Everyday is a Holiday, and Life is a Vacation on Maui!
Everyday is a Holiday, and Life is a Vacation on Maui
When you live life like everyday is a holiday and life is a vacation on Maui, life will be great!
Visitors, friends and family who us visit tend to believe that, because we are fortunate enough to live on Maui, we are on permanent vacation! However, if you are an average Mauian, we work hard so we can enjoy all the cool things that Maui and all the Hawaiian islands have to offer. There are some islanders who prefer to stay on their part of that island and are quite content staying in their own backyard.
Stay-cations / Life is a vacation on Maui!
“Stay-cations” are quite popular for most Mauians! Often we are asked, “what is the most popular vacation destination for locals?” Viva Las Vegas! Las Vegas is the number one destination for locals, and it is so popular that it is nicknamed “the 9th island”! My favorite island happens to be Maui, specifically, escaping to Hana. Matter of fact, I’m heading there for 4 days next week! “Glamping” at the Wainapanapa State Park cabins.
Activities off the beaten path and locals’ favorite restaurants
With all that being said, let’s get down to the off-the-beaten-path activities and restaurants most popular with the locals.
By land…
Top on the list. Hello! Maui Chocolate and Coffee Tours at Kupa’a Farms! Yes, we blog about ourselves once in awhile. This time of year we would like to highlight a new offering…private chocolate party tours. If you have your own guide or driver, bring your favorite red wine and see how it works with our selection of global chocolates, including 2 – 3 from Hawaii. You may also inquire at Wailea Wine for red wine recomendations or any wine suggestions for our chocolates.
We recently did a private “bean to bar” tasting at a home in Makena, and Ed from Wailea Wine chose a beautiful banyuls by Chapoutier which was spectacular. On that note, your next dinner party or get together, be the first kid on the block to host your own bean to bar chocolate tasting. Invite your local chocolate enthusiast/specialist from Maui Chocolate and Coffee Tours to be your lively and entertaining dessert course. You can choose 3 – 7 chocolates from around the world and 2 or 3 would be from our rare Hawaiian collection. If you want to include the ancient Mayan chocolate drink, that can be arranged as well. Give us a call for details!
By Air…
Off the beaten path and way up in the sky for you adventuresome types there is Proflyght Paragliding on the slopes of Haleakala. We often see them soaring in the air up the mountain from Kupa’a Farms. What a thrill that must be! Check them out and let us know! They are quite conscientious of daily weather conditions, especially during winter, so flights may be limited during winter season due to flying conditions and keeping safety as the number one priority. A few years back I tried to glide with them during the winter, and haven’t had an opportunity to try again. It’s on my must do fun list!
By Sea…
This party cruise is the top party boat for locals and visitors alike. Island Rythms with Island Reggae Amassador Marty Dread. is the entertainer on this dance cruise which goes out of both Ma’alaea and Lahaina harbors, Friday and Saturday nights respectively. The dance party cruise is hosted on one of Pacific Whale Foundation’s power catamarans. This sunset party cruise is especially fun during the winter when Maui’s other residents return home for the winter…the humpback whales. It’s a total trifecta.. music/dance, sunset, and whales.
By Hunger…
Da Kitchen in Kihei
If you want to try local food at a reasonable price…Da Kitchen in Kihei is da bomb da kine where you broke da mouth good. Nothing like a haole girl doing bad pidgeon! That’s another thing that cracks this girl up…speaking bad pidgeon. Pidgeon is bad english! Sometimes one needs an interpreter to translate heavy pidgeon. Too funny! Anyway, back to the food from Da Kitchen. If you want to try a “Hawaiian Burrito”, that would be a lau lau. Kalua pork with butterfish wrapped in a taro leaf and steamed in a ti leaf. Omg! The tara (kalo) turns like steamed spinach. Have some poi with lomi salmon to round da “flavas”!
Kihei Caffe
We’ve blogged about Kihei Caffe before, and it is certainly not off the beaten path, and it is a must try. Simply follow the line down the block on South Kihei Road, so don’t be scared as that line moves quickly when owner, Barry Allison, is at the cash register helm! You’ll laugh when he tells you what you are having for breakfast, and that is how he moves the line! Remember the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld? Well, Barry is the equivalent…the Breakfast Nazi from Kihei Caffe! Their portions are ginormous so come hungry! I have many favorites, and my top two are the huevos rancheros or the pork fried rice. Their best seller is probably the french toast with bananas and macadamia nuts.
More to Come
As always, mahalo for taking the time to read our “TLDR” blog. We hope you find them entertaining and informative. Blogging helps drive our business, and most importantly it’s all of you out there spreading the word that really builds our business!
Mahalo nui loa from Maui Chocolate and Coffee Tours that continues to rock chocolate and coffee with aloha all day long at Kupa’a Farms