These first few days in Maui and Kauai have been a dream come true. As soon as we stepped off the plane, we were taken aback by the beauty of the islands and the tropical weather. We even got to see our first celebrity! Some of us spotted Russell Westbrook, NBA player for the OKC Thunder. On the day of our arrival in Maui, we got to explore our resort’s beautiful facilities and relaxed by the pool.

We started the next day with delicious acai bowls filled with fresh Hawaiian fruit and headed to the beach, where we got to go Banana Boating. We all laughed and smiled as we held on tight trying not to fall off. It was our favorite activity so far! Our friendly guide from UFO Parasailing then told us all about the private island of Niihau (also known as “The Forbidden Island”), which is restricted to Native Hawaiians. 

Later on, everyone had fun playing football and frisbee on the beach before heading back to the resort. At the end of what was an amazing day, we experienced an authentic Hawaiian luau as we enjoyed a traditional Hawaiian meal and watched a performance which told the story of Hawaii through song and dance. Some trip members even hopped onstage to learn the hula and some other local dances!

The next day was our snorkel cruise! We got to see all kinds of fish and coral as we swam in the beautiful Maui waters. Afterwards, we explored the town of Lahaina, where our staff member James told us all about the Banyan tree, which is the largest tree in the United States. It was planted back in 1873 and is connected by 16 trunks! We were all amazed by how enormous it was.

We then jumped on our first inner-Hawaiian flight and headed to Kauai.  It has a smaller population than Maui, which made the peaceful scenery even more breathtaking. Back at the resort, we’ve been having a great time hanging out together and playing games in the pool. Fun fact: our resort in Kauai is also the filming location of Jurassic Park, where Stephen Spielberg shot on the roof! 

As we made our way to dinner, our fantastic bus driver told us all about Hawaiian culture and the history of how the islands were formed. We learned about the Hawaiian language and what it means to be a true Hawaiian. 

On the morning of Canada day, we started out by listening to music from Canadian artists to get in the spirit, and our wonderful Canadian trip members and staff sang us the Canadian National Anthem, “O’Canada”. We spent the rest of the day in the backcountry, tubing through an old sugar cane plantation where the land remains untouched and the cows are free to roam. The scenery was breathtaking and the sky was clear as far as the eye could see. Our guides told us all about the land and shared the history of the sugar plantations and their purpose during the civil war. 

In Hawaiian, there is no word for goodbye, so they say “A hui hou” which means see you again. So make sure to check back in for the next blog to hear more about our amazing adventures!

The Westcoast Blogger

Have you always wanted to explore Hawaii? Check out our 27-day Hawaii and Alaska trip of a lifetime!