Hanauma Bay is a semi-circular cove that is the top of an old eroded volcano with lots of coral reef just below the surface. It is an underwater state park, which means that you have to pay to go in, watch a video on the things you will see, how to protect the coral and the fish, and yourself. It is shallow and safe for all ages - for the most part, and there are so many colorful fish that it is called Hawaii's fishbowl. Because of this, it gets pretty crowded, so we went early. But even as tons of people streamed in all day, it didn't really seem to get too crowded. It is a big place. Lifeguards watch over people as well, and tell you where the currents are, where it is safe ... read more

Kalaupapa overlook provides a scenic view of the Kalaupapa peninsula some 1600 feet below. Interpretive plaques explain the history of the leprosy settlement below; the town of Kalaupapa can be seen from the overlook. The peninsula is a lava slab that is surrounded on three sides by the sea, and backed by the world’s tallest sea cliffs which separate this peninsula from the rest of the island. This geography made this the perfect place to isolate leprosy patients from the rest of the islands. Leprosy was spreading through the islands rapidly in the 1800’s, and in 1865 King Kamehameha made it illegal for those diagnosed with leprosy to live anywhere in Hawaii expect here, enacting a law that banished people with leprosy to Kalaupapa. Early on, patients were forcibly taken from their families and dumped off ... read more

The search for a nice beach on Molokai was a frustration. Higher winds and rough seas make all the islands a little more dangerous in the winter time, and you have to pick your places carefully. Since the south shore is the most protected and would be the safest for swimming, we drove all along the south side of the island and stopped at every place that any map made any suggestion of a beach, but none of them were very nice. Little or no sand - mostly rocks. Shallow muddy water, or the alternative, huge crashing waves against rocks. The coconut grove near town had a bit of beach behind it, but it was also narrow, muddy, and worse. While walking along the shore there, I stepped in some black mud that sucked my foot ... read more

Iao Valley State park is a short drive up the road from dry, dusty central Maui, and very quickly you are in rain forest. A large rock formation is called the Ioa needle. This is the site of an historic battle where King Kamehameha defeated the warriors of Maui, and the rivers ran red with blood. Now it is a peaceful, albeit foggy and damp park with walking trails and rivers. Just down the road from Iao Valley park is Kepaniwai Park which pays tribute to the varied ethnic heritages of Hawaii. There are a Japanese garden, Chinese Pavilion, Filipino farmer's home, a Hawaiian home, and a New England missionary style home. We were most taken with the Japanese and the Chinese pavilions and gardens, with the Iao Valley's misty mountains in the background.... read more

Haleakala crater is the extinct volcano that formed the eastern part of Maui. There is a switchback road travelling up to the top of the crater, going so high that you literally drive through clouds, then are above them at an elevation of over 10,000 feet. It always is so pretty when you get above the clouds! We had read about a bicycle trip down the side of the mountain which had sounded like fun, but it turns out that the road up and down from the crater is so very steep, and without a shoulder to make it safe for bikers, that people get hurt by doing that. Not only that, the wind is so strong and the air is so cold that they provide you parkas and gloves so you don't freeze. And the ... read more