Hawaii

Overview — Daily Itinerary — Places to Stay

Overview

A Christmas holiday trip to Hawaii. We spent 4 days at Maui and 4 days at Big Island.

I spent time searching for the Hawaii endemic birds, and saw 6 of them:

• Hawaiian Goose
• Hawaiian Coot
• Maui Alauahio
• Apapane
• Iiwi
• Hawaii Amakihi

eBird trip report.

Daily Itinerary

Sat, December 21 — Maui

• West Maui
  • Papawai Scenic Lookout
  • Lahaina Front Street
  • Whaler Village
  • Kapalua Beach
  • Honolua Bay
  • Nakalele Blowhole

Stay: Maui Seaside Hotel

Sun, December 22 — Maui

• Haleakalā National Park
  • Watch sunrise at Haleakala Visitor Center
  • Puuulaula Summit
  • Hosmer Grove
    • Great place to find Hawaiian endemic birds
    • We found Maui Alauahio, Apapane, Iiwi, Hawaii Amakihi, and Hawaiian Goose.
• Makawao Forest Reserve
• Kanaha Pond Wildlife Sanctuary

Stay: Maui Seaside Hotel

Mon, December 23 — Maui

• Snorkeling at Molokini

Stay: Maui Seaside Hotel

Tue, December 24 — Maui

• Road to Hana
  • Ho’okipa Beach Park
  • Twin Falls
  • Wai’anapanapa State Park
    • For Black Noddy
  • Ohe’o Gulch
  • Waikamoi Nature Trail

Stay: Maui Seaside Hotel

Wed, December 25 — Big Island

• Fly to Big Island
• Kalapana
• Isaac Hale Park
• Lava Trees State Monument
• Waiakea Pond
• Rainbow Falls Park
• Kaumana Caves

Stay: Hilo Seaside Hotel

Thu, December 26 — Big Island

• Pu’u O’o Trail
  • Great place to find Hawaiian endemic birds
  • We found Apapane, Iiwi, and Hawaii Amakihi.
• Pu’u La’au, Palila Discovery Trail
  • For Palila
  • Unfortunately, we didn’t find Palila there.
• ‘Akaka Falls State Park
• Kealoha Beach Park
• Lokowaka Pond
  • For Hawaiian Coot

Stay: Hilo Seaside Hotel

Fri, December 27 — Big Island

• Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
  • Steam Vent
  • Kipuka Puaulu
• Punalu’u Black Sand Beach
• Papakolea Green Sand Beach

Stay: Kona Seaside Hotel

Sat, December 28 — Big Island

• Wawaloli Beach Park
• Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park
• Hapuna Beach State Park
• Captain Cook Monument

Stay: Kona Seaside Hotel

Sun, December 29 — Departure

• Departure

Places to Stay

• December 21–24: Maui Seaside Hotel
  • 100 W Kaahumanu Ave, Kahului, HI 96732
• December 25–26: Hilo Seaside Hotel
  • 126 Banyan Way, Hilo, HI 96720
• December 27–28: Kona Seaside Hotel
  • 75-5646 Palani Rd, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740