I'm off to Puerto Princesa in a few days and here's what's in my itinerary:
1. Underground River - I've been here once but my companions haven't.
2. Honda Bay/ Island-hopping
3. Ka Luie's
4. Kinabuchs
5. Cafe Arturo
6. Ditchay
7. The Lotus Garden
The last five items on the list are restaurants. Now you know my priorities.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Seair resumes direct flights to El Nido
Photo courtesy of SeairBook now!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Philippine Airlines's Halloween Madness
I'm itching to travel again!
I just came across PAL's Halloween Madness promo.
I tried booking to Bangkok just to check if the rates are for real. Total fare for 3 people was $54 while taxes came up to $309. That's about $121 per person. Not bad.
Available at www.philippineairlines.com or call PAL Reservations at (02) 855-8888 or visit PAL ticket office.
For sale and ticketing from 25 to 30 October 2009 only. Valid from 04NOV09 to 10DEC09 and 11JAN10 to 04FEB10 for OUTBOUND TRAVEL.
I just came across PAL's Halloween Madness promo.
I tried booking to Bangkok just to check if the rates are for real. Total fare for 3 people was $54 while taxes came up to $309. That's about $121 per person. Not bad.
Available at www.philippineairlines.com or call PAL Reservations at (02) 855-8888 or visit PAL ticket office.
For sale and ticketing from 25 to 30 October 2009 only. Valid from 04NOV09 to 10DEC09 and 11JAN10 to 04FEB10 for OUTBOUND TRAVEL.
Ms. Saigon
Just a week after we returned from Hawaii, I was off again, this time to Ho Chi Minh, this time with a benefactor and a couple of friends. This was my first visit to HCM although I wasn't entirely new to Vietnam because I've been to Hanoi. My benefactor and her troupe, however, visit HCM two to three times a year to shop, mostly for embroidered linens.
When I got to the hotel, I received a message from Mr. G asking if I've landed and suggesting a few places for me to check out--Ben Thanh market, Cu Chi tunnels, Saigon Saigon bar at the Caravelle Hotel and Mandarine resto. It ended with a warning to never ever go to the Cao Dai tour.
Ben Thanh was easy enough. Since I was with a group of power shoppers, they knowingly booked a place just across the market. Ngan Ha hotel is new I think because I found no reviews of it on Tripadvisor.com, which I always consult every time I make a hotel booking. It was a tourist class hotel in a very touristy area, narrow like most buildings in Vietnam, but very clean and well maintained. Our room had a view of Ben Thanh market, which was perfect because we got to witness how the area transformed into a dining strip when the sun set. Every night, when the market building closes, around it sprouts stalls of makeshift tarpaulin serving fresh seafood dishes and other local specialties.
1. Ben Thanh Market
What a sensory feast! Stall after stall of fragrant fruits, coffee, dried goods and savory dishes. So many colorful handicrafts, linen and clothes. We were tapped, patted, pulled, cajoled to check out the merchandise. We sat on low stools to have a taste of various fruits peeled and cut for us by vendors. Haggling is a must. One of the power shoppers suggested we start at 50% off and negotiate from there.
Aside from shopping, we relied on Ben Thanh for many of our meals. On our first night, our benefactor treated us to dinner in one of the makeshift stalls. We couldn't resist ordering fresh coconut because the one we had at lunch was sweet and refreshing.
The live seafood
The not so live but delicious shrimp, in tamarind sauce
Vietnamese specialties
We also ordered snails in coconut milk (sarap!) and fresh lumpia
This salt and pepper mixture goes wonderfully with fried rice. The Viets love their dips as well as their lime.
The view of our hotel from where we were having dinner
We also ordered snails in coconut milk (sarap!) and fresh lumpia
This salt and pepper mixture goes wonderfully with fried rice. The Viets love their dips as well as their lime.
The view of our hotel from where we were having dinner2. Cu Chi Tunnels
This is a must tour. It will make you admire the Viets for their cleverness. I came away from the tour with a clearer picture of how they had outsmarted the more powerfully equipped Americans during the Vietnam war.
This 3D model shows how elaborately designed the tunnels were, with three levels for various purposes
See how tiny the tunnel entrances are. And it's not much roomier inside.
A diorama of Vietcong soldiers taking a break
Another diorama, this time of soldiers making weapons
Boiled cassava dipped in a mixture of ground peanuts, sugar and salt--an example of what the soldiers ate during the time of war
In one of the huts, they showed how rice paper was made.
3. Vietnamese drip coffee
This trip convinced me that the best coffee comes from Vietnam. The beans are very fragrant and the taste of the brew has notes of hazelnut, although I am assured it's pure coffee.
We tried it in different places, the first time at Baby Spoon, a restaurant near our hotel, where we were approached every 10 minutes or so by street vendors selling all sorts of knickknacks. For a true Viet experience, I suggest you proceed to the other end of the sidewalk where locals enjoy their blend on low tables and stools.
We also tried the Trung Nguyen coffeeshop. It's a popular brand of coffee, similar to our Figaro. And over breakfast of French bread and pate at Ben Thanh market, we had another cup in one of the kiosks. We were never disappointed. Still, the best one I've tried was at Highlands coffeeshop, a popular chain of coffee stores in Vietnam similar to Seattle's Best and Starbucks. I'm not sure if they use coffee from Buon Ma Thuot but I read somewhere that the best Vietnamese coffee comes from this area.
Vietnamese coffee is served in an interesting fashion. The tiny coffee filter pot (it looks like a cup made of either stainless steel or aluminum) has four components: the cup itself, the saucer that it sits on, a disc-like filter piece with holes, and a cover. The filter cup together with the saucer sits on top of your coffee mug or cup, which contains condensed milk for later mixing. If you look inside, you'll see coffee grounds pressed by the filter disk. Hot water is poured over the filter pot and covered. The brew will slowly drip into your coffee cup. It's a very charming setup. When the dripping stops, stir the coffee so that it blends with the condensed milk. No need to add milk or sugar.
For more info on how to prepare your own Vietnamese drip coffee, go to Ineedcoffee.com.
This is a must tour. It will make you admire the Viets for their cleverness. I came away from the tour with a clearer picture of how they had outsmarted the more powerfully equipped Americans during the Vietnam war.
This 3D model shows how elaborately designed the tunnels were, with three levels for various purposes
See how tiny the tunnel entrances are. And it's not much roomier inside.
A diorama of Vietcong soldiers taking a break
Another diorama, this time of soldiers making weapons
Boiled cassava dipped in a mixture of ground peanuts, sugar and salt--an example of what the soldiers ate during the time of war
In one of the huts, they showed how rice paper was made.3. Vietnamese drip coffee
This trip convinced me that the best coffee comes from Vietnam. The beans are very fragrant and the taste of the brew has notes of hazelnut, although I am assured it's pure coffee.
We tried it in different places, the first time at Baby Spoon, a restaurant near our hotel, where we were approached every 10 minutes or so by street vendors selling all sorts of knickknacks. For a true Viet experience, I suggest you proceed to the other end of the sidewalk where locals enjoy their blend on low tables and stools.
We also tried the Trung Nguyen coffeeshop. It's a popular brand of coffee, similar to our Figaro. And over breakfast of French bread and pate at Ben Thanh market, we had another cup in one of the kiosks. We were never disappointed. Still, the best one I've tried was at Highlands coffeeshop, a popular chain of coffee stores in Vietnam similar to Seattle's Best and Starbucks. I'm not sure if they use coffee from Buon Ma Thuot but I read somewhere that the best Vietnamese coffee comes from this area.
Vietnamese coffee is served in an interesting fashion. The tiny coffee filter pot (it looks like a cup made of either stainless steel or aluminum) has four components: the cup itself, the saucer that it sits on, a disc-like filter piece with holes, and a cover. The filter cup together with the saucer sits on top of your coffee mug or cup, which contains condensed milk for later mixing. If you look inside, you'll see coffee grounds pressed by the filter disk. Hot water is poured over the filter pot and covered. The brew will slowly drip into your coffee cup. It's a very charming setup. When the dripping stops, stir the coffee so that it blends with the condensed milk. No need to add milk or sugar.
Friday, October 23, 2009
I Heart Honolulu
There was excitement in the air the first time we stepped out of Aqua Bamboo hotel to Kuhio Ave., heading towards Kalakaua. Waikiki is an exciting place. Its energy was catching. And it slept late, which we thought was perfect for us (we didn't realize the commanding power of jetlag). The temperature was ideal for walking. It was a few degrees cooler than Manila, even at noon when the sun was blazing.
We regret not being able to spend as much time here to explore all of O'ahu. We lost two days of the time we were going to spend in Honolulu because of Typhoon Ondoy/ Ketsana. But this only gives us more reason to go back.
Our Continental Airlines flight arrived in HNL Sunday evening, after a brief stopover in Guam. Although I enjoyed the entertainment system of Continental because the video screen is built-in in the seat in front of you, Philippine Airlines would still have been the better option, schedule-wise. PAL departs Manila Saturday afternoon and arrives in HNL Saturday morning, which means you don't lose a day.
Upon arrival, we pulled our luggage to the curb where the airport shuttle staff was (they're wearing a yellow shirt printed with the sign below).
The big bus soon arrived but we had to wait for more passengers to fill it up before we could depart. We paid a very reasonable $9 per person and we were dropped off right at our hotel. On another occasion, we used a different shuttle service courtesy of VIP. We paid a dollar more per person but, since the vehicle used was a van, we didn't have as many passengers and, hence, less stops. We think the convenience is worth more than a dollar, especially with the weekday Waikiki gridlock.
Although we were short on time, the days we spent here were all that was needed to capture our hearts. Honolulu got to us and we'd love to go there again.
Here are a few things we enjoyed while we were there.
1. Duke's. If you can, go more than once.
Going there for dinner on our first night was a wise decision because we never got the chance to go back. The food was great. I ordered the chicken quesadilla while Mr. G had the opakapaka.
2. Jog. Or walk, walk, walk.
We went jogging one early morning, turning left on Kalakaua Ave., going past Duke's statue and following the concrete path to Kuhio Beach. Then we took a U-turn to explore the other end of Waikiki to the Hilton Lagoon. We were aiming for a 10k run so we turned around again, going past where we started, this time towards Kapiolani Park. Although sunrise was on the other side of the island, it was nice to witness the sky turn to light and to exchange hellos with other early risers as we ran past.
In the afternoons, we opted to walk. A particularly arresting sunset once stopped us in our tracks. Waikiki is a sunset beach, I think. It was lovely to watch throngs of surfers catching the late afternoon waves as the sun began its slow curtsy. The beach and Kalakaua Ave. were filling up. There were musicians and magicians rendering their acts for shoppers and strollers to see. We even got to watch a free hula performance at the Royal Hawaiian Village.
3. Take at Pearl Harbor+HNL City Tour
Mr. G is a history buff so, of course, I knew he would love to go to Pearl Harbor. Surprisingly, even I had a fun time. We had a great guide, Jonathan, who told us about Pearl Harbor's significance in history as he drove the mini-bus to the site.
Upon arrival, we still had time to grab a quick breakfast from the snack bar before the 8a.m. showing of the 20-min movie clip on Pearl Harbor. We both had coffee and sandwiches, mine egg and Mr. G ham and cheese.
The clip was moving. It appropriately set the tone of our visit to the USS Arizona Memorial, which marks the final resting place of thousands sailors killed on the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. We boarded a launch to take us to the memorial. The mood was very solemn when we arrived. I had goosebumps as I read the names of the sailors etched in stone.
Back at the main building, Mr. G bought a souvenir book and had it signed by the war veterans stationed there.
We learned a lot from the Pearl Harbor tour, but there was more to see. Jonathan drove us around downtown Honolulu to see Iolani Palace, Bishop Museum, St. Paul's Mission Church and Punchbowl Cemetery, among others. What was most interesting was seeing the former home of President Obama--in a rundown three-storey apartment building.
4. Join the Lost tour but...
We are big fans of Lost so we decided to take the Lost tour. I would have wanted to join the less expensive eight-hour tour with lunch and all offered by Big Kahuna but their schedule didn't fit with ours so we went for the five-hour Hummer tour.
We saw some fantastic scenery in Kualoa Ranch and it was interesting to learn how production shot several different scenes using a single location. Our guide, Jeff, however was quite abrasive and sullied what would have been a really fun tour.
5. Explore Waikiki Beach Walk and dine at Arancino
Yes, we missed dining at Roy's because we thought we could go on our last day in the island (the restaurant was full). But we're thankful we found this quaint Italian place at the Waikiki Beach Walk.
We just flew in from Maui and we were craving for good ol' spaghetti with meatballs. We spotted Matteo's on Kuhio Ave. but it was still closed. Mr. G said he noticed an Italian place at the Waikiki Beach Walk when our airport shuttle dropped off a guest at a nearby hotel. Thank god he was paying attention.
We ordered pizza with prosciutto to go with our pasta. Both were fantastic, and the service delightful, particularly from the Afghani girl who attended to us. She suggested the tiramisu to cap off our meal. It was divine. Certainly a memorable and delightful meal.
We regret not being able to spend as much time here to explore all of O'ahu. We lost two days of the time we were going to spend in Honolulu because of Typhoon Ondoy/ Ketsana. But this only gives us more reason to go back.
Our Continental Airlines flight arrived in HNL Sunday evening, after a brief stopover in Guam. Although I enjoyed the entertainment system of Continental because the video screen is built-in in the seat in front of you, Philippine Airlines would still have been the better option, schedule-wise. PAL departs Manila Saturday afternoon and arrives in HNL Saturday morning, which means you don't lose a day.
Upon arrival, we pulled our luggage to the curb where the airport shuttle staff was (they're wearing a yellow shirt printed with the sign below).
The big bus soon arrived but we had to wait for more passengers to fill it up before we could depart. We paid a very reasonable $9 per person and we were dropped off right at our hotel. On another occasion, we used a different shuttle service courtesy of VIP. We paid a dollar more per person but, since the vehicle used was a van, we didn't have as many passengers and, hence, less stops. We think the convenience is worth more than a dollar, especially with the weekday Waikiki gridlock.
Although we were short on time, the days we spent here were all that was needed to capture our hearts. Honolulu got to us and we'd love to go there again.
Here are a few things we enjoyed while we were there.
1. Duke's. If you can, go more than once.
Going there for dinner on our first night was a wise decision because we never got the chance to go back. The food was great. I ordered the chicken quesadilla while Mr. G had the opakapaka.
2. Jog. Or walk, walk, walk.
We went jogging one early morning, turning left on Kalakaua Ave., going past Duke's statue and following the concrete path to Kuhio Beach. Then we took a U-turn to explore the other end of Waikiki to the Hilton Lagoon. We were aiming for a 10k run so we turned around again, going past where we started, this time towards Kapiolani Park. Although sunrise was on the other side of the island, it was nice to witness the sky turn to light and to exchange hellos with other early risers as we ran past.
In the afternoons, we opted to walk. A particularly arresting sunset once stopped us in our tracks. Waikiki is a sunset beach, I think. It was lovely to watch throngs of surfers catching the late afternoon waves as the sun began its slow curtsy. The beach and Kalakaua Ave. were filling up. There were musicians and magicians rendering their acts for shoppers and strollers to see. We even got to watch a free hula performance at the Royal Hawaiian Village.
3. Take at Pearl Harbor+HNL City Tour
Mr. G is a history buff so, of course, I knew he would love to go to Pearl Harbor. Surprisingly, even I had a fun time. We had a great guide, Jonathan, who told us about Pearl Harbor's significance in history as he drove the mini-bus to the site.
Upon arrival, we still had time to grab a quick breakfast from the snack bar before the 8a.m. showing of the 20-min movie clip on Pearl Harbor. We both had coffee and sandwiches, mine egg and Mr. G ham and cheese.
The clip was moving. It appropriately set the tone of our visit to the USS Arizona Memorial, which marks the final resting place of thousands sailors killed on the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. We boarded a launch to take us to the memorial. The mood was very solemn when we arrived. I had goosebumps as I read the names of the sailors etched in stone.
Back at the main building, Mr. G bought a souvenir book and had it signed by the war veterans stationed there.
We learned a lot from the Pearl Harbor tour, but there was more to see. Jonathan drove us around downtown Honolulu to see Iolani Palace, Bishop Museum, St. Paul's Mission Church and Punchbowl Cemetery, among others. What was most interesting was seeing the former home of President Obama--in a rundown three-storey apartment building.
4. Join the Lost tour but...
We are big fans of Lost so we decided to take the Lost tour. I would have wanted to join the less expensive eight-hour tour with lunch and all offered by Big Kahuna but their schedule didn't fit with ours so we went for the five-hour Hummer tour.
We saw some fantastic scenery in Kualoa Ranch and it was interesting to learn how production shot several different scenes using a single location. Our guide, Jeff, however was quite abrasive and sullied what would have been a really fun tour.
5. Explore Waikiki Beach Walk and dine at Arancino
Yes, we missed dining at Roy's because we thought we could go on our last day in the island (the restaurant was full). But we're thankful we found this quaint Italian place at the Waikiki Beach Walk.
We just flew in from Maui and we were craving for good ol' spaghetti with meatballs. We spotted Matteo's on Kuhio Ave. but it was still closed. Mr. G said he noticed an Italian place at the Waikiki Beach Walk when our airport shuttle dropped off a guest at a nearby hotel. Thank god he was paying attention.
We ordered pizza with prosciutto to go with our pasta. Both were fantastic, and the service delightful, particularly from the Afghani girl who attended to us. She suggested the tiramisu to cap off our meal. It was divine. Certainly a memorable and delightful meal.
Random things we learned from this trip to Maui
1. It's best to fly to Kahului.
Although the smaller Kapalua airport is nearer Lahaina, the fares are so much more expensive. Also, the usual hotel check-in time is at 3.pm. so, if you're taking the morning flight, you still have enough time to check out a few places.
2. The Road to Hana is not for everyone.
It certainly was not for us. After our lunch at Mama's Fish House, we decided to have a taste of the Road to Hana by driving till the Garden of Eden Arboretum. We knew we were well on our way when the road started to narrow and twist and turn. We passed through several one-lane bridges and thick canopies and overgrowth. I felt the onset of motion sickness. Arriving at the garden offered some relief. It gave me time to recover from nausea, but I thought the $10 per person entrance fee was steep. I suppose if you're dressed for swimming, you might enjoy trekking down to the waterfalls and taking a dip. We weren't so all we really did was explore the garden and the ocean view.
3. Skip Aloha Mixed Plate.
We wanted to try the plate lunch (which is available any time, including dinner) so we proceeded here after Kaanapali. Nothing great.
4. If you must stay in Lahaina, book at Outrigger Aina Nalu.
The studio we booked was just over $100 a night and it was clean and equipped with all the practical things you'll need on a vacation--microwave oven, coffeemaker, refrigerator, plates, kitchen utensils, cable TV, airconditioning and in-room safe. We had daily made service and, surprisingly, free wi-fi. There were no elevators or bellhops to carry our luggage but we managed because the buildings were only two floors. Parking is $15/night.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Maui Musts (Part 2)
4. From Haleakala, explore Maui Upcountry
Coming from the cold summit of Haleakala, we felt toasty entering the comforts of Kula Lodge, which was five minutes away from the Haleakala park exit.
Note on the photo above: Mr. G likes his coffee with either cream or milk. I usually take mine black with 1 tbsp. of brown sugar (except when I'm having instant coffee, in which case I prefer San Mig's 3 in 1).
I ordered waffle with Kula strawberries while Mr. G had his favorite, bacon. There was nothing great about the meal but the restaurant was the sort of homey place you'll find in Baguio so we felt right at home. The highlight of our visit was going to the Kula Marketplace a few paces away from the restaurant. Here we found handcrafted works of art, mostly from local artisans. I particularly liked the pieces of jewelry on display.
The sales clerk offered us a taste of the coconut candy, which was similar to bukayo but they use scraped instead of grated coconut. I bought two small packets of candy and a pair of porcelain earrings for myself. Mr. G bought a Haleakala cap as souvenir.
We planned to proceed north to Makawao and skip the Tedeschi Winery, which is south of Haleakala, but since we had so much time in our hands, we decided to retrace our steps. We arrived at the address indicated in the GPS but found no winery. We drove on until we arrived Ulupakua Ranch Store and Take-out Deli. Tedeschi was just across.
The winery opens at 10a.m. If you arrive early like we did, there are tables at the deli to sit on and lots of souvenirs to check. Mr. G found a moss green Ulupakua Ranch mug to bring home.
If we weren't stuffed from breakfast, the winery would have been a nice place for a picnic. Maybe some sandwiches and a bottle of wine. There were picnic tables outside and the temperature was comfortably cool.
Mr. G won't say no to a glass of wine, or two. The lady at the counter said he could try four so all the better. Although he's into full-bodied reds, he loved the Rose Ranch Cuvee best and Splash second.
Our last stop was the the paniolo town of Makawao, which had some really interesting art galleries. I would have loved to see the glass-blowing demo at a glass shop on Baldwin Ave. but there was none scheduled when we arrived.
5. Make time for swimming at Kaanapali
We never got to do this because we dozed off after our drive to Upcountry. By the time we got to the beach, it was late afternoon. The view was amazing. We walked from Sheraton to Hyatt and got to survey the restaurants and accommodations. I regretted not booking at Kaanapali Beach Resort, which was my first option. I changed my mind when I read that the seat of the action is in Lahaina. We're not necessarily party people but we like to stay at a central location for when we're in the mood to listen to a band or have a few drinks. I was afraid Kaanapali would be too quiet. I was wrong. This is where the tourists stay. The restaurants were packed, and Whaler's Village had some great shops (although I have a feeling prices are at the high end).
Come early for cocktails and make dinner reservations. Enjoy the sunset. And remember, this is a public beach so you can frolic all you want even if you're not booked in any of the hotels here. Just park your car at the beach access parking near Sheraton like we did.
6. Shop around Lahaina
We saw some nice shops on Front St. And the huge banyan tree was quite a sight.
7. Try out Kobe's Dynamite
We dozed off one late afternoon and woke up at 9p.m. By the time we stepped out, most of the restaurants were closed. Surely, Hard Rock is still open, we thought. But when we arrived, it too was closing down. At 15 past 10! Even the ABC store, which we relied on for late-night munchies, was closed.
Just when we resigned ourselves to hunger that night and retraced our steps back to the resort, we saw the red neon sign of Kobe still on. Only the sushi bar was open, which turned out to be great news, because otherwise we would not have discovered their superb casserole-like dish called Dynamite. Enjoy it with steamed rice. Yum.
Coming from the cold summit of Haleakala, we felt toasty entering the comforts of Kula Lodge, which was five minutes away from the Haleakala park exit.
Note on the photo above: Mr. G likes his coffee with either cream or milk. I usually take mine black with 1 tbsp. of brown sugar (except when I'm having instant coffee, in which case I prefer San Mig's 3 in 1).
I ordered waffle with Kula strawberries while Mr. G had his favorite, bacon. There was nothing great about the meal but the restaurant was the sort of homey place you'll find in Baguio so we felt right at home. The highlight of our visit was going to the Kula Marketplace a few paces away from the restaurant. Here we found handcrafted works of art, mostly from local artisans. I particularly liked the pieces of jewelry on display.
The sales clerk offered us a taste of the coconut candy, which was similar to bukayo but they use scraped instead of grated coconut. I bought two small packets of candy and a pair of porcelain earrings for myself. Mr. G bought a Haleakala cap as souvenir.
We planned to proceed north to Makawao and skip the Tedeschi Winery, which is south of Haleakala, but since we had so much time in our hands, we decided to retrace our steps. We arrived at the address indicated in the GPS but found no winery. We drove on until we arrived Ulupakua Ranch Store and Take-out Deli. Tedeschi was just across.
The winery opens at 10a.m. If you arrive early like we did, there are tables at the deli to sit on and lots of souvenirs to check. Mr. G found a moss green Ulupakua Ranch mug to bring home.If we weren't stuffed from breakfast, the winery would have been a nice place for a picnic. Maybe some sandwiches and a bottle of wine. There were picnic tables outside and the temperature was comfortably cool.
Mr. G won't say no to a glass of wine, or two. The lady at the counter said he could try four so all the better. Although he's into full-bodied reds, he loved the Rose Ranch Cuvee best and Splash second.Our last stop was the the paniolo town of Makawao, which had some really interesting art galleries. I would have loved to see the glass-blowing demo at a glass shop on Baldwin Ave. but there was none scheduled when we arrived.
5. Make time for swimming at Kaanapali
We never got to do this because we dozed off after our drive to Upcountry. By the time we got to the beach, it was late afternoon. The view was amazing. We walked from Sheraton to Hyatt and got to survey the restaurants and accommodations. I regretted not booking at Kaanapali Beach Resort, which was my first option. I changed my mind when I read that the seat of the action is in Lahaina. We're not necessarily party people but we like to stay at a central location for when we're in the mood to listen to a band or have a few drinks. I was afraid Kaanapali would be too quiet. I was wrong. This is where the tourists stay. The restaurants were packed, and Whaler's Village had some great shops (although I have a feeling prices are at the high end).
Come early for cocktails and make dinner reservations. Enjoy the sunset. And remember, this is a public beach so you can frolic all you want even if you're not booked in any of the hotels here. Just park your car at the beach access parking near Sheraton like we did.
6. Shop around Lahaina
We saw some nice shops on Front St. And the huge banyan tree was quite a sight.
7. Try out Kobe's Dynamite
We dozed off one late afternoon and woke up at 9p.m. By the time we stepped out, most of the restaurants were closed. Surely, Hard Rock is still open, we thought. But when we arrived, it too was closing down. At 15 past 10! Even the ABC store, which we relied on for late-night munchies, was closed.
Just when we resigned ourselves to hunger that night and retraced our steps back to the resort, we saw the red neon sign of Kobe still on. Only the sushi bar was open, which turned out to be great news, because otherwise we would not have discovered their superb casserole-like dish called Dynamite. Enjoy it with steamed rice. Yum.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Maui Musts (Part 1)
1. Mama's Fish HouseYou simply must. If you're coming from Kahului airport, it's a beautiful five-minute drive away, in the town of Paia. We took a 10:29 a.m. flight from Honolulu (37 minutes flying time courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines), rented a compact car with a GPS, and got to the restaurant just a little past 12 noon. Since it was a Tuesday, we didn't really need to make reservations but I could imagine the place being packed during weekends.
I ordered the Mixed Fish sauteed in Panang Curry and Coconut Milk (above) but I was secretly pining for Mr. G's Mahimahi stuffed with Lobster and Crabs and baked in Macadamia Nut Crust (below).
The guava drink recommended by the waiter was fantastic. And the view, simply to die for.
Mr. G makes it a point to try out the local brew when we travel. He didn't particularly rave about this one.
We were served this complimentary wholewheat loaf and a seafood bisque served in a ceramic bowl no bigger than a shot glass.
Total bill was $150+ which was worth every penny.
2. Rent a car
It's cheap and it's the only way you can explore all of Maui. We got a compact Chevrolet from Budget's airport counter at $23.40 a day and rented a Garmin GPS along with it at $8.99/day (the lady at the counter gave us one day free on the GPS, yey!). We also paid $25.99/day for third-party liability insurance and $44.84 for a full tank of gas, which is reimbursable if we fill up the tank before we return the car.
3. Get up early for Haleakala
Most tours depart for Haleakala from Lahaina at 2:30a.m. to get to the crater by sunrise. We weren't aiming to catch the rising sun but, thanks to jetlag, we were up by 2:45a.m. and thought we might as well go. We didn't leave Lahaina till 4:20a.m. so we missed sunrise by 20 minutes or so. Still, we arrived to an otherworldly scene at the crater, the thick clouds below us partially blocking the summit depression and volcanic cones but adding drama to the bowls of rust, ocher and burnt sienna soil.
The drive to the entrance of Haleakala National Park took only an hour and a half but the crater was still a long way off, with lots of sharp curves and turns on the road.
The minute I stepped out of the car, I wished I had brought our blankets with us because it was freezing cold and the wind wasn't helping. Everyone was bundled up in winter jackets and blankets. After a few snapshots, we took shelter in the glass enclosed pavilion.
The entrance fee was $10 per car.
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