Well how could things get any better than Kaua’i? We aren’t going to say one island is better than the other, but Maui is certainly not disappointing. Each island obviously offers different experiences, but our first impression of Maui is that it provides a little more entertainment and nightlife.

We began our day with our final breakfast at Illima Terrace in Kaua’i. It saddened us to leave so early, but we knew we had a long day of travel ahead of us. After packing our things, returning our rental car, and shuttling to check-in… We finally arrived at our gate at the Lihue airport. Unfortunately, our tiny little plane was on island time and arrived over an hour late.

Finally taking off, the short ride offered fantastic views of Kaua’i, O’ahu, Moloka’i, Lana’i, and Maui. Around 1:00, we landed at the Kahului Airport and quickly grabbed our luggage and went straight to Alamo. Given his choice of vehicles, Billy opted for a more subtle black Mustang convertible…after all, we both had grown tired of our neon blue Jeep.

The road to West Maui was absolutely beautiful. With the road closely hugging cliffs, mountains, and shoreline…it was difficult to keep our eyes on the road (or the car for that matter). With a couple hours to kill, we decided to head to Old Lahaina Town for lunch.

After walking through shops and restaurants for over 1/2 mile…we settled down on the top porch of Cool Cat Cafe. The menu offered burgers and fresh fish sandwiches over a large outdoor patio. With a seat overlooking Front Street, this was a perfect place to unwind and do some serious people watching.

After lunch and some quick errands, we checked in at the Hyatt Regency. On first impression, this hotel was just as luxurious as our hotel in Kaua’i. The lobby offers open air breezes and breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. Each restaurant offers 360 degrees of tropical landscape with several koi ponds flanking each table (there is even a penguin pond!)

Our initial room, however, left a little to be desired. Even though we had booked an ocean view, they placed us in the back corner staring directly at another hotel tower. Although you could still see the ocean if you looked backward and to the left…we thought we’d give the lobby a call to change rooms…and WOW did that make a difference! They moved us up to a room on the top floor that stares directly into the ocean. Seriously, you can see the sunset from any vantage point in the room. It is simply the most amazing view we have ever seen from a hotel room.

After unwinding for a few hours, we went down to Japengo lounge to watch one of the most spectacular moonrises we have ever seen. We sat at a beachside table there for over an hour before heading back to Old Lahaina Town for a quick bite. Still full on burgers, we shared a small Chicago style deep dish pizza from Lahaina Pizza Company and did a little more people watching on Front Street.

Exhausted from a full day of travel, we went back to the hotel to retire to bed. We haven’t seen much of this island yet…but we are absolutely excited to explore it a little more this week.

The view of Front Street from Cool Cat Cafe…

The view from our new room…

Our beachside table at Japengo…