> > Where are you going in Hawaii, Mel? I've been there ten times and I know my way around. I have a long "don't miss" list.
> > The best advice I can give a first-timer is, don't just go to Oahu. It's a good place to start with Diamond Head, Waikiki, and Pearl Harbor, but all of the islands are different, so see as many as you can.
> > If you are a hiker, tear yourself away from Waikiki and go hike to the top of Diamond Head. (take water and a flashlight) The view is one of the best in the islands. Go early in the day.
> > Don't miss the Big Island. It give the word "big" a whole new meaning.
> > Howard
>
> I'm going to Maui. My parents went there back in the olden days (ie 1982) and it was their favorite.
>
> M"would you recommend it, Howard?"el


Maui is the best. Everybody says that and it's true. Study your map on the way out. Don't miss Hana. The trip to Hana is a blast, but not as much fun as before they fixed the road. Be sure to stop at Waianapanapa State park. Fill up the tank before you go and start early. Pack a lunch and eat at the seven pools, just past Hana. The road is dirt after the pools. Several nice waterfalls in that area. Signs reading "KAPU" mean keep out. Don't hurry. You can drive all day on that end of the island without finding a place to spend money. Sometimes you can't buy gas or a sandwich. Hana is mostly residential, but drive down to the bay. Going back requires caution. Sometimes your right wheels are only a few feet from a 300 foot drop into the surf.
Drive up to the top of Haleakala. It's best to go the first day, because the time difference will make you wake up early anyway and the view is best at sunrise. Take a coat. 10,024 feet above sea level! On a good day, you can see Hawaii, about 100 miles away. On the way down, check out Pukulani. That's where I'd be, if I lived on Maui. The best places to eat are in or near Lahaina. It's an old whaling port with a rich history and it's the best walking-around town anywhere. And you can see Lanai and Molokai from there. Good place to watch the sun set. Good shopping, too.
Check locally before trying the Piilani highway on the south side. It gets rough. I don't recommend it. You can drive all the way around the West Maui mountains, but be careful between Hanokohau and Wailuku. One slip and you could be in the ocean! Go up to the Iao Valley State Park in the mountains above Wailuku. You've never seen a place like that. Check out the beaches south of Kihei. Sometimes the best beaches require a short walk. The longer the walk the better they get. The only one that doesn't is Baldwin Park near Kahului going toward Hana (Pronounced Hah-nah). Those fields along the Honoaplilani Highway are sugar cane. If you see a big fire out there, don't panic, they burn the leaves off the cane before harvest. Chew a piece of sugar cane and you'll find out if you have cavities in you teeth. Kulu Botanical Gardens is worth a stop. Molokai is a good one-day side trip, but expensive. If you think I get carried away talking about Maui, don't get me started on the Big Island.
How"soon can I head westw"ard?