Maui — Everywhere with Erin

Mahalo

It’s only right that I start this blog off with my most recent, and best to date might I add, solo travel adventure. Back in November of 2023, I spent a week exploring the island of Maui, HI. Unlike my prior solo travels in Europe, I was craving something different this time. I knew I wanted to be somewhere warm with plenty of opportunity for activity. I used to think that solo travel had to be outside of the US to have the full experience and excitement, but boy was I wrong. I ultimately made the decision after a Friday night in that consisted of me on my couch, some takeout, and watching Soul Surfer. Just the inspiration that I needed. I had always wanted to go to Hawaii, but figured I would just wait until I had a fiancé or husband to go with…screw that. Maui took my breath away in so many ways. I could write for days about the food, the beaches, and the views—but it was the people that I encountered along the way that truly made the trip so special.

The Hostel

I spent my entire 7 days staying at Aloha Surf Hostel in Paia, Maui. As someone who had never stayed in or really knew much about hostels before my first solo trip a couple of years ago, I would have called someone crazy that told me they stayed in one. That is until, I stepped foot into my first hostel in Rome. Since then, I have stayed in loads of hostels throughout the years and could make an entire blog post dedicated to them and best practices. Hostels are more of a norm in Europe and Asia, so I was a little skeptical to stay in my first US hostel. There are several aspects that I look for in a hostel:

Female only dorm options
Good reviews on cleanliness & noise levels
Proximity to city centers

The minute I stepped foot into Aloha, I knew it was the place for me. They were playing indie/surf music in the common area, the fresh ocean breeze was permeating the space through the open windows, and there were a handful of cats running around outside and hiding behind surfboards!!! I stayed in a 10 bed female dorm room and instantly made friends with my roommates from all over the globe. For those who have never stayed in a hostel before, this might sound daunting, but I slept like a baby each night as the palm trees rustled outside the window beside me. Since this was not a party hostel (that ship has sailed far, far away for me), everyone was typically in bed around 9 or 10pm to get up to surf, swim, or explore in the morning. This brings me to my next point, the hostel offers a tour/excursion basically every day, with a great and knowledgeable tour guide, that is included in your stay (but don’t be an asshole, tip your tour guides always!!). These tours ranged from beach days on different sides of the island, drum circles at a nude beach (that was interesting), snorkeling with the sea turtles, the most breathtaking hike in Iao Valley, and obviously the Road to Hana. I could go on and on about my stay at Aloha, it was seriously the best experience I have ever had, and I hope I make it back one day. Oh! I can’t forget the cherry on top: they have a pancake bar every morning that is also included in your stay. Let’s just say I haven’t needed to have pancakes since…

The Food

Clearly, Maui is an island known for it’s fresh seafood. From Mahi Mahi, Ono, fish tacos, and poke—I was in heaven. The fish literally melted in my mouth, it was divine. I also discovered something new: musubi!!! I had never had musubi before, but I would compare it to the Japanese onigiri. It’s basically a ball of sushi rice, typically topped with grilled spam (I know it sounds scary, but trust me), and wrapped in nori/seaweed. Once I discovered these, it was game over. I had at least one probably every day, and I miss it dearly now that I am back in New York. Fun fact, my first ever job in high school was working at a Hawaiian shaved ice shack in my hometown. Obviously, I had to get it while in Hawaii, duh. All in all, I ate so good this trip, my belly was very happy. See below for some of my recommendations:

Paia Fish Market: this place was SO good, some of the best/freshest fish I’ve had. Get the Mahi burger or one of the fresh catch plates. Let’s just say my credit card had several visits here throughout the week…
Uluani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice: perfect treat after a day at the beach, brought me back to my days of shaving ice. I recommend the Haleakala flavor!
Braddah Hutts: great place to stop for a delicious meal on the Road to Hana. Mom-and-pop food truck that has great BBQ and fresh fish!
Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread: fresh, warm, moist….enough said.
Life’s A Beach: divey spot that specializes in fish tacos and 1-liter Mai Tais. Go just before sunset so you can catch the sunset on the water across the street
Choice Health Bar: great spot for a smoothie or acai bowl, so fresh!
Island Fresh Café: connected to the Maui Yoga Shala, so I recommend taking a yoga class followed by breakfast here!

The Beauty

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the devastation that occurred on Maui from the fires, specifically Lahaina. Though I did not visit Lahaina while I was there, the suffering that happened—that is still happening, made itself known across the entire island. While myself and others are still visiting the island, many small businesses are still struggling, or have had to shut down their doors. I don’t say this often with my very average salary, but I felt really good spending my money at local businesses on the island.

The hostel was in the quaint beach town of Paia on the north side of the island. About a 5-minute walk was the town center lined with restaurants and shops. Just around the corner from the town center were some of the most scenic beaches I have ever seen. Each morning, I would make my way to Baldwin Beach to take a dip in the sea. I was almost always greeted by a herd of sea turtles, and even a rainbow if I was lucky. I felt like a kid again swimming for hours each day, letting the sun soak into my skin and the waves carry me back to shore.

We spent an entire day journeying The Road to Hana. We started the day making a stop at Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread. As someone who bakes banana bread on a regular basis, I wondered how good could it really be? Let’s just say I ate almost the entire loaf in one day. We made our way to a couple of waterfalls. I don’t think I had ever swum in a waterfall before, unless you count the Hurricane Harbor waterpark at Six Flags St. Louis…. The water was strikingly cold, I could feel my achy muscles healing from the hike the day prior. We continued driving, Hawaiian/reggae music playing, wind from the open windows drying my waterfall-soaked hair. I took a deep breath from the passenger seat in the van, savoring the moment—I wanted to bottle it up and keep it forever. We stopped for lunch at a mom-and-pop owned food truck at a local Hawaiian couple’s home along the Road to Hana called Braddah Hutts, where I had the most delicious, fresh mahi. The couple was so kind and happy to serve us with smiles on their faces. We rounded out the day watching some surfers on the beach before making our way to see the sunset over the Road to Hana on our way home. My parents visited Maui years ago for their 25th wedding anniversary and always talked about how beautiful the Road to Hana was. So to be able to experience it on my own nearly 15 years later was very special.

From hiking in the rainforest while picking/eating fresh fruit off the trees, bodysurfing waves at sunset with newfound friends, snorkeling with the funkiest looking fish, and watching the sunset above the clouds at the summit of Haleakala—there was truly never a dull moment. Maui is such a beautiful land with beautiful people. There is just something about her that leaves me wanting more. Maui, I know we haven’t seen the last of each other. Until we meet again, mahalo.