The Long Weekend
Travel back in time to a place where leisure rules.
Nicole Crane, Ashley Stepanek and Shannon Wianecki
Story by Shannon Wianecki
Photography by Ron Dalquist | Wilson
Auggie Salbosa | Shannon Wianecki
Ever notice how some weekends last longer than others? A long weekend, when approached with the right frame of mind, can have life-altering effects. By temporarily shrugging off your to-do list, you can let spontaneity inspire a whole new set of priorities.
In that spirit, I offer you three of Hawai‘i’s best long weekends: epic journeys capable of turning back the clock to that blissful time in life before we had to be somewhere fast. In fact, where we’re headed, you can’t get anywhere fast. Travel happens around two to five mph on rain-forested highways or coastal trails, by foot, ferry, four-wheel drive, or mule. And leave your cell phone behind—it won’t work where we’re going, anyway.
1. Hana Itinerary
-Greet the sunrise on an ancient coastal trail
-Swim at beaches of three different colors
-Hike through a bamboo forest to Waimoku Falls
-Get massaged at the Honua Spa
-Savor ‘ukulele music and cocktails at the Paniolo Lounge
I’ve occasionally heard tourists complain about the exhausting drive to Hana. Auwe! (That’s Hawaiian for “what a shame!”) They traveled all that way and missed the miracle?
The world-famous road to Hana embodies the truism: “It’s the journey, not the destination.” In this case the destination also happens to be heavenly. To enjoy it, you must abandon any notion of convenience. Nothing is convenient about the serpentine sixty-three-mile “highway”—a mere sliver of pavement weaving between rain-forested cliffs and sheer drop-offs to the roiling Pacific below. Exhale your control issues with each hair-raising S turn. Roll the windows down. Pull over to pick guavas or dip your toes in a waterfall-fed pool. And trade off driving with your travel partner!
This adventure prepares you for Hana town: an organic wonderland where the weather often serves as the evening’s entertainment. Swirling fingers of mist creep in from the deep valleys. Fat raindrops spatter banana leaves with staccato notes. Lightning dances out at sea while thunder stomps through the mountains. In the morning, warm sunshine erupts in a hundred sparkles, causing everything and everyone to ripen and bloom.
Don’t miss daybreak in Hana. Strap on trail-running shoes and head to
Wai‘anapanapa State Park to view the sun ascending from the sea. Jog along the salt-sprayed lava stones of an ancient coastal path. (You’ll need shoes with plenty of grip.) Stop to stretch and admire the sea arches, blowholes, and archeological sites along the way. Take a rejuvenating dip in the chilly cave pool. (Experienced locals bring underwater flashlights to explore lava tubes that lead back to the sea.) Warm up by catching the day’s first rays on the startlingly beautiful black-sand beach.
The Hotel Hana-Maui offers an alternate way to greet the morning: daily yoga classes. After a round of sun salutations, hit the ranch store for Hana-grown coffee. Visit Ono Farms fruit stand down the road for the world’s best organic papayas and bananas.
Stock up on snacks for your next adventure: hiking to hidden Kaihulu Beach. From the parking lot at the end of Hauoli Street, find the path winding around Kauiki Hill. (Be aware that the trail is steep and slippery, with no railings, and some folks enjoy the beach sans swimsuits.) Stunning coarse red sands washed by crystal blue waves welcome you at the trail’s end. After dousing yourself in the beach’s spa-like natural whirlpool, continue on to famed Hamoa Beach. The salt-and-pepper sands here provide a soft platform for excellent bodysurfing waves. Shuck a coconut and live like a local.
Venture further down Hana Highway to ‘Oheo Gulch, where you can hike through a magical bamboo forest to Waimoku Falls. Go ahead: imagine yourself skimming the leafy tops of the branches, like the martial arts masters in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. No one is nearby to giggle at you.
After your muscle-bending adventures, only one remedy will do: a treatment at the Hotel Hana-Maui’s Honua Spa. Then, for the only entertainment in town (besides the weather), pull up a stool at the Paniolo Lounge. Local musicians will lull you into relaxed bliss with sounds of old and new Hawai‘i.
Make Yourself at Home:
•Hotel Hana-Maui, 248-8211,
www.hotelhanamaui.com
•Wai‘anapanapa State Park, 984-8109,
www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dsp/fees.html,
(Permits are required for tent
camping and cabins. Book cabins
three to six months in advance.)
