Maui - Hawaii - page 570

MAP
( 669-3858; www.slackkey.com ; Napili Kai Beach Resort, 5900 Lower Honoapiʻilani Rd; admission
$38; 7:30pm Wed) Top slack key guitarists appear regularly at this exceptional concert
series, and George Kahumoku Jr, a slack key legend in his own right, is the weekly host.
As much a jam session as a concert, this is a true Hawaiian cultural gem that's worth go-
ing out of your way to experience. Reservations recommended.
KAPALUA HIKING TRAILS
Whether you're after an easy coastal stroll or a hard-core trek through thick tropic-
al flora, Kapalua has a trail for you. The remarkable Maunalei Arboretum Trail cuts
through a forest planted by DT Fleming, the arborist who developed Maui's pine-
apple industry. This previously inaccessible forest sits above a gated development
and access is strictly via a free shuttle ( 665-9110; 7am-sunset) that departs from
the Kapalua Resort Center at 9:30am, 11:30am and 1:30pm, and returns from the
trailhead at 11:50am and 1:50pm. Reservations are required to ride the shuttle van
to the trailhead. Call a day or two before your planned hike to secure a spot - the
shuttle holds only 14 people. You do not have to be a guest at the resort to ride the
hiking shuttle.
For a fantastic one-way hike that ends at the resort, pick up the biologically di-
verse Honolua Ridge Trail (1.25 miles) from the Maunalei Arboretum Trail. You'll
enjoy spectacular ridgeline views before dipping back into the junglelike forest for a
glimpse of 5788ft Puʻu Kukui, one of the wettest spots in the world, averaging
325in of rainfall annually. Pass through a stand of towering Sugi trees, then pick up
the easy Mahana Ridge Trail (5.75 miles). At the golf course restrooms, the trail
continues on the hill behind the restroom building. When you reach the sharp road-
side bend just after the telephone poles, turn right onto the dirt path to descend to
DT Fleming Beach (look for the small sign) or follow the road left to return to the
Kapalua Resort Center.
The old Village Golf Course, reincarnated as the Village Walking Trail , offers
stunning scenery as it rises up the mountain slopes. For the best views, follow it all
the way to the end, where there's a lake loop. The easy Coastal Trail (1.76 miles)
links Kapalua Beach with Oneloa Beach then crosses below the Ritz-Carlton to end
at DT Fleming Beach. Stay on the designated path to avoid disturbing nesting
birds. The Coastal Trail passes ancient burial grounds and the jagged Dragon's
Teeth formation, both located north of the Ritz-Carlton and the trail. These sites
are of cultural significance to native Hawaiians and should not be inspected up
close. Respect the signage.
Free trail maps can be found on the resort website and may be available at the
resort center. Note that the trails can be closed at any time by the resort without