Maui Bay Villas by Hilton Grand Vacations

Maui Bay Villas by Hilton Grand Vacations is in amazing Kihei, Hawaii on Maui’s southwest shore. Before this vacation, I did not think I would make it back to Hawaii again. I have been 4 times and stayed at many resorts on my last two trips. So, when this opportunity arose, I did not hesitate to take action and get my tickets.

Video by Hilton Grand Vacations

Day One Travel & Arrival at Maui Bay Villas by Hilton Grand Vacations

For this trip, I was already on the islands. I had just stayed at another Hawaiian resort and would be transferring to this resort. That saves one long airplane journey and tons of hassle. This bucket list trip is just another that I am blessed to have thanks to the leadership team and owners at Tzort. These guys are amazing, not just because they provide free accommodations for my travels, but because they are very down-to-earth and real. Just honest people that work hard to see their clients are always happy.

Here you have 1 or two-bedroom suites to choose from.

Villa Amenities

Resort Amenities

In short, they are old-fashioned customer service professionals that understand modern technology and how it can help travelers and property owners alike. 

I wanted to grab some lunch out since I was changing resorts. Close to the resort is a place local and travelers love.

Paia Fish Market is a place where you will find an affordable menu, friendly staff, and great food. They offer fresh catch fish at market price and the sides are a bargain for Hawaii prices. Many of you will find the prices here are cheaper than at home.

I had a fresh catch plate side, and a drink for less than $20. By fresh I mean the tail was almost still moving, as in right off the boat fresh. Amazing!

Travel Tips To Hawaii, Want to save money on your trip to Hawaii?

A lot of people do because Hawaii is a very expensive place for vacation. Here are my top tips book your trip in late August, September, or October. These are our slowest months. You’ll find the best deal.

Spell the next tip go to Costco when you get here. So that means your plane needs the land sometime between 5 and 6 p.m. So that you can go to Costco right away And then take all that food – my third tip for your condominium get a condo with a kitchen why because you’ll save tons of money over having to buy meals a breakfast for a family of four on this island can run over a hundred over a hundred dollars. I’m talking that’s for pancakes and An orange juice nothing fancy.

Best Location for local weather

For the best weather at your resort, the most important thing to remember for good weather is to stay on the leeward side of the island. This side of the island gets less rain and experiences less wind. If you have not been to the islands before, then you do not know how important this is.

Annual Rainfall on the leeward side of the island is only 10-30 inches. Whereas the windward side averages 80-150 inches per year. Now, most island rain comes in the late afternoon and evening. Also, the higher up you go in altitude the more rain you can expect.

Leeward (South Maui & West Maui)–Temps are a few degrees warmer than the Central Maui averages above.–Mostly desert, dry and sunny virtually all the time.–Cloud cover often comes in as the day progresses.–Strong rains come mostly in winter from large storms which often hit this side much harder.

Windward (both north shores, Road to Hana, Hana)–Temps are a few degrees cooler than the Central Maui averages above.–The majority of rain comes late in the day and overnight.–Higher elevations (between 2,000 and 4,000 ft.) get significantly more rain than coastal areas.–Much of this area is often shielded significantly from the larger storms.

Note remember, the North Shores is so well known for surfing and one reason is that they are on the windward side. That wind pushes the intensity of the waves and makes them much more ideal for surfers to enjoy.

So when you travel, book on the leeward side or in the coastal areas of the windward side if you want less rain in the late afternoon and evening.

Better sunset views are also often experienced on the leeward side of the island because of fewer late-day rain clouds.

It is amazing vacationing on an island with such a diverse ecosystem and climate. You can literally experience almost any type of climate you want on Maui or the Big Island. You just need to position yourself where you want to experience that weather. Even with the altitude, I was still shocked at how cold the star gazing was on top of the mountain here. They literally hand out thick coats along with your star-gazing tour.

Day Two Water Fun

I wanted to check to see when the best time to go whale watching was. Turns out this is not the ideal time of the year.

Okay, if you want to see tons of whales, when do you come?

Whale season is from December through May. The most important thing to know is whale season peaks and it’s been peaking later and later if you want to see lots of whales come mid-February to late March. I was here in late Summer so that was off my list for this trip.

I headed for the local beaches while I am here. The best beaches in Kihei are Kiaba Kapoor Beach and Malaya and then finally big beach. Those are to me the absolute must-see you got to go see those beaches while you’re on Maui. Make a list and check them off. When you are staying in Kihei, this is an absolute must-see.

I spent more than half a day between the beaches in the area.

The entire Kihei area was a popular vacation spot for Hawaiian royals. Kihei is one of the sunniest and driest spots in all of Hawaii. So, when you are staying here you a literally getting the royal beach treatment.

From the water fun plan to ziplining.

Zipping Away

One of the longest ziplines in the world is here. It is the 2^nd longest in the world and it also can hold a decent amount of weight. Participants need to be 10 years of age and between the weights of 75-230 pounds. Full disclosure I do not fit those weight requirements, but if you do, and you are physically fit enough, this is a fun thing to do.

I point you to the company’s website and FAQ page because you need to review their information here before making your reservation. If it is summer, you may want to make your reservation online before you even come to the islands. This experience books up.

From the site:

Are reservations required?

Reservations are strongly recommended as our tours can sell out days in advance (or weeks in advance during peak seasons).

Now my two cents on this. Since this is in the islands, the earlier in the day your reservation, the less of a chance of rain or a storm. So, book in advance of your trip during the prime summer months and book for the morning to early afternoon for the best experience.

Day Three Sunrise to Sunset

This one may make you want to move to the islands, you also may cry, or have a religious experience. This is not an exaggeration. If mother nature moves you, this is not to miss when you are on Maui.

It is one of the few sunrise or sunset experiences in the world where you need a reservation. The reason for that is the best view is from the National Park. Haleakala National Park Summit Sunrise Reservations are a must and you need to book well in advance during most of the year. The site is so well used for this that they often release additional tickets the week off on the website. So, it is to try and book early, or book fast after the release time on the website.

Here are the notes on the site:

Haleakala National Park is home to Maui’s highest peak. Rising 10,023 (3,005 m) feet above sea level, Haleakala means “house of the sun” and is where demigod Maui lassoed the sun, slowing its passage so people had more time to dry Kapa (cloth) and grow food. The dormant volcano’s “crater” is actually a valley carved by erosion. Sunrise at the summit of Haleakala has been a visitor attraction since the late 1800s when Samuel Clemens wrote: “It was the sublimest spectacle I ever witnessed, and I think the memory of it will remain with me always.”
The park’s Summit District begins at 7,000 feet (2,134 m) of elevation and reaches 10,023 feet (3,055 m). The summit’s high elevation, lack of light, environmental pollution, and dynamic weather patterns make it an ideal and popular place to view the sky. Due to the popularity of sunrise viewing at the summit and limited parking, Haleakala National Park now requires reservations for each vehicle entering the park before sunrise (3:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.).

Reservations. A reservation is required for each vehicle entering the park from 3:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. Beginning April 7, 2021, you may book a reservation up to 60 days in advance.

Reservation Tip! Login to your account or create a new account before Haleakala National Park Summit Sunrise tickets go on sale. You can only add a ticket to your cart and proceed with your reservation if you are logged into your account.

A note on this: you want your account set up in advance because right now there are more strict limits on the number of vehicles allowed. So, think of this like your kid trying to be online to get a PS5 ordered. They have their account set up in advance and they log in minutes before the items are loaded and available online and then as soon as they are they hit the button and grab them.

This experience is worth the bit of hassle.

Please Note: Tickets are per vehicle, not per person. Tickets are limited to one per customer every three days.

For myself, this was powerful. I do not know why on my previous trips to Maui, I did not do this. I mean, I did see amazing sunrises and sunsets, but wow, this just made me weep a little. It was so beautiful. I mean, I have seen beauty in my life. From that one amazing girl in high school to the one perfect supermodel that pushed all the right buttons. I have seen sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico, and dawn break over a live volcano. Even looking into the vastness of the Grand Canyon. All were amazing, but this was the best.

Another way of saying it is that I agree with Samuel Clemens that “this was the sublimest spectacle I ever witnessed”. I know I quoted that before, but when the worldly man that wrote Tom Sawyer says that it grabs attention.

I am a man of faith and for some, the last thing you want to read in a travel blog is about someone’s faith. I get it. We all have our own spiritual journey. But if you want something to stir your heart and soul, I highly recommend this. For myself the warm embrace of the sun in the morning with this view was transformative. It felt like I was getting a glimpse of the doorway to heaven. There was a moment when I could just imagine a Hawaiian local who climbed up to this peak years before automobiles. How moved they must have been. I know I was.

If you get tickets for any day of your trip, get up early and do it. Take advantage of this unique opportunity. I hate that I have missed it before, but I am so thankful that I chose to come on this trip to Maui.

Do you want to stay where the Royals of Hawaii used to stay and see the world’s best sunrise? If so, you need to book this resort with Tzort today.