In February 2019 I vacationed in Maui, Hawaii with my husband's family. I had been to the Big Island and Honolulu with my family when I was 12 years old, but this was my first time visiting the Island of Maui. I was about 20 weeks pregnant, but there was still so much to enjoy! As with any vacation, my husband and I planned for a nice balance of both exploration and relaxation. We enjoyed local food, which inspired me to try cooking some new meals when I returned home.
Early February was the perfect time for whale watching. During our whale watching boat tour we saw multiple whales breech, and even saw a mama and baby whale swimming beside our boat. I am a big fan of snorkeling, so we tried multiple snorkel locations on the island. Due to being pregnant, we didn't visit the volcano because of the altitude, but we did drive the adventurous Road to Hana in a rented Jeep Wrangler. Continue reading for more information on our trip, and scroll to the recipes section to learn about the dishes that I've learned to mix up.
ITINERARY:
Day 1: The nice thing about flying west is that you gain a few hours! We arrived in the afternoon and settled into our resort - the Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas. The Westin is a beautiful hotel with beach access and a relaxing swimming pool. A beach front walking path allows visitors to try many great restaurants at neighboring resorts, and a long walk will take you to downtown Lahaina (or you can take the complimentary shuttle).
Day 2: We woke up early to watch the beautiful island sunrise and then spent the day driving the Road to Hana. There are plenty of sites to stop along the road, but it will take you multiple days if you decide to stop at every one! We mapped our top sites - including multiple waterfalls and Wai'anapanapa State Park - a majestic black sand beach. At lunch time we stopped at the Halfway to Hana Stand which had amazing banana bread and pork sandwiches.
Day 3: In the morning we joined a 2-hour Whale Watching Boat tour. I would highly recommend taking a boat tour if you want to go whale watching - you'll get as close to the whales as you can! We spent the rest of the day snorkeling and enjoying the beach at our resort.
Day 4: We took the walking path from our resort to the Black Rock Beach, a fantastic snorkeling spot right in front of the Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa. We saw multiple sea turtles, many different fish, and a Hawaiian Monk Seal even swam past us! (an endangered species) In the evening we relaxed at the Drums of the Pacific Lu'au at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa.
Day 5: In an effort to try multiple snorkeling locations on the island we drove to the southern part of the island and went snorkeling in the morning near Wailea. In the afternoon we walked around downtown Lahaina, enjoying the local shops and snacks, like Hawaiian shave ice.
Day 6: Our flight was scheduled in the evening so we enjoyed a leisurely brunch before spending the day relaxing at our resort's pool and beach.
MAUI RESTAURANTS:
808 Grindz Cafe - a fantastic brunch spot in Lahaina. We loved this place! Get there early because there will be a wait outside.
Poi by the Pound - a well-known restaurants with a laid-back diner feel near the Kahului airport. There are many options on the menu that will not disappoint!
Leilani's on the Beach - an upscale, but still laid-back, vibe right on the Ka'anapali Beach. Make your reservation to dine during sunset and you won't be disappointed!
MAUI TRAVEL TIPS:
Rent a Jeep Wrangler
Book your trip for January - March if you want to go whale watching
Reserve an entire day for the Road to Hana
Get up early and seize the day! There's so much to do in the morning
Try banana bread along the Road to Hana
Cool off with Hawaiian Shave Ice in Lahaina while exploring the local shops
Hawaiian Recipes
#1 Pineapple Pork Chops
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients: 2 cups soy sauce, 1/8 cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp sesame oil, red pepper flakes (to taste), 2-3 cloves of garlic, 2-3 bone-in pork chops, olive oil, pineapple slices
Step 1: SAUCE | In a medium bowl whisk soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and chopped garlic.
Step 2: BAKE | Preheat the oven to 375*F. Place the pork chops in a baking pan, cover in sauce, and bake for 25 minutes.
Step 3: SEAR | Heat olive oil in a stovetop pan to medium-high. Take the pork chops out of the oven and place them in the hot pan. Cover with the rest of the sauce. Grill for 5 minutes on each side.
Step 4: PLATE | Remove the pork chops from the stovetop and place on individual plates. Spoon sauce overtop. Top with pineapple. Suggested side: rice
#2 Hawaiian Loco Moco
Total time: 20-30 minutes
Appliances: Rice cooker, pan
Ingredients: Rice, hamburger patties, beef gravy, eggs, scallions
Optional: Olive oil, butter, or cooking spray
Step 1: RICE | Cook rice according to the directions.
Step 2: HAMBURGER | Add olive oil OR cooking spray to a pan on medium. Once the pan is heated, add the hamburger patties. Flip after 5 minutes. Then, cover for the desired amount of time, depending how you like your meat cooked.
Step 3: EGGS | In another pan add cooking spray OR butter and then cook your eggs sunny side up.
Step 4: ASSEMBLE | Scoop rice onto your plate and add the hamburger on top. Pour heated gravy over the hamburger and then top with the egg. Garnish with scallions.
Step 5: PERSONALIZE | I like to add avocado and chili sauce on top of mine, but feel free to also add any of the following for a personalized flavor: chili oil, soy sauce, cilantro, or anything else that you like!
Mahalo!
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