Experts say it takes approximately eight days to arrive at maximum relaxation on vacation. Escaping to Maui in the middle of November felt almost like playing hooky from a work week. Even still, Maui persisted to coerce me with its calming breeze and sunny skies. Two restful days at the Honua Kai resort in Lahaina helped solidify ‘vacation mode’.

A public beach with crystal clear water was steps away, just past an array of pools, hot tubs, and a waterslide. Feeling the warm sun against my skin made me feel like I never wanted to leave. Trees were dense and lush in the mountain drives and palm trees scattered throughout our resort walks.

Beaches in Maui are public, meaning there is free roam to go to any beach located across from resorts. On our third day we visited Black Rock Beach, named for its lava promontory allowing for cliff jumping and plenty of reef snorkeling. Bright tropical fish and a young sea turtle swam past with ease, despite shallow waters.

Entering into high season, the beaches and resorts did have a lot of people shuffling through, but it was just under the cusp of being too overrun. It was relaxing nonetheless and having other people swimming in the rocky waters gave some level of comfort.

On our fourth day we did the famous ‘Road to Hana’. Beginning in Paia and grabbed breakfast at a quaint coffee stop. Paia had several clothing boutiques and shops that seemed to offer higher quality travel momentos compared to the more touristy areas of Lahaina. Unfortunately there wasn’t much time to stop, but would be a place that I’d consider allowing some more time for next time. The greenery was mind blowing. It was a stunning drive, rich with dense jungle fauna. Driving through the jungle felt like entering a scene in Jurassic Park. Tropical flowers, vines, and bamboo filled our surroundings. We stopped early on at a site promising a bamboo forest. It was a small hike to the top with an even smaller opening with bamboo shooting up some 30 feet towards the sky.

Part of the journey was tainted by the fact that I became rather car sick from the trip. It is two hours of winding roads back and forth that have the same effect on your stomach as a teacup ride. I am not usually one that gets easily motion sick, but this soon became too much.

Our final day was spent snorkeling. We booked an excursion with Maui Reef Adventures, a relatively new company on the island. Their boat was smaller, allowing us to travel must faster than other tour company offerings. The first stop was Turtle Town followed up by Molokini. Unfortunately Turtle Town seemed rather empty during our time slot, but Molokini more than delivered. The corals were rich with a wide variety of fish and equipped with a full face snorkel mask, the giant aquarium immersed its audience for the duration of our stop.