In what I can only describe as the best vacation of my life, my husband and I spent nine nights and ten days in Hawaii in February 2019, splitting our time between Oahu and Maui. Because we took so many photos, I divided this PMP Travels entry into two parts. This is Part 2, covering our unforgettable time on Maui.
This post is the continuation of our Hawaii trip (Part 1 showcased Oahu). Oahu felt familiar in some ways, like a tropical version of other tourist spots I’ve visited, but Maui felt uniquely itself. I hope the photos convey that special vibe.
Some images were taken with my iPhone and others with a DSLR; they’re shown in chronological order. Even when I didn’t have the DSLR, the phone photos turned out well.
TRAVEL DAY
On day five we flew between islands on Hawaiian Airlines. The flight itself was only about 50 minutes, but airport time, rental car exchanges, and hotel check-ins took most of the day. From the plane we had a neat view of Diamond Head Crater, which we had hiked a few days earlier.
We arrived at our Maui Airbnb around 3 p.m. The Lilikoi Retreat was charming and a welcome contrast to the busy Waikiki hotel we’d left behind. The grounds had tangerine, lime and banana trees, plus other lush foliage. Curiously, there was what looked like a nearby rooster farm — one of the oddest but memorable things we saw. From our balcony we could see the ocean and the Puu Kukui peak. We stayed there for two nights mid-trip.
O’o Farms
On day six I booked a breakfast and coffee tour at O’o Farms in upcountry Maui. It quickly became my favorite experience on the island. We sampled several coffees, smelled citronella and allspice, tasted borage flowers, and enjoyed a remarkable farm-to-table breakfast. Everything on our plates was grown or produced on-site.
I shot over 100 photos during the three-hour visit and selected the best to share here. The view from the farm — looking down over cultivated rows with both Maui coasts in the distance — is hard to capture in words.
Our guide Hoku, a Maui native, was full of knowledge about the farm and the difference between native and invasive species. One surprising lesson: the allspice tree is indeed a tree — not just a spice blend. We toured avocado trees, the taro plant used for poi, numerous fruit trees, chameleons, and more.
The breakfast was the highlight: the chef prepared a smoked frittata using farm-fresh eggs and smoked vegetables with such savory depth that some guests thought it was meat. The spread included sweet apple bananas, freshly squeezed juices, sourdough cinnamon rolls made with the farm starter, and salads garnished with edible flowers and inventive dressings like smoked tomato–raspberry vinaigrette.
After breakfast we toured the coffee plants and learned about harvesting, roasting, and packaging. We bought a bag of O’o Farms coffee and couldn’t resist the branded t-shirts, which drew compliments for the rest of our trip.
Kula Botanical Gardens
The gardens near O’o Farms were stunning, even in winter. I imagine summer would be even more vibrant. The entrance has a small gift shop and a paved path that winds through diverse plantings. We spent about 45 minutes exploring, taking photos, and soaking in the scenery — and that was in the off season.
Hawaii Sea Spirits Organic Farm & Distillery
This sugar cane farm produces both Ocean Organic Vodka and Kula Rum. Located about 45 minutes from the botanical gardens, the distillery tour explained how both spirits come from sugar cane; the difference lies in distillation. We toured the fields, bottling area, and learned about the production process.
Mama’s Fish House
This celebrated north-shore restaurant came highly recommended, so we went after a long day of touring. Although I couldn’t snag a reservation in advance, we took our chances at the bar and were seated right away. We celebrated Sean’s 30th with exceptionally fresh seafood. It was the priciest meal of the trip, but entirely worth it for the quality.
Ho’Okipa State Park
A friend recommended this beach for turtle sightings at sunset, and it was just a short drive from Mama’s Fish House. We watched surfers and waited for sunset, then spotted the turtles clustered at the far end of the beach — they looked like large, wet rocks until they moved.
Whale Watching off Ka’anapali Beach
After two nights at the Airbnb we moved to a resort in Kapalua. We were surprisingly allowed to check in at 10 a.m., which felt like gaining a whole extra day. The concierge helped us book a 2 p.m. whale-watching excursion. Before the boat left we enjoyed a memorable oversized macaron and waited excitedly for the tour.
Lounging and Food
We spent the final days relaxing at the resort, swimming and enjoying outstanding meals. A high-tide and surf advisory limited some activities like scuba diving, but there was still plenty to enjoy.
One memorable meal was a Seafood Tower loaded with oysters, lobster tail, crab legs, poke, salmon, tuna and grilled prawns. Even if you’re not normally an oyster fan, these were exceptional. Happy hour offered great deals — for example, some seafood items were half off between 5 and 6 p.m.
We walked the Kapalua Coastal Trail to Merriman’s for happy hour, where I had the best sliders of my life made with grass-fed Kauai beef. The passion fruit foam mai tais were just $6 during happy hour — an unbeatable drink deal. Another must-visit was the Gazebo: we ordered the macadamia nut pancakes and fried rice, which we ended up enjoying for several meals.
Our final travel day involved checking out, driving 90 minutes to the airport in a heavy rainstorm, grabbing lunch and gas at Costco, and then flying home. We landed late, managed most of the trip back in a Lyft, and walked the last snowy blocks to our house with our luggage in tow.
So many memories to carry with us. Hawaii was incredible — I can’t wait to return.
