Travelers looking to completely abandon the urban world often avoid popular Hawaiian tourist hangs like Waikiki, and instead choose to embrace the rural comforts of Hawaii’s numerous less populous locales.
About an hour’s drive from Kahului airport on the island of Maui lies Napili Point Resort, an idyllic vacation hideout tucked along the coast of secluded Honokeana Bay. Though no more than a 15-minute drive from the busy strip of hotels along tourist hotspot Ka’anapali beach, Napili is heavy on nature’s finest ingredients and enjoyably light on human distractions.
A long flight from the east coast on the mainland left me sapped of energy when I arrived in Maui near sunset; the perfect state of mind for drifting asleep to the soft sounds of waves breaking just outside our seaside condo. Waking up just a few hours later to a beautiful pink sunrise resting atop dark morning clouds, we witnessed a whale’s full vertical breach just a few hundred yards from shore, and sea turtles floating calmly in the bay, proving that Hawaii is one of those rare places on earth where it seems like Mother Nature still runs the show.
The coastline along the perimeter of Napili Point is made up of steep rock ledges, soft surfaced tide pools, and smooth sandy beaches. Snorkeling in the bay proves most rewarding, as the experience makes you feel a part of a marine wildlife exhibit, with an abundance of fish, eels, sea urchins and giant sea turtles inspecting you as you drift in the warm water.
If you prefer to stay above water, head to downtown Lahaina, an old fishing town transformed into western Maui’s hub for whale watches, deep sea fishing, snorkeling excursions to nearby Molokini Crater, and many other marine adventures. When you’re done with your activity of choice, lazy window shopping along downtown Lahaina’s Front St. coupled with a tasty trip to the aptly titled Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant makes for a perfect low-key end to a hot and busy day.
Cheeseburgers are always satisfying, but if you’re in the mood for a more traditional feast, check out the Royal Lahaina Luau, a cultural celebration of Polynesian and Hawaiian dance, music and tradition. Attendees are welcomed with a lei greeting complete with Mai Tais and an all you can eat buffet serving pulled pork, Mahi Mahi, and many other local offerings. The entertainment commences as the sun sets over the nearby islands of Molokai and Lanai, segueing into an awesome display of fire and Hula dancing.
While the local people and traditional entertainment couldn’t be more gracious and inviting, I like to spend most of my time embracing the solitary raw beauty of Hawaii’s natural environment. An incredible display of nature’s raw power is visible just minutes north of Napili at the Nakalele Blowhole. A steep hike down jagged volcanic stone leads to a bed of tide pools which, on a stormy day, are battered by consistent ocean swells swooping up and under the rock ledge. The white water paints a dazzling picture on the rock canvas, and it feels as though the sea’s raw power could consume you at any moment.
I’ve been lucky enough to visit Maui several times over the past 25 years, and the things I cherish most, the calming warmth of the ocean, the awesome, untarnished beauty of the landscape, and the ability to escape from modern life and let paradise guide you, have hardly changed.
