Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Round-trip trains depart Lahaina three times daily at 11:05am, 1pm, and 2pm, and this
is also an alternative (albeit expensive) way of transporting yourself to the resort area of
Ka'anapali.
Olowalu Petroglyphs
For every 1,000 people who snorkel at Olowalu, probably only one makes it back to the
ki'i pohaku,
or petroglyphs behind the Olowalu General Store. Hidden a half mile back
in the recesses of Olowalu valley, the 70 rock carvings on the face of Pu'u Kilea date to
a time nearly 300 years ago when there was no written language and drawings were one
of the only ways of communicating other than storytelling, song, or dance. The Olowalu
valley is an area which is heavily steeped in Hawaiian history, and though a century of
sugar cultivation and the encroachment of modern development has eroded the traditional
village sites, there are still a number of families living back in the valley who aim to per-
petuate the lifestyle of their ancestors. To find the petroglyphs, drive on the road behind the
Olowalu fruit stand at mile marker 15 and proceed on the paved segment which runs back
toward the valley. After half a mile you will see signs for the Olowalu Cultural Reserve,
and when the road turns to dirt, the petroglyphs will be on the rock face about 200 yards
down. Unfortunately, some of the petroglyphs have been vandalized, so visitors are kindly
asked to keep a respectful distance from the rock face. A small table on the other side of
the dirt road is a peaceful place for a picnic.
Piliani Kope Coffee Farm
If you've ever been interested in coffee, drink coffee regularly, or are just obsessed
with coffee culture, the
Piliani Kope Coffee Farm
(15 Wailau Pl., 808/661-5479,
www.pilianikopefarm.com
)
high on the hill in the Launiupoko subdivision offers tours that
will walk you through every step of the coffee process. Hawai'i is the only U.S. state where
coffee is commercially harvested. Aside from having a stunning ocean view, this working
coffee farm produces some of the island's best coffee and is an educational experience.
Ninety-minute tours are held regularly on Tuesday and Thursday during the cooler morn-
ing hours at $10/person. The farm just requests that you call a couple of days ahead to con-
firm the exact timing. During September through December when the farm is processing
coffee, there is an in-depth, three-hour, $90/person processing tour covering every single
aspect of the growing and roasting process. This tour also includes lunch and offers the
