Hawaii

To celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary, we planned a trip to Maui and Kauai. It was the most relaxing and rejuvenating vacation ever. No email, no cell phone, no TV for 2 weeks straight. We might have to make that a yearly routine.

To view all the Hawaii posts in order, I suggest you start with the last link in June and work your way up. Unfortunately, the photos of sea turtles while kayaking and Amit holding an octopus while snorkeling are missing 'cause they turned out shitty with the underwater camera. To view all our photos as a slideshow click here
Disclaimer: Don't complain it was long if you set the slideshow to run more than 2 secs per photo

Maui: Huelo

Our Gazebo cottage at the Huelo Point Flower Farm sat at the edge of a cliff with the ocean below. We didn't leave this place for 2 straight days.


We got massages right where you see the chairs...

...made freshly squeezed lemonade with lemons and limes that we handpicked from their organic garden...

Hand-picked 'keri', tangerine, grapefruit, cashew, and little sour fruits I don't know the name of


...watched a spider weave its web in exactly 40 minutes, 2 days in a row, and get done just before sunset, ready to catch the suckers that come out at night.



We slept with the sound of ocean waves by the day and geckos and toads by night. It was the best way to wind down a 12-day adventure-filled vacation.

Maui: Hana

The road to Hana is the most common touristy thing done in Maui. The 52-mile windy road is carved along the mountain with the ocean on the other side. About 200 cars per day make all the sites along the way quite crowded. After Kauai, we weren't very impressed or thrilled by the sites.



Black Sand Beach at Wainapanapa State Park



Red Sand Beach- Kaihalulu
This beach is accessible only after trespassing private land. The rust color surprises you as you go around the corner at the end of a short hike. The beach is a local hangout...without boundaries. The rocks form a nice bay, making it a calm pool to swim in.



Baby Pig's Crossing B&B had an awesome location with the Haleakala National Park as it backyard, a postcard view of the shoreline, and the Big Island beyond. The owner Arabella Ark is an artist who hand builds ceramic pottery. We enjoyed seeing her work and studio, as well as getting a ride in her Model A Ford she's had since she was 16!

Kauai: Waimea Canyon & the NaPali

Amit and I decided to get an early start and do the Awaawapuhi trail connecting to the Nualolo trail in the Waimea Canyon. The 11-odd miles strenuous hike was the most rewarding one in terms of the views. Imagine standing 4000 ft above sea level, looking out at the endless ocean blending into the horizon, and the treacherous cliffs you have hiked to get up there.

Awaawapuhi lookout


To Nualolo






Lolo vista




Views of the NaPali


Waipoo Falls at Waimea Canyon

Kauai: North Shore

One lane bridges over rivulets flowing into the ocean. The drive to North Shore was picturesque, laid-back and serene.


The Hanalei overlook is called 'a postcard waiting to happen'. Taro fields line the entire town at the base of the mountain. People were paddling down the river to meet the ocean on the other side. What a way to live - mountains on one side, beaches on the other!


We saw some beautiful churches built in the 18th century with volcanic rock.

While at the North Shore, we visited Princeville, a pristine rich area famous for its golf and sunsets. Nothing like a chilled out day soaking the sun at tunnels beach, famous for the sunriser shell- if you find one, it is said the island has welcomed you- as well as the Kahelelani shells. The necklaces made of these are sold for no less than $250- the shells are rare and the threading process is very involved.

Kauai: Kalalau Trail to Hanakapiai

Kalalau Trail
The entire Kalalau Trail is 11 miles long and takes 2 days with a night of camping in between. We decided to do the first 2 miles of it along the cliffs of the Napali coast followed by a 2 mile sidetrip to the Hanakapiai Falls which meant trekking through a mango grove, an old coffee plantation, several bamboo forests, across several streams and over boulders.


Hanakapiai Falls
Our reward for the hike was this spectacular falls tumbling 200 feet down from the rocky top into this pristine clear water pool....we of course couldn't resist going for a swim in the pool and even swam across and let the waterfall tumble down right on us....what a thrill...not everyday can one swim in a crystal clear pool under a waterfall!

Kauai: Our Anniversary Day

Robinson Family Sugar Plantation
We got to see sugarcane fields, watch the planters and fertilizers at work, and toured the factory to see how raw sugarcane is made into sugar. We even got to chew on a piece of sugarcane!


Chilling at Glass Beach
This small, secluded beach (that a local told us about) had no one there except us. We chilled and had a picnic lunch while watching the waves crash. It is called glass beach because while there is some sand, the majority of the beach is made up of tiny pieces of washed up glass from the ocean - red, brown, green, and blue.


The stunning Napali coast
We took a sunset cruise along the beautiful Napali coast, getting to see some amazing, rugged scenery only accessible by boat or a grueling 11 mile, 2 day hike.


Spotting Dolphins
While on the boat, we spotted a bunch of dolphins who decided to play alongside and put on a fabulous show for us.


Sunset on the boat

Kauai: South Shore

We fell in love with the Garden Isle- lush tropical forests, waterfalls, rivers flowing into the bay, one lane bridges, deep canyons, steep cliffs, unique beaches...and on and on.

South Shore Sights

Sprouting Horn - People are no longer allowed to go up to the blowhole since a lady got sucked in and swept away a short while ago. Meanwhile Amit was busy juggling 2 melons!

Maui: Haleakala

Maui: Haleakala

We woke up at 2:30am (it wasn't too bad since our body clocks were still on mountain time) to catch a spectacular sunrise over the clouds at the Haleakala crater. After sunrise, we biked 26 miles down the windy volcano, through forests of eucalyptus trees and lavender.