I always dreamed of staying on a beach in Hawai'i - and you can't get any closer with Bill's amazing apartment. You can literally hear the waves from the bedroom and gaze at the intrepid local surfers from the lanai. I can only imagine how close the humpbacks get during whale season. We were happy to discover that the apartment was well loved and well stocked (thanks Bill for the coffee, the fruit, the towels and the boogie boards).

After staying in Kihei previously, I was also excited to discover Maalaea Bay which is centrally located between Kihei/Walea, Kahalui, and Lahaina, away from the bulk of tourists, and the starting spot for many snorkeling tours to nearby Molokini. There's a great General Store nearby, a ice cream and shave ice parlor.