Maui, Hawaii: Rainbows For Recovery

Rainbows have long been a sign of hope ... the beauty that returns after the storm. And after we arrived on Maui, our final island in Hawaii, we realized that these rainbows which we see so often, hold a special significance for the people of this island.

Maui is known as the Valley Island because of the huge lowland that lies between its two volcanoes. The second-most visited Hawaiian island, Maui's breathtaking beaches and lush tropical landscapes makes this a magical place for so many people. But this all changed for many last summer. On August 8, 2023, a massive and rapid moving wildfire swept through the iconic Maui village of Lahaina killing over 100 people, destroying thousands of homes and businesses, and changing the lives of the townspeople forever.

When we were planning our trip this past fall, there were mixed messages as to whether tourists should come to Maui. While we didn't want to take away lodging options for those who recently became homeless, the island's economy desperately needs the tourism dollar. After talking to a friend who comes to Maui every winter, I realized that we could respectfully visit the island and, with our tourism dollars, be the ''rainbows for recovery'' that the people of Maui need to see.

Maui Highlights

Haleakala National Park

Haleakala (House of the Sun) is a dormant volcano on Maui's eastern side that last erupted 400+ years ago. It is also the location of another national park for us to visit. An extremely twisty but well paved road brings cars (and a few hardy bikers) up above the clouds to the summit that rises 10,000 feet above sea level.

Haleakala's summit is a popular place to see spectacular sunrises, but advance reservations are required for this pre-dawn experience.  Doug was happy to be able to sleep in, and he gladly drove us up at a more reasonable hour for a very scenic picnic lunch above the clouds.

Various lookouts and trails along the road lead to amazing views of Haleakala crater.

This national park also serves to protect many of the endangered native plants and animals that are only found in Maui. One such plant making a resurgence is the Ahinahina (Hawaii silversword) which grows very slowly for decades before flowering at the end of its life cycle. 

The Road to Hana

The twisty road up to the top of Haleakala National Park was just a ''warm up'' for our journey on the Road to Hana the next day. This 64 mile road connects the middle of the island with the quaint towns and spectacular scenery that line the northeastern coast of Maui. Despite the approximately 620 turns and 52 one-lane bridges, this is a popular route because of the spectacular scenery that lies just around the bend of each curve.

Our destination was Wai'anapanapa State Park's Black Sand Beach which is very popular with tourists and locals alike. Kudos to my husband for securing a reservation so that we could take a hike along the lava cliffs and enjoy another scenic lunch spot.

Afterwards we drove into the small village of Hana and did a short hike to a small, secluded beach before turning around for the slow but scenic ride back.

While on Red Sand Beach, we struck up a conversation with a local couple who had done quite a bit of RVing when they lived on the mainland and shares our passion (or is it craziness?) for the lifestyle. They invited us to meet up with them later in the week and treated us to a ...

Maui Tour with the Locals

Our day with Janet and Bob started out with a hike in Iao Valley State Monument. This area holds historical significance for native Hawaiians as this is where King Kamehameha conquered Maui to unite the Hawaiian Islands. Our hike took us along (and sometimes in) the river that runs between the mountain slopes. It was definitely a ''cool'' way to beat the Hawaiian heat.

Janet and Bob were drawn to Hawaii because of their love of the many outdoor activities that are found there. They constantly seek out the scenic hiking and kayaking opportunities that are found on Maui.

After the hike they took us to a local beach where we could check out their newest outdoor activity ... wing foiling or winging. They recently bought the board, kite, and foil, and are looking forward to starting lessons soon. The wingers out on the water that day seemed to be having a great time despite the strong winds, and I'm sure that it's a little more difficult than they made it look.

Next stop was Hookipa Beach where large numbers of sea turtles like to congregate on the beach. No, those dark spots on the beach are not rocks. A park volunteer was doing a count when we were there and said that about 125 sea turtles had decided to hang out on the beach that afternoon. Strong winds were predicted over the next two days, and the volunteer said that the turtles were confirming the forecast as they prefer not to be in the sea when the waves are really rough.

Our last stop for the day was a place that only a ''local'' could lead us to. Secret Beach lives up to its name, as the roads and paths leading down to it would definitely be hard to find.  Unfortunately, we were running out of daylight at this point, so we didn't get to take the ''secret'' path down to the beach. But just enjoying this incredible view with our new friends was the perfect ending to our tour with the locals!

Snorkel Excursion: Swimming with the Turtles

You can't experience Hawaii without exploring the treasures that lie below the clear blue water. And while we didn't do very many organized tours while we were in Hawaii, we're both glad that we signed up for an early morning snorkel tour with Maui Magic. This small tour company took us out at sunrise to explore the coral reef that was teeming with colorful fish just off Molokini Crater.

The highlight of our trip was coming eye-to-eye with this curious creature.

The tour company made sure that we had the best experience possible which included good snorkel equipment, a ''refresher'' snorkeling lesson, and plenty of delicious food and drink. 

It may not be noon yet, but our tour guides insisted

that after every successful snorkeling expedition,

it's always double Mai Tai time!

Coastal Hikes and Million Dollar Views

The shores of Maui are lined with sandy beaches, rocky cliffs, and as we discovered, hiking trails that led us to some million dollar views. The Kapalua Coastal Trail, located on the northwest corner of Maui, rewards hikers with dramatic cliff views and a bird's eye view of migrating whales below ... if there are any. We, unfortunately, arrived too early in the season to see the show.

The Wailea Oceanfront Boardwalk Trail in south Maui is a two mile walking path that guides condo dwellers to the sandy beaches that line the coast below them. I can only imagine that the cost of these coastal homes really does give the owners a million dollar view!

Our condo was located in the town of Kihei and was a five minute walk to the beaches which gave us a million dollar sunset view at a fraction of the cost.

Hope for Lahaina

As we took the road to the western side of the island, the distant views of the charred remains of Lahaina were painfully visible. The high cost of living and the high demand for rental property on Maui has made the destructive fire even more devastating for its residents who need to find a new place to call home. At the same time, they also need the income created by the arrival of the winter tourists. It's a delicate balance, and we, as tourists, need to be empathetic to the needs of the local people while supporting their economy.

(photo credit: KITV.com)

Recovery in Lahaina is beginning slowly and is being led by the famous Lahaina banyan tree that was also charred in the fire. Recently, signs of new growth have been seen on this 150-year-old icon. Each new leaf brings new hope for the citizens of Lahaina. 

Recovery in Maui is going to take time,

... but as we watched this rainbow emerge from behind the crashing waves, we are reminded that as visitors to Maui we can enjoy its tremendous beauty while we

Try to be the rainbow in someone's cloud.

Maya Angelou

Print this post