Along with taking “The Road to Hana” the best thing we did on Maui was taking a boat ride out to Molokini Crater. It’s a beautiful location and you could easily go snorkeling all day.

Molokini is a crescent-shaped, partially submerged volcanic crater that forms a small islet located in the Alalakeiki Channel between the islands of Maui and Kaho’olawe. Molokini’s crescent shape protects snorkelers and scuba divers from waves and the channel’s powerful currents.

There were beautiful coral reefs,

orange pencil (two photos above) and black sea urchins,

and plenty of fish.

After about an hour of snorkeling by the crater, we headed out to Turtle Town. Stupid name, but a great place to see the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle.

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I’m a bit tardy in getting today’s post up… yesterday was a looong and somewhat painful day on the Big Island. I don’t want to focus on that today, since I’m looking back at Maui. I’ll tell and show you (show and tell) about the painful but extraordinary experience in the days to come.

In the previous post, I told you about our drive down the Road to Hana. On the way back, we stopped at the famed Mama’s Fish House.

We were told that if there was one place you Must eat in Maui, it was Mama’s. Thank you to everyone who directed us there!

Not only is the food outstanding, fresh, well prepared, and expertly presented, but somehow the atmosphere is upscale without being at all stuffy. It is relaxing and laid-back. The decor is so eclectic, that it’s a true feast for the eyes.

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As I type this, I am sitting on the patio of a B&B outside of Hilo, Hawaii (the big island) in a torrential downpour. It is 9:40 pm Hawaii time, 12:40 am at home in Arizona. We are at the end of day seven of our trip, but I am going to start this post with Day 1.

We arrived in Maui on Wednesday, May 22nd in the early evening and got to our hotel after sunset.

On Thursday morning, we hit the ground running. After a room service breakfast at the Royal Lahaina, we took to the “Road to Hana” for the day.

Just the opportunity to see this gorgeous tree, in person, would be worth the drive. It is the rainbow eucalyptus, Mindanao gum, or rainbow gum tree. Isn’t it amazing!?!

But there is more than one pretty tree and a cool surfboard fence to see along the way.

Our first stop was Twin Falls. You enter through a tiny little passage at Wailele Farms.

There are two separate falls, this is the first, with a lovely swimming hole.

After the small fall, you continue to hike another 15 minutes or so and go past this cool rock/tree bridge thing.

And eventually, the path ends at the second, taller fall.

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