Good morning, Maui, Tuesday was our first and only full day of the trip without events for the Maui Photo Festival, so we were determined to make the most of it. So we decided to head south. Way south.

First Things First

We each picked up a few small items for breakfast when we went grocery shopping on Monday, so we didn’t hassle with heading downstairs to eat in the morning. But still, knowing we were heading down south to Kihei for a beach trip, we had one stop to make…Starbucks.

So off to the Cannery it was, and while we were there, we did a little looking for an Aloha shirt for our son, Christian. No such luck on Tuesday, but it was only a matter of time. Before long, we were back on the road and heading south.

Kam III, Finally

Although it was a shorter trip than usual for us, we still wanted to cross a few things off of our trip list. And seeing that our beach tradition had already included Kamaole Beach Parks I and II, it was time we completed the trifecta and hit Kamaole Beach Park III – Kam III, for short.

And to make the day all that sweeter, it was our son’s first trip to the beach and into the ocean all at once. What a lucky child, yah?

As one would expect of a nine month old, he wasn’t exactly sure what to think of the situation. With the waves coming at him and that strange new feeling of wet sand under his feet and between his toes. He was only out there for a few minutes – and he won’t remember any of it – but at least we have some adorable photos to show him when he’s older.

The rest of the time, I did my usual beach walk and photo session while he played in the sand with mama and grandma. We were probably there for about 45 minutes before it was time for lunch.

Gotta Have the Plate Lunch

Since we were down in Kihei before – back when we visited Kam I and Kam II on previous trips – we already had been to Da Kitchen for lunch. And since we were nearby once again, we decided to head back that way once again. We were in and out pretty quick, but the food was ono as always. I know there were probably a few other places in the general area that we could have ventured off to and tried, but we had a full day ahead of us still.

Going South, Way South

After we ate, we hoped back on South Kihei Road and get our adventure in the south direction. We weren’t exactly sure when the day started, but by now I had made up my mind that we were heading down to La Perouse Bay -which happens to be the southern most point on Maui. Seeing that we’d been to Wailea and Makena before, I knew the general area already. But once we made our way passed Beach Beach, it turned into what we like to call an adventure.

The drive itself wasn’t that tough, since it’s really just a single road so it’s not easy to get lost. Some parts of the road seemed almost impossible to pass, especially in our Nissan Quest, but we made it to the last parking area before the trail to La Perouse Bay.

I’ve seen that bay photographed quite a few times, and it has been on my todo list for sometime now. And unfortunately – as of this writing – it still is. I did do a little research ahead of time, but wasn’t exactly sure just how far the hike was between the lot with the cars and the bay area itself. And with grandma and our son staying behind in the car, Cindy and I started to explore and ultimately ended up about halfway along the trail before we turned around.

I could have easily spent another hour there at least had we walked the rest of the trail, but since I had the family with us, it would have been a little selfish of me. At least now when it’s time to wander over to that area again – for a sunset or what have you – I know where to go and what to expect. And that counts for something.

Stopping for Shopping

Seeing as we were already down in the Wailea / Makena area, and we had to pass it anyway on our drive back north, we soon found ourselves at the Shops at Wailea. While we typically enjoy the outdoor malls back home for a leisurely stroll in the early evening, it was just about peak afternoon this time so the heat was a little challenging. That was quickly remedied by a stop at Lappert’s right there in the mall. A shake, smoothie, and a root beer float, and we were back in business.

The other spot I wanted to hit up while we were coming back through Kihei was the 808 Clothing Store. I had taken a liking to their designs and shirts a few years ago (at the Whale Day Festival, I believe) and we had previously visited their store in Ma’alaea as well. About $100 later, we were leaving with shirts for ourselves, our son, and gifts for folks back home.

That pretty much wrapped up the shopping portion of the day right there, so we were back on the road and on our way to Ka’anapali once again.

Sunset Awaits

After we were back at the Hyatt, it was time to relax and cool off for a little bit after a busy day. Before we knew it, sunset was creeping up on us, and seeing how we hadn’t taken it in on Monday, I wanted to get down to the beachwalk and find me a spot to shoot it.

So I headed down with my camera looking for a little flair to put in the sunset shot. Once I found my spot, I happened to be shooting next to an older gentleman trying to capture the evening glory as well. I offered a few tips that I was using, and after the golden moment, we stayed and chatted for a bit. It was not only great to talk to someone else about photography, but also about the islands and previous trips as well.

But enough stalling, here’s the shot you’re looking for…

Just about the time this nice gentleman and I were finished trading email addresses, Cindy came strolling by with our son for our walk over to Whalers Village. It was time to renew yet another one of our travel traditions – jewelry shopping.

And this time, it was with a purpose in mind. We were headed to replace the original toe ring she picked up many years ago on our first trip, which she had to take off last summer while she was pregnant with our son. From what we were told in our early parenthood classes, a pregnant mother’s feet can swell up to a full shoe size during pregnancy, and may not necessarily go back to the previous size after childbirth. Guess you didn’t think you’d be learning something like that in our trip journal here, now did ya?

The Night Stroll

Fortunately, Cindy found the toe ring she wanted relatively easily, so we had some extra time to walk around one of our old stomping grounds and see what shops had changed, were new, and so on. After stopping to feed Christian – and tempted by that amazing pizza at Nikki’s – we were starting the stroll back to the Hyatt. It was a little longer walk than we were used to, back when it was just walking in the sand from Whalers to the Sheraton. But it was still a very pleasant night.

And although the night skies were whispering in my ear to come back and join them for a second straight night, I thought better of it and decided to call it a night. After all, it was a pretty full day as far as vacation standards go.

Wednesday Ahead

Looking ahead to Wednesday, it was the official start of the Maui Photo Festival with the evening opening ceremonies. Seeing as we put in quite a few miles by the end of Tuesday, Wednesday was looking to have a much more laid back feel to it. And for good reason, since once the workshops started, I’d be going full speed until Sunday morning.

More details on that in our next trip journal entry.

Mahalo,
– Kris

Taken by Kris Nelson on September 18th, 2009.
Location: High Above D.T. Fleming Beach Park via helicopter

Right up the coast from last week’s photo, this one is of nearby D.T. Fleming Beach. As I go back through more of my photos from this aerial shoot during the Maui Photo Festival last year, I continue to countdown to this year’s workshops in August. Maybe we’ll see you there this time?

More Photos on Facebook

Over the summer, I shared a list of my favorite Maui themed Facebook pages, including the one I created for my other site, Maui by Photo.

Well, as my addiction to intrigue with photography has flourished in the past year, I ended up creating another Facebook page for my photography work.  Take a look at Kris Nelson Photography on Facebook if you’d like to see more of my favorite images. There are more than just Maui images there, but if you’re so inclined, feel free to become a fan and leave a note on my wall asking that Maui be shown front and center.

Mahalo,
– Kris

Browse more Sunday Photos.

Taken by Kris Nelson on September 18th, 2009.
Location: High Above Kapalua Beach via helicopter

Looking down at Kapalua Beach and the Ritz Carlton Kapalua Bay Residences to the left.

For a closer look of Kapalua Beach from the ground, check out this previous entry in the Sunday Photo series.

Taken by Kris Nelson on Friday, September 17, 2007
Location: D.T. Fleming Beach, Kapalua, Maui

A warm beach scene for those of us living in the deep freeze of winter on the mainland, dreaming of our next visit to Maui.

There were quite a few things left from our trip in February that we needed to catch up on this week, and visiting more of Upcountry Maui was near the top of the list.

With only a few days to ourselves before the Maui Photo Festival starts, we knew our schedule was going to be pretty ambitious. Our plans for Tuesday were no exception, as we found ourselves driving across the island to the upcountry and up to the hills of Kula.

First on the morning’s agenda was a trip to H. A. Baldwin Beach park, which is a favorite spot of our painter friend, Mort Luby. While we had a later start to the day than anticipated, we made pretty good time and had our feet in the sand before we knew it. I was a little thrown by just how big Baldwin Beach actually was, but that just meant more ground to cover.

In fact, I was shooting for over an hour, even though I was battling a pretty stiff wind on the way back to where Cindy was sitting.

That’s when the late start began catching up with us, because we had a booking for the 2:30pm walking tour at the Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm. That meant we had less time to spend on our next stop, which was walking through Paia town. Short on time, we found a little place called the Green Banana Cafe that looked worth a shot. We ordered a few panini sandwiches (and Cindy’s favorite, Smart Water) and ate outside.

The food was good, and the people were really nice. Certainly worth a return visit when we visit Paia again. Looking down at the time, we realize we had to jet, which meant we had to pass on the Ono Gelato place right down the street. Plans are to pay them a visit before we leave on Sunday.

Off to Kula
Nervously watching the clock, we began our mad dash to Kula and the lavender farm. We ended up making it with about 5 minutes to spare, and as fate would have it, we were the only ones signed up for the 2:30pm tour, so it wouldn’t have been too big of a deal if we were a little late.

I, of course, was blown away by the views from that elevation. The fragrance in the air up there was memorable. That could also be from the lavender samples we brought back with us that filled the rental car with that sweet aroma for the rest of the day.   The air was noticeably cooler up in Kula, too, which was a welcomed change from the morning at the beach.

Close, But No Cigar
Well, you can’t win them all. Our next stop on Tuesday was supposed to be the Surfboard Fence that Shelia at Go Visit Hawaii recently posted about, but I couldn’t find it.

It was ultimately my bad, since I hadn’t been prepared enough to map out the directions ahead of time. Yup, I do that sometimes, but in my defense, it’s been a busy week already.

I decided to follow along with the GPS on my phone, which itself chose when it wanted to work and when it wanted to lose a signal around important turns and intersections. No worries, though, since it was still a beautiful drive back to the Hana Highway and heading back towards Lahaina. Leave it to the lavender to have that calming effect on getting lost.

Let the Night Begin
With a day of close calls in terms of timing, we made it back to the hotel early enough in the evening to enjoy the sunset from our balcony.

It was lovely scene, for sure. But than again, West Maui sunsets always are spectacular.

Back to the timing, we would have had plenty of time to make our way back to our room if it hadn’t taken 20 minutes to find parking at the Hyatt. Adding that to the list of things we like much better about our rooms at the Sheraton over the Hyatt, but I’ll save that for another time.

Who’s Hungry?
After a full day of driving, sun, and lavender, it was time to get cleaned up and think about dinner. We didn’t have to think very hard about what we wanted, since Leilani’s at Whalers Village was on our minds for most of the day. More specifically, the Hula Pie.

Yes, that’s an old photo, but perfection like that doesn’t change much over time.

After dinner, we took our usual stroll around Whalers Village, but this time headed south instead of north back to our resort. We actually were able to take our time this trip going back to the resort, as opposed to February where the weather wasn’t exactly cooperating with our attempts to enjoy the beachwalk at night.

And A Lovely Night It Was
Speaking of the beachwalk, it was as lovely as it gets at night. Once again, the sky was filled with stars above us, and we just had to stop more than a few times to enjoy the view. It was all too much to for me to pass up, so after we made it back to our room, I packed up the camera gear and headed back downstairs.

If that’s not as lovely as it gets, I don’t know what is!

Mahalo,
- Kris

Related Links

• Monday’s journal entry: Off to Explore
• Our travel day: The Early Bird…
• Unique Surfboard Fence – GoVisitHawaii.com
• Lavender Farm in Kula – A Maui Blog

Taken by Kris Nelson on February 25th, 2009
Location: Napili Beach, Kapalua, Maui

Can you believe it’s already July and I’m still going through my photos from February!

This shot was taken during our visit to Napili Beach in West Maui. It actually was a little tricky for us to find (but I get lost pretty easily sometimes), but once we made it, the beach was pretty nice. Well, the beach was nice, but the wind was a little gusty and there was a slight nip in the air as far as Maui standards go. I even have a picture of Cindy sitting out on the beach reading … in a sweatshirt. Not her favorite beach attire, believe me.

This photo came out better because it was taken during a break in the clouds, of which there were a few of those moments. I read somewhere around the time we were planning to visit that beach that there is a local ordinance passed when the first resort was established that no building could be built taller than a palm tree. Not certain, but I think it was the Lonely Planet – Maui book. In any case, that’s a brilliant idea.

Wanna see more Napili Beach photos, or have stories to share? Well, I’m working on getting them uploaded and posted over at Maui by Photo this week as well as added to the Beaches section here as well. Although much of my attention has been reserved for the new site, there’s still work to be done around here, too. I’m just about finished with updates from Trip 4, and that Beaches section needs a mini-makeover to take advantage of the extra space I added a few months back.

Be sure to watch for updates on that, too.

Talk Story
Napili Beach is one of a few beaches in the Kapalua area. So, how does it compare? You tell us! Share your stories from this little crescent in West Maui.

Related Links

• Book Review: Lonely Planet – Maui, 3rd Edition
• “Wind”esday on Maui – Trip Journal Entry
• Beaches Section
• Travel Traditions: New Beaches

Taken by Kris Nelson on February 23rd, 2009
Location: Hamoa Beach, East Maui

Another weekend has passed, and I’m inching along through sorting and uploading photos from our more recent Maui trip.  Most recently, I managed to get a few photos from Hana Bay and a few from Hamoa Beach like the one pictured above. It’s photos like this that make me miss Maui the most. It just looks so serene and peaceful. Ahhhh.

Anyway, I hope to have a special treat for next Sunday, as I ordered the full DVD of photos from our vacation portrait session with island photographer Natalie Brown. I’m anticipating it to arrive sometime this week, and will pick a few to feature next Sunday. I’m also planning on having some our favorites available as a slideshow and yet another post on Natalie’s great work and how choosing to have professional portraits taken while vacationing in paradise was such a wonderful idea for us.

Stay tuned for that, and have a nice week.

Mahalo,
- Kris

Front Row Seats
Taken by Kris Nelson on September 19th, 2007
Location: Ka’anapali Beach, Maui

A simple, warm, and inviting photo this week. These are a few of the beach chairs and cabanas that you’ll find outside of resorts along Ka’anapali Beach. The ones pictured here are out front of the Ka’anapali Ali’i, and while accommodations vary by resort, many have some form of rentals for you to use to enjoy the sun. Some resorts, like our favorite Sheraton Maui, have full fledged beach cabanas. Those are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so you need to get to the beach early to snatch one up.

5 More Weeks
We’re down to only five weeks before we’re off to Maui again. Count down the Sundays with us here in the Sunday Photos series and we look forward to taking more great photos to feature for many more Sundays to come.

Mahalo.

What to own or use any of our photos? Check out our 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.

Growing up playing ice hockey in Chicago, I never thought of myself as much of a beach person. Yet, like many other things, that perception changed after our first trip to Maui. Maybe it has to do with the mystique of being on a small island in the middle of a giant ocean, but for whatever reason, I’m hooked now. Cindy, on the other hand, has always been a sun worshiper, so there’s no twisting her arm to head out for a beach day.

New Beach Tradition

We have a beach tradition of looking for at least 3 new beaches to visit on each trip. Obviously, it was easy the first time, since everything was new to us. Nowadays, however, it takes a some effort, and a little bit more driving.

While our Beaches page lists the different stretches of sand that we’ve already been to on the Valley Isle, there are even more out there just waiting for us. We’ve been to beaches all across the island; West, South, and East. We’ve seen white sandy beaches, golden crescents, black and red sand beaches. All on this tiny little island. How sweet is that?

By this point in our travels, we’ve hit most of the well known spots, so it’s time to discover some of the hidden gems. While we’ve been to beaches big and small, I’m not in the habit of comparing one beach against another and claiming one the very best. In our eyes, each beach has it’s own offerings, and challenges, so that no two are really alike. Depending on what you like to do, or want to do on a given day, there’s probably a beach for you.

Past Trips

Here’s a quick recap of beaches we’ve visited on our different trips. There’s usually no rhyme or reason for picking which beaches we want to see when making our plans, and it really comes down to deciding the day before, or the morning of one of our beach days.

Our First Beaches – June ’06

• Ka’anapali Beach
• Waianapanapa State Park – Black Sand Beach

Beach Hopping, Part Two – September ’07

• D.T. Fleming Beach Park
• Kahekili Beach – North side of Black Rock
• Kapalua Beach

The Most Recent Trip – April ’08

• Koki Beach – Red Sand Beach
• Kama’ole Beach Park I
• Maluaka Beach
• Big Beach – Makena State Park

What’s Next?

As I mentioned, we haven’t spent too much time selecting the beaches for our February trip, but a few ideas are out there. I’d like to, at some point, visit the other two Kama’ole Beach Parks, and go back up to Napili Bay. Then there’s the overnight trip to Hana, which will give us more than enough time to stop at Hamoa beach, Hana Bay, and even some of the beaches near Paia as well. You can see where this is going.

Talk Story

By the looks of it, this doesn’t seem to be a tradition that will be ending anytime soon. While it’s hard for us to choose, but maybe you have a favorite beach that you wanted to mention? Are you a repeat Maui visitor that has similar beach going habits, or maybe you stick to a select few? Jump on in and talk story.

Mahalo.

The Travel Traditions Series here at the blog features our habits and rituals that we have for various aspects of our frequent trips to the island of Maui. Getting to know the island so well after all these years, having a few traditions adds a little continuity to our visits, while still giving us so much flexibility to enjoy many new things each trip.

To follow along with future editions of our Travel Traditions Series, be sure to subscribe to our blog feed to get the latest posts and updates.

The Aloha09 Project

This post is participating in the Aloha09 project, aimed at spreading the Aloha Spirit throughout the world. Read more about our participation and at the official website.

To follow along with future editions of our Weekly Website Series, be sure to subscribe to our blog feed to get the latest posts and updates. We already have a bit of a queue, but if you haven’t seen one of your favorites yet, you can contact us or send me a note on Twitter.