First Cathedral is a lava bubble where the far wall has become kind of perforated over time. The result is a natural formation that reminds you a bit of one of those giant stained glass windows you might find in a church, especially when the sediment gets stirred up a bit and you get streaming rays of sunshine coming in. The effect is further enhanced by the fact that part of the ceiling fell in, becoming kind of an alter in the middle of the room. It is every bit as great as you see in the pictures, but be aware it is not all that large, and you will want to exercise good buoyancy control to keep the sediment down. On exiting First Cathedral on our second dive day, a massive pod of spinner dolphins went by like a high speed freight train. A single tight line coming in from out of sight on the left and disappearing out of sight on the right for what seemed like several minutes. I stopped counting and just stared, before long I was laughing and waving hello, then they were gone. Wow they are fast. My life is that much more complete now. This was several years ago, but at the time I have to say that the Extended Horizons crew is the best dive outfit I've ever been with, and by a wide margin. They are not the cheapest, but they are completely worth it. Think of it as packing more diving experience into the same time.

If you are on Maui, you really have to experience this. The visibility is what everything else gets compared to. Yes, it is popular and therefore crowded, but you still have to go. You want a boat that's leaving at dawn or before. Scuba is less crowded than snorkeling. When you are in the water, listen to see if you can hear humpbacks, the live concert beats any recorded experience. If you do scuba, mind your depth, the perspective is so massive you may find yourself going deep. Strongly recommend doing some research ahead of time on which outfit to go with. Lahaina and Kihei can be huckster hubs full of salespeople offering discount packages. Avoid those. Prefer eco-conscious if possible.

This is one of the twistiest, most beautiful drives I've ever experienced. There are tons of waterfalls and amazing scenery. That said, keep in mind that there is traffic, and it is slow and time consuming. Driving will require attention and patience. Passengers are going to see more. Recommend a motorcycle or open car if possible.

Obviously if you were scuba diving in the morning, going up 10,500 feet is an extremely bad plan. Do not do that on the same day. Recommend bringing closed shoes, socks, jeans, a sweatshirt, and possibly a jacket. You might have the top down on the car when you start out, but you will be closed up with the heat on by the time you get to the top. I skipped the sunrise run and opted instead to go up during the day, stopping for some small side hikes on the way. Slow hikes that is, the altitude is noticeable. Totally worth checking out. Note that even if it is clear when you start, it might be socked in by the time you reach the summit. Earlier is usually better. When I went it was socked in, but after a few minutes there was a break so we could see the crater. Keep an eye out for Silverswords when hiking around.