Description: I think that Hawaii often has a misleading air of touristy commercialism for those who haven't visited the islands. When I thought of Hawaii, I pictured the beaches and tourists with cameras and bad shorts--and hula dancing with ukuleles at Luaus.
And while this is the case in certain specific areas near larger resorts, for the most part I found Hawaii to be a deeply cultural and natural place where all the local inhabitants greatly revere its history and traditions and the spirits that protect and watch over the islands.
The 7 Sacred Pools is a perfect place to experience this. You start with driving up the Hana Highway--a beautiful experience on its own. You pass through rain forests and some stunning beaches and cliffs overlooking the ocean, past little stands selling brilliant pineapple bread and kebabs of barbecue chicken and steak (it's well worth a stop at any of these).
You arrive in the quaint town of Hana, where the beach is everything you'd hope of a pacific island paradise, quieter than some of the others and apparently a very safe beach to swim at.
Despite the fact that one of the frequent rain spells had started up, we pitched our tent on the beach and spent a somewhat wet night inside playing card games and eating the kebabs we bought along the roadside.
I recommend that you go this way, as it allows you to experience the pools early in the morning before the tourists arrive. The sunrise over Hana Beach is something I've not seen equaled anywhere in the world and, from a photographic point of view, not to be missed. The sunrise found us pulling up our tent, ready for the new sunny day. A short wander (10 minutes or less) down the beach brings us to the somewhat secluded 7 Sacred Pools.
It's a series of falls and calm pools that lead down to the shoreline. The land is on Haleakela National Park, where there is a nice tourist centre a short hike up the hill (also well worth a look, as the Pipiwai trail just north of the pools is said to be one of the best hikes in Maui).
This is a place where the journey to is really as rewarding as the destination. And once there, you can experience what is truly Hawaii. It's impossible not to feel what the locals refer to as Maui Magic in this place. It's truly not to be missed.
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