Maui Vacation Rentals - Choose Kihei for your Maui Holiday

Today we are sharing a few of the many good reasons to choose Maui Vacation Rentals by owner in Kihei.

Kihei is located in South Maui and is popular for its fine beaches and a vacation rental for every budget. As you make your way down South Kihei Road there are many privately owned condos in great locations for your special Hawaii holiday. You can even get oceanfront properties in Kihei or nearby Wailea at affordable rates. There are also many family oriented rentals with green areas for your children to run and play on.

There are many great family friendly beaches in Kihei (some with life guards)  including Charley Young, Kamaole I, II and III, Sugar beach, and some smaller walking beaches.

Kihei has a wide choice of restaurants from fast food to fine dining and to suit every pocket book. The shopping areas in Kihei are not confined to one district and you can find craft fairs, farmer's markets, factory outlet stores, clothing stores, sports stores, Longs Drugs ( a great place to buy wine etc at fantastic prices) Hawaiian Moons health food store and many other interesting shops. The Piilani Village Centre has Safeway,Hilo Hatties, ABC Store, Dairy Queen and Starbucks, where incidentally I saw Santa the other day on vacation, enjoying a cup of coffee . No kidding. Read More.

Wailea is not far away with wonderful golf courses, the lovely Shops of Wailea and higher end condos. It is a treat just to drive through this lovely district and if you are located in a Kihei vacation rental it is not far.

There is a wonderful walk you can do if you park at Ulua Beach. The walkway takes you along the ocean in front of all the Wailea Hotels. If you feel like a special treat you may want to stop off at one of the hotels for a lovely buffet breakfast, but just remember you are paying not only for the wonderful food but also for the fantastic setting. Our favourite Happy Hour place in Wailea is Gannons on the Gold (golf) course. Experience fantastic sunsets from here, and suprisingly in such a classy place, drinks and pupus( appetizers) during happy hour are affordable for anyone.

All of these amenities combined make Kihei Vacation Rentals an excellent choice for your holiday in beautiful Hawaii.

Here are just some of the Maui condos that you can rent directly from the owner.

Maui Oasis Rental - Designer's two bedroom two bath vacation condo with lots of extra amenities. Close to beach, shopping, restaurants, parks etc. Great central location! Lovely tropical grounds with pool, hot tub and outdoor kitchen.

Maui Kihei Vacation Rental - The Maui Garden House is a two bedroom/2 bath vacation home nestled in a beautiful tropical garden setting overlooking the grounds and pool. Close to beach, shops, church, restaurants etc.

Maui Kihei Vacation Condo - Vacation in Paradise at our updated two bedroom, two bath condo located in a peaceful garden setting, just steps to the beach and close to shops and restaurants.

One Bedroom Kihei Vacation Condo - spacious and beautifully furnished condo in a great complex right across the road from well known Kamaole 3 beach. Free internet, two pools, tennis court and BBQs. Sleeps 4
Beachfront Vacation Condo - large one bedroom condo centrally located on Maui's sunshine coast of Kihei. Enjoy awesome sunsets from your own private lanai. Pool, hot tub, child's wading pool, BBQs, picnic areas, shuffleboard and a great ocean front setting. Sleeps 4

Oceanfront Vacation Rental - large one bedroom condo with ocean view. Close to shopping, restaurants, craft fair and many great Kihei beaches. Oceanfront property with pool, BBQs, shuffleboard and lovely grounds. Sleeps 4

Two Bedroom Ocean View Condo - wall to wall, ceiling to floor windows in the living room and master suite which open onto private lanais, offering views of the West Maui mountain and the ocean. Comfortably sleeps 7 people.

Maui Sun Fun - South Kihei Vacation Condo - spacious 2 bedroom/2 bath condo in great location. Pool View. Close to beach, shopping, restaurants.

Magnificent Beachfront Maui vacation rental condominium is located on the top floor of Mana Kai, Wailea,Maui.

Santa is on Vacation in Maui

The other day as I was walking along the sidewalk at the Piilani Village Shopping Centre minding my own business, I did a double take. There seated in front of Starbucks was none other than Santa Claus himself, having a cup of coffee and reading the Maui News.
As I approached him I noticed that the words written on his red T-shirt said "Yes I Am Him" Of course there was no mistaking it. He had the same white hair and beard, just the right length, and the glasses perched on his nose definitely belonged to Santa. He was dressed in a red T-shirt, red shorts and red flip flops. I mean really, what else would Santa wear in our tropical climate?

I decided to take matters into my own hands and have a word with the old boy so I said Hi and asked him if he was on vacation in Maui. He said he was, and that he has a daughter and spouse living here so he and Mrs. Claus were visiting them and the grandchildren. I was surprised because I guess it never occured to me that Santa may have children, not to mention a life other than delivering presents on Christmas Eve. He went on to tell me that he lived in Georgia when he wasn't at the North Pole, and he was under contract with the Ritz Carlton Hotels there and in other states. He also shared with me that he does a lot of work for charity which keeps him busy after the Christmas season is over. He doesn't have a website because he is already so busy, he would be afraid of getting an overload of work.

Needless to say Santa is a very nice person to chat with and I was very happy to hear about all the people he helps year round. I asked him if I could take his photo to send to my grandson and post on my blog. He was delighted and said "Of Course"

He gave me his business card which is actually a copy of his Georgia driver's licence. It describes him according to hair color, eye color, height, weight etc. but with a few different twists. For example his weight is "Jolly" and his birthday is "Dec 28 A.D". Also his license never expires and the class is 'Senior Open Sleigh" with a restriction for no more than 9 Reindeer. His profession is quite appropriately classified as Toy Donor. I believe he must hand this card to children because on the back is the "Kids for Character Pledge" which he has permission to use courtesy of Character Counts, a program billed as being the biggest character education program in the nation. Not a bad thing to advocate I thought. So, I became more and more impressed with this jolly fellow and the fantastic work he is does year round.

After our little chat I left for home, with my belief in Santa strongly reaffirmed. I have to say that I experienced a Magical Maui Moment Meeting Santa on His Vacation.

5 Good Reasons to Attend Kihei Deep Water Aerobics

The Water Aerobics Gang

You may remember a blog written two years ago about Sara Zander's water aerobics class at the Kihei Aquatic Centre. The class is still alive and well and now every session is in deep water. I love the class and would like to share my reasons for attending.

1. Sara Zander is a trained instructor and brings a lot of experience to the class. She always gives 3 levels of difficulty for each exercise and pays attention to each individual's special needs.

Sara demonstrating one of the exercises

2. Deep water aerobics is a complete body workout and Sara cleverly incorporates Yoga, Pilates, Aerobics and Stretch into each session. She also demonstrates each exercise to ensure we are doing it properly.

3. The class is lots of fun, and provides an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. I personally have made tons of friends in this class.

Hope on right - Laura on left

4. The latest addition of music during the class makes it even more enjoyable and Sara's sense of humor with her asides and little jokes, are both delightful and contagious.

5. The time goes by so fast you don't even realize that you are getting in shape without the pain of other forms of exercise.

Sara on right - Sunny on left

If you want to get in shape the fun way, try out Sara's class and see what you think. Deep water aerobics are Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:30 to 11:30 AM at the Kihei Aquatic Center on Lipoa Street in Central Maui (just before the highway). Cost is by donation. Both men and women are welcome. Locals, snowbirds and tourists attend the class so numbers and faces are ever-changing.

If Sara for some reason can't make a class, her vivacious side kick Sunny, is happy to take over and lead us through the exercises.

For more information about Sara and other things she is up to go to Sarafit's Blog.

If you stay at the Maui Garden House during your Maui vacation, The Kihei Community Pool is just a ten minute walk up the road.

Best Authentic Luau on Maui - Polynesian Village Luau - Kihei

We have attended many luaus on Maui over the years, but last Sunday we were honoured to partake in the most authentic Polynesian experience we have ever had. As a bonus, the venue is practically on our doorstep here in Kihei.

The Polynesian Village Luau is located at the Aston Maui Lu on South Kihei Road. Billed as "A sustainable and culturally responsible production", this intimate backyard Luau is my choice for the Best Luau on Maui.

First and foremost there was no standing in line with hundreds of people because attendance is limited to 50 - 75 guests. On arrival we were led immediately to our table and then greeted by Samoan Chief "FiaFia" who also was the delightful and comical MC for the whole evening. We were invited to wander around before dinner and take part in the many cultural activities representing the different islands of Polynesia.

Deb and I chose fresh flower Hawaiian lei making while the guys did some spear throwing, and Maori poi ball dancing. For the kids there was a jumpy castle, keiki shave ice and a station where they could colour coconuts.

Deb and Dave had fun trying to blow the conch shell, after they were given a quick lesson on how to pucker up their lips and give it all they had. With a bit of beginners luck on hand they both managed to produce a reasonable farewell to the Maui sun as it slipped down behind the palm trees and disappeared.

 Before dinner Chief FiaFia called eveyone over to the fire pit for the IMU (hot earth oven)demonstration. A young volunteer helped with the preparation of the fish, and covering it with the hot coals and banana leaves for the cooking process.

In no time at all we were called for dinner and lined up at the buffet. The great part was that we didn't have to wait for this either. The main courses, prepared Hawaiian BBQ style, included barbequed chicken, garlic opakapaka, barbequed short ribs and of course Kalua pork. These were complemented by other favourite local dishes as well as some yummy desserts. They even had a kikei menu so the kids could have macaroni and cheese and hotdogs if they preferred. Available drinks included tropical smoothies, coconut drinks, iced tea and pog. Even though the village does not yet have a liquor licence they have no problem with you bringing your own refreshments.

After dinner it was time for the show and chief "Fia Fia" started things rolling with the Kava Ceremony, the traditional welcome for guests which was performed in many Polynesian cultures. Next was a special hula called Kahiko, honouring the ancient past of the area. The rest of the show took us on a colourful journey to all the Polynesian islands with live drumming, songs, music and dance.

The grand and exciting finale of the evening was an amazing fire dancer, surely the best we have seen anywhere.

Probably the most impressive thing about The Polynesian Village Luau is that they are dedicated to supporting conservation of the ancient areas surrounding the venue. These include the Ko'ie'ie fishpond, the neigboring island of Kaho'olawe and Kalepolepo (the South Maui Heritage Corridor)

We loved the intimate and family friendly atmosphere of the luau, and will definitely tell everyone we know, about the Best Luau on Maui. For more information visit the website of the Polynesian Village Luau.

If you stay in a Kihei Vacation Rental you will be close to this Luau and many other activities.

Spelunking on Maui at Hana Lava Tube

We have driven the road to Hana on many occasions in the past, oblivious to the fact that one of Maui's Greatest Natural Wonders is just on the outskirts of Hana near the 31 mile marker.
Hana Lava Tube (aka: Ka'eleku Caverns) was created hundreds of years ago from flowing hot molten lava after an eruption of the Haleakala volcano. According to the Wikipedia, "a lava tube is a type of cave that is formed when an active low-viscosity lava flow, develps a continuous and hard crust, which thickens and forms a roof above the still flowing lava stream." read more.

On arrival at the Lava Tube we were greeted by Chuck, the owner of Maui Cave Adventures. This seems appropriate since the lava tube is situated underneath his property and he did all the tedious work to make it presentable for visitors.

Chuck was eager to share his knowledge of the lava tube with us and showed us a map of the underground cave system. He told us that it would take 27 hours to walk the whole tube, and the portion open to the public was 1/3 of a mile which translated into a 35 minute walk. He let us know that the cave was free of mosquitoes and bats, and there were hand rails along the cinder path, making it safe and easy to navigate.

Finally, armed with highly powered LED flashlights and an even more powerful one to enable better photo taking, we were ready to start our self-guided tour adventure.

As we entered the cave we were surprised at how large and roomy it was and thought that maybe even those prone to being claustrophobic might be just fine here. We were also impressed that along the way were interpretive signs which explained everything we were seeing. For example when we passed a couple of cow bones, the sign told how in years past the cave was used by cattle ranchers to dispose of the remains of slaughtered cattle. I guess that Chuck probably had to work hard hauling out all the bones, before he made it into a visitor friendly place.

Part way along the trail, light poured in through a surface opening in the ceiling, the only opening to the cave besides the entrance. A fascinating section of the cave had the most unusual formations of hardened lava and is deliciously named "The Chocolate Corridor" Here, the ceilings were covered with stalactites, so much resembling chocolate kisses that it made you want to reach up, snatch one when noone was looking, and pop it in your mouth.

We knew we were at the end of the tour when we came to a rope which prevented you from exploring any further into the tube. As we turned around there was also an interesting auxiliary cave to explore, which resembled a long room.

As we made our way back we passed a few other visitors with their flashlights and overheard a young boy saying what an awesome place the chocolate cave was. This is a very family friendly adventure and a must do if you like the idea of spelunking, more commonly known as caving. Those who are not able to explore the cave can wander through a Red Ti Botanical Garden Maze, located above the cave.

There is also a picnic area so take your lunch and enjoy an unforgettable Maui experience at the Hana Ka'eleku Caverns.

The Hana Lava Tube is open 7 days a week, 365 days per year from 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM. The cost is a very affordable $11.95 each and free for children under five.

When we go to Hana we like to stay in a privately owned Hana Vacation Rental, so that we have more time to really get to know this special place.

Our Choice for 2010 Christmas Puzzle - Waikiki by Eric Dowdle

In keeping with one of our Family Christmas Traditions that I wrote about last year, we went looking for a puzzle to work on over the Christmas season. It was as challenging as last year to find a suitable puzzle on the island, but finally we saw that Costco had a large selection by an artist named Eric Dowdle, representing many cities all over the world.  We chose a 500 piece one of Waikiki and as soon as we got home, my husband spilled it out on the dining room table and started turning pieces over. I let him work on it for quite a while before I got into the act because everyone has a different way of organizing a project. Or is it because I am lazy when it comes to the tedious parts, so it is much easier to let someone else do them?  When I finally got involved, however, I was not very popular when I moved some of the sky pieces from bottom to the top where I thought they should be. Oh and I also tried to get the border happening as well.  I guess his plan was a little different than mine but after a bit more quibbling we decided to grow up, and work together towards a common end.  In this case completing a lovely beach scene smack in the middle of Waikiki and the big hotels. 'Voila', the puzzle is now finished and we debated putting it on a background for posterity. In the end it just seemed easier to put the pieces back in the box for another time. At any rate Waikiki by Eric Dowdle is our choice for the best 2010 Christmas puzzle.

I decided to google Eric Dowdle and found his website. He is a very talented artist and is known for his whimsical paintings.  A quote from his site reads as follows. "Folk Artist Eric Dowdle has applied his unique style to cities around the country and world. His paintings have been honored and displayed in exhibits and galleries everywhere. They stand apart as they encompass the essence of what people feel about their homes and country." 
Next Christmas I won't be tramping around Maui trying to find a puzzle. I'll do it the easy way and order one online from Eric Dowdle.
If you are thinking of going to Waikiki in the New Year, some of those big buildings near the beach also have condos that you can rent from an owner.
Find some Oahu Vacation Rentals for your inter-island visit.

Did you work on a puzzle this Christmas season? If so would you recomment it? Would love to hear your comments.

Ono Organic Farms - Maui - Hawaii

A couple of weeks ago at the Maui Swap Meet we stumbled upon a treasure. The sign said "Ono Organic Farms" and we were delighted to meet Chuck Boerner, owner of the Farm. He told us that his family has farmed organically in the lush jungle environment of Hana for more than thirty years.

A wonderful spread of exotic tropical fruits were displayed before our eyes, and while sampling star fruit, rambutan, passion fruit, papaya and avocado, to name a few, we learned more about Ono Organice Farms.


Chuck told us that their farm is about the only place on Maui to find papayas (and other foods) that have not been derived from GMOs (genetically modified organisms). We were happy to hear this because we believe that buying organic food is the only road to optimum health, and finding a place on Maui that we can depend on is very comforting. As Chuck so aptly puts it on their website. "The key to our wealth is our health" He states that they have been growing and eating organic foods for 60 years, and have raised 5 children on their farm.

There was a photo showing an aerial view of the 50 acre, certified organic farm. Banana trees (300 per letter) make up the Ono Farms sign.

If you decide to drive to Hana you can go on one of their tasting tours and sample exotic fruits such as star-fruit, rambutan, cherimoya, chocolate persimmon, sweet gourmet guava, jack fruit and more.

If you don't make it to the farm they offer farm fresh organic coffee, jams, jellies and tropical fruits at their fruit stand next to the gas station in Hana, Sunday through Thursday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Every Saturday you can find them at the Swap Meet in Kahului from 6:30 AM to 1:30 PM in the Maui Community College parking lot.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to experience the wonderful flavor of fresh, organic, exotic tropical fruits, chocolate and coffee. For more information visit the website of Ono Organic Farms.

Needless to say we went home laden down with healthy produce in our shopping bags.

We will definitely be going on their taste tour in the New Year so stay tuned for our next blog on this topic.  Last time we went to Hana we stayed overnight at the  Hana Aloha Hale, and found that we had much more time to explore the area. We will probably stay there again or choose from some other Hana Vacation Rentals.