Giggles & Getaways

In my first pregnancy, I wanted to see the mountains. This time around, I want to see the ocean. Maui, Hawaii is among the best destinations for babymoon as it offers both exciting and relaxing kid-friendly activities.

Initerary

Day 1: Fly from  LAX to OGG airport. 

Day 2: Haleakalā National Park – Haleakalā Summit, Halemauu Trail & Ho’okipa Beach View Lookout

Day 3: Napili Beach & Rest 

Day 4: Hana Road – Waiʻānapanapa State Park Black Beach & Pipiwai Trail at Haleakalā National Park

Day 5: Wailea Beach Park & Rest

Day 6: Kama’ole Beach Park & Rest 

Our Trip

Day 1: Travel to Maui

Kahului airport is small but very airy and lovely. My son enjoyed chasing the birds while waiting for his dad to fetch the rental car. Our Airbnb condo check-in wasn’t until 4 p.m., so we drove around. I could say Maui is pretty developed to accommodate tourists’ needs.

Day 2: Haleakalā National Park & Ho’okipa Beach

Haleakalā Summit, Halemauu Trail

Do you know Haleakalā means “House of The Sun”?

We drove via I37 to Haleakalā National Park, planning to hike the Pipiwai trail and drive back via Hana Road. What we didn’t know was there was no connecting road between the summit and the Pipiwai Trail. Plan changed.

We enjoyed the breathtaking Mars-like Haleakalā Summit view so much that we hiked 1.1 miles on Halemauu Trail to see the view further. The hike was lovely and unique, among clouds and birds chirping.

Ho’okipa Beach

Ho’okipa Beah is well-known for spotting green turtles, and we weren’t disappointed. We spotted multiple turtles along the beach. The beach view was terrific, reminding me of Ly Son Island in Vietnam.

Day 3: Napili Beach

We drove west to check out the other famous beaches. We decided to see Napili Beach instead of Kāʻanapali Beach because the online reviews said it is less crowded. My husband enjoyed snorkeling while I sunbathed, and my son played with sand. I couldn’t get enough of the beach-volcano view here. The only cons of the beach is that it doesn’t have a public restroom and wash area.

Day 4: Hana Road & Pipiwai Trail at Haleakalā National Park

Make sure you have enough gas for the trip as there is only one gas station and it’s super expensive.

While there are multiple stops and views along the famed Hana Road, we decided to stop only at Pailoa Beach and the Pipiwai Trail.

Waiʻānapanapa State Park Black Beach

Please note that you must reserve this state park’s parking and entrance slots here. We planned to drive Hana Road on our first day in Maui but could not because we changed our plans midway and visited the Haleakalā Summit. I woke up at 5 a.m. and luckily could still book the 7 a.m.- 10 a.m. slot to the park.

Pipiwai Trail

We decided to hike only to see the Bamboo Forest, so it was not too tiring. It was interesting to see all the big mango trees along the hike. My son particularly loved the banyan tree and asked for many pictures here.

My favorite? Bamboo Forest. It’s like walking in a fairy tale among the lustful bamboos.

Day 5: Wailea Beach Park

On our fifth day on Maui Island, we learned that all the beaches are public and wonderful for free snorkeling. We had a pretty chill morning at Mailea Beach, where my husband snorkeled, my son played with sand, and I enjoyed the beach view.

Day 6: Kama’ole Beach

Kama’ole Beach is right in front of the condo building we stayed in. My son enjoyed watching the fish, urchins, and crabs along the beach so much.

Accomodation

A recently remodeled condo in Keihei serves our needs well as a family with small kids. The cost is about $300/night, including the fees and taxes. Plus, the condo has almost everything needed for a beach vacation, from a beach umbrella and cooler to snorkeling gear.

Foods

It’s easy to get food on Maui Island. We cooked part of our meals and tried Hawaiian foods 50% of the time.

My only recommendation is to try the food truck here. The food quality is excellent, the price is affordable, and the vibe is unique.

Tips / Recommendations

Here’s what I felt really good about my choices:

• A pair of sturdy hiking sticks – this is what I got.
• A good pair of sandals that can be used daily and hiking. My little one felt confident wearing this one.

Enjoy Maui! 🙂