Magical Places
Celebrating places of beauty & magic
Exploring the Hawaiian Islands is a feast for the senses -- fragrant air, warm breezes, bright colorful flowers and sweet juicy fruits... truly a Tropical paradise!
This trip was my first travel adventure. Feeling bored and trapped, I quit my job and flew to Hawaii with only a backpack - no itinerary or hotel reservations, just some clothes, my camera, a toothbrush and some money. What a blast!
Ka'anapali Beach
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Beautiful Maui from the air...
I believe this is the southern coast
Ka'anapoli Beach has a string of beautiful deluxe resorts - it's such a joy walking around with the colorful flowers & modern architecture!
Above are pics of the Hyatt pool area, and at left is the view looking down from my hotel room
...and here's the pool area at night.
At sunset tiki torches are lit throughout the resort - very mystical...
The beautiful skies of Maui are vibrant blue with fluffy clouds...
Chaise lounges and wicker huts are scattered all over the green grass, amidst tall palm trees
Palm trees everwhere, their palms gently swaying with the breezes...
Along the coast is the Beach Walk, a paved walkway that winds trough all the resorts
Beach Walk - shadows are getting longer and longer, but the days still stretch on...
Looking eastward (or toward the center of the island) at the hills. Clouds always gather around the hills & volcanoes - it' very dramatic, especially when the sun periodically shines through the moving, dancing clouds...
The magnificent Hawaiian sunsets... one is better than the next!
At this time the tiki torches are lit and we all wind down for dinner & relaxing evening beachwalks...
Highway 30 Scenery
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I'm not sure exactly where these photos were taken, but it was somewhere along the northwest coast of Maui
The scenery is amazing here! At the right of the photo you can see a long line of cars parked at this scenic overlook
The same overlook, just closer to the cars. Apparently this is a popular spot!
Looking over the high ridge...
The roar of the surf is so hypnotic...
Looking left (or southward)
...and looking down. The water is amazing with rich, deep blues and greens with bright, crisp whitecaps
Lahaina
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The branches (which are actually roots) stretch horizontally and link to the other trunks. So cool!
The Hauola Stone
At the coast lies this stone, which supposedly has healing powers
The stone is shaped like a chair. Centuries ago, women would sit in the chair to give birth; in more recent times, it's been used by people to ease pain
A few miles south of Ka'anapoli Beach is a town of Lahaina.
It may not look like much from these 2 photos, but Lahaina is such a fun beach town, filled with shops, restaurants & art galleries!
A walkway guides you along the coast
At the center of town is the Banyan Tree Park. It's hard to believe but this giant conglomeration of trees is actually just one tree whose braches are all connected. The roots are at the top and when a branch reaches the ground it takes root. Amazing!
Lahaina at night
The nightlife goes on & on...