Ka'anapali Dreamin' Blog

Answers to your Hawaii Questions

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:40:00 +0000

Aloha,

I wanted to pass on a great opprotunity for those of you out there who have a trip scheduled to Hawaii, or are thinking of planning one, to get your questions answered by a Hawaii travel expert.

Fellow Hawaii blogger and friend of the site, Sheila Beal, will be answering your questions as part of Budget Travel's Trip Coach column on November 25th. Sheila is the driving force behind the popular, independant Hawaii Travel blog, GoVisitHawaii.com, and has been helping her readers (myself included) with all kinds of great advice, from where to go, what to eat, what to pack, and much, much more.

Questions needs to be submitted in advance, so be sure read here for all the details and get yours in the queue. Can't wait until the 25th? Be sure to check out Sheila's blog or one of our other favorites for tons of helpful information as well.

Mahalo.

News: Kaanapali beachwalk extended north

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:24:00 +0000

I recently found this article online from the Haleakala Times from last month that was reporting on new changes to the Ka'ananapali beachwalk along the shores of Ka'anapali Beach in West Maui. The article mentions that, through efforts between the Maui Kaanapali Villas and the Lahaina Bypass Now organization, there is a new pathway that now connects Kahekili Beach with the Ka'anapali beachwalk.

We love the Ka'anapali beachwalk and make it a part of our regular activities when we're in Maui. Whether it's going down to Whalers Village, taking Cindy to the spa at the Westin, or just a day of walking all the way down to the Hyatt, it's just a fun way to get your exercise or walk off a little of the Hula Pie you might have endulged in the night before.

Since we stay at the Sheraton over on Black Rock, we pretty much have easy access to both Kahekili Beach to the north and the beachwalk to the south, and haven't really given much thought to how others get from one to the other. Although I haven't found much more information about this online so far, it will be interesting to see how it is when we're there in February.

The photo on the right was taken just at the south end of the previous pathway near Kahekili Beach, which would connect to one of the parking lots at the Sheraton. Now, you could easily walk through the parking lot and through the open air areas of the Sheraton to get to the beach and the main beachwalk, but I was never really sure if that part of the property was for guests only or not.

In any case, this previous pathway was right along the golf course in Ka'anapali and near the Maui Eldorado. We've followed this path north up to about the Royal Lahaina before switching onto the sand. It will be fun to see where this path continues to now since last time, we never made it as far as the Maui Ka'anapali Villas.

If you'd like to see more of the Ka'anapali Beachwalk, you can check out our Photo Tour page, which features over 100 photos that we took from walking along the beachwalk. And for each photo, you'll see a satellite map image of where the photo was taken courtesy of Google Maps. It will certainly be one of my projects this next trip to update this tour with additional photos of the new pathway areas near Kahekili Beach.

More to Come?

Going back to the article for a moment, it also cites that the Lahaina Bypass Now organization is also working with land and property owners along Maui's west coast to build a connected walkway starting up north in the Kapalua area and extending south all the way to Lahaina Town. Doing a quick lookup on Google Maps, it's about a 10 mile drive between those two areas, and for a walkway along the coast, it would only be longer by foot. It sounds a little too ambitious to me, but I would certainly be interested in seeing it if it is ever completed.

Let me know what you think.

Sunday Photo: Swimming Honu

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:34:00 +0000

Swimming Honu
Taken by Kris Nelson on April 22, 2008
Location: Sheraton Maui Resort, Ka'anapali

As I mentioned yesterday, we're headed back to the Sheraton for the fourth year in a row, come February. Although there was the thought of using my aunt's timeshare or even looking for somewhere else to stay, we would have missed out on our almost daily greetings from the honu (sea turtles) near Black Rock.

You see, we save up and splurge on the ocean front rooms at the Sheraton Maui Resort, and not only do you get views like this one from your own private lanai, you get to see the sea turtles that swim near Black Rock in Ka'anapali. There will also be the occasional snorkeller swimming nearby as well (and the ones that decide to where their white T-shirt in the water, we call those albino sea turtles) since the area is often regarded as one of the better snorkeling areas in West Maui. And while we aren't water sport people ourselves, we have the next best thing from the vantage point on our lanai.

Almost everytime we're out on our balcony, whether it's first thing in the morning, coming back from breakfast, or stopping back to our room after time at the pool, we'd take a moment to see one of these fun creatures poke his head out of the water. In some cases, we've seen two and even three turtles all nearby in the same place, and they'll even stay near the surface for a good minute or two before diving down back out of sight.

Now, since we're not sea people like I mentioned, I had to use my 300mm telephoto lens to get this close up. Even then, this photo is cropped to get a better view. The only time we've gotten super close is at the Maui Ocean Center and their Turtle Lagoon exhibit. As you can see, they look a little less friendly up close.

If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

What to own or use any of our photos? Check out our new photo store, Maui Wall Candy, for purchase info and ideas on what you can do with them. Both print and digital formats are available.

Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Trip 4 Booked

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:10:00 +0000

It's now official. Yesterday, we put the deposit down on our next trip to Maui, and the serious planning can now begin.

A mere 3 months from today, we will be starting our next two full weeks on the Valley Island. As on our past trips, we're going to be staying at our most favorite, Sheraton Maui Resort, and during the height of whale season, those ocean front views are going to be well worth it.

We have a pretty big list of things we're hoping to do this time, some are our tried and tested favorites, and others are going to be new and exciting. I have already hinted at a few of them in past posts over the last month or two, but as I did with last year's plans, I'm going to be sharing all the details as the trip gets closer.

You can imagine that we're really excited, and the feeling is to start diving into all the specifics and getting all the little details worked out. Well, whether you like it or not, Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away (already?), and like most people, we're sort of wrapped up in all the family stuff and goings-on around this time of year. I think after that passes and after our next trip to Door County, WI during the first week of December, you'll start seeing more updates here on the blog about final plans and activities.

So if you're new here, or just wanted to catch up on some of the amazing things we've experienced on our past trips, head on over to the Our Trips section to see what all the fuss is about. While it's too hard to pick one particular trip as the best, I can tell you without a doubt that every trip to Maui brings us more and more great memories and stories that we'll always treasure and we can't wait to share. Those who've been to Maui can related, just one trip is never enough.

Mahalo and aloha for now.

Book Review: Lonely Planet - Maui (3rd Edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:22:00 +0000

(Image Credit:
Amazon.com)

As annual visitors to the island of Maui, you might not think we'd be needing guide books anymore. But in fact, we look forward to the new editions when they're released, almost every year in some cases, just to see what's new.

This year's editions are looking even better, because appearantly the editors of many of the major publishers finally realized that including full color photos and features in their Hawaii guide books would better showcase the beauty and amazemnt of the islands!! One such book we recently snagged off the shelves of the local bookstore is Lonely Planet's Maui, 3rd Edition. Even though we already own the second edition (with it's less exciting black and white pages), we just had to get the latest copy as well.

The truth is, we really like the Lonely Planet series. Not to discredit or put down the other, larger name publishers out there like Fodors and Frommers (we like them, too), but the authors of the Lonely Planet books that we own have a very personal writing style and lots of first-hand experience. Reading their own accounts and advice, you feel like your talking story with good friends while sharing memories of a recent vacation. You get the good, the bad, and the curious when flipping through these pages, and no doubt, you know you're going to face some tough choices by having more ideas and inspiration than you'll have time to accomplish. Even on an extended two week getaway.

The New Format

If you're not sold on the new color photos alone, you're sure to be interested in the new layout and format of this edition. As advertised on the book's cover, it is broken down into 32 themed itineraries, which cover a wide variety of tastes, activities and visit durations. For example, only have 2 days to spend in West Maui (why only 2?), jump to page 74 to get right down the best of the best. R&R not your thing? Check out the itinerary for thrill seekers in the upcountry on page 143.

Each itinerary features various sights and details for each day of your stay, including recommendations on where to eat, sleep and enjoy your time on the Valley Isle. There's even a chapter and other various tips throughout the book for those of us trying to do our part for the environment and preserving the delicate ecosystem that is so unique on the Hawaiian islands. It features a few really great links and even it's own section of the index at the back of the book, called the "Greendex," for finding ways to help sustain your surroundings on your trip. Worth checking out as all vistors to Hawaii should be doing their part to leave the island as beautiful and prestine as when they arrived. (Sorry for the little soapbox, but that's what Malama Aina is all about).

Back to the Photos

Did I mention the book has all new color photos now? Of course I did, but it does add so much more to the coverage of the island and makes it that much more inviting. It's worth repeating and seeing for yourself if you haven't already. You can check out a few pages over at Amazon with their book preview feature. As someone who himself likes to take as many photos of Maui as he can, I find it also a great source of inspiration to capture my own shots while I'm there.

Other great features you'll find in this edition are "Island Voices," which are small insets in a few sections that bring you discussions and comments from locals on the island that the authors have met on their trips to Maui. If you think visiting Maui for vacation is nice, imagine what the lucky ones that live there have to say! There's also a dedicated chapter covering the Road to Hana, which we know most books have. This isn't targeted to be the stop here, look left, go there, look right type of coverage, but it gives you a more broader view of your options when driving the heavenly road.

Lastly, there is a great chapter on the History and Culture of Hawaii, which is a must read for any Hawaii enthusiast. It manages to cover a good range of topics over the span of only 18 pages, and has an interesting timeline across the bottom of the pages listing major events in the history of the islands.

The Verdict

It's no surprise that we have our copy and are thumbing through it regulary for our upcoming trip in February. Small enough to fit in your purse, bag, or even making room for it in your carry-on to read on the plane ride over the Pacific, I wouldn't recommend going to Maui without it.

Your Feedback

Do you already have your copy and want to share your thoughts on the book? Maybe you prefer another guide or have a different approach to finding the best of the islands. Either way, this is the place to share and talk story about it. We always love to hear from fellow Hawaii fans.

Aloha and Mahalo.

New and Improved Ka'anapali Dreamin' Photo Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 02:16:00 +0000

I'm happy to announce the new and improved Ka'anapali Dreamin' Photo Gallery.

Some of the new improvements include a better layout with more details on the individual sets, a simpler browse page to view thumbnails and previews of photos in a set, and a new photo details page that includes a full description and maps of where the photo was taken (if available).

There are still more features I'm looking to add at some point, but these new updates were such a big improvement over the previous photo pages that I just had to share them. And don't forget, all of these photos are posted on Flickr, so just click a photo on the details page and you can view and add comments for all of your favorites.

I'm going to be spending a little bit of time this week going through these photos myself and geotagging the ones without maps and trying to update as many titles as I can. But don't let you from diving in yourself and letting me know what you think of these changes. If you don't remember what it previously looked like, it's probably for the best. ;)

Mahalo, and enjoy.
Kris.

Sunday Photo: Footsteps in the Sand

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 01:30:00 +0000

Footsteps in the Sand
Taken by Kris Nelson on April 22, 2008
Location: Maluaka Beach, South Maui
Buy This Photo

We're going back to Maluaka Beach this week with this simple little snapshot of footprints in the sand. As I mentioned last time, there weren't too many people enjoying this stretch of sand when we were there. That allowed me to set up this little shot of my footsteps in the sand just before they were washed out by the waves. Sure, there are beaches all over the world and there isn't necessarily anything "Maui" about this photo, but I and anyone else that have visited the beaches on Maui understand.

I actually stumbled onto this photo when looking for a new photo for my Facebook profile. A few other past Sunday Photos that have made it into the final round of consideration include the Grumpy Honu and, of course, a Maui Sunset. If you're on Facebook and want to talk story, be sure to look us up or send us a note. :)

Mahalo.

100 Days and Counting

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:12:00 +0000

While not officially booked yet, our upcoming 4th trip to Maui is just 100 days away!

At the moment, our plans are for two weeks in Maui, leaving February 15th and returning on March 1st. How exciting is Valentines Day going to be knowing that we're leaving for the Valley Isle the next morning? For now, we have to bear down for 3 months of a cold and snowy Chicago winter.

Ultimately, I think we're going to end up going with the Sheraton again like our past trips, but it wasn't the only option this time. About a month ago, my aunt made us an offer to use their timeshare for our trip, which would have saved us a ton of money. Unfortunately, the availability didn't work out for us. In the process, however, we started looking at a few different resorts, such as the Westin Maui. But in the end, we're sticking with the Sheraton and our favorite ocean front rooms.

The Plans

I'll post more details on the following activities as well as others when the time approaches, but here are a few of the bigger ones:

Seeing HAPA at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center (again)
Making the trek for our first Haleakala Sunrise (finally)
Taking an overnight trip to Hana
Checking out the Iao Valley
Trying out the new Spa at Black Rock (that one's for Cindy)
Attend the festivities at the Whale Celebration Day (and the Regatta Race)
See more whales than we can count (or photograph)

And that's only the tip of the volcano. We're really looking forward to this one.

What's Next

Over the next week or two, we'll be making an appointment with our new travel agency and officially book these plans. Our previous travel agent (himself a big fan of Maui) decided to close up shop and retire this past summer, and all of his clients were moved over to The Travel Gallery. If they're half as enthusiastic about Maui as we are, it should be fine.

Even though we weren't able to take advantage of a very sweet deal at the Sheraton in December, I have been keeping an eye on rates and flights for February. So far it's looking pretty good, and the nightly rate for our usual room dropped $30/night earlier in the week. This is also going to be our first trip during the busy season, although tourism in Hawaii hasn't been as busy as it normally is. During the off season, we take advantage of a 6th night free promotion, and getting 13 nights for the price of 11 saves a lot of green. Especially when you're talking about an ocean front room (and a private lanai with views like this).

Aloha for now, and stay tuned for more details as these plans are finalized.

Almost Added Another Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:16:00 +0000

What a day! We came very, very close to adding another trip to Maui for this December thanks to a great find by Sheila over at Go Visit Hawaii. She posted details of a tremendous deal on ocean view rooms at our very favorite Sheraton Maui Resort, starting at just $199/night through December 25th. That's an incredible savings for such a fabulous resort right on Ka'anapali Beach.

I took it a step further and priced out airfare for United Airlines for the week of 11/30 to 12/6, and that came out to $450/person round-trip. And that's non-stop from Chicago! Boy, you would have thought we won lottery I was so excited.

But alas, as much as we're itching to get back into the warm, tropical paradise that is Maui and re-visit our favorite resort on the island, we have to pass on this one. Accommodating work schedules on such short notice and a few other factors just proved that this one wasn't in the cards for us. Bummer.

We are still very excited, though, to be planning our 4th trip to Maui this upcoming February, which is shaping up to be one of our best trips so far. As things get finalized in the coming weeks, I'll be posting more details on all the new activities and the old favorites that are in the works. Be sure to stay tuned.

And also, a big MAHALO to Sheila over at Go Visit Hawaii for finding and sharing such an amazing deal. She puts a lot of time and effort into her work and it shows. If you haven't seen her site yet or currently don't subscribe to her RSS feed, you really are missing out.

Hawaii Sky Watching in November

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:47:00 +0000

I read a nice article from the Honolulu Advertiser on Sunday that I wanted to pass on here for fellow stargazers who also fancy the islands in the Pacific:

Venus and Jupiter light up the night in November

Anyone that has spent a nice, romantic, after dinner stroll along their favorite beach in Hawaii has no doubt noticed the incredible display of stars that can light up the sky on a clear night. If you're like me, you can't help but be mesmerized by the vast amounts of sky glitter that you otherwise might not be able to enjoy back home near the big cities. Just another one of the many things that makes Hawaii so special.

For me, it's not just enough to see them while we're there, but to capture the moment to have whenever I miss those quiet, peaceful nights along the shores of Ka'anapali Beach just staring up at the sky in amazement (oooh, chicken skin moment). One of my favorite photos that I have ever taken (so far) was of the Milky Way over Black Rock in Maui. And although I didn't know it at the time, I was actually staring straight at Jupiter as mentioned in the article above (minus Venus, of course).

If you're looking for more, you can read about stargazing on Maui as well as view my Stars over Maui set on Flickr. You can safely bet that I'm already planning time to spend watching the skies on our next trip in February, and it's no coincidence that the two weeks we chose for our trip include the night of a new moon (Feb. 24th). Not too geeky I hope. :)

Sunday Photo: Big Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 17:06:00 +0000

Big Beach
Taken by Kris Nelson on April 22, 2008
Location: Big Beach in Makena State Park
Buy This Photo

There's always enough room on the golden sands of Big Beach in Makena State Park, located near almost the very end of South Maui. According to some guides, this beach is a whopping 2/3 mile long from end to end, and while I was taking photos, it took me a good 20 minutes to walk it just one way!

It truly is a lovely beach, especially if you're looking to get away from the crowds of the high-end resort areas or downtown Lahaina. No matter what you're looking to do, whether it's throwing around the frisbee, playing volleyball, body-boarding, you name it, you'll be able to enjoy it until your heart's content without worrying about tripping over someone else or getting in somebody's way.

Big Beach is kind of a drive if you're staying in Kapalua or Ka'anapali, so you should plan for spending a good part of your day in South Maui. Which isn't that big of a concern because you have Wailea and Kihei nearby, so your shopping and dining needs will be well met. There are also concerns and advisories about thefts and break-ins occurring in the different parking lots at Makena State Park, so it requires you to be a little bit smarter about what you're bringing with you and don't leave anything in the car that is valuable to you or someone else.

You can follow these tips from our friends at Go Visit Hawaii and you should be okay.

Mahalo.

Sunday Photo: Maluaka Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 03:55:00 +0000

Maluaka Beach
Originally uploaded by webnelly

Continuing on with our showcase of Maui beaches, we head further down South of Kihei to the northern part of Makena in a little secluded spot known as Maluaka Beach. Now, by secluded I mean it's not on a main roadway or across of tons of shops like Kama'ole or Ka'anapali. Nor is it nestled near large and glitzy resorts like Kapalua or Napili. Maluaka is a little off the normal route and calls the Maui Prince Hotel it's only large-scale neighbor.

You'll find this one in a few of the guide books and on a handful of websites that cover Maui beaches, but otherwise you don't normally hear many people talking about Maluaka Beach unless they've stayed at the Maui Prince Hotel. As mentioned, it's located in South Maui, but it's not that crowded when compared to Big Beach or the resorts in Wailea nearby. It still has a nice view of Molokini off in the distance, and Cindy and my mom caught a glimpse of a whale breach just off shore when we were there in April. I, unfortunately was off taking photos and missed it, but I give them the benefit of the doubt. They're good people. :)

You'll probably read elsewhere that this beach is one that is referred to as a "turtle town", something that attracts snorkelers and scuba divers which we did see in the hour or so that we stayed there. Being small and quiet, there were also a few families out in the water together, which is always fun to see.

If you're on your way to Wailea or Big Beach, try to squeeze in sometime to check out Maluaka Beach for yourself. Hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as we did.

Mahalo.

Death, Taxes, and Maui No Ka Oi

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:01:00 +0000

As mentioned yesterday over at Go Visit Hawaii, the 2008 Readers' Choice Awards from Conde Nast Traveler were announced and once again, Maui was ranked the top island in the world.

The way Conde Nast breaks up the rankings for islands across the globe is into different geographic regions (Caribbean, Pacific, Europe, etc.), and while there isn't an official "Top Island in the World" category, each island in the different regions is ranked independantly and given an overall score. Except for 2006, Maui has had the top overall score in any of the regions every year since the rankings began.

Another note worth mentioning is that the island of Kauai beat out the competition for second place, both in the Pacific Islands category and in the overall world rankings. A nice one-two punch representing the Aloha Spirit.

You can find more details from the links above, as well as in the November edition of Conde Nast Traveler magazine, which should hit newstands in a few of weeks. You can also read up on last year's post, too.

Mahalo.

Sunday Photo: Kama'ole Beach I

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 17:20:00 +0000

Kama'ole Beach I
Taken by Kris Nelson on April 22, 2008
Location: Kama'ole Beach I in Kihei
Buy This Photo

Who's up for a little beach hopping? I'm starting a beach theme for the next few Sundays and the first in that series is the above photo of Kama'ole Beach I taken this past April. Although it was a partly cloudy day for a good amount of the time we spent there that day, one of the things I like about this photo is the details in the water right at the bottom. I just love walking along the shoreline and snapping photos, but when you can look down and the water is so crystal clear as it washes over your feet, it's pretty neat.

Kama'ole Beach I was the first stop on our beach hopping day during our '08 Trip, and it was a great way to start the day. For us, coming from the Lahaina/Ka'anapali area, it is a little bit of a drive, so to get the most out of your trip down to South Maui, be sure to make a day out of it and plan to stay awhile. Kama'ole Beach I is actually the northern most of a series of 3 beaches that share the Kama'ole name. Beaches II and III each offer something a little different, and are more popular with the local residents than Beach I. Still, with a view of Molokini, parking nearby (that fills up fast), lifeguard, restrooms and showers and a mini mall across the street for a quick snack, you pretty much have everything you need for a day in the sun.

What I thought was neat about this particular beach in the chain of 3 was that there were a few hours along the north end right up against the sand, with only a small line of bushes separating them. The one below, for example, looks like it would be a blast to live in, having full sized windows and stunning views of the ocean. The sunsets alone will probably make you weep with joy. I can only imagine, though, that buying a house like that comes with a pretty hefty price tag. Oh well.

Mahalo.

PWF Whale Regatta Race '09

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:27:00 +0000

Get Your Whales Ready

It's just about that time of year again when the Pacific Whale Foundation is preparing for their annual Whale Regatta race to take place during their annual Whale Celebration Day, which will be held on Saturday, February 19th, 2009.

It is a Maui spin off of the familiar ducky races that they have in various cities (including here in Chicago), but instead they use little rubber whales, darn cute ones I might add. There is no cost to enter, although they to suggest a $5 donation per whale. Last year, our little entourage of 10 whales didn't take home any prizes, but this year, we'll be there on Maui to cheer them on in person.

This year's prize is round trip airfare to Maui from any major US city, and at the rate things are going with the airlines, that's quite a big deal. You don't have to be present to win, but in reality, just being there is just as good as winning anyway.

You can find more details about the race and how to enter at pacificwhale.org, and if haven't looked into their annual memberships, be sure to check it out. We've been members for about 3 years now, and visiting their store in Lahaina, talking with their staff and going on their boat tours, they are truly a great group of folks doing a lot of great things not only for the whales, but the environment, the communitity and childhood education in the islands.

Mahalo, and good luck.

Sunday Photo: Molokai from Maui

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 02:41:00 +0000

Molokai from Maui
Taken by Kris Nelson on June 4, 2006
Location: Sheraton Maui Resort in Ka'anapali
Buy This Photo

As mentioned in the comments from the previous Sunday Photo, this photo was also taken from our time at the Sheraton, and to my amazement, I haven't featured it yet in our Sunday Photo series. Of all the photos from our trips to Maui, this has to be one of my favorites. You can read more about the details at my photography site.

This shot was also one from of my first days with a DSLR camera, and I just remember being so overwhelmed with all the options. I am living proof, however, that a little luck and a beautiful canvas can still lead to magical things. Now, two years and a few thousand photos later, this is still the desktop wallpaper on my primary computer at home and I even have a 20" x 30" version of this hanging on the wall in my home office.

Even though I see this photo everyday, this scenic view at the Sheraton is still one of the first spots we go to every year. It really has that "welcome back" feel for us. I hope you enjoy it.

Mahalo.

Sunday Photo: Maui Vista

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:01:00 +0000

Maui Vista
Taken by Kris Nelson on April 19, 2008
Location: Sheraton Maui Resort in Ka'anapali
Buy This Photo

It's been raining nonstop here in Chicago for the last 48 hours and I really need to see the sun again. For our Sunday Photo this week, I chose one of the many shots I enjoy taking from our lanai at the Sheraton. This one has just about everything but the sand.

In the distance, you have the island of Lanai with it's fluffy white clouds overhead. Aside from that, the bluest of blue skies. Next, one of the few palm trees that greet us every morning on the oceanfront lawn at the Sheraton, standing tall and dancing in the gentle ocean breeze to get my attention. Last, but not least, a quiet reef area behind Black Rock that, for late on a Saturday morning, is currently absent of the regular snorkelers that often frequent these waters.

This photo makes me miss the island, yet it also makes me feel fortunate that all of our hard work throughout the year gives us the opportunity to enjoy such a paradise, even if only two weeks at a time. Some sources will argue that paying extra for an ocean front room isn't worth the money, but we feel differently. We know it's a big splurge and we could save a ton of money by getting a room in the different part of the resort and just walking a few steps to see the ocean, but for daily views like this one from your own private balcony whenever you step outside, I'm okay paying extra for the time being.

Mahalo.

Sunday Photo: Warm and Golden Maui Sunset

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 01:43:00 +0000

Golden Maui Sunset
Taken by Kris Nelson on June 6, 2006
Location: Offshore near Kahekili Beach in West Maui
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By my estimates, it's time for another sunset photo in our weekly series. Checking the posts here filed under the sunset category, it looks like it's about every month or so. I was just writing about sunsets the other day on my newest photography site, so I was sort of in that type of mood this weekend.

In any case, this shot was taken from the Teralani on our first sunset cruise back in 2006, which nowadays seems like ages ago. The orange sky at this time of day and under these conditions leaves a warm and inviting impression on you and it makes you feel so alive and ready to do it all again tomorrow. While some of my favorite sunsets are the ones that drop right down to the ocean at the horizon and leaves a sparkling reflection in the water, this one is a keeper, too. Here, the sun is escaping behinds clouds as they hover above the island of Moloka'i, and catching it at halfway through the event gives it just enough definition around the edges to come out perfect.

Mahalo, and have a great week.

Maui Weather Stats Now Available

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:03:00 +0000

The latest feature here at Ka'anapali Dreamin' is an addition to our existing weather page, which now, only featured the current conditions and the local forecast.

Now, I've also added the new Maui Climate page that features stats and graphs from across the island and for all year round. You can view information both for a particular month or see data from just one location.

At some point, I'll gather up enough notes to include narratives about the windard and leeward sides, and also include this data in some of our maps, but for now, this should be a good start.

Mahalo.

Seeing HAPA in concert a second time, pinch me

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 05:35:00 +0000

Last year, when we found out that HAPA was going to be playing the Castle Theater at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center the same week we were going to be in Maui, we were ecstatic. It was truly a magical night, not to mention the fact it was only 3 days after spending my birthday in Maui.

So imagine my joy this afternoon at lunch when I'm checking Maui News on my mobile phone and find out that HAPA will be back at the Castle Theater for a show on February 27th, the last Friday of our next vacation. Way cool.

This will be our third trip in a row where we're lucky enough to see live performances by well known Hawaiian artists. In September of 2007, we were in Maui for the Taste of Lahaina (just realized I need a link for that and never uploaded those photos), where we saw Beach 5, Brother Noland, and Sean and Robi. Anytime you can make live, local music a part of your vacation just adds to the memories of it all.

Have any stories of concerts you've been to on Maui or in Hawaii? We'd love to hear them.

Going to Hawaii without paying airfare

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 18:12:00 +0000

Maybe not the most practical way to save on airfare, but there was an article at the Honolulu Advertiser about a British woman that sailed her way from San Francisco to Waikiki in a row boat. It only took 99 days.

99 days of rowing are over

Turns out it's only part of a plan to go all the way across the Pacific on her own. Her reward? Six months in Hawaii before she leaves for Australia.

Better watch out for the Superferry. :)

Kidding aside, she does have a good purpose for doing this, so be sure to take a read of the full article if you haven't seen it yet.

New Spa Coming Soon to the Sheraton Maui Resort

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:54:00 +0000

Spotted this little piece of news over the weekend while looking at rates for the Sheraton Maui Resort for our upcoming trip in February.

Spa at Black Rock Opening Soon

The spa at the Sheraton had been closed for a few years during this renovation, so Cindy has been going over to the Westin Maui Spa instead. Now, come February, she'll either have to make a choice to try out the new Black Rock Spa or do both.

There weren't many details available yet about the new spa opening at the Sheraton, except for the fact that it's going to be the entire first floor of the Hale Nalu building at the resort. We're there every year, so we know that's a big building, but you can see for yourself on their property map.

On a side note if you're looking at the map, we always stay in the Hale Moana building all the way on the left. It's usually a safe distance from all the keiki in the Hale Ohana building. :)

Hale Moana building at the Sheraton Maui Resort

Sunday Photo: Black Rock Torches

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 15:07:00 +0000

Black Rock Torches
Taken by Kris Nelson on Sept. 17, 2007
Location: Black Rock at Ka'anapali Beach in West Maui
Buy This Photo

It's Labor Day Weekend, and if you're having a BBQ and spending some time outside tonight, you might have a few tiki torches nearby. Well, if not, here's one that's about 4,000 miles away.

This shot is a close-up of one of the torches that is lit atop Black Rock as part of the nightly cliff dive ceremony at the Sheraton Maui Resort. Obviously there isn't much to this photo, but for West Maui fans, it means a little something extra.

Mahalo, and enjoy the holiday weekend everyone.

Baby Turtles at the Maui Ocean Center

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:00:00 +0000

After reading the notice in the Maui Ocean Center newsletter, I found this article in Honolulu Advertiser that shows off the six baby honu (sea turtles) that have just arrived to the center this week.

We've been to the Maui Ocean Center in our past trips and Cindy's favorite exhibit is the Turtle Lagoon where you can get up close and personal with the sea turtles (for those of us that don't snorkel, anyway). According to the new article, these six little guys will have their own exhibit next to the Turtle Lagoon and will be cared for over the next 2-3 years before being released into the ocean waters. We'll be certainly stopping by to check in on these guys in February.

If you happen to be there before us, stop in and let us know if they're really as cute as they sound. :)

Mahalo.

Keeping Tabs on Maui

noreply@blogger.com (Kris Nelson) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:46:00 +0000

Not many people will argue that RSS Feeds and the adoption of personalized portals like iGoogle have drastically changed way we receive content of our choosing on a daily basis, and for the better.

I have just recently finished adding a Blogs page to the site here in the Reviews section to highlight the different blogs I check in on every day as part of my morning routine. As shown here, I created my own Hawaii Blog tab (hence the pun in the post title in case you missed it) using iGoogle to get all of my Hawaii and Maui content delivered right to me when I want it.

There are details about each blog in the Reviews section, but I wanted to share the links to the RSS feeds themselves straight from the tab in iGoogle.

While I rarely ever get enough time to read all the posts that I'd like to, nor post as much as I would like to either, these blogs help me get my fill of Maui and the islands whenever I need a little pick-me-up or a distraction. These blogs, as well as various news stories and feeds, help me to keep in touch with what's happening in Maui just as if I was living there today.

So, if I've found your blog and liked it enough to list it here and check it regularly, great job on sharing the Aloha spirit with the blogosphere and keep up the great work. If you have a blog or know of a blog that I haven't mentioned, share it here and I'd love to take a look. You can never have too many feeds of Maui. :)

Oh, and by the way, our blog has a feed, too. Would you like to subscribe?