Visiting Maui: Upcountry
In August of 2017, Kari, Makena and I decided to pack our bags and head out for an adventure on the Hawaiian islands. We flew to the beautiful island of Maui, where we spent a few days eating delicious foods, exploring nature, learning about Hawaiian history, and swimming in crystal clear waters. Oh, and I filmed two beautiful properties and met some amazing real estate agents.
Lavender Farms
We started off our first day by exploring Upcountry, the part of Maui that is populated mostly by small farms, agriculture and ranch land. Haiku, meaning “sharp break”, is a small town off the beaten path, hidden from the main tourist areas. Although this serene little gem is now full of eco-farmers, artisans, and local families, it was once the location of the Haiku Sugar Mill, one of the first 10 companies to go into the sugar business. We spent the day relaxing at the Kula lavender farms. The farm sits on top of a mountain, so we had beautiful views of the entire island from the lavender-covered slopes.
Makawao
Later, we headed over to Makawao, the main hub of the Upcountry. This thriving art community is is famous for its Hawaiian cowboys, or paniolo, who wrangled cattle in the area. We stopped for a quick lunch at Habibi, and then continued on for the next leg of our adventure.
Hookipa
A short drive later, we stepped onto the beautiful sands of Hookipa Beach, a world-renowned windsurfing destination. Ho’okipa means “hospitality” in Hawaiian, and we definitely felt welcome here. The water was unbelievably clear, and Makena loved swimming with the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles (Honu). There’s a relatively shallow reef in that area, so it’s easy to see fish and other sea creatures while you swim. In some areas, there were even tidepools we could check out! We spent the rest of our afternoon lounging in the sun, surrounded by sparkling waters, lush vegetation, and wildlife.
I’m so lucky to have had the chance to explore this beautiful island with my family. Spending time in the vibrant green nature listening to the peaceful waves among the friendly locals was better than we could have planned or imagined. Each stop on our trip was beautifully infused with rich Hawaiian culture and history, and we had a great time learning along the way. Day 1 of visiting Maui definitely went down in the books as a highlight of our trip.