When I was first hunting for a place to stay in Maui, I called on Pastor Dwayne for his advice. Dwayne is well travelled, and at first, I just requested some suggestions to take to a travel agent.
That all flew out the window pretty quick! I was quickly encouraged to book everything myself. Yikes…
I’m so going to write a post on tips and tricks when booking on your own with no travel agent. Soon! But for today, I wanted to show you some beautiful eye candy on where we ended up.
Dwayne’s preference was for Maui’s North shore. Most vacation condos are directly beach or ocean front, as well as in more of a rainforest setting.
I’ve only ever stayed in the drier Kihei region where in most cases you need to cross a road for the beach, so I was game to try something new! Go big or go home, right?
One of Dwayne’s recommendations was Napili Point. It wasn’t a ‘big resort’ kind of stay, but more, small scale ocean front without the crowds.
As soon as I found out that the beach was indeed walking distance, AND this place had it’s own snorkel bay, I was sold. Quiet with all the amenities!
This was our unit. And I gotta tell ya, it was as if someone plunked my house in front of the ocean. The place really was this quiet! The loudest thing were the waves hitting the shore.
Many Maui condos are purchased and rented privately by owners. I found this one via VRBO and after talking it up with John, I got a feel for how much he dearly loved his home. That made an impact on me. If he cared about it, it would be well cared for.
And I was right. It was immaculate and beautiful. The unit was light, bright, without too much stuff, yet just enough to feel homey.
This unit had a separate bedroom (huge bonus if someone in your party is a later riser than you!) and a full pull out sofa bed too.
Glass topped furniture visually disappears, making the room brighter and visually bigger. Being that we don’t have glass topped tables at home, they took a little getting use to. Everything had something underneath (even the laptop). I loved them, but I just wanted to be really careful.
Desiring to be incredibly close to the ocean, I chose a ground unit so I could jaunt right on out with my kona coffee. And boy did I!
Let’s go for a walk…
A lava shoreline was right in front of us. This provided a couple of things. It kept the crowds away from the area, while giving us ocean front all to ourselves. It really was like having our own private ocean front property.
But that’s only a start. Along the walkway heading left towards Honokeana Bay takes you through beautiful, lush gardens, the pool, and rolling knolls to sit on everywhere you look.
This was my favourite view, where I enjoyed my coffee each morning and evening. The pictures can’t touch the real thing. I wish I could have captured what it really looked like.
This was our very own snorkel bay! Which differs greatly from snorkelling on a beach.
Sand kicks up, making the water muddy, like a sand storm underwater. With only coral below, you get complete clarity. It was like swimming in a huge fish tank!
This place is super unique! It’s built as levels. This lawn is actually a unit’s roof, so this is what the top of our roof looked like too. Which made for a super quiet stay.
Most days I had the upper level pool to myself. How spoiled was I?
I will NEVER get tired of looking at palm trees! There were so many varieties, so I just kept snappin’!
This was our view to the right.. towards the beach. Let’s go!
I loved our little winding pathway.
There was this slow transition from lava to sand.
This was also my fav area that I got some really wonderful sunset pictures shown on Instagram.
We were fortunate enough to walk right by the world famous Gazebo Restaurant! We did take out more times than I care to admit.
This place has a lineup from the moment it opens to the moment it closes down. A local gave me a tip… walk right inside PAST the lineup, and order takeout. The wait was a whoppin’ 7 minutes. And I got the same view taking it back to my place or the beach.
Here’s a shot of their famous banana macadamia nut pancakes with coconut syrup and whipping cream, and their fried rice topped with scrambled eggs.
Honestly? Go to Napili area even if you don’t stay there, just for this!
Oh right… the beach…
This is Napili Bay, rated one of the best beaches in Hawaii, and the main reason we stayed in this location. It was gorgeous! But busy. So you get a distance shot.
And the aqua water does not lie. It was as beautiful and warm as it looks.
Beach Bug Sunset Story….
(above, the beach path on the left, and the lava rock walk on the right)
I have a funny story to share with this shot. One evening Cody wanted to snorkel at the main beach during the sunset, and being a pretty humid night, we head out. But when dusk hits, BOOM, it’s there. I didn’t want to walk back in the pitch dark, so I summoned the boy to hurry up so we could see our way back.
Well, it got dark really fast. Luckily I had my phone flashlight, but it was the creepiest walk back ever. There are bugs in the grass that give off an electronic buzzing noise, that got so loud in some spots we covered our ears! What the… what ARE those?!
And then the fun part. I guess at dusk they CLOSE AND LOCK THE BEACH GATE.
Die. I did not want to walk through Electronic BugVille again and try to find a way back to the road and go ALLL the way around. Oh goodness… and then I had a brainstorm. I remembered a little path in front of our gate that I watched the gardener trim.
So I knew the back end of the beach was open. So we crawled with flipflops across the roughest rocks possible, in the dark, sharing one iPhone flashlight, to the tune of freaknoid buzzing bugs.
I was NEVER so glad to get into our unit that night! And we never went to the beach at sunset again. 🙂
I’ve always thought that your choice of a good campsite made or broke your camping vacation. And I feel the same about staying at a nice condo. It really, REALLY makes a difference when you’ve landed the one you love.
I have never EVER felt the pull so hard to leave this place. It was as if it ripped my heart out. It really became our home. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay here the entire time because it was booked, so we did move to one more location, which I’ll share with you soon.
This is a super nice place to stay if you want clean, quiet, bug free downtime. As much as I desired to stay in the middle of a rainforest on Kauai in a plantation house like FarmGirl Paints did HERE, I knew that jump was too big for me. For us. Easy way first… then we get more adventurous as we season up… and bring a bug killer and good road guide person with us. 🙂
LOVELY area! I will be back! If you call John, let him know ‘the Canadian blogger that was afraid to book through VRBO’ sent ya! 🙂
Next up… I’ll either take you on a snuba / snorkel sail to Molikini or to the outstanding Ioa Needle rain forest… stay tuned!
Other Maui posts…
Arriving to vibrant, flower filled Maui – 1
Disclosure / I wasn’t compensated nor received a discount for this writeup. I just desired to share my wonderful stay.
What a beautiful place, it truly is paradise. I dream of going some day and your story and pictures makes me think I better hurry before I’m to old. I love, love, love tropical flowers, trees,etc. and would love to have a huge sun room just full of them to make it look like a tropical paradise, it wouldn’t go with my primitive style but who cares when your in paradise.
What a fabulous trip, thanks for sharing! Dave and I lived on North Shore on Maui…LOVED it! You’re further north and it’s a new place (for me) but it’s also been a lottttta years since then.
Looks like you had a lovely time. Maui is so beautiful isn’t it? Great pictures. Maui is one of the best places on earth to real. 🙂
truly gorgeous. hawaii is like non other.
b
Your photos are sublime. Your narrative equally enticing. Thanks for my mini vacay this morning!
Love! Love! Love!
Looks and sounds like you had a wonderful time! 😀 When we went to Maui a few years ago, we stayed in Napilli as well. We stayed in some condos next door to where you stayed. I think it was called, “The Napilli Bay”. They were all independently owned but run by one company. Our condo was clean, very nice, and very affordable. Our room was right there on the sand. It was great! I don’t remember how we found it but I remember reading that it was one of the best kept secrets of where to stay in Maui. We ate at the Gazebo a couple of times. Wow…it’s so yummy and we loved watching the turtles playing in the water from window-side table. Your post makes me want to go back! 😀
It was truly a magical spot. I’ve never felt that one place could have SO much. I honestly did not want to get into that ground grinding rental car for even ONE day. 🙂
We were married right in front of the Gazebo restaurant (not so famous then) almost 30 years ago and it is just as beautiful in your photos as it was then. Been back a dozen times ( to Maui) but not in about 8 years so thanks for the memories!
My peeps would probably say Maui is their favorite island. It’s so chill and beachy. All we did was eat and beach bum it. I know right where you were. The Gazebo was my very favorite place to eat. Best food and the view! I can still see/taste those macademia nut pancakes…fried rice and kalua pork plates. Oh man gooooood! Not sure about you but, I’m still dragging. And a little blue… Coming home from Hawaii is HARD!
Blue isn’t even the word…. I can’t move! haha I have to work today and what time is it? Noon. I’m leaving for work at NOON. I should be fired! Maybe that’s what I’m trying to get them to do… 😀
So so beautiful, can sure see why it was hard to leave. I’ve never been to Hawaii but oldest son stayed on Maui with friends who had a condo, he said it’s far more perfect than anywhere else.
I’d be afraid to ask what staying in a condo like that cost. Let me dream. Sounds like you’ve been to Maui before. I like to watch vacation house hunting on HgTV, see what people can get for a week to rent it out when they’re not there. I’d never want to go home as I’m a water nut. We lived in San Diego areas for 21 yrs. and I spent alot of time at the beaches all the years we lived there, not Hawaii but at least there are beaches, some better and nicer than others.
Must be hard to go home after a place like that. Back to reality, doggone it. Sometimes I really miss San Diego. What incredible memories you have and great photos to look back on. Happy summer days
JaneEllen, the costs vary so much. My second place I stayed at was a $400 room I landed for $150 a night because it was considered off season when we went. This place was around $225 a night. Anything ocean front will be more than if you have to walk a little. Different towns charge different rates too. It all sounds like so much, but if you just factor it in as that’s what it is, that’s what it is.
OMG almost being locked in at the beach with zapping bugs and having to narrowly escape up rocks with a cell phone light, that is going to be such a great vacation (adventure)memory for you and your son!! What a view from your condo to the beach. I can’t even imagine waves being the loudest noise around. Sounds blissful! I would be so scared, to to book the trip myself, but I would sure like to try. Looking forward to your upcoming tips!!
I was terrified. As in, I procrastinated forever to the point of waiting so long that our flight ended up being more than it needed to. LOL I’ll share all that soon!
Napili is my absolute favorite place in the whole world…….besides my own place! We love the Mauian, it’s right next door to where you stayed and it’s very 60’s era but updated. The type of place you don’t find much anymore….no TV’s or phones but that’s OK with me! It doesn’t get any better than being able to walk out your door in the morning and plop yourself down on the sand with your morning coffee. Thanks for all the beautiful pictures!
Hi Donna-
We did it! Although it isn’t the same unit that you rented, we booked a week’s stay at Napili Point. I cant wait to get some great photos. My sister can’t wait to get in the water. And my husband drools when he thinks about those banana-macadamia pancakes!
Never would have done it without your glowing blog. It is so obvious how much you loved it. I’m sure we will too!
Thanks again!
Jan
Oh you are KIDDING me! You will love the quiet so very much! And the pools you’ll have to yourself. Please sit on my little grassy knoll for me with your AM coffee and toast my way… haha
So glad you went for it! I just know you’ll love it!