turn around and head back the way they came.

For those seeking adventure, this open-vista driving tour is a fitting finale to a Road to Hana adventure. The trip will proceed through several climate zones as the scenery transforms from the lush jungle of Kipahulu, through ranchland, dry grasslands, lavascapes, and ultimately back into lush green views of cloud-forest.  You will also have the opportunity to see historic heiau’s, Charles Lindburgh’s grave, historic churches and petroglyphs (if you can find them!)

Caveat Emptor ?This drive is not for everyone. While there are recently just-resurfaced glassy-smooth stretches of asphalt, significant sections of the road are still relentlessly bumpy, having evolved over time into a sloppy mosaic of asphalt patches.

Here is the link to the full article with photos: http://mauiguidebook.com/adventures/haleakala-backside-kipahulu-to-ulapapakua/ 

About The Author::
Mark Goldberg lives at the edge of the rainforest along the Road to Hana with his wife and four children. Mark’s captivation with extraordinary environment and people of Maui has inspired his mission to create the most comprehensive and balanced online guide to Maui. [Visit MauiGuidebook.com].

In a nutshell: A hearty breakfast or lunch, then off for scenic vistas, and wine tasting.

Minuses: The road in Ulupalakua is unforgiving if you become over-enthusiastic during the wine tasting!

Sound-bite: “They should call this ‘Paniolo soul food’, brah!”

This is a good side-trip to take after a Haleakala Crater sunrise trip, or during a planned Upcountry exploration day.

Grandmas’s Coffee House*  (This is SwellWomen’s Favorite Breakfast Place)

Grandmas’s coffee house is in the sleepy town of Keokea. Stores here include an old-time gas station, art gallery and an old, no-nonsense country general store called “Henry Fong Store.”

Grandma’s Coffee house has been a neighborhood fixture for over 90 years, and across four generations.
Unassuming and authentic; down-home reasonably priced comfort foods and fresh local-grown organic coffee and an assortment of terrific baked goods.

Between Grandmas and the Tedeschi Winery is the larger area called Ululpalakua. There are many stunning views of neighbor islands, the valley that bridges Haleakala and West Maui, and the blue ocean on both sides of the isthmus.

Tedeschi Winery
The Tedeschi Winery grounds have much history, and were once a large estate called the Rose Estate. The wine tasting room was originally a constructed for King Kalakaua who was a frequent visitor to Rose. The grounds have stunning views and planted with flowers, shrubs, flowering vines and stately trees.

You can also continue past the Winery and Ulupalakua and see the back side of Haleakala – that is my next article, stay tuned!

Here is the link to the full article and photos: http://mauiguidebook.com/adventures/grandmas-ulupalakua/ 

About The Author::
Mark Goldberg lives at the edge of the rainforest along the Road to Hana with his wife and four children. Mark’s captivation with extraordinary environment and people of Maui has inspired his mission to create the most comprehensive and balanced online guide to Maui. [Visit MauiGuidebook.com].

In a nutshell: A great place to snorkel & shore dive.

Minuses: Small beach, smaller parking.?

Sound-bite: “The snorkel boats pull right up over there “

Details:?Five Graves is lesser known to visitors, and is a perfect place to snorkel or shore dive.

There is excellent snorkeling everywhere you go along the rocky point, all the way from the beach, though Pamolepo (Five Graves) and even on toward Makena Landing. The snorkeling is spectacular at Five Graves and snorkel boats anchor just off these shores to bring paying guests to enjoy some of Maui’s best snorkeling.

Advanced cave divers will find also large underwater caves to explore. They go on for quite a distance, however they can be dangerous for even experienced divers. The caves are too deep for snorkelers to access.

The name Five Graves refers to a small family graveyard just south of Ulupikanui Beach (aka Chang’s Beach.)

Ulupikanui also has an historical archeological ruin of rock which are the remains of a pre-contact Hawaiian canoe house. It is now a centerpiece of some of the shared lawn of some of the luxury homes, and is up a short path on the south side of the beach and passed a low wall with locked gate. Access is permitted and the gate/wall is easily passed without opening the lock, but you are asked to call the manger before crossing the private lawn.

Link to article & photo: http://mauiguidebook.com/beaches/ulupikanui-beach-aka-changs-beach/

About The Author::
Mark Goldberg lives at the edge of the rainforest along the Road to Hana with his wife and four children. Mark’s captivation with extraordinary environment and people of Maui has inspired his mission to create the most comprehensive and balanced online guide to Maui. [Visit MauiGuidebook.com].

In a nutshell: Rugged shoreline, scenic vistas, and cliff-edge driving you’ll never forget.
Minuses: If you’re not a confidant driver parts of this drive could be your worst nightmare.
Sound-bite: “what do you mean back up!?!“

Most visitors will travel in and out of West Maui along its West and South shores through Maalaea. This is definitely the commuter route, as this route along West Maui’s northern side is precarious and slow going. For those seeking adventure, this open-vista driving tour is a must-do.

The north shore of West Maui has been called “West Maui’s Road to Hana” – but that really is a very broad generalization. But if winding narrow roads at the edges of cliffs make you nervous, or if you already did the Road to Hana and can’t figure out what all the fuss was about, you may want to give this journey a second-thought.

For all but the most confident drivers, going clockwise is recommended as it puts you on the body-shop side of a miscalculation. If you do decide to go against this advice, be certain the person riding shotgun is equally as confident in your abilities.

For more details, photos and directions on finding the best sights along the route, check out the full West Maui’s North Shore article on MauiGuidebook.com.

About The Author::
Mark Goldberg lives at the edge of the rainforest along the Road to Hana with his wife and four children. Mark’s captivation with extraordinary environment and people of Maui has inspired his mission to create the most comprehensive and balanced online guide to Maui. [Visit MauiGuidebook.com].

As surfers, we are closely connected with the environment. While the ocean may seem vast, our actions affect it greatly. The ways which surfers pollute the ocean are sometimes obvious, but so often ignored.

We all apply generous amounts of wax on our boards each session, only to have to reapply the next time. When you stop and think about it, its destination is obvious. When 20 million surfers commit the same act, the effects accumulate significantly. Sunscreen is also applied and rinsed off on a daily basis, eventually killing coral reefs.
Surfing equipment is mostly disposable and usually toxic. Fiberglass surfboards are extremely fragile and need to be replaced frequently. It’s not uncommon for a professional surfer to use a board for less than a week before discarding it. Every time a new board is shaped and glassed, large amounts of Volatile Organic Chemicals are released into the environment, which contaminate groundwater.

Wetsuits are similarly disposable. If you’re lucky, a high quality wetsuit might last a few years. Neoprene suits inevitably break down, usually at the seams, which diminishes their usefulness. Currently, wetsuits cannot be made using natural materials. Toxic solvents and glues are used in the laminating process and neoprene is typically made from petroleum.

With a few simple choices, we can turn everything around. There are natural waxes, sunscreens without harmful ingredients, surfboards which emit far less VOCs and last much longer, and wetsuits that are more durable and made with fewer chemicals. By choosing responsible products, we can minimize our own impact and persuade producers to become more sustainable.

For more information visit Green Surf Shop.