Maui, HI - Part I

Cycling The Island - Wailea Route

Before travel was restricted due to COVID-19, in early February my boyfriend and I took a two-week holiday to Maui, which is part of the Hawaiian islands in the USA. We took our bikes to ride the island and see the sights from a slower perspective. While I had travelled with my bike before, it was always by car; this was the first time I would be flying with bike in tow.

Kihei was our home base for this trip; we rented a 'tree house' on VRBO, which was actually just an upstairs apartment in a home. The tree house was a one-bedroom and had its own balcony, which was the perfect spot for our daily morning coffees.

The tree house view from the balcony in Kihei.

 

Kihei proved to be a perfect base for our cycling trips; it was a short walk to the supermarket, beach, and even a local bike shop so we could suss out the best local rides. 

One of the first rides we did was out to the lava fields along the south-western part of the island past Waliea. This area was home to many expensive resorts, rich homes, and a nature sanctuary. A short, 32k out and back with some hills, this route was a good choice to stretch our legs after a long flight the day before. 

 

The route:

 

 

The best part of this ride was near the 15K mark; the road hugs the very edge of the coastline, with black lava rocks against the blue sea creating a dramatic contrast. I got a quick picture of my bike on the beach:

My bike on the lava rock beach

 

At the most southern point of the route, the road changes to dirt, so we stopped there for a water break and I took some photos of the lava fields and volcano hill in the background:

Close up of the lava fields.

Road conditions: Pretty good.

This route was very relaxing. We ended up riding this route twice just to enjoy those coastal views. 

 

Maui is very bike friendly; some professional athletes visit the island to train. You'll see all types of riders, from serious road bikers to casual riders. That said, wear a helmet, take lots of water and enjoy! The next post will feature a longer ride up the north-western side of the island, and is one of the most popular routes for cyclists. See you soon!

References

Hawaii Tourism Authority. (2020). The Hawaiian Islands: Kihei.Go Hawaii.com. Retrieved from URL.

All photos by cutenekko.