45223wc@houxe.UUCP (W.CAMBRE) (09/21/84)
Well my wife, 8 month old son and I just got back from a week on
Maui. It was nice but I don't think it was worth the flight from New
Jersey. Our biggest surprise was that Maui isn't covered with
lush tropical jungle-like vegetation. Instead most of the island is
covered by brown grass. There's even alot of cactus growing out there.
While it may rain 400 inches per year at the top of the West Maui volcano,
it hardly rains ten inches per year in the Lahaina - Kaanapali Beach area.
There were lots of Palm trees, and tropical trees and bushes in the HOTELS,
but outside of the hotels there is hardly a tree around.
Of course the East side of the island gets more rain, but while it was
greener, there still weren't many trees, and the trees that were there
were not tropical at all (some pines, some sycamore types, etc.).
It was still pretty what with the volcanoes forming mountains and
islands here and there, but it was't what we expected.
As for the beaches, well, you have to realize I grew up in Daytona
Beach, FL (Actually Ormond Beach). The beaches on Maui were sandy, but
they weren't very wide. At the Marriott the beach was only about 10 feet
wide. What really bothered me was that we couldn't find anyplace where
you could go out into the ocean without hitting some coral or rocks.
We're used to nice sandy flat ocean bottoms.
The view from Kaanapali beach is very nice since the islands of Lanai
and Molokai are right off of Maui. It is a long drive from Kaanapali to
the top of the volcano Mount Haleakala. Both the Marriott and
the Hyatt are very nice hotels with nice pools and gardens.
Orange juice in the hotel costs $2.50 per 8oz. glass so if you want
OJ, go buy some at a grocery store or at McDonalds in Lahaina.
If you want any other info I'll be glad to talk to you so just give
me a call or send mail. Our next trip will probably be a cruise somewhere.
It still beats New Jersey,
-Bill Cambre ATTISL 02272 houxe!45223wc (201) 834-3788