Hawaii

MAUI

5 great green to do’s

In between island sights, beaching it, and other hang-loose tropical pursuits, don’t miss these only-on-Maui picks.

 

5 great green beach resorts

On Maui, you’re talking Resort-with-a-capital-R. These mega-properties hold sway on West Maui’s fabled shoreline, and it’s easy to see why. They’re hard to beat for their bountiful luau of family fun.

 

The North Shore: where to stay

Now we take a deep breath on the North Shore. The beaches and the Pacific waters are just as glorious. The little town of Paia is part surf bum, part New Age seeker. Nearby, hidden down leafy lanes and nestled in tropical clearings are lodgings that offer an authentic and eco-conscious experience.

Hana and beyond: where to stay

On this far shore of Maui, there are organic farms and hardy off-the-griders tucked into jungle clearings, as well the rich, famous or defiantly private souls who want the wildest part of the island. So will you.

 

Upcountry: where to stay

Up here, where early settlers found the cooler climate perfect for living off the land, things don’t just grow, they thrive. So can you, in a green lodging nau wale no (just for you), Upcountry-style.

 

East Maui: the heart of Hawaiian culture at Travaasa Maui

The former Hotel Hana Maui, matriarch of hotels at the end of the Road to Hana, is as famously gracious and true to her roots as ever. And then some, after a major makeover.

 

Why not rent a Maui Bio-Beetle?

They say it’s world’s first car rental agency dedicated totally to eco-friendly biodiesel- and electric-powered vehicles. All their bio-fueled vehicles run on waste cooking oil and grease collected from Hawaiian restaurants.

 

Renee Loux: Maui’s green queen teaches us how

A green marvel on the sugar-sand beaches of south Kihei, she’s now a partner in Mala Wailea restaurant, which specializes in local, organic Hawaiian Regional cuisine with behind-the-scenes dedication to sustainable, eco-friendly practices.

 

Maui’s good doctor coconut

A green marvel on the sugar-sand beaches of south Kihei, she’s now a partner in Mala Wailea restaurant, which specializes in local, organic Hawaiian Regional cuisine with behind-the-scenes dedication to sustainable, eco-friendly practices.

 

KAUAI

5 great green non-resorts

Even on a tropical island paradise, we’re in the mood for the unique, the more personal, the less expected. We seek an intimate experience unattainable at a big, showy resort. From the lush north coast with its hidden bracelets of beach to the sunny sands of the south shore, here are our picks for Kauai’s best alternative green lodgings.

5 great green resorts

Think of the eco-impact these mega-properties can have, their sheer scale of consumption and waste, the potential for contamination of the land and sea and air. Owned or managed by big corporations from  far away, they have less incentive to be good green citizens. And yet a surprising number are doing the right things.

Down on the farm

Who cares about the beach when there are organic farms to be toured? Hang loose, just kiddin’! The island of Kauai does boast some of Hawaii’s most iconic golden sands, but up on the North Shore, especially, you shouldn’t miss rotating your tanning time with visits to these very Hawaiian farms.

 

BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII

Kona Coast: the resort alternative

This is the Big Island most of us yearn for. The western, leeward side. Best beaches. Best weather. And how about those coffee beans? But what if it’s not an in-town or resort experience you’re after? Go south, green traveler.

 

Hamakua Coast: where to stay

Want a place to feel the Big Island’s peaceful spirit? It begins north of Hilo, on the island’s east side, lazing northward through tangly jungle, fruitful farm and ranch lands, past sleepy towns to mythic Waipi`o Valley, an all-but-untouched Shangri-La. Here’s where to stay.

 

 

Where to stay at the volcano

Our top picks for green lodgings within a lava flow or so from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii’s only World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve as well as recipient of a Hawaii Green Business Award for its many conservation and energy-saving efforts.

 

Kona Coast: the resort alternative

This is the Big Island most of us yearn for. The western, leeward side. Best beaches. Best weather. And how about those coffee beans? But what if it’s not an in-town or resort experience you’re after? Go south, green traveler.

 

Hawaii’s greenest resort

The Mauna Lani has long been one of the loveliest resorts in the Aloha State, and its 3,200 acres include three miles of the finest Kohala oceanfront. All the better, then, that it’s also one of the top earth-friendly getaways in the United States.

 

To market, to market…

No green travel is truly complete without a visit, up close and personal, to the tender greens, vibrant veggies, and luscious fruits that define the local food scene.

 

Hawaii’s best farm-to-table tour

You can do more than taste the difference Chef Peter Merriman’s locavore philosophy makes. You can do a half-day immersion into how Hawaii Regional Cuisine comes to be, from how it’s raised to how it tastes on your plate.

 

OAHU

Aqua Bamboo: a green sanctuary in the heart of Waikiki

The boutique “condotel” Aqua Bamboo is a welcoming oasis of eco-friendly practices and true Hawaiian hospitality on what used to be the royal gardens of Princess Kaiulani.

 

Surf for the new LEED hotel on Honolulu’s Waikiki beach

Hilton’s urban, upscale Hokulani Waikiki resort hotel is awarded LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for its environmentally friendly construction and systems.

 

Honolulu’s Hotel Renew

It’s definitely Waikiki outside. Inside, this is Honolulu’s original upscale boutique hotel with a hip, eco vibe. No tiki torches here. And before you can check out the sleek lobby lounge, you’re handed a naturally scented towel and chilled beverage and escorted to your room. The renewal has begun—for you, for the planet.

 

North Shore’s best b&b

Could there be a cooler shade of green? Lodging with a leading Oahu environmentalist who lives where Hawaii’s Green Sea turtles do…which also happens to be one of the North Shore’s most famous surf spots.

 

 MOLOKAI

Where to stay & eat

Molokai’s best hope for a green future lies in its steadfast desire to be left alone. It calls itself Hawaii’s most natural island. So where do you bunk down on this island that time forgot? Where do you find organic and green to eat? Read on, read on….

 

 LANAI

Where to stay & eat

Will this tiny Hawaiian island soon become the greenest of them all? Just how, exactly, says much about Lanai’s past, present and future. For this is a fiefdom. Except for a few parcels of land granted by the former Hawaiian royalty to local families, the entire island is owned by billionaire Larry Ellison.