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Haleakala sunset tours


Betsypaige
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Hi!

So I've pretty much booked my Upcountry tour for my first day in Maui, but I need to advise the owner of the tour what time I want to begin and end. I really want to do the Haleakala sunset tour (whether through POA or some other outfit), so I will have to end the Upcountry tour with enough time to allow me to relax/get ready for Haleakala (I have to do this last tour on the first day as we leave port at 6pm on our 2nd day in Maui).

 

Can anyone who's taken these sunset tours with the cruise (or other companies) say about what time the tours start? My cruise is in May 2019 - I checked a chart which indicated that sunset at that time is around 7pm, so I imagine that we'd have to leave around 6pm? Also, should I have an early dinner that night?

Thank you!

Betsy

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Hi!

Can anyone who's taken these sunset tours with the cruise (or other companies) say about what time the tours start? My cruise is in May 2019 - I checked a chart which indicated that sunset at that time is around 7pm, so I imagine that we'd have to leave around 6pm? Also, should I have an early dinner that night?

 

Leave where at 6 p.m.? Usually sunset tours will leave no later than 3:30 p.m. because it takes a while to get there.

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Aaand........... if I hadn't been so excited and jumped the gun, I would have realized that my plan makes no sense. I think I'll be much better off either doing the sunset tour on the first day, Upcountry on second - or doing the sunrise tour on the second day. This is so unlike me, lol.

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Aaand........... if I hadn't been so excited and jumped the gun, I would have realized that my plan makes no sense. I think I'll be much better off either doing the sunset tour on the first day, Upcountry on second - or doing the sunrise tour on the second day. This is so unlike me, lol.

 

From what we have read, some of the sunset tours offer a stop at the shops next to Kula Lodge on the way up (tourist trap) and dinner afterwards at Cafe O'Lei at the Dunes in Kahului (decent, informal place on a golf course - we have been there several times). The best part is that you personally don't have to drive down Haleakala in the dark. It gets cold up there though, so dress accordingly (wear layers of clothes you can put on/take off). Upcountry the next day sounds wise too. If you take the tour you mentioned that gives you wine and beer tastings, you may get relaxed and be ready to return to the ship after the tour. As to a sunrise tour, things that start at 2 or 3 a.m. just don't appeal to us so cannot comment.

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From what we have read, some of the sunset tours offer a stop at the shops next to Kula Lodge on the way up (tourist trap) and dinner afterwards at Cafe O'Lei at the Dunes in Kahului (decent, informal place on a golf course - we have been there several times). The best part is that you personally don't have to drive down Haleakala in the dark. It gets cold up there though, so dress accordingly (wear layers of clothes you can put on/take off). Upcountry the next day sounds wise too. If you take the tour you mentioned that gives you wine and beer tastings, you may get relaxed and be ready to return to the ship after the tour. As to a sunrise tour, things that start at 2 or 3 a.m. just don't appeal to us so cannot comment.

 

Hi Silver!

 

So I’m actually going to be able to add on Haleakala to my Upcountry tour, which makes me extremely happy. It will be a long, but wonderful day.

 

The Upcountry part of the tour includes a stop at a lavender farm, Ulupalakua Ranch and Kula Farms. Several options to customize my tour include Nui’s farm, La Provence bakery, Makawao, Kula Lodge and Restaurant, Kula Marketplace, etc. I haven’t had time yet to really delve into these and other options, but I think for sure I’d like to visit Makawao, La Provence (I love food - baked goods? Yum), and Oo farm. I’m guessing I’ll have an early dinner, or bring something with me in the van.

 

Any recs for the Upcountry ? Oh and yes, I’ll make sure I dress warmly for the sunset.

 

Thank you !

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Hi Silver!

 

So I’m actually going to be able to add on Haleakala to my Upcountry tour, which makes me extremely happy. It will be a long, but wonderful day.

 

The Upcountry part of the tour includes a stop at a lavender farm, Ulupalakua Ranch and Kula Farms. Several options to customize my tour include Nui’s farm, La Provence bakery, Makawao, Kula Lodge and Restaurant, Kula Marketplace, etc. I haven’t had time yet to really delve into these and other options, but I think for sure I’d like to visit Makawao, La Provence (I love food - baked goods? Yum), and Oo farm. I’m guessing I’ll have an early dinner, or bring something with me in the van.

 

Any recs for the Upcountry ? Oh and yes, I’ll make sure I dress warmly for the sunset.

 

Thank you !

 

We are familiar with all of the places you have mentioned, but hesitate to comment because it would be our personal opinion and/or what we have heard or know about the places. Don't know if that is what you are looking for or not.

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We are familiar with all of the places you have mentioned, but hesitate to comment because it would be our personal opinion and/or what we have heard or know about the places. Don't know if that is what you are looking for or not.

 

That's exactly what I'm looking for. I can get info from guide books, but when I travel, I find the best info comes from locals - it's why I very rarely use guide books for restaurants, etc. (only for basic information about museums and other attractions). I want to craft the best tour (the best vacation, really, which is why I go on boards like this) I can - so I'm all ears!

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We would be happy to comment, but it will be easier if you can tell us what you enjoy (doing, buying, seeing, etc.). Thanks!

 

Sure ... well I love farmers’ markets, small/charming towns, buying/eating local products and produce ..

 

 

If it helps, the reason I was attracted to the Upcountry was because I loved the thought of getting to visit places like the lavender farm, goat dairy, Makawao, and just overall exploring a place that maybe not many visitors prioritize. The tour I’m taking (well the general tour) also indicates that we’ll learn about the history of pineapple country and sugar cane - that’s fascinating to me. The guide book I’m reading mentions that cowboys are still active on Ulupalakua Ranch - I love that, I think that’s amazing. I read about botanical gardens - love them also.

 

 

I’m sorry if I’m so vague - I hope this helps !

 

Thank you!

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Sure ... well I love farmers’ markets, small/charming towns, buying/eating local products and produce ..

 

If it helps, the reason I was attracted to the Upcountry was because I loved the thought of getting to visit places like the lavender farm, goat dairy, Makawao, and just overall exploring a place that maybe not many visitors prioritize. The tour I’m taking (well the general tour) also indicates that we’ll learn about the history of pineapple country and sugar cane - that’s fascinating to me. The guide book I’m reading mentions that cowboys are still active on Ulupalakua Ranch - I love that, I think that’s amazing. I read about botanical gardens - love them also.

 

So many of the tours take visitors to tourist traps - even Upcountry here. Hopefully your tour company will work with you to give you something more local. The lavender farm is pretty when in season, but has become a tourist place. O'o Farms only does breakfast and lunch tours by reservation as far as we know. Unfortunately, we have not heard good reports about the goat farm lately, but perhaps it will improve by next May. On to the better news though. Ulupalakua is a nice drive, and its very rustic general store has elk, beef and lamb burgers from animals raised there. You can visit the Maui Winery if you want. We aren't big on their offerings, but visitors seem to like it. Drop into Holy Ghost Church in Kula to see the beautiful altar and learn its history. For locals grinds, check out the Pukalani Superette. It is a small, very local market of sorts that has a selection of hot and cold food to go. Grandma's Coffee House has a good reputation. To be continued - if this is helpful at all...

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So many of the tours take visitors to tourist traps - even Upcountry here. Hopefully your tour company will work with you to give you something more local. The lavender farm is pretty when in season, but has become a tourist place. O'o Farms only does breakfast and lunch tours by reservation as far as we know. Unfortunately, we have not heard good reports about the goat farm lately, but perhaps it will improve by next May. On to the better news though. Ulupalakua is a nice drive, and its very rustic general store has elk, beef and lamb burgers from animals raised there. You can visit the Maui Winery if you want. We aren't big on their offerings, but visitors seem to like it. Drop into Holy Ghost Church in Kula to see the beautiful altar and learn its history. For locals grinds, check out the Pukalani Superette. It is a small, very local market of sorts that has a selection of hot and cold food to go. Grandma's Coffee House has a good reputation. To be continued - if this is helpful at all...

 

Hi Silver - thank you!!

 

We're going to the lavender farm which I know I'll enjoy even if it is touristy - not the goat farm, though, which I'm fine with. I'm really looking forward to the ranch - though I don't drink wine, so we're going to skip the winery. I just got off the phone with the owner - she's going to take me to see some lava formations, which I'm ecstatic about. We'll also go to Kula Country farms - and possibly later walk around Makawao a bit, depending on the time. Since I've added Haleakala to the tour, some of the things I'd hoped to see are not feasible, but that's fine - you can't see everything, and sunset at the mountain is a huge priority for me.

 

You're info is a big help - I much appreciate it; I would love for you to continue - it's meaningful to get such info from someone who actually lives there instead of just a book.

 

Marilyn, the tour owner, is going to send me an itinerary - I'll post some of it just to see what you think. I think we're going to see a lot of the beautiful countryside instead of just stopping at tons of places, which is fine with me - I live in suburbia, so this will be a wonderful trip for me.

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Hmmm...As far as we know, Kula Country Farms is closed on Sundays.

 

Oh you're right - they must have changed hours, because they did used to be closed on Mondays, I believe (and the owner of the tour was under that impression). Well, I guess that's out - which means we can replace it with something else; ah, I was so looking forward to it, especially the miniature horses, lol. Can you suggest another farm that might be fun to visit? Oo Farms is out since it doesn't give tours on Sundays...but I do see at least that Maui Nui Farms has a farmer's market; how would you rate that?

 

I don't drink coffee - is Grandma's still a worthy place to stop?

 

Thanks for the info !

 

**It seems many places are closed on Sundays; I may see about switching the tour to Monday and doing Haleakala separately on Sunday night.

Edited by Betsypaige
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How flexible is your tour guide going to be? Can you sort of custom your own tour without breaking the bank? There are several options depending upon that flexibility.

 

Oh yes, we discussed today about our plans (I’m going to stay with Sunday) and we were customizing it. The only thing we probably can’t be flexible on is the time we need to leave for the summit - or so I assume. She’s a very, very nice woman, and I think would be more than happy to add or subtract things as I request if they are feasible. The company normally has a minimum of 2 people for private tours, nor do they go to Haleakala, but here I am...so, she’s easy to work with.

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We do have some ideas for Sunday, but must also mention about an adventure you would have to do on Monday (three hours). Just have to ask if you have any interest in a horseback (or ATV for non-riders) ride at Pi'iholo Ranch with a private lunch there afterwards? You can check it out on their website if you want. Not your average tourist thing!

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We do have some ideas for Sunday, but must also mention about an adventure you would have to do on Monday (three hours). Just have to ask if you have any interest in a horseback (or ATV for non-riders) ride at Pi'iholo Ranch with a private lunch there afterwards? You can check it out on their website if you want. Not your average tourist thing!

 

 

Oh my goodness - you know the way to my heart! I've been trying desperately to find a way to fit in horseback riding.....and this sounds fabulous! I'd have to seriously think about it - but it's not an easy choice, because if I switched my tour to Monday, then I wouldn't be able to do much of anything else in the Upcountry (unless I did that other stuff on Sunday, including Haleakala.....which could work). The other issue would be that the ride/lunch is $349.00 ,so add that to what I'm already paying for the private tour.... that would hurt my wallet. Then again, I see that it's about 25 minutes from Kahului to Makawao, so I suppose I could take a taxi. Oh, but it would be so perfect..........I will think about it, for sure.

 

Thank you so much - and I'm looking forward to hearing your other suggestions!

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Also check out Thompson Ranch in Kula. We have heard of them (all that means is they have probably been around for a while), but know nothing of their operation. It is said to be a working ranch, which seems more of what you were interested in. Anyway, see what you think.

 

That also looks amazing....I'm spoiled for choices, that's for sure. Thank you so much - this will be fun research!

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Marilyn, the tour owner, is going to send me an itinerary - I'll post some of it just to see what you think. I think we're going to see a lot of the beautiful countryside instead of just stopping at tons of places, which is fine with me - I live in suburbia, so this will be a wonderful trip for me.

 

We want to hold off with any more suggestions until you get an itinerary from your tour guide to get an idea of what she thinks is possible. She should know the best places. We'd love to see it.

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We want to hold off with any more suggestions until you get an itinerary from your tour guide to get an idea of what she thinks is possible. She should know the best places. We'd love to see it.

 

Ok, great - I will post it once I get it from her; thank you!!

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Hi Silver

 

I just wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten about posting my tour itinerary; the owner has been extremely busy this past week, and she also just returned from California. I would think she'll send me a proposed itinerary soon.

 

Thanks again for all of your help - and I look forward to "hearing" what you have to say after I receive and post the tentative itinerary........

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Hi Silver!

 

Well of course this is the last thing on anyone's mind, but I figured I'd post this (stay safe, please - my thoughts and prayers are with everyone).....

 

This is the link to the general Upcountry tour - but we won't be able to do everything because (a) some things are closed on Sunday's and (b) I'm adding on Haleakala at Sunset. I think we'll have time for Makawao for sure (sadly Komoda's is closed on Sunday). I'm hoping we'll have time for Grandma's Coffee House - I assume we will.

 

https://mauicountryfarmtours.com/upcountry-farm-tour/

 

I do know that the tour owner mentioned some other things, but I think it will be awhile before she's able to put something together.

 

Again, stay safe - you and all my friends in the Aloha state.

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Hi Silver.....

So, just to update...

Marilyn, the tour owner, e-mailed me back regarding my requests (based on some conversations I had on Trip Advisor (I'll make a separate post in this thread for that because it's long). She told me that we could definitely visit the Hui No'eau Art Center and Holy Ghost Church and then play the rest by ear. By the way, her husband is the one who restored the ArtCenter!

I'm fine with playing things by ear as long as we do the above, Granny's, the lavender farm/ranch and Makawao (which is a must for me)....

She's terrific and I'm so glad I booked atour with her.

I just wanted to give you a heads up - and of course I'm still very much interested in hearing any suggestions you may have.

I do want to add - that horseback ride/lunch at Piholo ranch is tugging at me. I'd have to do that on Monday, however. Right now I'm seriously considering doing the POA surfing lesson/Lahaina excursion or (if they offer this) a Maui Beach day, but the ride/lunch sounds so unique and fantastic. However, it would be a 30-35 minute taxi ride from Kahluhi (sorry, I always misspell this) to the ranch - so obviously pretty expensive. I don't think I'd have any problems getting back to the ship (we leave at 6pm, I believe), so it's a matter of whether I want to exert myself to do that trip. Do you have any thoughts on that?

Thank you again!

 

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