Maui 430 umm, I mean 20

December 9, 2008 12:27 AM

Anyone feel like Helping me and my sister have a good time in Maui???

I'm 24, Sister is 22, from Ohio and in Maui for a month. Staying in Kihei, both have bike, not looking to golf sky diving type fun at all, (in fact I am pretty sure golf is one of the signs of the worst kind of human decadence). I already feel bad about taking a jet to an island in the middle of the ocean, and hate to see a beautiful island like this go to waste on people, but as long as I'm here.. any good music venues, any ideas where to find a 420 friendly group. stuff like this, thanks so much. Aloha!!

posted by Benzle to travel & transportation (6 comments total)

unfortunately, my favorite part of the island is closed for two years!

Anyhoo, I didn't have a llicense the first time I went to Maui so I rode my bike from Maui Meadows (above Kihei) down to La Perouse Bay back in '98 and that was a blast -- the SW corner of the island is rather unpeopled and while not exactly lush has its interesting spots. Bring lots of water on that trip of course -- no services past the Big Beach concession guy (if he's still there).

Speaking of Big Beach, I gathered that's one of the main places the locals go to get away from tourists, especially the CO portion isolated on the north.

Without a car Maui is going to really suck unless you like bicycling two or three hours uphill both ways against the wind on busy roads in the beating tropical sun, but if you get the transit thing worked out taking a tour around the West Maui mountains is great. That's also an awesome bike ride if you're up for a real cycling adventure. Doable in a day from Kihei but you've got to be in shape to make it -- four hours to Lahaina, four hours around the back to Kahului, maybe two hours (one if you crank) from Kahului to Kihei.

If you can make it up to the Haleakala Crater area on a clear moonless night do so . . . the stars up there are REALLY REALLY amazing, no THC required.

Kihei is in the rain shadow of Haleakala so it's pretty dry and barren so it's not much of a tropical paradise. For that you need to travel to Hana. That's where all the pot is to, from what I gather LOL.
posted by troy at 1:52 AM on December 9, 2008

It is legal (and reasonably safe) to hitchhike in Hawaii. I (along with my GF and other housemates) did a good bit of exploring on Maui via hitchhiking. We hitched to Lahina and back, and up the mountain (and back down)... I wouldn't get in a car if things were sketchy, but if you're with two people, I think that keep things safe. Also keep your phone handy and take other precautions. But it's not a bad way to take some day trips. Some of our best days were spent in the back of pickup trucks.

You MUST go to the Bamboo Forest in Maui. Not sure how to get there... It's on the road to Hana and you stop off at a random spot (ask around, look for cars, etc.) and you can hike up to falls, and through (QT VR). Oheo Gulch is what the file is named... so maybe that's the name.

Oh, and please learn to surf. I'm sure two girls from Ohio could get adopted by a local surfer and you wouldn't have to pay for lessons or anything.

I don't know much about the 420, but there are definitely hippies on Maui. There is a healthfood store in Paia (which is great), which anchors a very hippy-dippy scene over there. It's called Mana Foods. Up the hill from there, past the sugar cane and the pineapple is Makawow, a tiny town, and there is a herbal medicine man who has a shop up there. I'd ask around at these joints and see what you can get into.

Aloha!
posted by zpousman at 5:55 AM on December 9, 2008

Definitely hitchhike to Hana! I must have picked up about 8 hitchhikers while I was on Maui, and they all were interesting people who could hook you up with all sorts of fun activities (including 420). If you do decide to trek over to Hana, you should call ahead and get a room at Joe's Place. I've stayed there twice. The manager, Ed lives next door, and is great for a beer and a story of Maui in the old days. Just be sure to call ahead - Ed hates surprises.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 7:50 AM on December 9, 2008

Maui Revealed rules and has been reved about on here before.
posted by muscat at 12:04 PM on December 9, 2008

Ride a bicycle down Haleakala! A van drives you to the top, and except for a couple very short uphills, it's downhill all the way.
posted by Rash at 2:17 PM on December 9, 2008

The perfect Sunday on Maui:
Wake up to a mountain-sized heap of corned beef hash & eggs at the Kihei Cafe. Work it off with a couple hours of bodyboarding at Kam III beach. Head upcountry for an afternoon of live acoustic music at Casanova's in Makawao. Pull yourself out of the Makawao timewarp and make your way down to Little Beach. Give the sunset a standing ovation.

Pure bliss.
posted by prinado at 7:17 PM on December 9, 2008