Maui On My Mind
Fond memories from the years I lived on Maui and advice from a friend there about the best way to help residents now
My husband and I lived on Maui from 2002-2012. It will always be my favorite place on Earth! I had many wonderful experiences there, and hope to have more in the future. I’ll share my favorite Maui memories and photos below.
But first I want to let readers know how to help the people of Maui recover from the recent fire. A friend who still lives there said the best organization to donate to right now is the Hawaii Community Foundation.
Beware of scammers and research how much money well-known charities spend on things other than direct aid (fundraising, salaries, etc) before you donate to them. I recently saw an ad on Facebook soliciting donations for a group that said it was providing food to first responders on Maui. There were tons of comments from people who said they had donated and thanked the group for helping Maui recover.
Even if that group is legit, it spent $10-15K to run that ad according to Facebook. All I had to do to learn that was click on the small circled i in the corner of the ad. To research other charities, use sites like Charity Navigator.
Okay, enough of that. Time to relive happier times and share Maui’s beauty with you. Here are some of my favorite Maui memories and photos.
Snorkeling
This was by far my favorite activity, and the one I did most often. Most of the time, I just swam out from the beach to coral reefs. I always saw colorful tropical fish and usually saw sea turtles. Occasionally, I encountered other marine animals like octopus, squid, rays, and dolphins.
I also snorkeled from boats. That allowed me to go to places that were not within swimming distance of shore. On one trip to Molokini I swam next to a huge manta ray!
You can see some of my best photos of Maui’s undersea animals here. You can even get them on items like coffee mugs, cellphone cases, and tote bags. Everything is currently 30 percent off! My favorite underwater photo is this one:
Whale watching
Thousands of humpback whales return to Maui annually to mate and give birth. Residents eagerly await their arrival and enjoy watching them every bit as much as tourists do. The whales can often be seen from shore, and I remember one time when a whale swam so close to a roadside beach that drivers got out of their cars to watch.
Adult humpbacks can remain submerged for about an hour before they must surface to breathe, but they rarely do. Competition pods (groups of male humpback whales vying for the chance to mate with a female) stay at the surface while fighting. Mothers are never far from their calves, who must come up for air more frequently.
Whale watching boat trips that depart from Maui only last about two hours, but there are so many whales within a short distance that sightings are guaranteed. Boats are required to stay at least 100 yards from whales, but curious whales sometimes swim right up to boats. When they do, it’s called a “whale mugging” and boats cannot move until the whales are far enough away. I’ve been on boats when the whales were close enough to touch. I’ve gotten wet from the spray when a whale exhaled (it’s gross, like getting sneezed on)
The road to Hana
This road has so many sharp curves and is so narrow in places that a popular T-shirt says, “I survived the road to Hana.” Parts of it are on the edge of a steep cliff with no guardrails to prevent cars from falling off the road and into the ocean. It takes hours to drive 64 miles, and rockslides sometimes force road closures.
But the scenery is so breathtaking that I’ve traveled the road to Hana many times. There are waterfalls, black sand beaches, and rainbow eucalyptus trees. There are magnificent ocean views. I’ve never been on any other route as scenic as the road to Hana. It’s well worth the trip, though I do prefer to take it as a passenger on a van driven by someone who travels that road regularly and knows it well.
Have you been to Maui? If so, what are your favorite memories? Which beautiful sights impressed you the most? If you haven’t been to Maui, what’s the best place you’ve ever lived or visited? What made that place so wonderful? Please share your happy memories and gorgeous photos so we can all enjoy them!
Thank you Wendi for the wonderful memories and pictures of the Manta Ray and Whales! My husband and I went to Maui once in 1999. We loved it, and loved the beaches there. We subsequently moved to Oahu in 2005 and never visited Maui after that. I am also heart broken about the loss of lives and fires that consumed people, wildlife, and people's homes on Maui! And thank you for the information about donating to a reputable organization.
I lived on Oahu for 6 years many years ago, and visited Maui a few times, mostly recently over New Year's 2020, right before the pandemic hit. We did go whale watching and were absolutely thrilled to have one come very close to our boat to say hello. It was breathtaking!
I'm absolutely heartbroken over the devastation there. Thank you for these beautiful photos and memories. May Maui rebuild in the most respectful way possible and her lively beauty be protected.