Trip Report 10.24-11.2 part 1

Question

We flew Hawaiian Airlines from Portland to Oahu and then onto Maui arriving at 4:15. We missed all the flight disruptions from the Alaska outage and had no delays at the airport with the govt shutdown. The first part of the trip we booked a rental car and the Napili Kai resort through Costco travel thanks to a tip from Mister Egyptian. It turned out to be a great decision!!

We arrrived at the hotel and were blown away by the view from the lobby and the grounds of the hotel in general. Our room was a beachfront studio in the Honolua building and the location and view were perfect!! We had 6:30 reservations at the Seahouse restaurant on the property, so we quickly freshened up and walked to dinner. Our first Maui dinner was delicious! We shared poke nachos, a beet salad and the nightly special of monchong and seared scallops. A perfect first Maui night!

We were up at 5:30am and we walked to the lobby for their morning coffee service. Walking through the hotel property is stunning! The flowers, the trees, the view of the bay!! So beautiful! After coffee, we were hungry for breakfast and the getaways had suggested Island Vibes so we walked over to check it out. The store is adorable with the sweetest staff! We shared an açaí bowl and a breakfast burrito and they were amazing! We have never stayed in the Napili area and walking to the cafe gave a nice sense of the area and its walkability.

After breakfast we walked the area some more to kill time before snorkel bob's opened at 8am. We rented boards and snorkel equipment for the week and then headed back to the resort. The Napili beach is gorgeous and we got chairs and towels from the poolside shack and set up for the morning. We tried to do a little snorkeling, but there were too many waves and the visibility was poor, so instead we just played in the ocean for a few hours.

We took a break from the beach and headed over to check out the Napili farmers market. Lots of great vendors! We picked up some papayas, some granola and yogurt and some shortbread cookies. We then drove over to the Napili grocery store and picked up poke for lunch and a couple of floaties. We love to bob around in the bay on some floaties!

After lunch we played in the ocean until about 3pm and then freshened up to head into Ka’anapali for dinner and sunset. We went to Monkeypod for happy hour and had Mai Tai's, another beet salad, potstickers and a pizza. Monkeypod Mai tai's are my favorite!!

After dinner we walked the beautiful beach and planted in the sand to watch our first Maui sunset! It was spectacular!! The whole sky turned bright orange and pink and it was fun to watch all the families playing in the waves and taking pics of the sunset.

We drove the short 10 minutes back to our little paradise in Napili and crashed. It was a perfect first full day of vacation with my sweetie.

Answer

It sounds like you had a fantastic start to your Maui trip! Here’s a detailed summary of your experiences and highlights from October 24–November 2, focusing on the first day in Napili:

You flew with Hawaiian Airlines from Portland to Oahu and then onward to Maui, arriving at 4:15 pm. Despite widespread flight disruptions with Alaska Airlines and a government shutdown, your flights were smooth and on time. Booking a rental car and the Napili Kai Resort through Costco Travel proved to be an excellent choice, giving you flexibility and comfort.

Upon arrival at the resort, you were immediately impressed by the lobby and grounds. Your beachfront studio in the Honolua building offered perfect views. For dinner, you had a reservation at the Seahouse restaurant on the property at 6:30 pm. You enjoyed poke nachos, a beet salad, and the nightly special of monchong and seared scallops—making for a perfect first night in Maui.

The next morning started early at 5:30 am with a visit to the resort lobby for their morning coffee service. You appreciated the beauty of the hotel grounds, flowers, trees, and the bay views. Breakfast at Island Vibes, a short walk from the resort, featured an açaí bowl and a breakfast burrito, both delicious. The walk gave you a great sense of the Napili area and its walkability.

After breakfast, you explored the area before heading to Snorkel Bob's at 8:00 am to rent boards and snorkel equipment for the week. Back at Napili Beach, you set up chairs and towels from the poolside shack and enjoyed some time in the ocean. Snorkeling was limited due to waves and poor visibility, so you focused on enjoying the water and playing in the waves.

Later, you visited the Napili Farmers Market, picking up fresh papayas, granola, yogurt, and shortbread cookies. You also stopped by the Napili grocery store to buy poke for lunch and a couple of floaties, which allowed you to relax bobbing in the bay. The afternoon was spent playing in the ocean until about 3:00 pm.

In the evening, you drove to Ka’anapali for dinner and sunset. Happy hour at Monkeypod included Mai Tai’s, beet salad, potstickers, and pizza. You enjoyed walking along the beach and watching a spectacular Maui sunset, noting the bright orange and pink sky and the families enjoying the waves. After a short drive back to Napili, you ended the day feeling perfectly relaxed and content.

Flight experience: Hawaiian Airlines, no delays, smooth connection from Portland → Oahu → Maui
Accommodation: Napili Kai Resort, beachfront studio, Honolua building, beautiful grounds and view
Dinner highlights: Seahouse—poke nachos, beet salad, monchong, seared scallops
Breakfast & area exploration: Island Vibes—açaí bowl, breakfast burrito, walkable Napili neighborhood
Snorkel gear rental: Snorkel Bob’s for boards and snorkels
Beach day: Napili Beach—chairs and towels from resort shack, ocean play, floaties
Farmers market and grocery: fresh papayas, granola, yogurt, shortbread cookies, poke for lunch
Dinner & sunset: Monkeypod in Ka’anapali—Mai Tai’s, beet salad, potstickers, pizza, spectacular sunset

This first full day perfectly balanced relaxation, exploring local spots, enjoying fresh food, and soaking in Maui’s natural beauty. It set a wonderful tone for the rest of your vacation.