Despite being only a few miles from the coast, Maui’s Western Mountains soar to over 1,700 meters (5,700 feet) – their prominence from the beach is striking, as their peaks and spires rise almost directly out of the sea. Nestled between these volcanic mountains, lies Iao Valley, an impenetrably thick and constantly damp rainforest near-permanently. shrouded in mist. Of significant historic and cultural significance, the valley is purported to be home to the Hawaiian god, Kāne, and was the sight of battles during King Kamehameha’s campaign to unify the Hawaiian Islands under one kingdom in the 1800’s. The stunning terrain of the perilously steep surrounding mountains filled us both with awe, as we trekked, hacked, and sweat our way through the dense jungle.

While the forests and mountains of the Iao Valley were undoubtably striking, the oppressive humidity and challenge of moving through the terrain had us longing for the coast before long. Luckily, our next stop was in the breezy and floral coastal hamlet of Haiku, where we’d be meeting up with Maui icon, big wave surfing pioneer, and former windsurfing World Champion, Pete Cabrinha. While Pete’s story is legendary enough for its own journal entry (stay tuned for more), we were excited to connect, check out his art studio, and watch him catch some waves in our new trunks. Pete’s style and ease on the water was truly a masterclass. Pete was generous enough to pass along a bit more local intel – “head east, as far east as the road will let you go”. That’s where we’d reach Hana, a village stuck in time.