If my recent Maui coverage has made anything clear, it’s this: I’m an East Maui kind of girl. And if there’s one town that I personally consider the soul of the island, it’s unassuming little blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Paia. This funky new-age surfer town is essentially the hub of Maui’s North Shore, despite its diminutive size. There’s boutique […]

 

A booze snob, I am not. I tend to grab whatever white wine is on sale and I’ll generally plan to shrug at bottom shelf liquor as long as my ever-increasing-with-age hangovers allow — I’m a classy girl, I know. But I make a big exception when I’m traveling, in which case I’m all about drinking […]

 

A hostel, in Hawaii? I know, it might seem crazy at first for an island more famous for its five star resorts and luxury condos. But if my four day camping trip around the Hana Highway taught us anything, it should be that sometimes Maui’s most unusual accommodation choices are its most memorable. I actually first […]

 

If you dream of exploring Maui beyond the busy resort towns and the luxury hotels, of escaping somewhere no one will try to sell you a snorkel tour or a luau show, or of falling asleep under the stars and waking up next to the ocean, then this is the Maui trip you’ve been waiting for. […]

 

We woke up on day three of our Hana Highway Road Trip totally melted into island time. Hawaii’s most famous drive traverses over 600 curves and 54 bridges, yet most travelers only set aside a day for it. Honestly, now that I’ve done this leisurely four-day ramble, camping in remote ocean-view parks in our Aloha Outdoors […]

 

The only thing that makes leaving Oahu bearable? Landing in Maui thirty minutes later. Ian and I had an incredible time on Oahu exploring chic Honolulu and luxurious Ko Olina. Yet it was important to me to show Ian a side of Hawaii that goes beyond the big cities and the resort towns. We wanted to […]

 

Hawaii is not a state of mind, but a state of grace. — Paul Theroux As a full-time travel blogger, I’m frequently asked about my favorite destinations around the world. My answers, depending on my current whims and the energy I have to delve into such a query, range from a carefully calibrated, heartfelt list of […]

 

It doesn’t take long to realize there is something special about Hawaii. I was trying to explain it to a friend recently, to put in to words why my love for these islands runs so deep. Yes, Hawaii has beautiful beaches and lush mountains and fabulous opportunities for adventure, but it has something more. The people […]

 

I heard a light hum and squinted at what appeared to be a large white whale surfacing in the distance. My eyes widened. This was no sea mammal — it was a submarine, and I was about to board. I’m always surprised when non-divers tell me, “I could never do it, I’m too claustrophobic!” To be […]

 

By the time I arrived in Hawaii I was so desperate to be back in the water it was a feeling akin to homesickness. I hadn’t been diving in four months, which suddenly felt like four years. I couldn’t wait to strap on a tank and descend below the surface. On my previous trips to the […]