The crowds may roar at Monte Carlo’s Grand Prix and cheer at Boston’s Marathon, but moviegoers quietly delight each year in the heady tranquility of the Maui Film Festival, an adventure in film unlike any other on the planet. Here at the upscale Hawaiian enclave of Wailea, the stars have been coming out since the turn of the millennium to share unparalleled al fresco cinema amidst sumptuous feasts, paradisiacal parties and tropical Island living.
With so many wonderful attributes to enjoy on Maui, the biggest challenge can be in deciding where to start. From its famous beaches to its quaint cities and lush rainforests, and its 10,000 foot high volcano, Mount Haleakalä, the choices stretch out like endless ocean horizons. Fortunately, one activity boasts the perfect compromise, allowing guests to enjoy Maui's highlights while including time to savor some down-to-earth offerings.
It may not immediately spring to mind as the classic Hawaiian adventure, but horseback riding in Upcountry Maui is as authentically exhilarating as hanging ten off Waikïkï Beach. It's also a great way to explore the history and majesty of Maui while enjoying cool Eucalyptus-infused breezes and stunning ocean vistas amid waves of soft green grasses.
From snorkeling and scuba diving to glass bottom boat and submarine rides, tour operators offer an array of undersea options the most exciting of which is an underwater scooter experience run by Maui Undersea Adventures, which empowers guests to zip through the water just like one of its many resident sea creatures.
Playful, elusive and
famously aqua-batic, dolphins are arguably the most endearing creatures in the
sea. Perhaps it’s the mammalian kinship
we share or the smiles etched on their faces -- but for whatever reason, people
are drawn to the slick, gray wave-dancers. Boat tour operators the world over
have seized on the demand with dolphin-sighting cruises and plenty of marine
parks stage elaborate shows; however, few places on earth actually permit
direct dolphin contact.
Of all the exhilarating escapes Hawai`i has to
offer, none captures the timeless thrill of adventure on the seas like sailing
-- and the only place on O`ahu to climb aboard a luxuriously private sailboat
is Ko Olina Marina, on Wai`anae’s west coast.
That is where Hawai`i Nautical harnesses the trade winds daily with its 38-foot
catamaran, Lei’d Back, spoiling
guests with gorgeous sights, gourmet food and gracious Aloha service.
A sinking ship isn’t always a bad thing, especially when its descent conjures up new powers of attraction and purpose. So when submarine tour operator Atlantis Adventures orchestrated the sinking of the Carthaginian a half-mile off Maui’s West coast, shore-bound crowds cheered.The longtime icon of Lahaina Harbor had traded its topside status for a more subtle position as Hawaii’s newest underwater attraction.
Every Joseph Campbell fan knows that a proper mythic adventure begins when you cross the boundary line from the everyday world to the land of danger, mystery, and excitement. Often, this boundary line is marked by what Campbell called "threshold guardians"—forbidding or playful spirits.
The crowds may roar at Monte Carlo’s Grand Prix and cheer at Boston’s Marathon, but moviegoers quietly delight each year in the heady tranquility of the Maui Film Festival, an adventure in film unlike any other on the planet. Here at the upscale Hawaiian enclave of Wailea, the stars have been coming out since the turn of the millennium to share unparalleled al fresco cinema amidst sumptuous feasts, paradisiacal parties and tropical Island living.
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It may not immediately spring to mind as the classic Hawaiian adventure, but horseback riding in Upcountry Maui is as authentically exhilarating as hanging ten off Waikïkï Beach. It's also a great way to explore the history and majesty of Maui while enjoying cool Eucalyptus-infused breezes and stunning ocean vistas amid waves of soft green grasses.
From snorkeling and scuba diving to glass bottom boat and submarine rides, tour operators offer an array of undersea options the most exciting of which is an underwater scooter experience run by Maui Undersea Adventures, which empowers guests to zip through the water just like one of its many resident sea creatures.
Coasting 10,000 feet down Maui’s monster volcan is a mountain bike experience like no other.
Beauty and unpredictability abound on the world's longest ocean-open kayak tour.
Playful, elusive and
famously aqua-batic, dolphins are arguably the most endearing creatures in the
sea. Perhaps it’s the mammalian kinship
we share or the smiles etched on their faces -- but for whatever reason, people
are drawn to the slick, gray wave-dancers. Boat tour operators the world over
have seized on the demand with dolphin-sighting cruises and plenty of marine
parks stage elaborate shows; however, few places on earth actually permit
direct dolphin contact.
Every Joseph Campbell fan knows that a proper mythic adventure begins when you cross the boundary line from the everyday world to the land of danger, mystery, and excitement. Often, this boundary line is marked by what Campbell called "threshold guardians"—forbidding or playful spirits.
