If being in Hawaii wasn’t perfect enough, the journey of planning and getting there was just as spectacular. Maui, Hawaii is one of my favourite destinations. Planning a holiday in such an exotic location should not be an afterthought. It takes months of tweaking the details to perfect it. And it was perfect.
Instead of merely driving ourselves to the airport, dealing with parking and find the correct check-in desk, we were picked up in onyx black, luxury SUVs. Not just one. Three GMC Denali SUVs picked up our party of 10. The moment I stepped into the premium interior of the cab, I realized that this vacation was going to be different, in a great way. With every passing kilometer we travelled to the airport, I settled with ease into the leather seat knowing that we are not starting with the stress that typically comes with travelling. We have done it right. We are avoiding all the turmoil that typically comes with airports: parking, security, baggage claim, and customs. With our curbside service attendants and Nexus passes, we pass it all to take in the luscious flora and serene beaches of Maui.
Our location, the most important detail, was carefully chosen to ensure proper access to all the amenities that were essential to our personalized vacation. All of us needed some rest on the beach, near the pool, and at the spa. But we didn’t want to spend all our time relaxing. We wanted seclusion. We wanted nightlife. We wanted adventure. We wanted culture. We wanted wellness. Our location provided all that we wished for, and more.
A typical day in Maui started with breakfast on the veranda of our holiday rental. The waves crashed against the nearby rocks, while the birds reminded us that the day has begun. Once we had our fill of freshly ground coffee and local produce, we would start our adventure of the day.
We snorkeled in the nearby reef to explore what silent wonders lay beneath the ocean’s waves. The turtles and tropical fish waited for us beneath the surface to guide us to the colourful reef.
We soared overhead in a helicopter to absorb the wonders of the many islands of Hawaii and hidden waterfalls, and landed atop an inactive volcano to celebrate with champagne.
We wandered through town and mingled with local market venders. While stocking up on fresh pineapple and coconuts for tomorrow’s breakfast, we sampled delicacies such as poi (made from taro root) and laulau (made from taro leaves).
On our last night, we celebrated at an extravagant luau-themed party. There, we marveled at the beautiful and fierce hula and fire dancers, and devoured the delicious feast of Kalua pig, poke (Hawaiian sashimi) and beer.
This wasn’t our first visit to the American Polynesian islands. With the exquisite experience on this journey, our next visit to Hawaii will be taken, once again, to new heights.