TravelSmartdotCom
Oct 2022
So this was a treat for the wife and I and went much better than I expected. First off, most of that can be attributed to Preston, the "Aussie" accented tour guide who made ya feel like ya were trippin the outback as he narrated many details about the park and Hawaii in general during the hour plus long ride to and from the park. Hes extremely into his job and providing his customers a nothing less than stellar experience. He has strategically timed his excursion to allow you "time" to enjoy what you paid for. No pressure to hurry, to get off to the next thing. Take your photos and your time enjoying the scenery. Haleakala is a schizophrenic creature that can come at you with cold wind and air temp or like us today it was like 46 degree f and just a bit breezy. And we were still chilled. cant stress enough dress warm, sweaters and jackets, sox, light gloves, stocking cap, hoodie, etc. The cold can ruin your excursion if you dont dress appropriately. We also stopped at a great little restaurant halfway down called Kula with gift shop and gardens. I will post pics and review as well. Take this trip, and TIP, TIP, TIP. I saw a couple folks not tipping. Cmon man. Gratuity is not in the ticket price. Plan for it. Im telling you this is how these folks make their living and its expensive to live on Maui. You came here, dont be a deadbeat. I saw a few non tippers and the "sorry i dont have any cash" doesnt fly. The guide isnt going to say anything so Im saying it here. Just tip the guy/s gal/s at the end of your trip. Please. This is part of why many places are understaffed. Cheap tourists spending a thousand a day but failing to tip. Wierd.