Whitehaven Beach is truly white and definitely a haven. The first thing I wanted to do when the catamaran arrived was jump in the aquamarine water. The water was so clear I could see the bottom for miles, and as soon as I touched the beach with my feet, I could hear the sand squeaking between my toes.
The sand was remarkably cool to the touch, somewhat unusual given the high temperatures. It is likely to do with its composition. Unlike any other beaches in the Whitsundays, where the sand is coarser, Whitehaven has fine white sand that is 98% silica. Geologists believe that the sand drifted along the Queensland coast, just like the sand on Fraser Island, millions of years ago. As the sea levels rose and fell, over time, the freshwater washed away any impurities leaving behind this perfectly soft sandy beach for us to enjoy.
At the north end of Whitehaven Beach was the entrance to Hill Inlet, composed of huge swirls of sand and pale blue-green water. Best seen from Hill Inlet Lookout, it was a short hike through dense rainforest. The views from the top were exquisite, with three viewing platforms providing different vantage points. Keeping my eyes peeled, I searched for the chance to see stingrays gliding in the clear waters below.
Not satisfied with just one lookout, I walked the length of the beach, about 4mi (7km) to the southern end. Once there, I hiked up to the South Whitehaven Lookout for views of the nearby Teague and Haslewood Islands.
Hanging out at Whitehaven Beach was heavenly. I enjoyed frolicking in its waters and checking out the tiny fish going about their business.
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Maui has a plethora of waterfalls of which many are along the Hana Hwy (sometimes out of view due to heavy vegetation), largely due to the 50+ streams that cross beneath all the bridges. The waterfalls form at the top of Haleakala Mountain and may take anywhere from 6 to 12 hours to travel down the mountainside to become these falls. The strength of its pour will be dependent on how much rain has fallen and it can be anything from a trickle to flooding with very little in-between.
Haleakala Mountain is a huge inactive volcano on the east side of Maui taking up more than 75% of the island. The west side of the island is taken up by another volcano. Accessible by car the tallest peak is 10,023ft (3,055m). From the summit facing east is a massive crater measuring 7mi (11km) across, 2mi (3.2km) wide and almost 2,600ft (800m) deep. Devoid of vegetation the crater has several walkable trails and right in the centre of it is Kawilinau, a 65ft (20m) deep ‘bottomless’ pit.
The very first waterfall on this route is the Twin Falls and although not visible from the road, it is only a short hike into the lower falls, then up a sloping path to the second one. Both with plunge pools to swim in and cool off it is quite often very busy. For the adventurer, a little further upstream is another waterfall (unnamed) tucked within the dense rainforest in absolute tranquility.
The Upper Waikani Falls, also affectionately known as Three Bears Falls is visible from the highway on the mountain side via a small viewing point. The falls are three thin parallel cascades with the left one at a higher point, followed by a drop in height for the middle one and even lower for the third one. The falls cascade from a height of 70ft (21m) and plunge into a swimmable pool below. Getting to the base of the falls is via a trail beneath the bridge accessed from the southwest side via a steep descent through tropical vegetation until it levels out.
Amongst the foliage, splashes of Red Torch Ginger plants abound. Brought to Hawaii in the 19thC, this striking plant harbours medicinal and culinary properties. Its brown root is used in tea to aid with cold symptoms, morning sickness, motion sickness to name a few whilst also providing the tingly flavour in gingerbread, used to complement sushi or added in thin slices in bowls of ramen (Japanese noodle soup).
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