About Lahaina's Kapalua

This Saturday, September 27, 2008, the Kapalua Resort presents Play Golf America Day. The Kapalua Golf Academy will feature instructional clinics and presentations by world famous master instructors, Jim Flick and Mike Adams. More than 30 PGA pros will take a break from the 2008 Aloha PGA Teaching and Coaching Summit to give free lessons to the public. TaylorMade, Titleist, Cobra, Ping and Nike will all have demo presentations as well. Register online at www.playgolfamerica.com or call the Kapalua Golf Academy at 808-665-5454.

For more information on properties available in the Kapalua Resort, including condominiums, homes and homesites, contact your Kapalua Resort Specialist, Courtney Brown, R(S) Kapalua Realty.

The Kapalua Resort is lucky to have Silla Kaina here to greet visitors and locals alike, teaching them a little about life in Hawaii. Silla hosts a series of cultural programs here in the resort that include lei making, hula lessons, lau hala, and history of the area and the plantation. She teaches on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and visitors come year after year, looking for Silla.

Sometimes, when she's done, we have a few minutes to talk story. Today, we were talking about the change in the weather, and how it feels like summer has just ended (notably it's about five degrees cooler--that's our change of season!). In summer, you can smell the arrival of the season--to me, it's a mixture of salt water and plumeria. Silla told me that, unlike the mainland, which typically has four seasons, the Hawaiian culture recognized two seasons. The cooler, wetter season called Ho'oilo and the hotter, drier season called Kau. Both seasons last about six months, and were marked by the constellations in the eastern sky at sunset. Growing up here, I hadn't heard about the two seasons, and I wanted to share this with you.

The Kapalua Resort will host the inaugural Kapalua LPGA Classicthis October 13-19th, at the KapaluaBay Course. We are excited to have this addition to our annual Kapalua events, which include the Mercedes-Benz Championship, played each January at the Kapalua Plantation Course and the Kapalua Wine and Food Festival held each summer.

Watch the Kapalua Resort's host professional, Morgan Pressel, vie against other golf phenoms for the $1.5 million purse.

Those fortunate enough to be staying at the condominiums and homes bordering the event Ridge Villas, the Golf Villas, the Ironwoods, Pineapple Hill and Pineapple Hill Estates will have front row seats for what is sure to be an exciting week of golf.

Order your tickets now, or if you are interested, volunteer. The Kapalua Resort is seeking volunteers to participate as on-course marshalls, walking scorers, standard bearers and more. This is a great way for a fan to experience the event!

This is a full-field televised event, so if you won't be on Maui, you don't have to miss the fun.

The Kapalua Resort is undergoing a spectacular renaissance: What has long been a favorite destination for golf is being transformed, with a focus on providing access to more of the lush surroundings that extend from the mountain to the sea. Resort wide renovations and new development will allow guests to enjoy the most luxurious accommodations.

The Kapalua Shops, including the Logo Shop, my office at Kapalua Realty, Sansei and LaPerle, were relocated to beautiful new plantation style buildings in the central village.

Construction is well underway at the Residences at Kapalua Bay, at the site of the old Kapalua Bay Hotel. Walls are in place in many of the units, giving us a sense of the floorplans and the incredible views from a particular location.

Next door, the Spa at the Kapalua Resort has broken ground. This will be a wonderful amenity for the Kapalua Resort and its guests. Plans for the spa include outdoor and indoor treatment rooms, a full fitness facility, a yoga/flex space, a pool and sunning deck, as well as deli and retail offerings.

The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua has been transformed courtesy of a $160 million plus renovation, with one wing converted to magnificently appointed residential condominium suites. The lobby, pool, spa, and restaurants received a facelift as well, aiming to provide some of the most luxurious amenities in West Maui.

The Honolua Store underwent a lovely renovation which preserved the historic character of the building, originally built in 1929 by pineapple plantation carpenters. This was the only store on the Honolua Plantation, and provided a gathering place and town center for residents of the Plantation. Over the years, the Honolua Store has undergone many renovations, and this most recent brought a coffee bar, wine selection, gourmet foods, and fresh produce to the existing deli and store.

Merriman's Kapalua, bringing the famous Bay Club location back to life. The restaurant is perhaps one of the most romantic and stunning locations in the Kapalua Resort, and we are all thrilled to have this as one of our fine dining options.

The Kapalua Resort has long been dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of the natural beauty that surrounds it. In 2006, the resort began construction of 100 miles of public walking, hiking, biking and equestrian trails. Most recently, the Maunalei Arboretum was opened to the public, showcasing 3 miles throughout a historic arboretum. The coastal trail from Kapalua Bay to Honolua Bay is underway, with the goal of connecting 5 bays: Kapalua Bay, Namalu Bay, Honokahua Bay (DT Fleming's), Mokuleia Bay (Slaughterhouse) and Honolua Bay.

Lastly, the Adventure Center opened, taking adventure seekers to the Mauka (mountain) side of the resort. Seven ziplines take you across valleys and pastures that overlook the ocean. As a life-long resident of Maui, I was stunned by the spectacular views from the zipline course. It's a rare glimpse to a part of Hawaii visitors would not normally see, and well worth the trip for the view alone.

I hope that you find the information on the Kapalua Resort helpful.

This blog was originally posted on 7/22/08

Tickets for one of the year's premier culinary events, "Maui Chefs Present, Culinary Olympics: The Road to the Ritz," are now on sale, according to the LahainaTown Action Committee. "In keeping with the Olympics theme, Maui's 'Greek Gods and Goddesses of Hawaiian Cuisine' will be providing Gold Medalist Fare during an evening of international tastes for the first time in a new venue," said Rina Sampson, LAC executive director. The event will be held from 6:30 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5, at the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua's spacious pavilion.