This time I feel that I've gained a better understanding for just how incredibly chilled it is here. It's very easy to get so wrapped up and focused with going windsurfing and hanging around with your windsurfing friends that you can easily not get a real feel for the island. We've only had wind around half the time we've been here this time, which has given us a lot more opportunity to just enjoy the island and reflect on being here. So far this trip we've been spending a lot of time around the little north shore village of Paia and at the nearby legendary windsurfing wave break of Hookipa, some time at the other windsurfing spots along the north shore, quite a bit of time cruising the jungles and waterfalls and incredible cliffy coast line further along the north shore, some time around Haiku (a very green area on the north shore which makes for a lush place to live), some time on little beach (the kinda hippy beach down the south of the island), some time at the surfing breaks around the north west corner of the island, and plenty more cool places along the way. At these places we've ended up meeting so many great people from many different countries and different walks of life. There's been a pretty even balance of people who have fully moved to the island, people who were visiting either for a short time or a longer time such as a year, and locals. The vast majority of people I've met have had such a content, happy, chilled out vibe to them. It's such a beautiful place where people spend so much time immersed in nature, whether it be enjoying the forests, the beaches, the ocean or just their own garden over run with tropical plants, that I think it's hard not to absorb nature's vibes. People talk to each other on the streets, let each other go on the roads, quickly invite you into their friendship groups or family, and generally be a lot more chilled about life and a lot more open to people than most other places I've been. Obviously you get the odd angry or nasty person, and I can't really speak for the few touristy areas on the west side of the island (with the big hotels etc.) as I haven't spent much time there, and there's also the small city of Kahului which is purely businesses and shops with almost no homes, but come to Maui yourself and you'll see how chilled it is here (and then take a step back, have another look, and realise how even more chilled it is!!) The best vibes on the island though seem to happen when there's a big swell hitting the north shore, creating massive waves at the some of the best wave breaks in the world. The excitement in the air as so many windsurfers and surfers hit the beaches for big wave days is awesome.
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| People gathering on Little Beach, enjoying the evening sun, ready to party at sunset |
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| Sarah Bibby, previous UK women wave champion, loving the vibes! |
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| Lots of people just enjoying life. Come here on your own and you'll certainly meet some great people, or come here with friends and still meet all the great people!! |
I'd recommend spending a bit of time on your own here. I got here half a week before my friends and the forecast was showing no wind, so I decided to spend 4 days just cruising the island in the van and sleeping in it wherever I ended up!! This was an awesome experience With no pre existing friends to distract you and an open mind, you can really immerse yourself in the vibes. Obviously though you'll achieve this best by observing what's around you and not letting yourself stick out as a complete "tourist" by doing silly things such as driving fast through beach carparks where there are kids around, or wearing tourist tshirts etc!!
