Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [296]
Aqua Sports Maui ( 242-8015; www.mauikiteboardinglessons.com; 111 Hana Hwy)
Action Sports Maui ( 871-5857; www.actionsportsmaui.com; 96 Amala Pl)
HELICOPTER RIDES
Several companies, including AlexAir ( 871-0792), Blue Hawaiian ( 871-8844), Mauiscape ( 877-7272) and Sunshine ( 871-5600), offer helicopter tours of Maui. All operate out of the Kahului Heliport (1 Kahului Airport Rd), at the southeast side of Kahului Airport. Typical 30-minute tours of the jungly West Maui Mountains cost around $125 and one-hour circle-island tours about $275. Discounts abound. Companies advertise in the free tourist magazines, with all sorts of deals.
Festivals & Events
Ki Ho′alu Slack Key Guitar Festival (www.mauiarts.org) At this event held on the lawn of the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in late June, top slack key guitarists from throughout Hawaii take the stage.
Maui Marathon (www.mauimarathon.com) Held in mid-September, this road race begins at the Queen Ka′ahumanu Center in Kahului and ends 26.2 miles later at Whalers Village in Ka′anapali.
Sleeping
Kanaha Beach Park allows camping (Click here for information about permits and fees) but it’s not recommended. The campsites are right beneath the airport’s flight path with planes rumbling overhead from dawn to midnight. More importantly, folks down on their luck hang out here and personal safety is a real issue after dark.
The best place to stay in the area is in the nearby surfing haunt of Pa’ia (Click here), just a 10-minute drive from Kanaha Beach.
Eating
Tasaka Guri-Guri ( 871-4513; Maui Mall, 70 E Ka′ahumanu Ave; scoop/quart 50¢/$5; 10am-6pm Mon-Thu & Sat, to 8pm Fri, to 4pm Sun) For the coolest treat in town search out this hole-in-the-wall shop dishing up tangy homemade pineapple sherbet. The guri-guri, as it’s called, is so wildly popular that locals pick up quarts on the way to the airport to take to friends on the Neighbor Islands.
Down to Earth Natural Foods ( 877-2661; 305 Dairy Rd; salad bar per lb $9; 7am-9pm Mon-Sat, 8am-8pm Sun) Everything you’d expect from a good health food store including an excellent deli and robust salad bar. Take your goodies to the upstairs dining room or pack ’em for the beach.
Piñatas ( 877-8707; 395 Dairy Rd; mains $5-10; 10:30am-8pm Mon-Sat, from 11am Sun) Join the surfers at this unpretentious cantina serving good Mexican food at honest prices. You’ll find all the usual taco and enchilada combination plates, as well as its famed ‘kitchen sink burrito,’ a monstrous wrap stuffed with just about everything but the sink.
Da Kitchen ( 871-7782; 425 Koloa St; plate lunches $9-12; 9am-9pm) Hawaiian decor and unbeatable local grinds make this a favorite meal stop. Da Lau Lau Plate, featuring steamed pork wrapped in taro leaves, is a top choice if you don’t count calories. If you prefer it leaner, go for the teriyaki chicken. Expect a crowd at lunch but don’t be deterred, as service is quick.
Thailand Cuisine ( 873-0225; Maui Mall, 70 E Ka′ahu-manu Ave; mains $10-15; 10:30am-3pm & 5-9:30pm) The readers of Maui’s daily newspaper voted this family-run eatery the island’s best ethnic restaurant. And yes, it lives up to the reputation. Start with the shrimp summer rolls, and then move on to the aromatic green curries and the tangy lemongrass chicken. Dozens of tasty vegetarian options feature on the menu too.
Brigit & Bernard’s Garden Café ( 877-6000; 335 Ho′ohana St; mains $10-20; 11am-2:30pm Mon-Fri & 5-9pm Wed-Sat) The ‘garden’ is laughable – this café overlooks a busy road in an industrial center. But the food is damn good and if you swing by at lunchtime you’ll need to hustle just to find an empty table. The extensive menu runs from fresh salads and grilled local fish to authentic German dishes like Wiener schnitzel.
If you need to stock up the condo on the way in from the airport, the Safeway ( 877-3377; 170 E Kamehameha Ave; 24hr) is in the town center and it never closes.
Drinking
Wow-Wee Maui’s Kava Bar & Grill ( 871-1414; 333 Dairy Rd; 11am-9pm Sun-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat; ) This hip café serves up an