The busty, as a female torso shaped island of Maui was blessed with a natural diversity that the Mother Earth gifted with a devilish volcanic fertility. Adding to its geographic situation, far away from any major continent, strong winds, ocean currents, and humpback whales from the vastly stretching ocean, swoosh towards the second-largest island of the Hawaiian group every winter season (mid-November till late March).
Throughout the year, the wavy gusts of micro-climates on the island, may find you scorched under the tropical sun and after just a minute long drive showered with rain. There are always some clouds hanging above certain spots of the island, but the moody weather zones often reward with heavenly smiles of rainbows. The rain is the seed of lushness on most of the island’s coats, erecting verdant groves and even a rainforest! The forest’s highly topped waterfalls are well fed with the frequent rain and gush forcefully from their sources particularly during the super wet winter season. Kihei, Wailea, Lahaina and Ka’anapali on the South coast are generally dry and unfortunately also overbuild with large resorts, apartments, villas an golf courses.
The more wet and also the windiest North shore guarantees a superb sailing, a scary maximum inclined experience for me, and gigantic waves for experienced surfers as the tradewinds during the winter hit in their full force this exposed coast. You can hike up to the dormant Haleakala volcano through a National Park, but taking a helicopter ride around the island is the most convenient and self-explanatory tour. For some, it is also doable and as much exciting as zigzagging the waves on a surf board.
Most rain drops on the East coast, where also the remote romantic village of Hana nests at the end of a ghastly narrow Hana Highway. Still, the hours-long trip in your car to Hana remains the must-do adventure for most visitors, loading their Mustangs with sandwiches and liquids for the challenging drive.
As on several Pacific islands, on Maui the Plumeria species also known as frangipani are abundant and used for making leis, the flower necklaces. Every tourist is welcomed by the locals and chained with the leis, but in the local culture the flower also has a deeper meaning as for a woman it can indicate her relationship status. If tucked behind her right ear she is seeking a relationship, but she is taken if worn on the left. For me this was the first week I could not opt for the right side any more, since I just got married.
Be inspired by the images I took during our honeymoon trip to this marvelous destination. The romance unwinds during a sunset while dining at the rustic terrace of Mala Ocean Tavern in Lahaina, a trip on a sailboat, but also anywhere in the mesmerizing nature that surrounds you.