Whats wrong with Maui?

[roadfamily6now]

Originally Posted by OpenD

I don't think it's odd, though I tend to do the reverse. I prefer exploring new places, although I did go back to a sleepy little village called Puerto Morales. south of Cancun, a couple of times, because it was cheap and the beach was great and I had friends going in together on a villa and a resident chef.

But if you found your sweet spot, and you want to keep going back, that's what you should do. What other people think should be none of your business.

totally.

[stan4]

We've done the Carib and we also do Hawaii. Both every year.

Hawaii is more attractive to us because there is more interesting nature, culture, and topography than in most of the Carib. You can ski! You can look at lava floes. You can zip line across some of the most beautiful country you will ever find. You can raft. You can go find a used book store and hang out with the locals.

The Carib may have nice beaches, but water quality will vary depending on when you go.

Off the resort, there is rarely anything to do - and a lot of areas are really poor and unsafe. The few times we've taken cars or bikes out to 'explore' the rest of the Carib island we were on, we mostly saw a bunch of run-down shacks and people smoking dope.

I think they both have their good points and their detractors. We have nonstop flights from DFW to both Maui and Oahu, while most destinations in the Carib require at least one plane change (and we just got back 2 days ago missing half our luggage)...and it takes just as long to get there with the change (7 or 8 hours of straight shot to Maui vs 7 or 9 hours changing planes, layovers, etc).

Frankly, we've found Hawaii to just be cheaper (if you can believe that), more friendly, better infrastructure (going to a hospital on Oahu and a clinic on Turks and Caicos are verrrrry different things), and a whole heart-lifting spiritual experience.

For us, it will be Little Dix in the winter and Hawaii in the summer from now on.

After spending my life exploring the world, there's nothing wrong with sticking to the places you've found yourself loving best.

[Kelly4Sun]

stan4:

There again, you have mentioned all the reasons why we love Hawaii .Thanks so much for your post.

Kelly

[Hp1167]

Rafting and skiing in Hawaii?

[ohmanon]

I've been fortunate to get to travel a bit, lived on Oahu & Kauai for 7 years and currently stay about 6 mos. a year in the Zona Romantica area of Puerto Vallarta, MX (due to a generous family member ). Beautiful colonial whitewashed architecture, a really fun beach scene, lots to do and the sweetest people I've ever known anywhere. The locals seem to be content with the little they have - my first trip was like stepping back in time, definitely not cool and trendy back then. Families all dressed up, moms and grown daughters holding hands, dads and sons arm in arm on Sunday nights strolling the ocean front going no place in particular and buying cotton candy and pinwheels for the kids. So old-fashioned, it was great. Several years down the road it's sad to see more dilution of their culture with north of the border influence although it remains a wonderful place, and low crime despite issues in other parts of Mexico, BUT...

...It's not just one, but many things that call me back to Hawaii (at least in my dreams since I can't afford to come back!) that I've never found anywhere else. The music, local culture, food, fragrant flowers, amazing trees, the concerts at the parks all in one place. I really love it all and since travel has become such a hassle, it's about the only place I want to return...and stay! That might sound soppy but that's the way it is for me. So I understand why you keep going back to Maui.

[stan4]

Originally Posted by Hp1167

Rafting and skiing in Hawaii?

Yup. There are rivers!
White Water Rafting in Hawaii


And snow on the big island.
Ski Hawaii