We just got back from our honeymoon in Hawaii, the first week in Maui, the second in Kauai. It was spectacular! We had a very hard time leaving! My recommendations...
We stayed at the Ritz and loved every minute of it. We were a little nervous because of some of the negative reviews but we thought everything was fantastic (especially the breakfast every morning)! The service was terrific as was our room and the view. It was very windy, and trying to lay on the beach resulted in looking like a breaded cutlet. The pool area and grounds were magnificent and it was not nearly as overun with kids, large families and young teenagers as was the fairmont and the grand wailea. (No offense but we were on our honeymoon).
Get the blue book Maui Revealed, we checked out the Olivine Pools, Na%26#39;kele Blowhole, Black Rock beach, Haleakalea Crater and some other beautiful sights! Well worth it! We went to Lahania, and Wailea (spelling?) We attempted Hana but we were too tired!
Don%26#39;t forget your snorkeling gear, we bought ours from home but you can rent the gear everywhere. Drive up the mountain at Haleakalea and watch the sunrise! Bring food though...there is nothing open remotely close until 6:30am...trust us!
Go on a snorkeling excursion to Lanai (Molokini is too crowded) Paragon and Trilogy are good companies to go with!
We did the horseback ride (pony express) into the crater at Haleakalea! Amazing but be prepared...it is, as I said to the guide, ';some serious cowboy !@#$'; If you have a bad back or knees, there is no way you should do it!
My husband played golf at Kapalua, Plantation course and despite the wind, he truly enjoyed himself. Look out for rainbows too!
\We found that the food was fantastic, be prepared to spend a little but it was worth it! Having breakfast included in our package was the best thing! Dinner recommendations: Nick%26#39;s Fishmarket, Sansei (sushi, very reasonable), Mama%26#39;s Fish House, David Paul%26#39;s Lahania Grill, Ma%26#39;La (beautiful views and less expensive).
We cannot wait to get back!
trip report :)
Great report, thank you! We are soon-to-be honeymooners planning to do the Pony Express Ride @ Haleakala Crater. My only hesitations are it%26#39;s very pricey and sounds extremely H-O-T! They recommend pants, jacket and gloves for the trip on their website? I understand it%26#39;s for sun protection, but I%26#39;m afraid of melting (literally) on my horse. Did everyone wear jeans and jackets on the ride? If you have any other observations to share on this aspect of your trip, I would appreciate it! Thanks again for the report!
trip report :)
Thanks for your report. What island did you prefer? Why?
We did the Haleakala crater ride with Pony Express and yes you need all the gear. Although you are in Maui it is still cold up there. We loved it, be prepared for a sore butt for a day or two but worth every penny.
We wore jeans and dressed in layers. Even though it was a perfectly sunny day it is very cool in the morning and on the way back up, although it is warmer, it is bearable. Definitely jeans and a cap too! Don%26#39;t forget your camera! And see if Byron is available for your tour!
Maui and Kauai were very different from eachother. We were non stop in Maui, driving all over the place too. We loved it but we were exhausted by the weeks end. Kauai is more relaxing and you dont have to drive very far to get around becuase the island isn%26#39;t as big. It%26#39;s hard to pick between the two because the each offer so much...but the beaches on the north shore of kauai were by far, the most spectacular!!!
Haha, the Pony Express! We did it too, and I agree, the ride is pretty tiring! It was our first time on horses, and it really wore us out (We%26#39;re in our 20%26#39;s). It was a great experience though, that%26#39;s for sure. I%26#39;d recommend it to anybody who%26#39;d rather explore the inside of a volcano rather than bike down the highway.
The horses do all the hard work, and do it well. The trails are very long, steep, and sandy. I don%26#39;t think we ever would have walked all the way down into it on foot. However, I definitely recommend wearing jeans, sneakers, and a hooded sweatshirt. Our trip was in June, but up on top of the volcano it is WINDY!!! And therefore, chilly. My wife was a little bit cool, but she survived with just the sweatshirt. The Pony Express people have windbreaker jackets for you too, if you%26#39;d like.
Once you%26#39;re inside the volcano the walls block most of the wind, and it warms up significantly. I kept the sweatshirt (and jeans) on the entire time. I don%26#39;t think you%26#39;d ever want to ride a horse without long pants on, the chaffing would be horrible.
BUT BE WARNED!! Even though it%26#39;s chilly in the morning at the top of the volcano, put on sunscreen!!! I got absolutely fried on my face and hands because those were the only two exposed areas of my body. You%26#39;re higher up in the atmosphere, and maui is already serious sunburn area to begin with. Don%26#39;t be fooled by the cool temperatures like I was. The trip lasts until like 4pm or something, so you%26#39;re literally out there all day baking if you dont sunscreen it up.
Other than that, we had a great time, enjoyed our first horse rides, and weren%26#39;t TOO sore afterwards.
Thanks for the great info. everyone. I think I will go ahead and book a ride on the Pony Express.
I also did the pony express on my honeymoon in March. It was raining and we still went out so our trip was the most awful experience in my life. Even though they do give you rain gear your feet get soaked if it starts to rain and you are not moving since the horse is doing all the work so you can not warm up. I thought I was going to get frostbite. When we stopped for lunch we had to eat in the rain and I could barely get off the horse because my whole body was numb. Just FYI they do not cancel and would not let you reschedule. I do not know how anyone could have had a good time on my trip. So yes dress very warm and prey for no rain :)
Thanks for the report! Have you done one for Kauai yet?
Rebecca
