Planning Your Trip to Maui
The number one industry in Maui, tourism, has taken a few punches this year. First, the Molokai Ranch, which owns nearly a third of the island (and the major hotel and dining facilities) closed in March, followed a few days later by 2 major inter-island airline carriers, Aloha Airlines and ATA. A few months later, Maui Land and Pine, the largest pineapple grower in the state and owner of Kapalua Resort, shut down half of their pineapple operations. It's been a tsunami of bad news in the first half of 2008.
Several airlines have stepped up their flights to Hawaii, to fill in for the airlines who have folded. Alaska Airlines (tel. 800/252-7522; www.alaskaair.com) has added seasonal service between Anchorage and Maui, three flights a week from Oct. 31 to April 25.
In other "planning your trip" news, the American Safari Cruises (tel. 888/862-8881; www.amsafari.com) will begin Hawaii cruises in December 2008 aboard the 145- foot Safari Explorer, which takes only 36 passengers. The cruises, which range in price from $3,995-$8,595, will focus on traditional Hawaiian culture and travel to locations on each island where larger cruise ships can't. The 8 day Maui to Big Island cruise starts on Maui and sails to Lanai for a day and then Molokai for a day, then back to Maui to explore the island, before crossing the channel to Hilo on the Big Island, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and ending up in Kona, on the Big Island.
Where to Stay
For information on hotel openings, please see "What's New: An Online Update for Frommer's Hawaii".
Where to Eat
The popular Café O'Lei has returned to Wailuku (62 Market St.; tel. 808/986-0044) with the original team of Michael and Dana Pastula serving breakfast and lunch. Don't miss the blackened mahi mahi. In Kahului, Home Maid Bakery & Deli, long a local favorite, has added a second location: Dairy Center, (395 Dairy Rd., Kahului (on the way to the airport); tel. 808/877-9888), makes it easy to pick up your baked goods on your way home. Hint: they are famous for their crispy manju, a sort-of mini pie: crust with fruit fillings like sweet azuki beans, apple, coconut, peach, pineapple, or imo, which is purple sweet potato, and for their mochi (pounded rice cake) filled with sweet azuki beans, creamy peanut butter.
Speaking of the airport, the Kahului Airport, (1 Kahului Airport Rd., Kahului) is now building four new restaurants scheduled to open in 2008. Sammy's Beach Bar & Grill, named after former Van Halen singer (and part-time Maui resident), Sammy Hagar, will donate 100% of the profits to local charities via Hagar's Red Rocker Foundation, which supports children's organizations.
In Lahaina, One of the newest eateries to open at the Lahaina Cannery Mall is Dante's Italian Eatery (1221 Honoapiilani Hwy., Lahaina; tel. 808/661-3838), featuring Chef Mauro Gramuglia, from Italy. The casual eatery features fairly fast Italian food (family-style salads, pasta, pizza) in an atmosphere that welcome families, especially kids. The Lahaina Gateway Center, Honoapiilani Hwy at Keawe St., Lahaina, has announced new restaurants to open soon in the shopping center will include the Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant, Outback Steakhouse, and Genki Sushi.
Kaanapali's Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa hopes to complete its new $8 million poolside restaurant, Umalu, (200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kaanapali; tel. 808/661-1234) soon, which will have a self-service deli and a café with an open kitchen. Ka`anapali Bar & Grill, Kaanapali Golf Clubhouse (2290 Kaanapali Pkwy., Kaanapali,; tel. 808/667-7480) offers breakfast and lunch in the open dining room and patio that overlooks the golf course. Breakfast ranges from homemade banana granola to steak and eggs; lunch features sandwiches and entrees (ranging from oven roasted vegetable marinara for $10.25 to opakapaka seared in olive oil for $18).
The Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas (6 Kai Ala Dr., Kaanapali Resort; tel. 808/667-3200; www.westinkaanapali.com) has opened Pulehu Restaurant, featuring a breakfast buffet and unique dinners. Pulehu, which means grilled or cooked over an open flame in Hawaiian, offers a la carte fish and meats prepared in your favorite style with a choice of sauces (lemon buerre blanc, mango fennel chutney, mushroom cognac cream and port sauce). The restaurant also has an open "show" kitchen to watch the chefs in action, or you can choose to sit outside next to the lush koi ponds with ocean views in the background. Another unique feature of Pulehu restaurant is its stone oven where freshly baked flatbread and calzones are made daily.
Built in 1929, Kapalua's Honolua Store (502 Office Rd., Kapalua Resort; tel. 808/665-9105), recently received an extensive remodeling, expanding and upgrading their kitchen and deli, and installing a full espresso bar. The Kapalua Adventure Center Café (2000 Village Dr.; tel. 808/665-4386) has opened in the former Vino Restaurant for breakfast and lunch with healthy, light options like organic salads, sandwiches (the produce comes from the nearby Kapalua Farms) and a full espresso bar.
In Kihei, the Dog & Duck Irish Pub (Kalama Village,1913 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei; tel. 808-875-9669), is Maui's only family-owned pub serving traditional Irish fare (like bangers and mash, which is British sausage with mash potatoes and gravy) for lunch and dinner Monday-Friday and brunch on the weekends. Replacing Tastings Restaurant in Kihei is Fat Daddy's Smoke House (1913 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei; tel. 808/879-8711), with a menu of barbequed ribs, beef brisket, beans, and cornbread. Situated across the street from the Kalama Beach Park, the BBQ restaurant offers ribs in various order sizes pulled pork, smoked brats, and little else. Shangri-La By The Sea, located in the Menehune Shores condominiums (760 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei; tel. 808/875-4555; www.shangri-labythesea.com) is one of the very few Maui restaurants offering Indian cuisine for lunch and dinner (take out is available). Specialties include chicken tikka masala, palak paneer, and lamb saag. They also have a tandoor oven for baking fresh naan bread and tandoori meats. Lunch entrees vary from $11-$16, dinner entrees are $20-$28. A new pizzeria and sports bar, Pizza Madness, Maui Dive Shop Building (1455 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei; tel. 808/270-9888) has become a new in-spot for pizza and sports bar fans with a large variety of beers on tap and three large screens to broadcast the latest game. The dark interior is decorated with giant sharks, octopi and fish hanging from the ceiling, very realistically carved from Styrofoam. The menu lists hot and cold subs, spaghetti, antipasto salads, garlic bread, and chicken wings.
The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, has replaced Pacific Grill with Duo (3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea; tel. 808-874-8000), a romantic open-air restaurant featuring an open kitchen where the seafood, steaks and local produce are paired with wines by the glass recommended by the sommelier of Four Seasons Resort Maui. Also open for a mouth watering breakfast buffet. Chef Mark Ellman, recently opened Mala Wailea at the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa (3700 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea; tel. 808/875-9394; www.malaoceantavern.com/Mala-Wailea), which offers a full lounge, a breakfast buffet that includes eggs Benedict and huevos rancheros, a dinner menu with organic products such as hormone-free Kobe beefsteaks, and a tavern menu.