Visit Maui: Molokini Crater with Kai Kanani

 

Visiting Molokini Crater on Maui has been on my bucket list for some time so I definitely wanted to make it happen on a recent trip to Maui. I researched the many tour companies that go out to Molokini and I am happy to report Kai Kanani Sailing surpassed all our expectations! Here’s why we chose their Sunrise Deluxe Snorkel: 

1. They welcome all ages! Infants 1 and under are free and children 2-12 are charged a discounted rate. They also offer 15% off for kamaʻāina with a Hawaii drivers license or state ID. 

2. They leave from Maluaka Beach in Makena, which was just 15 minutes away from our hotel in Kihei! Even better if you are staying in Wailea since they provide a shuttle service to and from the check-in location. 

3. It is a short 3 mile cruise out to Molokini Crater. This was super important to me as I am prone to sea sickness. 

During the short ride, we receive our snorkel gear

4. They are the first snorkel boat into Molokini in the morning. We had about 45 minutes of solitude in waters with up to 200 feet of visibility. It was amazing. As we left, the other tour boats started coming in. 

Water was warm!

Clear visibility

First boat out to Molokini made for a better experience

5. They visit Turtle Town! It was so fun to snorkel up close (but 10 feet away) with the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles.

Our snorkel selfie

6. They provide a three-course breakfast! The cinnamon rolls are delicious and one of the best things we had our entire Maui vacation.

Best cinnamon roll!

We enjoyed our hearty breakfast!

7. They have an open bar. It was nice to have a drink after a morning of snorkeling while we leisurely sailed down the Makena Coast. 

Cheers to a beautiful day in Maui!

8. The entire tour is just 3.5 hours. We arrived back at the beach by 9:45am and still had the whole day still ahead of us. 

This was the first time snorkeling for many in our group and the staff at Kai Kanani were amazing and really took great care of us. They offered floatation devices as well as boogie boards in the water and all snorkel equipment. Reef safe sunscreen is also provided and there are restrooms aboard the catamaran. The only thing you need to worry about is bringing your own towels. 

The snorkeling was so fun and seeing the many fish and turtles in crystal clear waters was a pretty amazing experience. As a mom, it's always so great seeing the kids learn something new and seeing them enjoy snorkeling and having so much fun jumping off the boat over and over again made for such a great memory.

Lauren had to give me some encouragement to jump off the catamaran.

We loved our snorkel adventure with Kai Kanani!

Kai Kanani is family-owned and operated and has been in business for over 30 years. The Kai Kanani II is the only commercial catamaran that lives in South Maui, moored off Maluaka Beach in Makena. The tours they offer are the Sunrise Deluxe Snorkel, Signature Deluxe Snorkel, Adventure Sunset Sail, Adventure Whale Watch, as well as private charters. Kai Kanani features fresh island foods, all curated by Wailea’s The Market, a chef-inspired deli and café using locally sourced and house-cured ingredients. Their bar features Maui’s Organic Ocean Vodka, Kula Rum, Fy Gin, and wines from MauiWine in Ulupalakua. 

Thank you to Kai Kanani for the media rate. All opinions are entirely my own.

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Visit Big Island: Fairmont Orchid

Last month our family was hosted for a weekend at the Fairmont Orchid, a luxury resort located on the Big Island.

With 486 rooms, including 54 suites, this oceanfront retreat offered a tranquil oasis during the hectic holiday season.

We were warmly welcomed with lei upon arrival, and upon check-in we were escorted to our lovely Executive Suite, Ocean View King room.  The room was spacious enough for our family of five, and included a sofa sleeper in the living room, two 42" flat screen televisions, a mini refrigerator, Keurig coffee maker, work desk, and two large closets.

I loved that there were one and a half bathrooms!

The main bathroom was huge, with a double vanity and a separate stand-up shower in addition to a tub and water closet.

The suite was tastefully decorated with modern touches, and the marbled bathroom and French doors between the living room and bedroom only added to the ambience.

Two lanais opened up to pretty views of the ocean.

When not relaxing in the suite, we spent a lot of time at the 10,000 square-foot oceanside pool.

There were plenty of lounge chairs to go around, so while the kids swam and played in the pool, I had a good view of them while lounging poolside.  Umbrellas were plentiful as well, but gusty winds during our stay prevented them from being opened (for safety reasons).

These same winds also proved to be a deterrent when it came to certain activities in the nearby lagoon, but that didn't stop my kids from having fun with floaties, which they had use of thanks to the Fun & Sun Activity Pass.  This pass gives guests access to all sorts of water equipment during their stay (the pass can be purchased at several locations on property).

In addition to going to the pool and lagoon, guests can burn some energy at the large fitness center, tennis pavilion, basketball court, and sand volleyball court.

The Fairmont Orchid offers many other family-friendly activities, such as canoeing and fishing, and the Keiki Aloha Children's Program, for kids 5-12, offers exciting opportunities, such as exploring tide pools and hiking through ancient petroglyph fields.

If you're hungry, there is no need to leave the property.  Whether you want grab-and-go or a fine dining experience, the Fairmont Orchid offers a variety of options for your dining pleasure (we dined at Orchid Court Buffet, Luana Lounge, Brown's Deli, and Hale Kai)

A Keiki Dining Program at select restaurants on property allows for discounted meals.

A daily resort charge includes perks such as Wi-Fi, self-parking, shuttle transportation within Mauna Lani Resort, snorkel equipment rental, and more!

The views were absolutely gorgeous at the Fairmont Orchid (you can see more #NoFilter shots here).  Sunrise and sunset resulted in colorful skies that only nature can produce.

Whether you're basking in the sun or lounging in the shade, dining with toes in the sand or relaxing on the lanai of your suite, there is no denying that a stay at the Fairmont Orchid will recharge and rejuvenate you.

Fairmont Orchid
1 North Kaniku Drive
Kohala Coast 

Mahalo to the Fairmont Orchid for hosting our stay.  Gratuities were paid on my own.

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