Top 5 Favorite Trips – #5 Maui, Hawaii

We’re Brian and Kristie Podvia, and we got into the travel industry because we fell in love with exploring new countries and cultures, and as they say “do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”. We’ve had some great experiences along the way and when people hear we own a travel business one of the most common questions we get is: “what is your favorite trip that you’ve been on?”.

We can never narrow it down to one, but each of our favorite trips include something special, it wasn’t just about the destination itself.  These trips also require the expertise of a professional to reap all the benefits the destination has to offer.

# 5 on our Top 5 Favorite Trips list goes too….Maui, Hawaii in 2009.

One of the best presents, if not the best present, I’ve ever received for Christmas was a “Maui For Dummies” book…with plane tickets and itinerary inside! Brian surprised me with the trip to Maui in 2009, and at that time it was a delightful change from our typical European city based vacations. Brian wasn’t much of a sun and sand type of vacationer, but this trip was the turning point for him!

Our trip started with picking up our convertible and driving through the mountains with the clear night sky above us. To take advantage of our jet-lag, we planned our first excursion that morning…at 2am to be exact. We met our tour guide who took us to the summit of Haleakala to experience the sunrise, complete with a bike ride down the mountain.

The next few days were filled with sun, sand, snorkeling, boat rides, and fruity drink. Oh, the fruity drinks!

We spent an entire day driving The Road to Hana, one of the most beautiful drives we’ve ever taken.  As they say, “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey” so we made the most of the drive and made a ton of stops along the way to see hidden beaches, water falls and peaceful walks through the lush greenery.  The sharp curves and small lanes are not for everyone, and there is no pressure to make it all the way to Hana.

We couldn’t go to Maui without having dinner at a traditional Luau and Brian knew just the one to book, The Old Lahaina Luau. Leis, more fruity drinks, a pig that was dug up right in front of us and a night of entertainment of dancing! It was perfect!

And I couldn’t resist getting surf lessons for the first time in Hawaii!  What an amazing experience, one I’ll always remember.

Overall, the trip was one of the most relaxing yet fun-filled vacations we’ve ever had.  This trip was a turning point in our vacation bucket-list, up to this point we prioritized city hopping in Europe over beaches and relaxation.  These days we enjoy a balance of both and I credit Hawaii for showing us sun and sand can be just as fulfilling as the historical halls of the Louvre.