Where's Johnny Jet? Wading and Flying Around Wailea

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Aloha from Maui. It's amazing to be back in

Hawaii after a four-year drought. I don't know about you but just the name "Hawaii" gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. The same goes for "Wailea" and the upscale town's newest hotel -- The Wailea Beach Villas. Wailea is considered the Beverly Hills of Maui and you'll soon see why. For starters, this new hotel has nothing but multi-bedroom villas and penthouses that are exquisite and are not to be missed by anyone who's looking for a luxurious getaway at reasonable rates. I can't wait to show them to you. Plus, I'm going to take you on a thrilling ride with a Blue Hawaiian helicopter tour of the world's highest sea cliffs. Wow. What a rush. For those of you who prefer to stay closer to the ground, you're sure to love an outrigger canoe excursion and a stop at the turtle car wash. Huh? This is where snorkelers swim with these gentle creatures and watch as fish clean them. It's too cool.

Inter-Island Flight

Last week, I wrote about my Hawaiian Airlines transpacific flight. Since we left off at the Honolulu International Airport (HNL), that's where we'll pick up. Unfortunately, I never left the airport because I needed to make my way to the domestic terminal for an Inter Island flight to Maui. As much as I love the Honolulu airport (it's on the water and much of it is open air), catching connecting flights is a bit confusing. To go from the international terminal to the domestic is about a three-minute shuttle ride. But instead of going up the stairs as the ONE sign points out and waiting for a vacant Wiki Wiki Shuttle, do yourself a favor and walk straight to the domestic terminal. It's only a five- minute walk and for some crazy reason there's no clear signage. Honestly, the Wiki Wiki Shuttle drove by me three times in the space of 15 minutes, filled to the max and never stopped to pick me up.

Honolulu to Maui

The remodeled domestic terminal is quite nice. You'll find marble floors, museum pieces on display, restaurants, shops and a Starbucks that doesn't charge outrageously jacked-up prices. It's also air-conditioned. Hawaiian Airlines' flights to Maui depart regularly, almost every 30 minutes. In fact, they depart so frequently that I almost mistakenly boarded an earlier flight, so be sure to check your flight numbers before getting in line. Hawaiian Airlines flies Boeing 717-200s for all inter-island flights. The plane holds 123 passengers in a two by three configuration in economy class. The plane I traveled on was built in 2001. Flight time is a quick 25 minutes but the flight attendants still manage to come around with a refreshment; a container of passion-orange nectar juice that's so small and sweet, it took me back to my elementary school day lunches. The flight was a bit bumpy but the scenery eases your mind. It was so cool to fly right over Waikiki, Diamond Head, Molokai and then into Kahuli -- the city in which the Maui airport (OGG) is located.

Drive to Hotel

The luggage came out quickly and the driver that the hotel arranged for me was right on time. The fee isn't much more than the expensive taxis that cost $60 for the same 15- mile, 30-minute drive. Therefore, if you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing, definitely rent a car. The islands are very easy to navigate but the infrastructure wasn't designed for so many automobiles, which means that you should expect traffic during peak times. Yes, sadly, even in Hawaii. You would think that the drive to Wailea would be something special but it's actually quite disappointing. The scenery is so blah -- especially on a cloudy day. I just couldn't wait to get to the hotel, situated along the shore and landscaped so beautifully, just the way you imagine Maui to be. My driver was driving so dang slow (do you think I need a vacation?) that I simply had to enquire why. He had a good excuse. It turns out that there's a cop in Maui who gives tickets to everyone (including other police officers), even if they're traveling just 2/mph over the speed limit. I snickered. "I'm surprised the man hasn't been shot," I said, attempting a feeble joke. My driver countered: "He has and now he's even more pissed." Yikes!

Wailea Beach Villas

The Wailea Beach Villas are so exclusive that even my driver had trouble gaining entry. As we sat there waiting to be cleared, I asked what he thought of the hotel. He said he'd never been inside but had heard that it's the nicest place to stay on the island. He might be right. The Wailea Beach Villas are positioned between the Marriott and the Grand Wailea, nestled above the golden sands and crystal blue waters of Wailea Beach. All the rooms have spectacular views of the islands of Lanai and Kahoolawe, the Molokini crater and the West Maui mountains.

The Penthouse

Like every guest, I was greeted to a warm Hawaiian welcome, complete with a cold glass of iced tea, a refreshing towel and yes ? a lei. Don't you just love getting lei'd before you even make it to your room? Sorry. Another one of my feeble jokes. I really didn't realize how plush the hotel was going to be because the website just doesn't do it justice. All I can remember seeing online is that the cheapest accommodations go for $1,100 a night. But I later learned that that's actually a bargain for a luxurious room in Wailea. By way of comparison, a small, standard room at the Four Seasons Maui, just two hotels over from the Wailea Beach Villas, goes for $500/night and guests have to fight for a beach chair ... or so I hear. When you compare that to a 1,900 square-foot, two bedroom (great for sharing), gigantic, totally phat penthouse, complete with a gourmet, fully-stocked kitchen, including two sub-zero fridges, granite countertops, dishwasher and fine china -- it really is a bargain.

FYI: Groceries are not included but the hotel staff will be happy to do your shopping in advance ... for a fee, of course. And you don't need to overstuff your suitcase by packing a lot of clothes. First of all, this is Hawaii -- the weather basically stays the same all year 'round ... and the forecast is perfect. On top of that, each villa features a washer and dryer, laundry detergent included.

The Rooms

Each villa is decorated differently but they do have high standards. Each place has a marble balcony with one of those deluxe, built-in barbecues that you frequently see on the Food Network. Each villa has central air conditioning and every room has ceiling fans, enormous flat screen TVs (with satellite, of course) and free wireless Internet. Gotta love it. If your tongue isn't hanging out of your mouth yet, how about this: All the master bedrooms have deep-soak tubs, marble showers, walk-in closets and 100% Egyptian cotton bed linens. Not too shabby, eh?

Maid Service

The one area upon which the Wailea Beach Villas can improve is the maid service. Though they come twice a day, they don't do the kind of spic-and-span cleaning job you would expect on this type of property. Not only that, but the maids turn every single light on .. and leave them on. It's not only a pain in the you-know-what to have to go and switch them all off, but it's also a waste of electricity. NOTE TO HOTEL: Install motion sensors!

Hello? Anybody Home?

Most visitors to Maui quickly drop their bags off in their rooms and hit the beach. That's exactly what I did, too. From the penthouse, it's a good 300-yard walk through the perfectly manicured property. The first thing I found myself wondering was, 'Where the heck is everyone?' I had heard that the place was almost filled to capacity but where were all the guests? There was no one in the open-air lobby and not once did I ride the elevator with another guest. Well, maybe that's because there isn't just one set of elevators. Would you believe that they have 20? Each elevator accesses only one or two rooms per floor for that extra degree of privacy. The first person I saw was a guy sunning himself at the upper level pool and then another at the lower and much nicer infinity pool. At the beach, I spotted three families lounging in the resort's chaise longues, but still ? it was the middle of the day, it wasn't raining and there were just a few people around. When I walked by the Grand Wailea and the Four Seasons (there's a great footpath for early-morning, jetlagged walks), it looked like Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale in the '80s ... minus the loud music and hot babes in wet t-shirts.

The Shops at Wailea

I suspect some of the guests (ahem, wives) were next-door, funding the Shops at Wailea. Located just outside the hotel's main entrance (about a 50-yard walk), there's easy access, though guests need their keycard to get back in. The upscale outdoor shopping complex opened in 2000 and has everything you need and don't need. There are over 60 shops and services, including swanky designer stores like Tiffany, Gucci, Louis Vuitton ? See? I told you this place was like Beverly Hills. But thankfully, there's also more down-to-earth shopping like Gap, Banana Republic and local surf shops. But what I appreciated most, besides Dollar Rental Car, was the Whaler's General Store and the ABC Store. Both sell everything from sunscreen to inexpensive souvenirs.

Dining

The stores also sell alcohol, which brings up an important point. The Wailea Beach Villas do not have a gift shop, restaurant or offer bar service. So you won't be able to flag down some underpaid employee to fetch you a drink. However, guests are allowed to bring their own booze to the pool (in plastic containers), which means you won't have to pay a fat bill at the end of the stay for your $20 drinks. Now for dining. It would almost be a sin not to use the gorgeous, gourmet kitchen but if you don't feel like cooking or having a private chef come in and do it for you (yes, that service is also available) the Shops at Wailea have three restaurants: Tommy Bahama's Tropical Cafe, Cheeseburger Island Style and Longhi's.

Longhi's

I went to Cheeseburger Island Style for lunch one day and I wasn't impressed by the food ... and the slow service didn't help either, though the waitress was cute in her short straw skirt. What I enjoyed most was breakfast at Longhi's Cafe. I can see why this place was voted Best Maui Breakfast; both times I dined there, the food definitely deserved that title. The open-air restaurant has a black-and-white, checkered floor, which gives it a New Orleans flair. The waitress was super-friendly, rattling off the specials of the day with ease -- a list that included a fresh-baked turnover for $4.50. Blueberry, yum. She poured me a glass of freshly squeezed O.J. ($5.50) and threw down the three fat, light and fluffy pancakes I ordered ($10.50). They were topped with bananas and blueberries and I'm not exaggerating when I say that they were the best pancakes I have ever tasted. Longhi's is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Longhi's, 3750 Wailea Ala Nui, Wailea, tel. 808/891-8883.

Lappert's Ice Cream

Not that you'll even want to think about ice cream after dining at Longhi's, but if the mood should strike, just across the way is Lappert's Ice Cream & Coffee shop. Lappert's dishes out some tasty local flavors like Caramel Coconut Macadamia Nut, Guava Sorbet, Kauai Pie and Kona Mocha Chip. But my favorites were the Banana Fudge and Peanut Butter Cup. NOTE: The service at times is slow, so expect a line out the door after dinner, between 6:30 and 8:30pm. Lappert's; tel. 808/879-1711.

Soft Adventure Guide

Though there isn't around-the-clock service at the hotel's front desk, there is a concierge who can arrange pretty much anything for guests. I tested them out. I began by spending a morning with their exclusive adventure tour guide, Charlie. Charlie is a young, outgoing, friendly local haole who can customize adventure itineraries from surfing lessons (his specialty) to day trips to Molokai. His most memorable excursion, he told me, was when he escorted an elderly couple for the day, to see the waterfalls of Hana without making them do a lot of strenuous hiking. I took part in his second most popular excursion: Outrigger canoeing/snorkeling for $100 per person. Charlie and his fellow Hawaii State Champion outrigger canoe buddy took my group out for a two-hour soft adventure that was unforgettable.

Outrigger Canoeing

Because the winds in Maui tend to pick up around 11:30am, most excursions take place in the morning, when the ocean is typically at its calmest. At 7:30am, I was down at the beach smack in-between other early-risers who were exercising (jogging or taking yoga). Charlie gave us a quick, four-minute paddle lesson and then we were off in the six- passenger canoe. An outrigger canoe is more stable than a regular canoe because they feature a lateral support beam called an outrigger ... duh. These canoes are an important part of Polynesian heritage. Charlie said it was going to be a 30-minute paddle to our destination and a 30-minute paddle back. He was spot on and I later found out that the whole excursion was roughly six miles. Six miles may sound far but it sure didn't feel like it, especially when the sun is shining, the water is calm and so clear that at times it looked like a giant swimming pool. Our team didn't struggle to paddle in-sync, which is the key to success.

Snorkeling wiht Turtles

Along the way, we passed gigantic sea turtles and manta rays. It was incredible. Our first stop was at a reef where we all plunged in and swam in the warm, bath-like water with our snorkel gear on. We witnessed lots of multicolored fish and coral reefs. After about 30 minutes of playing around there, we hopped (or should I say flopped?) back into the boat and paddled towards our hotel. Again, we passed the mega-million dollar homes of celebrities and Fortune 500 CEOs. Next, we stopped off at what the locals refer to as The Turtle Carwash. This is where these giant, gentle, protected creatures go to get the algae cleaned off their back by thoughtful and hungry fish. Although Charlie said it wasn't a great day for turtle-sightings, as only three were getting serviced, it was still epic to us. FYI: The most turtles Charlie has seen in this particular spot are between 20 and 30. Now that must've been something. If you're wondering which camera we used for the underwater photos and video (see below), they were taken with Charlie's Olympus Stylus underwater camera. I couldn't believe how clear the pictures were and best of all, no casing was required. Naturally, I need to get one of these things for myself.

Spa Treatments

Another service the Wailea Villa concierge can arrange is a spa treatment in the comfort of your own room. After paddling for two hours under the hot sun, then filling my Buddha belly with some of Longhi's delicious French toast, it was the perfect time to get a rubdown. The masseuses hail from the Grand Wailea Spa. Two minutes before showtime, my doorbell rang. Walking swiftly down the long marble hallway of my villa, I realized, UH-OH ... I forgot to mention that I wanted a female masseuse. I'm not homophobic but I do prefer a female massage therapist. Otherwise, I tend to leave the treatment tenser than when I started. Well, you should have seen my face when I opened the door and there, standing in front of me, was a Sumo-wrestler of a dude, holding one of those heavy massage tables like it was nothing more than a dinky surfboard. As I stuttered, trying desperately to form a sentence, out popped my masseuse, Barbara Chin, from around the corner. She was carrying her healing oils and the man turned out to be one of the Wailea Beach Villas' security guards, just lending a hand to help her carry her stuff. Phew. Talk about relief!

Healing Massage

Barbara asked me where I would like to have my massage and I suggested the balcony. It had just begun to rain and I thought it would be relaxing to be outside. At the same time, Barbara could enjoy the view, which she marveled at when she first walked in. That alone speaks volumes about the hotel. Barbara's a 20-year Maui resident who works next door and still couldn't get over the scenery. After I laid my naked body on her table, the sun emerged and the sounds of screaming kids and tired parents rose from the pool below. It figures. The one time I really wanted some peace and quiet, out pop the invisible people. Fortunately, midway through the treatment, the voices disappeared -- either the noisy kids had retreated or Barbara's magic had kicked in. Since I recently hurt my shoulder playing beach volleyball, she gave me what she described as a healing massage using Chinese medicine. Some people might think it's a little hokey but I'm totally open to it. Last year, a Chinese doctor in Malaysia cured me of asthma. Barbara says a little prayer before and after, and all throughout the massage she worked my pressure points, pointing out which one was for which muscle or organ. The official treatment is called a Traditional Hawaiian Lomilomi (massage), which is based on the concept of harmonizing body, mind and spirit using flowing rhythms to communicate deeply all the way into the bones. 60-/85- minute treatments go for $120/ $180. If you're not a guest at the hotel, Barbara's contact info is barbchin@maui.net, tel. 808/874-5972.

Yoga

In addition to providing access to a 24-hour gym, the hotel can arrange for Yoga or Tai Chi classes. To have an instructor come to your room or out to the beach for a private lesson will cost about $90 an hour. There was an outdoor yoga class going on so I thought I would give it a try. But before we began, I warned our instructor, Tracy, that I had ADD. I asked her not to be upset when it inevitably kicked in and I disappeared while she wasn't looking because she was in the downward dog position. She laughed and said that yoga actually helps with ADD. She was right. I lasted the whole hour and she even complemented me on my flexibility. Now that's a first. What I retained most was to concentrate on breathing just through my nose, while keeping my mouth shut. If you prefer an indoor yoga class, Tracy's studio is just five minutes down the road in Kihei and drop-ins cost $17. Maui Lotus Yoga, 115 Lipoa Street, Suite 201, Kihei; tel. 808/874-9642.

Sarento's

There are plenty of places to eat near the hotel -- and not just at the outdoor mall. One of those is Sarento's in Kihei. At first, I found myself wondering why anyone would go for Italian food in Hawaii. But the moment I walked into this place, I knew I was in for a treat. Sarento's not only has an outstanding location but their service is superb and the food is damn good, too. The restaurant is located right on the water so be sure to make a reservation before the sun goes down so you can watch it set from your table.

Helicopter Tour

My friends have been telling me for ages that you can't go to Hawaii and not go on a helicopter tour. Now, I understand why. The leading Helicopter tour company in Hawaii is Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. In business since 1985, they operate 19 aircrafts on three islands (Kauai, The Big Island and Maui). It turns out that the owner has been a loyal subscriber to Johnny Jet's Travel News for some years now so when they heard that Natalie and I were going to be in town, they offered us a tour. We did the hour-long West Maui and Molokai tour. The helicopters depart from the airport and when our taxi started getting close, I noticed that the winds had really picked up. They were strong ... I mean, our-car-was-swaying-like-the-palm-trees strong.

Eco-Star Helicopters

Blue Hawaiian offers two types of helicopters. The American Eurocopter A-Star, which every tour helicopter uses and now, just recently added, the state-of-the-art, ECO-Star helicopters. These supposedly represent the dawning of a new era in helicopter touring. These military birds were designed exclusively for touring and cost $2.1 million -- that's 80% more than a standard A-Star. So, what does that mean for passengers? Oh, basically a "first-class" ticket. The seating has a 23% increase in cabin space. The cockpit has wrap-around glass for greater visibility from every seat. But more importantly, they are safer, quieter and more efficient.

Safety Check

I was relieved to be flying in the ECO-Star but I still grilled the guy at check-in. He gave me the same spiel as the over-confident operator and added that Hollywood has used their company for many major films, including Jurassic Park, The Lost World, and Pearl Harbor. I thought that was interesting, as I stepped up on the scale, as every passenger has to do so they can precisely calculate the weight. Then, Natalie and I watched the five-minute safety video with the four other passengers. As instructed, we all put on our life-vest fanny packs, an FAA regulation, and we were on standby to go. Let's just get something straight: Have I mentioned that I'm not a fan of heights? Although I'm fortunate enough to have been in many helicopters (most memorable trips: New Zealand and NASCAR), they still make me a bit uneasy. So before stepping outside, I closely examined the expressions on the faces of the deplaning passengers from the returning flights. They didn't look queasy. OK. Good start.

Front Seat

One by one we loaded. Natalie and I got lucky with the front row seat next to our pilot, Marty. Seat assignment is based on weight distribution. I read that the back seats offer up views as good as those up front, but I'm not sure if I believe that. We were all buckled in, handed Bose noise canceling headsets and a microphone, to communicate with the captain over the din of the noise once we took off. Marty went over some more safety precautions and then, just like that, he pulled on the collective and we were off for a magic carpet ride ... that's what helicopter pilots call their ships.

West Maui and Molokai Tour

To say that the tour was a thrill would be an enormous understatement. Shortly after takeoff, I saw that Natalie had tears in her eyes and it wasn't due to fear. It was complete and indescribable joy. We flew by the Kahuli Airport, then dipped deep into the meandering valleys, set in the rainforest of the ancient West Maui Mountains. There was no sign of human life anywhere. The wind really picked up but I was impressed how well the helicopter fared. But don't get me wrong: I was scared as hell as we traveled through the valleys. But I was way more at ease as we cruised over the water; the helicopter didn't shake one bit. Seeing the waterfalls cascade down from towering lush green cliffs of the rainforest was truly unreal.

World's Tallest Sea Cliffs

The tour was set to appropriate music. For example, when we flew over the area used in Jurassic Park, in came the Jurassic Park theme music. Marty, like all Hawaiian helicopter tour pilots, is certified by the State of Hawaii as an official tour guide so he was full of interesting information, which he eagerly imparted. The hands-down highlight came when we flew over Molokai's sea cliffs. They are the world's highest, clocking in at a stunning 3,000 feet. It's something I'll never forget. I also won't forget seeing Olo'upena Falls, Hawaii's tallest waterfall at 2,953 feet (900 meters).

Caught on Tape

The West Maui and Molokai tour cost $339 for a ride in the A-Star but if you book online, it's available for a discounted price of $286. To fly in the plush Eco-Star, add an extra $32 to each of those prices. There are less expensive tours available so check out their website for a complete listing. When we landed, we were surprised to learn that every flight is captured in its entirety on a high-quality DVD. Each helicopter is equipped with four cameras, three on the outside and one in the cabin. The video was available for purchase for $25 and was ready within 10 minutes after returning. What a great selling opportunity. I don't think anyone passed up the opportunity to have this special experience preserved on video, Natalie and I included. Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, toll free number: 800/745-BLUE (2583).

Note: This trip was sponsored by Wailea Beach Villas.