Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [289]
Sea House Restaurant ( 669-1500; Napili Kai Beach Resort, 5900 Lower Honoapi′ilani Rd; dinner mains $25-35; 7am-9pm) The breezy seaside dining and flaming tiki torches add up to one romantic setting. If you’re in a seafood mood, start with the poke nachos made from sashimi-grade ahi and move on to the taro-crusted sea bass topped with green papaya salad. The Sea House is open for breakfast and lunch too, but really, this place is all about dinner.
Entertainment
Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Concert Series ( 669-3858; www.slackkey.com; Napili Kai Beach Resort, 5900 Lower Honoapi′ilani Rd; admission $45; 7:30pm Wed) Forget whatever else you had planned for the night – this cultural gem is worth going out of your way to experience. Top slack key guitarists such as Ledward Ka′apana and Dennis Kamakahi are monthly guests, and the Grammy award–winning George Kahumoku Jr is the weekly host. The intimate setting makes it feel like a family jam session. Seating is limited and sell-outs are the norm, so be sure to call ahead for reservations.
KAPALUA & AROUND
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Nestled in pineapple fields and overlooking beautiful beaches, Kapalua reigns as Maui’s most exclusive destination. Its very name is synonymous with golf – Kapalua hosts the PGA Tour’s opening tournament every January – but there’s much more than just greens here. An awesome zipline is taking people skyward for new thrills and trails in a once-restricted forest that’s been opened to hikers. Water-lovers will find ideal conditions for an array of splashy activities and the dining scene alone is worth a visit.
Sights
KAPALUA BEACH
This crescent-shaped beach, with its clear view of Moloka′i across the channel, is the perfect place to while away a sunny day. Long rocky outcrops at both ends protect the bay, making Kapalua Beach the safest year-round swimming spot on this coast. You’ll find good snorkeling on the right side of the beach, where there’s abundant tropical fish and orange slate-pencil sea urchins.
Take the drive immediately north of Napili Kai Beach Resort to get to the beach parking area, where there are rest rooms and showers. Look for the tunnel that leads from the parking lot north to the beach.
DT FLEMING BEACH PARK
No matter what you might think of Dr Beach, when he declares a place ‘America’s Best Beach’ you’re not going to just drive by, are you? Surrounded by ironwood trees and adjacent to an old one-room schoolhouse, this long, sandy beach feels like an outpost from another era. In keeping with its Hawaiian nature, the beach is the domain of wave riders.
Experienced surfers and bodysurfers find impressive wave action in winter. The shorebreaks can be brutal, however, and this beach is second only to Ho′okipa for injuries. It also has powerful currents, so check with the lifeguard before jumping in. The reef on the right is good for snorkeling when it’s very calm.
The park has rest rooms, picnic facilities and showers. The access road is off Honoapi′ilani Hwy (Hwy 30), immediately north of the 31-mile marker.
SLAUGHTERHOUSE BEACH & HONOLUA BAY
Talk about split personalities. This double-bay conservation district can be tranquil and flat as a lake or savage with incredible surf, depending on the season. But no matter what the mood, you’ll always find conditions ideal for some sort of activity.
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TOP PICKS – FESTIVALS & EVENTS
International Festival of Canoes (Click here) in Lahaina
Makawao Rodeo (Click here) in Makawao
East Maui Taro Festival (Click here) in Hana
E Ho′oulu Aloha (Click here) in Wailuku
Ki Ho′alu Slack Key Guitar Festival (Click here) in Kahului
Art Night (Click here) in Lahaina
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Slaughterhouse Beach (Mokule′ia Bay) and Honolua Bay are separated by the narrow Kalaepiha Point and together form the Honolua-Mokule