mnko v.8 n.1 p.75-82 - hello! | shannon wianeckishannonwianecki.com/work_files/best of maui.pdf ·...

Story by Shannon WianeckiPhotography by Jason Moore | Ron Dahlquist

Jack Jeffrey | Rob Ratkowski | Cecilia Fernández

66 www.mauimagazine.net

M A U I S T Y L E

Photo: Jason Moore

The

Shaka List31 Reasons to Love Maui

Best of Maui V3:MNKO v.8 n.1 p.75-82 4/2/07 12:49 PM Page 2

Maui No Ka ‘Oi MAY 2007 67

Welcome to Maui No Ka ‘Oi magazine’s first annual guide to whatmakes our island the very best, the most, the top of the heap. We askedour friends and families to help us name what makes life on Maui sosuperlative; the resulting compilation—from startling natural wondersto secret spots, treasured recipes and local traditions—revealed just howlucky we are.

Use the following pages like a treasure map to the essence of this irre-sistible refuge. We whittled our lover’s litany down to thirtyish—someobvious, some whimsical choices—not listed in order of importance.After all, is it really possible to determine whether a Hawaiian honey-creeper ranks higher than a moonbow? We aimed for a balance of theancient and up-and-coming, the budget-minded and high falutin’. Wehope some will be new to you—a chance to fall in love with Maui allover again.

The lone silhouette standing on a surf-

board, paddling across the horizon, is

poetry in motion—and an increasingly

common sight, thanks to Maui’s water

giants Dave Kalama and Laird Hamilton.

They recently revived interest in paddle-

surfing, which may have ancient roots

and definitely dates back at least as far as

the beach boys of the 1930s. Like Pilates

for big-wave surfers, it’s an intense core-

muscle workout and offers more speed for

catching waves, better views of marine

life, and an alternative activity for wave-

less days.

Paddle-surfing.

Golden sand. Collect pillow-soft, gold-en granules between your toes at MakenaState Beach Park. Makena, which means“abundance,” offers plenty of sandy realestate for everyone. (Three entrances offMakena Alanui Rd., Makena)

Red sand. An unmarked trail skirtingKa‘uiki Hill leads to secluded Kaihalulu(Roaring Sea) Beach. The view is unlikeany other in Hawai‘i: coarse red sandwashed by crystal-blue waves, the feistysurf kept at bay by a row of jagged blacklava rocks. (Follow the trail from HotelHana-Maui’s Hauoli St. parking lot,Hana.)

Black sand. Let the blustery blowholes,mysterious sea caves, and dramatic blacksand at Wai‘anapanapa State Beach Parkrevive your senses. (Off Hana Hwy.,Hana.)

Photo: Cecilia Fernández



Now if we can just get curbside service.

Mana‘o Radio. Who

can remember what life was like

before Barry Shannon and Kathy

Collins hit the airwaves? Thanks

to the dynamic duo and their ded-

icated disc jockeys, 91.5 FM

broadcasts live jam sessions,

Michael McCartney’s Time

Machine, Paul Wood’s creatively

themed musical musings, Hamish

Burgess’ Celtic programs, and

some of the funniest public ser-

vice announcements on air. Com-

mercial free! Hones’ promise, as

Colins’s alter ego, Tita, would say.

Maui Friends of the Library Bookstore. Forget Borders.Next time you need a juicy read, venture past the Pu‘uneneSugarMill. Follow the enigmatic signs (“BOOKS, THISWAY”)through once-thriving Pu‘unene, now a ghost town. Behind theold schoolhouse, the volunteer-run bookstore is a jolly, tin-roofedshack filled floor-to-ceiling with books discarded from locallibraries. Score dog-eared volumes of Shakespeare, Milton, andthe occasional Hawaiian collectible for just 10 cents a pop. Warn-ing: after hunting for rare editions, you may have to chase chick-ens from the roof of your car.

Maui Swap Meet. Dig 50 centsfrom your coin purse for admissionto this part-farmer’s market, part-crafter’s paradise for everythingfrom strawberry guava jam toHawaiian quilts. Get there by sevensharp—the best flowers and gifts goquickly! (Next to the Kahului PostOffice, Pu‘unene Ave., open 7 a.m.to noon every Saturday)

HI-5!We recycle!

During the autumn Moon Festival,everyone is invited to nibble on sweetmoon cakes (pastries stuffed withblack-bean and lotus-seed paste) andplace fruits and flowers on thesparkling Taoist altar upstairs. Thetwo-story museum, built in 1912 byChinese immigrants, hosts annual cele-brations encouraging longevity andgood luck for all. On any day of theyear, duck past the garden’s star-fruittree to sit beneath antique woks andbaskets in the rustic cookhouse-turned-theater. Every 20 minutes a film loopplays footage by Edison, shot in 1898when his crew came to the Islands.Marvel over black-and-white panora-mas showing old-time paniolos (Hawai-ian cowboys) wrangling cattle ontoships, and Honolulu’s first electricstreetlights. (858 Front St., Lahaina,661-5553, www.lahainarestoration.org.Open 10-4 daily, admission $1.)

WoHingMuseum.

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Photo:JasonM

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Seed lei. Flower lei may be gorgeous, but lei ‘ano‘ano last longer.Collect and sew your own with help from Laurie Shimizu Ide’sbook, Hawaii’s Seeds and Seed Lei.

Drawing Class at Hui No‘eau.Indulge your inner Da Vinci orDegas. Learn to scribble with thepros. At this C.W. Dickey-designedestate, professional artists Kit Gentryand Kirk Kurokawa teach begin-ning and life drawing classes. (2841Baldwin Ave., Makawao, 572-6560,www.huinoeau.com)


Story by Tom Stevens

Nothing’s perfect.Not even Maui.To millions of enchanted admirers,

the island comes as close to perfec-tion as nature probably allows. Buteven this best of all possible worldshas a few shortcomings.Admittedly, any list of “Maui worsts”

would provoke snorts of hilarity else-where. I once made the mistake ofcomplaining about island traffic to avisitor from that other famous island,Manhattan.He burst out laughing.“Traffic? Where?” he sputtered,

beating his fists on his thighs to con-tain his mirth. “You call this traffic?”Point taken. The following list of

Maui “worsts” was the best I could doon a cloudless, 80-degree day.

1. Worsening traffic. Although stilllaughable by big-city standards, ourever-thickening traffic may be one rea-son Maui slipped, for the first time in adozen years, from the coveted“World’s Best Island” status bestowedby Condé Nast magazine.Maui’s worst traffic jam? Pa‘ia,

Makawao, K ihei and Lahaina vie dailyfor that distinction, but the most mem-orable stoppages occur wheneverbrush fires close the pali road toLahaina. Seasoned West Mauimotorists now pack blankets, foodand water in their cars for occasionalovernight stays on Honoapi‘ilani High-way. Which brings us to:

2. Worst-kept promise. It has been30 years since Hawai‘i’s state govern-ment agreed to develop a Lahainabypass that could ease West Mauitraffic congestion. During that sameperiod, the state authorized construc-tion of tens of thousands of West Mauiresidential and resort units. Thebypass is still a fantasy, but develop-ment continues apace. Which bringsus to:

3. Dueling hospitals. Concernedabout Maui’s sole, often-overbur-dened hospital and what could hap-pen during an epidemic or disaster,separate citizens’ groups in West andSouth Maui have submitted proposalsto build regional medical centers,

Maui No KaOuch

Demigod Maui.Unsurprisingly, many Maui res-idents feel a kinship with our island’s namesake.Idealistic, slightly mischievous, ready for a chal-lenge—he’s just like many of us! We aren’t the onlyones smitten with Maui’s supernatural antics—theMaoris, Tahitians, Samoans and Tongans all tell sto-ries of his strength and daring . . . but we can stakespecial claim. According to legend, Maui and hismoon-goddess mother Hina lived at Ka‘uiki inHana. It was from our peak, Haleakala, that Mauisnared the sun. And all summer long, his magicfishhook Manai-i-ka-lani (elsewhere known as theconstellation Scorpius) can be viewed high in oursky. Maui used the star-studded fishhook to pull theHawaiian Islands up from the sea.

Bamboo Forest at Waimoku Falls.Follow the mossy boardwalk into theshade of the bamboo forest. Listen to thehollow clatter and whistle of canesknocking together in the wind. Take arefreshing plunge in the amphitheater

pool of the thundering, 400-foot-high waterfall. (At ‘Ohe‘o

Gulch in Kïpahulu;follow signs from theNational Park Ser-vice parking lot.)

I S L A N D I S S U E S

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Photo: Cecilia FernándezLei courtesy of Jane Kuloloia

Continued on page 73

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The creamy custard ensconced in a tart pineapple bowl is the exquis-ite marriage of French and Pacific cuisine. (Chez Paul Restaurant atOlowalu on Honoapi‘ilani Hwy., Lahaina, 661-3843)

Chez Paul’s crème brulee.


15Spago’s ‘ahi poke cones. Nochopsticks necessary. Wrappedin crunchy sesame-miso with asplash of chili aioli and tobiko(flying-fish roe), these handheldappetizers are heaven in a singlebite. (Spago at Four SeasonsResort Maui, 879-2999)

M A U I S T Y L E

Photo: Jason Moore


Long’s Drugs. Eh, no pretend. Weknow you love Long’s, too. Where elsecan you buy fishing hooks, Hello Kittypencils, Japanese cucumbers, Spam, anda palaka (cowboy plaid) photo album allin one spot? Maui-born Lee Catalunaeven wrote a short story about it, called“Folks You Meet at Long’s,” and she’s afamous playwright. See, no shame.Long’s is the best, even after the auntiescome clear out the shelves with their five-for-one coupons for sushi rice and MauiKookwees. (Maui Mall, Kïhei’s AzekaPlace, Lahaina Cannery Mall)

Pukalani Superette’s MacaroniSalad The recipe is for 10 pounds, oneportion equalling what can fit in a 24-ounce container. It's so good, you mightactually want that much!

8 pounds cooked ditalini2 portions minced carrots1 portion minced onion1 portion minced celery12 boiled eggs, minced1 gallon Best Foods mayo1/2 cup chopped parsley1 cup sweet relish3 tablespoons sugar2 tablespoons salt1 tablespoon garlic salt1 tablespoon black pepper

What you’ll see in Kïpahulu andwhy it’s da best: waterfalls, Hawai-ians on horseback, organic fruit andflower farms.

What you’ll see in Kaupo: colorfulKaupo Store, Hui Aloha Church,wild cattle, and barn owls.

What’s cool about Kahakuloa: kalolo‘i (taro patches), the “famous”banana bread stand, 636-foot-highKahakuloa rock formation. Also,Bruce Turnbull’s sculpture gardenand Karen Noland’s art gallery.

Stand beneath the 50-foot-high exterior wall of Hale o Pi‘ilani to gain a newperspective on Hawaiian architecture. Eight centuries ago, Hawaiians passedrocks hand-to-hand from as far as seven miles away to build this colossal three-acre heiau (religious site). Today the awe-inspiring structure is surrounded bya living museum of hala (pandanus) and ‘ulu (breadfruit) groves maintained bythe National Tropical Botanical Garden. In the Polynesian “canoe garden,” theskeletal limbs of ‘awa (kava) and wauke (paper mulberry) whisper ancientsecrets to the curious. (Located 1-½ miles down Ula‘ino Road, Hana. 248-8912,www.ntbg.org, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Self-guided tour with booklet, $10.)

Hale o Pi‘ilani at Kahanu Garden.

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Tamara Catz. Long thedarling of celebrities andstyle mags, Catz’s hand-embellished clothing andaccessories are designed onMaui and epitomize chicisland life. Filmy cotton slip-dresses embroidered withbirds and flowers capture therelaxed elegance and heat ofthe tropics. At the hip TamaraCatz boutique in Pa‘ia, mencan lounge on comfy ottomanswhile their lady friends try ondazzling, sequined bikinis. (83Hana Hwy., Pa‘ia 579-9184www.tamaracatz.com)

Luxury spa treatments.You don’t have tobe a celebrity on vacation to avail yourselfof red-carpet pampering at Maui’s poshresort spas. The best of the best? TheKateSomerville facial at the Four SeasonsResort Maui, the Honua scrub and lomilomi massage at the Hotel Hana-Maui,and the lavender body-butter wrap at theWestin Ka‘anapali.

Kapalua labyrinth. At the sea’s edge, on the point between D.T. Fleming Beach and Oneloa Bay, takea meditative stroll around the white coral labyrinth. It’s best just before sunset, when the mist rises alongthe coast. (From the parking lot at the bottom of Office Road in Kapalua, walk along the outside perime-ter of the golf course to the ironwood trees. Several paths lead through the trees to the labyrinth.)


Massage Schools.Get A-plus treatment for a fractionof the regular price: volunteer your aching musclesto a student practitioner at any one of numerousschools around the island. (Maui School of TherapeuticMassage, 1043 Makawao Ave., Makawao, 572-2277,www.massagemaui.com; and Spa Luna 810 Ha‘iku Rd.,Ha‘iku, 575-2440, www.spaluna.com)


In the shade of native koa and ‘ohi‘atrees, tiny emerald ferns unfurl lace-like fronds, pale pink geraniums openamidst a flurry of silver leaves, andscarlet birds flash sickle-moon-shaped beaks. You can visit this mag-ical place, a 5,230-acre Nature Con-servancy preserve, on two guidedhikes led by Haleakala National Parkstaff. The “Bird Loop” crosses a ver-dant gulch, the home of rare Hawai-ian honeycreepers and floweringplant species—many of which exist

nowhere else on earth. The five-hour“Walk on the Wet Side” descends intodense cloud forest on a steep board-walk that culminates in an aerie plat-form—an even better bet for birders.(Bird Loop: Mondays and Thursdays,8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Walk on theWet Side: Third Sunday of everymonth, 11:45 p.m to 5:30 p.m. Meet atHosmer’s Grove, just inside theentrance of Haleakala National Park.Call one week in advance. 572-4459,$10 Park entrance fee.)

Native honeycreeper. Can you name this blonde-tuftedfellow? Zipping from tree to tree, he sips nectar from ‘ohi‘ablossoms, simultaneously pollinating them with the curledfeathers on his crown. Hawaiians, who delighted in word-play and euphemism, named him ‘akohekohe, in reference tocurly hair of, ahem, another sort. Sadly, only around 3,500crested honeycreepers exist, and the species, dependent onpristine native forest, is presumed extinct on Moloka‘i. Hearthe ‘akohekohe sing on the East Maui Watershed Partnership’swebsite (www.eastmauiwatershed.org). Visit Waikamoi Pre-serve to experience in the wild.

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Waikamoi,“the waters of royalty,” is Maui’s botanical treasure box.

using private funds. But Maui Memor-ial is also often the state’s onlyprofitable hospital. Wary that any rivalfacility would drain those resources,the state has thus-far declared bothproposals DOA. You could call it thehigh cost of dying. Which brings us to:

4. High cost of living. On any givenday, Maui boasts prices for gasoline,groceries, housing and other essen-tials that are among the nation’s high-est. Many residents work multiple jobsto make ends meet. Many born-and-raised Mauians have moved to LasVegas, Alaska, California, the PacificNorthwest, Arizona and points east.Their reasons are many—some ofthem noted above—but one of theforemost is the perception that Mauihas lost the leisurely pace and small-town friendliness they knew growingup. “No Hawaiians, no aloha,” readsone bumper sticker. “Slow Down, ThisAin’t the Mainland!” reads another. Butto many Islanders, Maui already is theMainland. Which brings us finally to:

5. Worst Mainland import. Somemight nominate for this dubious honorMTV’s new Maui Fever sex-on-the-beach series; others would pick para-sitic, tell-all, “secret places” travel books.But my vote goes to “beach replenish-ment,” a marginal Mainland practicethat bodes much worse for Maui.Why? As any snorkeler or diver

can attest, Maui still has live reefs. Wealso have tides and seasonal surf.When millions of pounds of sand“replenish” an eroded beach, wheredoes that sand end up a year later?Washed out to sea, of course, whereit becomes a choking shroud on off-shore reefs. Doubters need onlysnorkel O‘ahu’s much-replenishedWaikiki, once a live reef ecosystem ofrich biodiversity and gemlike clarity.Today, Waikiki below sea level is anaquatic desert. Ballyhooed by oppor-tunistic realtors, beach replenishmentis now gaining traction on Maui. If itdoes, you won’t need your snorkelgear much longer. There’ll be nothingto see but sand.

If we’re lucky, what’s “worst” aboutMaui will progress at the leisurelypace known as “Maui time.” A rooftopsign in Lahaina promises passersby:“Jesus Coming Soon,” while a sign inKahului assures motorists: “Zippy’sComing Soon,” referring to a Honolulurestaurant chain whose arrival someMauians anticipate even more eagerly.Both signs have been up for years.

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Moonbows. Outside of Hawai‘i, the silvery arcs are little more than fantastic legends. But as my cousin from Wis-

consin can attest, they’re real. On her last visit, she watched the moon rise from her Ma‘alaea condo lanai. “What’sthat?” she asked, pointing to a huge, silver bow stretching from theWest Maui Mountains midway across Ma‘alaea Bay.Maui doesn’t have the patent on moonbows—but our often-misty, moonlit sky presents a perfect stage for the phe-nomenon. Your best bet for spying one of these miracles? Take your sweetheart for a drive down Kokomo Road inHa‘iku on the next full moon. Those lucky enough to catch a double moonbow better pull the car over and kiss.

Maui Mokka coffee.This 1,000-year-old Ethiopian variety nearlywent extinct; now it’s grown only here, inKa‘anapali. Pea-sized beans are packed withhints of chocolate and bright floral notes.(MauiGrown Coffee Company Store,277 Lahainaluna Rd., Lahaina, 667-2827,www.mauigrowncoffee.com)

Makena Landing. Once a thrivingport where visiting dignitaries land-ed and Rose Ranch cattle swam outto ships, it remains one of theisland’s best spots to launch a kayakor dive for adventure. Below thesurface you’ll see turtles, flyinggurnards (pictured above), and evenoctopus, if you’re stealthy. (OffMakena Road)

What’s the worst thing aboutgoing to the Mainland? SHOES!We give going barefoot (or closeenough, wearing just slippers)two-toes up.

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Photo: Jason Moore

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Photo: Cecilia Fernández

See what else made our “Best of” list (including the recipe forTakamiya Market's Teriyaki Steak!) by visiting:


mnko v.8 n.1 p.75-82 - hello! | shannon wianeckishannonwianecki.com/work_files/best of maui.pdf ·...

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