Last January (2020), I took advantage of an amazing offer that I received as a Vistana time shareholder. It was for a 2 bedroom suite at the Westin Nanea Ocean Villas, Ka’anapali, for $250 a night. The catch-sitting through the 90-minute resort presentation. Sold! You can read here all about the details of how we got both additional hotel nights and the flights for free!
Enter Covid-19! When I booked this, I had no idea how hard it would be to get to Hawaii for Xmas and could not have fathomed all of the hoops we would need to jump through to ensure we were safe and welcomed. Now home, I am so grateful that it all worked out, and we got to enjoy Maui, pretty much to ourselves, not to mention giving the Maui economy a much-needed boost. We were thanked countless times for coming from everyone from the hotel staff, to the shopkeepers, to the wait staff, to the tour operators. 
And Mahalo to Hawaii for opening up and putting such a well-thought-out and efficient system in place, allowing those of us from the Continental US (even all the way from NY) to enjoy your beautiful state.
As for the logistics of getting to Hawaii, the state opened back up to tourism in mid-October with an elaborate pre-travel testing program. Travelers needed to have their negative test results before departing as an alternative to Hawaii’s mandatory 14-day quarantine (the quarantine was recently reduced to 10 days). Kauai later paused participation in this pre-testing program and required quarantine; luckily, we headed to Maui.
Our Pre-Travel Tests
Each of us had to register and set up an account with the State of Hawaii Safe Travels online system where we needed to fill out personal info and other info related to the details of our flights, hotels, etc. We needed to upload copies of our driver’s license, and we also noted that we needed a negative test result within 72 hours PRIOR TO DEPARTURE from a Hawaii ” Trusted Testing and Travel Partner.” This posed a bit of a problem because there was no place close to my home in NY, like Walgreens or CVS (both “trusted partners”), where I was confident I would be able to get the results back in time. I had a doctor who was willing to help guarantee the results on time, but her practice was not a “trusted partner.” In the end, I felt like if we really wanted to go, I needed to rely on expensive at-home saliva test kits. A hefty $600 later, I ordered five Vault Tests on a Wednesday, about 9 days before our departure date, the following Friday.
We got 4/5 of the tests Thursday and the fifth one Friday. My daughter’s friend, Mia, who was also tagging along, still had not received her testing kit by Friday afternoon (it was still in Reno on Friday). Her mom ordered another one on Friday and got it on Saturday. Whew!
Since we were flying on a Friday, the Vault website recommended taking our test on Tuesday morning and shipping it via overnight UPS that same day (they give u the shipping labels). We were hoping that the tests would make it to the lab in Piscataway, NJ, the next day, and second, that the lab would process our tests before our Friday departure. Note, I did ask them at Vault if I could drive the tests to the lab in Piscataway, they answered me with a resounding no! FYI-it is very easy to talk with people at Vault, and they are very helpful.
So that Tuesday morning, we weren’t allowed to eat or drink 30 minutes before 8 AM, when the Vault testing opened and when we planned to take our test under supervision via a Zoom video call. We all had to log in separately and waited maybe 5-10 minutes in the waiting room until we got to a testing supervisor. I needed to peek my head into the video for my 17-year-old minor twins before they took the test. As required, we opened the test with them watching us and proceeded to spit into a tube for about 5 minutes until we had enough saliva to reach a line about 3/4 of the way up. This was no easy feat because it was in the morning, and we didn’t drink before then. We then followed their instructions on sealing the tube. Once all of the tests were ready to be shipped, I started getting nervous. Did we give enough of a sample? Was the blue liquid supposed to spill a little out of the tube when we sealed it?
Another dilemma we ran into was whether to ship each kit in its own provided UPS envelope, or all together, in just one envelope. The Vault reps were nervous if I did one envelope that the lab would leave a test in the package. They are used to finding one tube per UPS package. On the other hand, I was nervous if we sent them separately, some would get there, and some wouldn’t, just like how it went down when we ordered the tests. After lots of analysis and debate with Mia’s mom, we landed on one envelope with all six tests inside. We marked the envelope “6 tests” with a big red Sharpie. We shipped the tests Tuesday morning, and Vault had the package on Wednesday by 12! Lucky! We made the right call.
And they found all six tests in the envelope. Three of us had our negative test results that same day. The other three got them early Thursday. We were set to leave for Maui Friday morning!
Upon Our Arrival In Hawaii
They were no-nonsense when we stepped off the plane. We first went through a temperature check. We then proceeded to tables being staffed by people in Hawaiian shirts. Despite their casual dress, there was nothing casual about the process. It was serious, fast, and efficient. We were required to present the barcode we received upon filling out our health questionnaires before landing. We also needed to present our ids and, most importantly, our negative covid tests. We had it all ready, and they were satisfied with all of our documents. Aloha to us!
Having traveled to Hawaii over Christmas 2015 and remembering how crowded it was everywhere made the lack of crowds on Maui even more special. We got dinner reservations at some of the hottest restaurants (except Mama’s Fish House-still couldn’t get in). We easily booked popular attractions and excursions and easily got a one-night stay (during Christmas week!) at the Grand Wailea. We had Maui as our playground for 9 days with little crowds and amazing weather, and we took full advantage!
Finally! Our Time In Maui-Kicking It Off With A Gorgeous Hike
Kapalua Coastal Trail-Our the very first morning, we hiked the 3.5 mile Kapalua Coastal Trail. The easy-moderate hike took us through lava fields and wilderness right along the ocean. Other portions of the trail took us past all of the luxury hotels and condos of the area. 
The kids were happy to pose for pictures amidst this gorgeous backdrop. We planned our route to end our trek at The Burger Shack, at the Ritz, a restaurant with amazing food right at the ocean’s edge.
Sunrise Sunset
A so-so sunset in Kaanapali-Because the sun sets behind the island of Lanai when you are on Kanaplai’s coast, the sunsets each night were just ok. We tried the first night, rushing outside, dressed and showered and ready to pose, only to be disappointed. We were much more impressed with the sunset further south that we were able to take advantage of in…
Wailea-now that is some sunset!-We ventured out a little before sunset on the Wailea Beach Path. The path is a 3-mile long concrete walk along the ocean, passing by high-end hotels and vast and lavish homes. We picked a good viewing point on a patch of grass and enjoyed the show; this time, we had a clear view, free from the island of Lanai!
Unfortunately, a failed sunrise at the peak of Haleakalā-I made sure to be online at 12 pm exactly one week before the day that I knew we wanted to see the sunrise at Haleakalā National Park. Having a ticket, or going with a tour company, are the only ways to access the park. We sleepily left the hotel at 3:30 am and made the 2-hour drive to the summit. 
The kids were mesmerized by the stars and stated several times.”I have never seen this many stars in my whole life.” I admit the sky was definitely a sight to behold (before sunrise), and it was exciting and scary to be up at the top of the mountain in the pitch black, using phone flashlights as our guides. Heads up-it’s freezing, dress warm! Unfortunately, once the sun was ready to make its debut, so were the clouds. Thick grey clouds rolled in as the invisible sun rose behind the fog. The most memorable part of the morning was when the 3 park rangers started singing a Hawaiian folk song to welcome the day. During their song, the sun actually did peak out through the clouds, and the crowds among us clapped and cheered. Keep Singing!! 🙂
Exploring Upcountry Maui
We found ourselves in Upcountry Maui many times throughout our stay. We took advantage of some of the less touristy towns and restaurants as we made our way to and back from various destinations in Upcounty!
Kula Lodge-Our first taste (literally) of Upcounty was upon heading back from our failed sunrise on Haleakalā. 
We had made a breakfast reservation at the Kula Lodge. We were still freezing when we sat to eat, but the hot coffee, pancakes, and eggs warmed us and filled us up. We took a short stroll exploring the gardens and enjoying the breathtaking views of Maui.
Makawao-From the lodge, we headed to the town of Makawao. Unfortunately, it was Sunday, and many shops were closed, including the famous T. Komoda Bakery. If you decide to visit the bakery, know that lines can be very long in the morning, and they ultimately sell out of their baked goods after the morning rush. We did meander into some of the shops, boutiques, and art galleries. I bought a hat. And we were a bit unnerved by all of the loose chickens on many of the store’s doorsteps.
Maui Pineapple Tour-Another morning in Upcountry, we did a Maui Pineapple Tour on Hali’imaile Farm. 
Here we learned about the growing cycle and cultivation techniques of the Maui Gold pineapple. We watched as the factory workers sorted out the good pineapples from the bad (too small, etc.) and prepared them for shipping. On the day we went, there were no workers in the fields, as due to covid, they alternate where the workers go each day. However, we still explored the massive pineapple fields and tasted a lot of pineapples. Jessie was the tour volunteer for the cutting! 
The best part-we left the tour with 6 pineapples which we ended up eating throughout the week. We bought chocolate and melted it, and would snack on chocolate-covered pineapple each day at the hotel. The tour was about an hour and a half. It was a perfect amount of time not to get too bored, and learning about the fruit from planting to shipping was quite interesting for all of us!
Hali’imaile General Store–Right across the road from the Pineapple farm is Hali’imaile General Store, a popular restaurant that has been around for a long time on Maui. I believe that Rob and I even went there on our honeymoon. The food was yummy, and the ambiance was eclectic and homey. It was the perfect spot for lunch after the tour as it was literally across the road. We didn’t even need to move our car. 
Another spot you can visit without moving the car is Makai Glass, next to the Pineapple Farm. We were taken with all of the unique glass-blown sculptures inspired by the sea (whale’s tails) and fruit (many pineapples). The gallery was huge, with many different floors and rooms. We were also treated to some glass blowing. In fact, we watched as some of the staff shaped the hot molten lava-like fluid into a piece that ultimately became the trophy for the Sony Open Golf Tournament played in January 2021. Here is a picture of the winner with the trophy that we saw being made!!
O’o Farm–I think that our favorite experience in Upcountry Maui (maybe in all of Maui!) was the farm tour and lunch at O’o Farm. 
This farm provides fresh local ingredients for Pacific’O restaurant in Lahaina, a restaurant we loved our first night in Maui. The farm is high up on the slopes of Haleakala, and the views are magnificent. 
When we arrived for our 10:30 am tour, it was quite chilly, and we were definitely underdressed, but we warmed up during our visit. After the 45-minute farm tour, which included many smelling, tasting, and even some picking (beets) by us, we sat down to one of the best meals I have ever had. 
The meal was a 5-course gourmet lunch served family-style to our table. Note, this may have been the covid protocol. I am not sure if this is how the lunch is served when covid isn’t an issue. The food was beautifully presented, and everything we ate was absolutely delicious. We feasted on focaccia bread, beets, hummus, tofu, chicken, leeks, root vegetables, local ono (fish), and tons of leafy green vegetables and edible flowers. Dessert was made up of orchard fruits and truffles and the O’o Farm coffee that consistently places in the top 10% of the entire planet, so they boast.
(Note, they didn’t have artificial sweeteners). The total experience was about 3.5 hours. It is a little pricey, about $80 pp, so I wouldn’t do it with younger kids or kids/teens that won’t appreciate a fine meal. Daniel is studying Environment and Sustainability at college, so this activity was perfect for him, and my 3 teens are all pretty sophisticated eaters.
Paia-On one of our last days in Maui, we headed to the bohemian, not-so-touristy Paia town for lunch and shopping. Despite the run-down look of the buildings in town, there are many cool and reasonably priced restaurants and unique and affordable shops except for Mama’s Fish House. I admit I tried several times to get either a lunch or dinner reservation at what many deem to be a “must go,” but I couldn’t get one in the end. Actually, I was pretty happy about that after looking at the hefty prices on the online menu.
The Ultimate Upcountry Adventure-The Road To Hana
This was our splurge on the trip as we booked the “All The Way Around” private tour with Holo Holo Maui Tours. It was important for me to go all the way around this time because we turned back for fear of damaging our rental car on the winding, narrow, and unpaved road on our honeymoon. And all the way around, we did. Here are some of the fun stops we made on The Road To Hana (and beyond)…
Majestic views-There were tons of jaw-dropping views throughout our journey from the rocky coastline to the lush greenery and unique plants to the abundance of waterfalls and volcanos. It may be easy to fall asleep on the long drive (cough Rob cough), but don’t! You don’t want to miss anything!
Waterfall Plunge-Near the beginning of the Hana Highway, there is a spot where you can cliff jump into a waterfall. It is tricky and cold and slippery getting to the spot you need to reach to make the ascent to jump or take pictures. 
The boys climbed up to the top, but only Daniel and Rob built up the courage to take the 15ft jump into the icy cold waters below. 
Mason turned around and came back down. Everyone but me enjoyed a dip in the frigid pond. Jessie had the wind knocked out of her by the water’s freezing temps even though she is a swimmer. Regardless, I got lots of great pictures and, more importantly, didn’t kill myself navigating the rocks to get into a picture taking position. I almost did!
Banana Bread-We deserved a tasty treat after our adventurous jumping and landed (ha!) at Aunty Sandyʻs, the must-stop destination for hot, fresh-baked banana bread. We shared three, right out of the oven, piping hot loaves with local organic coffee. It was as good as they say!
Lava Cave-Our next stop was one that only guides would know about. Instead of going to the commercial lava caves, we pulled over on the side of the road for a walk, climb and crawl (watch your head!) thru our own private lava cave. 
We entered in a little hole at an unmarked spot off the road. Instead of flashlights that you get on the commercial tour, we used our phones. 
Before entering the cave, my kids competed in the climbing the vine competition. I was pretty impressed with their upper body strength! After a few pictures in the dark using our flash, we made it out safely on the other side. Whew! FYI-I wouldn’t try this if you are claustrophobic.
Vegan Ice Cream, eh-We deserved another tasty treat after our harrowing cave trek, but unlike our banana bread, this treat wasn’t so tasty (IMO). We stopped at the must-try Coconut Glen’s ice cream. Personally, for me, the ice cream wasn’t sweet or creamy enough (yes, it’s healthier, I know!) but take me to Häagen-Dazs any day over a vegan ice cream shop! If you think you won’t favor vegan ice cream either, the only reason I would say to stop here is to get the same fun pictures that we did.
We made it to Hana! We finally made it to the small, quaint town of Hana. We stopped for a very delicious lunch (the menu was huge) at The Bamboo Hale at Hana Farms. The restaurant was, as described in its name-an an open-air structure (a hale) made from bamboo. We each got some type of farm plate consisting of a protein, jasmine rice, and papaya salad. While waiting for our food, we visited the attached marketplace filled with local produce, homemade baked goods, Hāna-made souvenirs, and locally made food products. There really wasn’t anything else to do in Hana, so our journey continued to go all the way around!
Black Sand Beach-Our longest stop of the day was at the Black Sand Beach at Waiʻanapanapa State Park. We swam and took fun pictures of our feet in the black volcanic sand alongside the ocean. It was our most crowded stop of the day.
The Road On The Back Side-Back in 1998, this is where we turned around on my honeymoon. But in 2020, we continued on the road on the backside through dry grasslands and lava fields, scenery that was in stark contrast to the lush greens on the road on the front side. We took some cool photos with the landscapes. It was definitely adventurous and quite scary at times. The road is bumpy and narrow, with many unpaved sections. And often, you are driving on the edge of some very steep cliffs. We were grateful that we had splurged for our driver. It was worth every penny!
Da Beehive-This was the one stop that we made on the backside. This little stand selling hand-crafted beeswax gifts and wellness products was an outpost of their bigger shop in Kula. 
The view was spectacular, and we had fun breaking open and eating our sticky honey sticks. We took some fun photos here too!
Water Fun
Snorkel Tour with Trilogy Excursions-We arrived bright and early for our 1/2 day “Discover Molokini” snorkel tour on a 54′ catamaran with Trilogy Excursions. We made 2 snorkel stops during our trip. 
Our first to the iconic Molokini Crater, where the water was really clear, and we saw tons of gorgeous fish. Our second stop in Turtle Town, where we were supposed to see, um, turtles, was a bust. We barely saw any fish let alone turtles because the water was murky due to recent storms. Couple this with the fact that there had been a shark attack of a surfer just the week before in “murky water,” the stop was also quite nerve-racking. 
The best part of Turtle Town was all of us making it back to deck and watching Rob try to get on the wrong boat. 
The whole boat had a good laugh watching him, the last one, swim back to our vessel. Despite the 50% success rate of the snorkel stops, the meal percentage was 100% delicious. There were sticky cinnamon rolls, tropical fruit, coffee, tea, and juice for breakfast. There was absolutely amazing teriyaki grilled chicken, a crunchy tossed green salad, luau rice, and soft Hawaiian sweet rolls for lunch. It was served to us by the competent crew as we sat relaxing on the boat, enjoying the ride. This was a delightful 1/2 day adventure, and I definitely recommend a bit of snorkeling while on Maui.
Kayak and Snorkel Tour Still Hunting For Turtles! –After our one night at the Grand Wailea Hotel (see below), we met our guide and got our gear on the beach stand right in front of the hotel the next morning.
We booked the activity through the hotel. We gathered our masks and flippers and received instructions for our Coastline By Kayak Tour. We were promised turtles again. But this time, we got lucky. We got our first glimpse of one while paddling our kayaks as one swam right next to us. 
When we were far enough out, we tied up our kayaks together and hopped into the water. Again we were treated to many fish and TWO turtles (Chloe and Lily). We followed them as they swam around. We also were fortunate to swim with 3 gorgeous manta rays. Out of the six of us in the water, it was me who was racing with them; I was so close that if I tried, I could have touched them (I didn’t). It is an experience I will always remember.
Our guide had a new GoPro and took lots of pictures of us under the water and above. He found many creatures in the sea that he would scoop up to hand to us, like sea urchins and starfish. We were in the water for over an hour and were relieved to finally get back into our kayaks to start the paddle back. Unfortunately, we did not see any whales on our kayaks which I think would have been cool but scary!
A Vacation From Our Vacation
Rob and I both have Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Cards, and each one normally comes with a free weekend night reward every year after renewal. Due to covid, Hilton Honors made these easier to use by extending the expiration dates and allowing cardholders to use them for any night, not just weekend nights. So with the extended expiration, plus the ones Rob and I were due to get this year, I had a nice stash of easy-to-use free nights.
From my current Maui hotel, the Westin Nanea, I was able to book these impromptu nights for a one-night stay at the Grand Wailea down in Wailea. I am aware that the only reason standard rooms (what you get with the free night) were available is that we were in Maui during COVID Christmas. We would have never been able to land these free standard rooms Xmas week any other year!
Lucky us headed down to Wailea early in the morning on Christmas and spent the day relaxing at this beautiful resort, one that has been around since my honeymoon in 1998.
I was able to reserve our pool chairs the day prior. The pool had many fun features like waterslides, rapids, a rope swing, and tucked away hot tubs. I had a lot of fun riding on tubes (that we bought for the day) on the pool’s lazy river. We had a nice lunch in our chairs and dozed and read. Even though we were relegated to this main pool, as the adult pool required proof you were 18, it was peaceful and serene. 
Note, the beach chairs were first-come, first-serve, and every time we went to look if any were available, there weren’t. And this was during covid, so I can only imagine how hard it is to snag those beach chairs in normal times.
One fun break we took from our day of lounging was a walk to the Four Seasons next door. This was the hotel that Rob and I stayed at on our honeymoon. After 22 years, it didn’t look at all familiar to me! :-).
The Local Food
We had a lot of good meals on Maui. Two standouts were Pacifico in Lahaina, the restaurant that receives its produce from O’o Farm. In fact, when we told our server that we were heading to O’o Farm later in the week, they brought us out 4 different complimentary veggie dishes to try. 
We loved everything at Pacifico, from the food to the fun drinks to the outdoor ambiance right on the water. Another top meal we had was Japanese/sushi at Sansei in Kapalua. We ordered a variety of sushi and cooked food to share. Everything we tasted was amazing. The restaurant had just reopened earlier in the week, and the staff was so grateful and friendly to be serving customers again. It was truly a great night!
My favorite lunch was one that I mentioned above, The Burger Shack, at the Ritz. I ordered fish tacos, and this first meal on Maui remained one of my favorites of the entire trip. The setting was great, too, right at the ocean’s edge.
As for our other meals, we did go to Roys, where the food was good, but the restaurant was a bit tired and IMO needed a makeover. Roys, from Chef Roy Yamaguchi, has been there forever. Rob and I went to Roys on our honeymoon back in 1998. Monkeypod Kitchen was a cool and lively scene with great food! I definitely recommend a meal here. 
Before dinner, you can walk around Whaler’s Village, a fun outdoor shopping mall right on the ocean. We stopped at Tantes Fish Market on our way back from our long day in Hana for fresh seafood and a great view. We had Christmas dinner at Longhi’s in the Shops of Wailea mainly because it was the only place we could get into that didn’t have a special Christmas menu.
As for local food stands, one afternoon, I went to a local farmer’s market/craft fair in Lahaina. I found one of my favorite stands that I frequent at markets-an an olive oil/vinegar stand. The name of the company here was Maui Balsamic Vinegars. 
After Jessie and Mia, and I had fun tasting all of the different types, we landed on 5 bottles which included unique flavors like Spicy Mango, Pineapple, and Hibiscus. Each bottle was $20, and I made arrangements to have them shipped back to me in New York. They were delivered promptly after we arrived home, and I was extra impressed with how securely they were shipped. Each bottle arrived in a hard casing so as not to break in transit. I will definitely be ordering from them again via their website!
Our Covid Tests In Maui
Towards the end of our stay, we took advantage of the FREE testing in Hawaii through Minit Medical as we needed a negative test to get home to New York. The tests were free because Hawaii encourages visitors to test when they are mid-vacation, just in case the timing was off when someone entered the state. 
Smart on their part, although I think I read that less than 1/2 of the visitors were taking advantage of this free second test. The appointments were easy to book online, but I constantly tried calling to confirm them to no avail. No one ever answered the phone. Nevertheless, we showed up for our drive-up tests on our scheduled date and time, and they had us all in the system. We tested through the car windows and had our negative results a few hours later. Whew. I hadn’t thought about what would have happened had one of us tested positive in Hawaii until we were there. We were cleared to go home to NY!
Mahalo
I am grateful to Maui and Hawaii for allowing us to visit during these unprecedented times. It was a welcome reprieve for all of us from the cold weather and stringent New York restrictions. I have heard from many of my travel agent friends (writing this in March 2021) that people are booking Hawaii for this Xmas like never before. I bet they won’t have the island practically to themselves as we did. :-). Mahalo Hawaii!