i’ve always loved the beach. nothing compares to the feeling of a slow breeze brushing against your face while the calming sound of waves meets the shore. there’s something about the ocean that never fails to instantly quiet my mind & make everything feels lighter.

hawaiʻi has been on my bucket list ever since i first came to the united states almost a decade ago. so being able to finally visit one of the islands right before turning 24 felt incredibly special. honestly, it was the best birthday gift i could have given myself.

what made the trip even more memorable was sharing it with my pisces besties—emily and rose. traveling together, soaking in the aloha spirit, and witnessing the beauty of maui side by side made every moment feel very special and more meaningful.

in this entry, i’m sharing some of the places we explored and a collection of photos i took along the way. i hope you’ll enjoy these maui sceneries as much as i did, and maybe feel a little bit of the island magic too.

we rented a jeep with a pop-up tent for the ultimate hawaii experience lol. on our first full day, we explored the southwest side of maui, including haleakalā national park. we had booked a campsite near haleakalā, but due to unexpected weather conditions, our reservation was canceled, and we didn’t get the sunset view we had imagined. despite some hiccups on that day, it was still a really lovely day and a memorable start to the trip.

on the next day, we set out to do the reverse road to hana. this is a less common way to explore the famous scenic drive where you tackle the roughest stretches of the road first before reaching the more scenic and relaxed parts. some sections were definitely challenging to drive through, but we wouldn’t have changed a single thing about the experience. the road to hana is truly a must-do when you’re in maui!

we spent one night at a cozy inn along the road to hana before continuing the rest of the drive the next day. one of the highlights was visiting a stunning black sand beach at waiʻānapanapa state park which is absolutely gorgeous. the sand is black because it is formed from some cooled volcanic lava. isn’t it so cool?! afterward, we continued exploring lahaina in west maui.

later, we headed to our first car camping site at camp olowalu, which became one of my favorite memories from the entire trip. the night was rough because of the strong winds, but it was the kind of experience i wouldn’t trade for anything else—raw, unforgettable, and uniquely maui.

and finally, we started our last day with a sunrise whale-watching tour before returning our jeep and heading to the airport.

maui was my first experience in hawaiʻi, and i loved every single second of it. from the golden beaches to the lush green jungles, the waterfalls, and the aloha spirit that’s everywhere. i can’t wait for the day i get to explore more of hawaiʻi and create even more unforgettable memories.

mahalo, maui 🌺 x

–nia