Tag: Lahaina

While we were on Molokai, we decided to book a whale-watching tour in Lāhainā. It was last-minute, so we were only able to reserve a spot on the first boat out. That meant we had to arrive at about 6:30 am!

The early start worked out nicely because the drive over from Wailuku was quick and we were able to park in the Lāhainā Free Public Parking lot, which was just a couple blocks from where the whale-watching boats depart from.

We chose Ultimate Whale Watch & Snorkel because of the excellent reviews, and they were great – informative and funny. The boat itself seated about 20 people, and you had a good view from wherever you sat. We started on one of the seats at the rear of the boat, but then moved up to the front for an even better view.

March is the tail-end of whale-watching season, but we saw plenty of humpback whales – mothers, babies, and males sparring for the females’ attention. It was so cool! We even saw a few breaches (whales jumping out of the water) which were spectacular.

The early morning tour meant we were treated to the sun rising over the western Maui mountains, and the sun wasn’t too intense. It was great.

After the 2-hour tour, we grabbed a table at the nearby Papa’Aina restaurant. The menu is on the pricey side, but that’s expected for a premium location in Lāhainā. We ordered the fish & eggs and biscuit. Yum!

We shopped around Lāhainā town for a bit, and then drove back to Wailuku and ran some errands which included some shopping at Takamiya Market and Tamura’s Market. Wailuku is an old town so it’s interesting to visit the businesses that have been around a long time. (Takamiya, not Tamura’s)

The evening’s plans took us back to Lāhainā because we had dinner reservations at Kimo’s. Our table had the best view of Lanai and the setting sun, and we ordered a couple of tropical drinks to celebrate our Maui vacation. It was one of those magical vacation moments!

Drinks were followed by macadamia nut calamari and ahi poke & avocado appetizers. So good.

By this time, the sun was dipping lower and many diners were taking sunset photos. It was fun and everyone was enjoying the vibe.

For the main course, I got the cheeseburger (hey, I haven’t had a burger in a while!) and Mariko ordered the “Lobster Topped”. Both dishes were, as expected, delicious.

For dessert, we shared a Hula Pie. The macadamia nut ice cream and chocolate cookie crust was awesome. OMG we were so stuffed.

It was another long, but memorable day. So far, this vacation has been a blast!