Palapala on Maui and beyond for Thanksgiving

Aloha, all!
Lopaka-Ra and I will be on Maui, with a stopover in Honolulu in November, and we would love to connect with some Tiki Central Ohana in the area, find out some of the cool places to visit, and hopefully find a good place to have Thanksgiving, local style.

Anyone out there want to get together for a little "talk story" and okole maluna-ing?
I'd be happy to bring some of my mugs along to trade for a few drinks!

[ Edited by: palapala 2009-09-30 22:42 ]

Bump!

Oooh, have fun! Maui's great, and a stop in Honolulu means you can probably get to La Mariana! Do try, if at all possible.

Whereabouts will you be staying on Maui?

In Ka'anapaali, at a really great condo comlex called the Mahana. they have a webcam that will show you the ocean view. http://mahanaaoao.com/

all units are beachfront, well appointed (blender!)kitchen and if you are above the 7th floor, all you see looking out the west facing L.R. and bedroom is ocean, with the occasional kayaker, sea turtle, or humpback.
there is a lanai that's so private as to be clothing optional....a great health food store is just down the block that makes it's own juices...ohhh BAYBEE! can you say rum with fresh pineapple juice,a little raw ahi, and hours of naked gentle tradewinds....life is good!

Niiiiice. We stayed in Ka'anapali, too, at the Whaler. Try to check out the daily sunset torch-lighting ritual at Black Rock, as well as the fantastic snorkeling there right off the beach (turtles!). Also keep an eye out for the 4:00 rainbow! Seems like every day, if we looked towards the West Maui mountains around that time, there would be rainbows.

sigh

Don't know if you're getting a rental car, but if not, there's a cheap shuttle that stops in front of Whaler's Village and takes you into Lahaina. Very handy if you don't want to drive or pay for parking.

Let me know if you're interested in any other suggestions for while you're there...

Thanks for all the great suggestions, hibiscus!
yes! we will be stopping in at the "la Mariana"!
what's the best drinks to get there?
We will be renting a car on Maui, and we are allways looking to find out of the way non tourist destinations and events.
one good source is the local newspaper in the events-calendar section.
does anyone know of any other stuff?

Stop-over in Honolulu? Check out "JOHN-O's Guide to Honolulu (short version)".....

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=32961&forum=16&vpost=467007

Mahalo plenty,for the info,Jon-o!
do you have any suggestions as to where to stay overnight, near where the flea market will be on Sunday morning? do we need to rent a car for the day, or can we take public transport, if we are going to all the places you've suggested?

As for drinks at La Mariana - we never make it past the mai tais, so have fun experimenting! BTW, they're selling their own signature mugs now, designed by one of the waitresses, so that's worth a look.

There are plenty of great drives and day trips on Maui. The most famous, of course, if you have the time and fortitude, is the Road to Hana...http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/drives/maui/rthp1.htm has some information about it. Miles of twisty road with tiny, single-lane bridges and multiple waterfalls - a must-see.

Another option is the scenic Iao Valley. Stop at a little cafe in nearby Wailuku and people-watch. You never know who may come in and sit down next to you - Mick Fleetwood came in when we were there. Another beautiful spot nearby is the Maui Tropical Plantation, if you're into flowers at all. You can make your own lei at Aunty Pua's lei hut. Ma'alaea Harbor is a pretty place to stop for dinner - you can look out over the boats and out to Haleakala beyond.

Speaking of which, it's really worth going to the top of Haleakala to see the Mars-like landscape and Science City, and the breathtaking view across to the Big Island. On the way down, you can explore some of the upcountry farms, like Ali'i Kula Lavender farm, or stop at the funky little paniolo town of Makawao.

Lahaina has a great arts and crafts fair on certain Sundays, right under the giant banyan tree - tiki carvers, painters, jewelry, etc. The Old Lahaina Luau is worth doing, but they fill up months in advance - the luau is right on the beach and really well produced. If you can't get in to the evening show, they have a breakfast buffet/show/cultural events and talks thing called Ho'omanao which might be fun. Lots of great Hawaiian cultural stuff and photo ops.

Sorry for the dissertation here - I guess what you can take away is that you'll have plenty to do in Maui!

On 2009-10-08 10:17, palapala wrote:
Mahalo plenty,for the info,John-o!
do you have any suggestions as to where to stay overnight, near where the flea market will be on Sunday morning? do we need to rent a car for the day, or can we take public transport, if we are going to all the places you've suggested?

To get to the area around Kapahulu Ave where the Rainbow Drive-In is located, you can hop on a bus from Waikiki. I've actually even walked it before, it's less than a 2 mile walk from most Waikiki hotels. Bailey's and the Shave Ice place are just a block or so away from the Rainbow.

I'm not familiar with hotels around Aloha Stadium, to be honest you're probably better off staying in Waikiki and taking a taxi. I think there's a bus from Waikiki that stops there but the trip will probably take at least an hour.

I'm not sure what your expectations are of the swap meet. If you're looking to buy the same type of souvenirs you can find at the International Marketplace at a much better price, then it's a very good deal. Most of that stuff is foreign-made though. If you're looking for local arts and crafts, then that's the exception, not the rule. If you're expecting to find vintage Hawaiiana, then forget it. Bailey's Antiques carries some stuff like that but it's priced accordingly.

Here's some old-school places to stay in Waikiki that are reasonably priced. For someone who's interested in visiting the La Mariana, it's close to that aesthetic. FYI, I've just peeked into these places and never stayed there. You can judge for yourself based on the following reviews. Old-school also means "old" unless you've got the bucks to stay at the Royal Hawaiian or Halekulani. Also there may be construction going on around these places which might make it noisy. Again I'd check out the latest reviews.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60982-d208862-Reviews-Hawaiiana_Hotel-Honolulu_Oahu_Hawaii.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60982-d120756-Reviews-Breakers_Hotel-Honolulu_Oahu_Hawaii.html

Palapala,

I just wanted to confirm, when you say "flea market", I'm assuming you mean the Aloha Stadium swap meet. Locals call that the "tourist swap meet".

The other swap meet is the Kam swap meet.

http://www.kamswapmeet.com

Think of this one as a locals' garage sale. No, you won't find any vintage Hawaiiana or local arts and crafts at this place either. If you want a cheap used vaccum cleaner or 2nd-hand clearing-house DVDs, then it's paradise. It is an interesting way to experience some local flavor if that's what you're seeking. Depending on your tastes, you'll find it either an off-the-beaten-path adventure or you'll be horrified.

Actually if you have limited time in Honolulu and have never been there before, I would recommend these two things over the La Mariana or any of my other suggestions.

1. Cocktails at sunset at one of the historic Waikiki hotels - Royal Hawaiian, Moana Surfrider, Halekulani.
2. Pearl Harbor Memorial - A solemn visit to a key site in 20th century history. You will be moved.