# Day 6

Everyone needs a recovery day on vacation. A break from the running around, the lines, the cameras around the neck… no one wants to come back after a trip more exhausted than when they left. So, today was our vacation sabbath and it was good.

Among getting some rest, leisurely exploring our part of the island (Kihei) and trying our best to fit in with the laid-back locals, here are the rest of the day’s highlights:

We drove up to Lahaina and Kaanapali, which are the uber-touristy parts of Maui. They are home to many resorts, one being the Kaanapali Beach Hotel where our friends Nat and Nicoleen stayed this time last year. They highly recommended we check out Leilani’s On the Beach, one of the many restaurants on its property.

It’s 5-o’clock somewhere, amiright?

I think Joe picked this strawberry ginger daiquiri for its name: Humuhumunukunukuapua’a.

“Hard to say, easy to drink.”

The highlight of this meal, Nat and Nicoleen warned us, was going to be the Hula Pie. Everywhere you go, menus would say this island favorite was the reason sailors would swim to shore.

It’s so simple, yet so unbelievably good.

Oreo crust + Macadamia Nut Ice Cream + Hot Fudge + Toasted Macadamia Nuts + Whipped Cream

= OMG

To walk off all of that deliciousness, there’s a trail next to the restaurant with a front row seat to Kaanapali Beach, which is stunning.

Because only I would suggest a second dessert after Hula Pie, we found Maui’s famed Shave Ice establishment on our way back: Ululani’s.

While Matsumoto’s on Oahu is known for their traditional flavors, Ululani’s is known for its gourmet approach.

The line was looooong, but—as always—worth the wait.

We went with the regular size, thinking “micro size must be for the little kids, right?” Um, hellllo….

I had their Local Motion: Li Hing (!), Mango, and Pineapple. You remember Li Hing, right?

Sweet and salty syrup? Smiles all around.

Joe opted for a richer concoction of Root Beer, Cola, and Coffee with a “snowcap” of sweetened condensed milk.

The perfect bite:

It took us 15 minutes to finish, but we both agreed that Ululani’s shave ice is superior to Matsumoto’s. …That could have also been the sugar talking. This is also the sugar talking:

After we emerged from our food coma later that day, we took the beach gear from our condo and walked across the street to Kihei’s gorgeous stretch of sand.

We put down the camera and played in the ocean for a looooong time, boogy-boarding and swimming together. It was so much fun and, honestly, one of my favorite parts of the entire trip. I did manage to nab these two shots before we called it a day…the first one being another favorite image. I could look at it all day.

# Day 7

Today had us up bright and early (again) for our all-day snorkeling adventure. We had booked the day with Trilogy Excursions, rated #1 on Trip Advisor…for a reason.

It was windy when we boarded, but what else was new? It had been crazy windy since we got there.  We found a good spot near the back of the boat and settled in for the ride.{Don’t mind the sunscreen smears on my lens.}

Now I want a catamaran.

About an hour out, our captain started radioing other boats further out to check conditions. Everyone was in agreement: the wind, and therefore the swells, was just too strong. It would’ve been beyond dangerous to dump us in the water. Everyone was turning back for Maui, but our captain said he’d give us a tour of South Maui and take us out to see Molokini—the snorkeling hotspot—anyway.

Here’s our first look at Molokini.

We were disappointed for sure…

…but we got a free three-hour catamaran ride around Maui and it was awesome. Plus, Trilogy fully refunded or rebooked every single person on the boat. Impeccable customer service. We can’t recommend them enough!

Since we suddenly had a few hours in the day we weren’t planning on, we decided to try out other beaches to see if we could snorkel on our own, but the waves were still too dangerous, so we just played  and relaxed near the shore.

Not exactly the way the day was supposed to play out, but we made the most of it. Nothing a little bottle of pineapple wine couldn’t fix.