Welcome back to National Parks and other public lands with T!

Aloha➢

My family and I took a cruise around the Hawaiian islands in 2019. We embarked in Honolulu on the island of Oahu. Prior to embarkation, we spent a few days on land and explored Oahu. Using Hilton’s Hawaiian Village as our base, we enjoyed visiting many interesting sites before boarding the Pride of America. We spent a week on board cruising the Hawaiian Islands. Our first port of call was Kahului Harbor on Maui. We took excursions to Haleakalā, ʻĪao Valley, Maui Tropical Plantation and Maui Ocean Center.

Best of Maui➢

After visiting Iao Valley, our Best of Maui excursion headed over to the Maui Tropical Plantation. This plantation is  on the site of a former sugar cane plantation. Sugar cane, once dominant in Hawaii, is no longer produced there as it can be harvested less expensively in other countries.

Plantation Mike, who grew up in one of the sugar company’s houses, met our group and talked to us about what it was like to live there back in the day. Working the sugar cane crop for a living was a difficult life.

Maui Tropical Plantation has incorporated some of the old mill-works into the landscaping.

Today the plantation produces a variety of Hawaiian fruits. We boarded the Tropical Express, a 45-minute tram tour through some of the fields. Our guide explained the origins of many of the crops.

About midway, we got out to walk around some of the plants and watch a coconut husking demonstration.

When we returned to the visitor center, we received a sampling of some of their delicious produce.

Maui Posts➢

• Kahului Harbor
• Haleakalā National Park
• ʻĪao Valley State Monument
• Maui Tropical Plantation
• Maui Ocean Center

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Location: 1670 Honoapiʻilani Hwy, Waikapū, Hawaii
Designation: Farm
Date designated/established: 1984
Date of my visit: April 15, 2019