Perfect Days on Maui

Weddings & Renewal of Vows

Golf Resorts for Romantic Couples

Travel & Leisure Magazine polled its readers for their opinions about the most romantic resorts in the world. Travel & Leisure Golf Magazine polled its readers for the best golf resorts – facilities, service, food, rooms, and family appeal but not specifically romance. Amazingly, only two of T&L Magazine’s top 50 romantic hotels, resorts and destinations were in Hawaii and only one on Maui, the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea.

T&L Golf Magazine’s readers were kinder to Maui. The top 10 golf resorts, according to T&L’s poll, included the Kapalua Bay Hotel (best on Maui and #8 in the U.S.), the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, The Manele Bay, The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, The Lodge at Koele and Grand Wailea. The Fairmont Kea Lani was added for service, food and rooms. The golf courses at The Manele Bay, Ritz Carlton Kapalua and Kapalua Bay Hotel were considered at the top in Hawaii by T&L’s readers.

Obviously opinion polls covering travel destinations vary in results year-to-year, but opinions about the essential ingredients of romantic vacations and honeymoons stay more or less constant. For example, T&L’s readers agreed on the following:

by far (70%) the best spot for romance is a secluded beach
for about half of respondents the ideal place for him to pop the question is during a walk on a beach
two-thirds would not take their partner to a nude beach
the most romantic and attractive part of a resort is a secluded (not just any) hot tub (and bubble baths are important, too)
more than half would prefer to rent a private island than a castle, yacht or jet plane
a candlelight supper in a little neighborhood restaurant is preferred over dinner at the best restaurant in town
only one-third would want to spend their dream honeymoon or celebrate a special anniversary on a South Pacific island (about as many respondents who preferred honeymoons and anniversaries on a cruise ship)

Based on this poll, romantic couples should take a trip or cruise to a South Pacific island that has secluded beaches, romantic restaurants and great hot tubs. Maui, Moloka’i and Lana’i all fit these criteria, although ferries (or catamarans) rather than cruise ships will have to suffice for transport to Lana’i and Moloka’i.

These surveys don’t directly address the question: can a wedding, renewal of vows or honeymoon combined with playing golf be romantic? We believe that it can. The best golf courses on Maui, Lana’i and Moloka’i offer very different experiences with nature as well as unique golfing challenges that, depending on the way romantic couples approach the course and the game, can enhance romance. You be the judge.

Golf at Wailea

The Wailea Emerald Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. to be “a pure golf experience amidst a tropical garden.” Miles of fragrant plumeria, exotic bird of paradise, yellow allamanda, brilliant bougainvillea, beach morning glory and more beautiful flora help to create a golf course that is a joy to behold. From the very first hole you have a 200+-degree view of the ocean. Golf for Women magazine ranks the course among the ten “friendliest” in the nation. “Woman-friendly” certainly helps romance. The Wailea Emerald Course qualifies as one of the most romantic golf courses on Maui.

Wailea Gold Course is tied for first place in Condé Nast Traveler magazine’s readers' poll for the best golf course design in the world and was ranked as the country’s best new course by Golf Magazine. The Wailea Gold Course is the most challenging of the Wailea trio and demands strategy and careful club selection. Does this course designed for cerebral players allow for romantic moments? You bet. Fairways, tees and roughs are framed by lava, kiawe forest, Hawaiian tall grasses and other gorgeous planting. What do you think that tall Hawaiian grass and all of those lava rock outcroppings are for?

Wailea Blue Course, the first golf course built in South Maui, is the former site of the LPGA Women’s Kemper Open. Views are spectacular. The course has one of the key ingredients for bonding, romance and couples staying together: its wider fairways and large greens offer “forgiveness” in the midst of challenges. And when the going gets too tough, Mulligan’s bar is at the 19th hole will keep romance alive and well (with the help of the bartender’s Blarney).

In sum, romantic couples focused on each other, the scenery and their golf game should have happy experiences together on each of Wailea’s golf courses.

If feeling at one with natural surroundings is an asset for romance, and we believe that it is, then Makena North and South should offer some of the most romantic golfing experiences on Maui. Be especially considerate of your mate, however, on the South Makena course at Hole #4, the 407-yard, par-4 that dog-legs around the lake, on the 200-yard, par-3 Hole #5 with a ravine on the right, and the 514-yard Hole #10 with the lake on the right and pond on the left. Come to think of it, perhaps romance has a better chance on Makena North.

Kapalua

Golfers planning a wedding or renewal of vows in Hawaii and on Maui cannot do much better than to stay at the Kapalua Bay Hotel (about to be reconstructed) or the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua. The Arnold Palmer-designed Kapalua Village Course rises 800’ in the first six holes and then moves back to sea level, opening panoramic views of the ocean, Lana’i, Moloka’i and the Northwest coast framed by Cook pines and eucalyptus trees. You and your soul mate surely will be awed and impressed by the gulches and valleys in the terrain, ponds with waterfowl, fish and marsh grass, and other eye-catching natural features.

The Kapalua Bay Course, also designed by Arnold Palmer, runs through mountains, up hills, down ravines, through stands of Cook pines and ironwood trees, around pineapple fields and down to the surf. The fifth hole even plays over the ocean, which you’ve heard about but have to see to believe. In other words, your attitude has to be that it’s all great fun. Enjoy the golfing journey with your partner in life and have a really good time or play elsewhere on your romantic vacation.

This kind of attitude is essential for the Kapalua Plantation Course on which every hole uses the natural landscape in uniquely memorable, challenging ways. Bring the right attitude and your digital camera. Come to this course to enjoy each other and the landscape, rolling green hills, ocean views, tropical forests and a daring course design that challenges the PGA tour. After finishing the par-5 18th hole, one of the longest on the PGA tour, ideally both you and your partner should be thinking or saying “I want to try this again tomorrow!”

Lana’i

Board the Expeditions for a romantic ferry cruise to Lana’i (6:45am or 9:15am if you’re on a honeymoon) and play the Experience at Koele or the (“Woman-friendly”) Challenge at Manele on a golf package. Even better, romantic couples should plan to wake up in the morning at the Manele Bay Hotel or The Lodge at Koele ready to play a round of golf after a wonderful breakfast. Play the cliffside of Lana’i for great views on all 18 holes at The Challenge at Manele designed by Jack Nicklaus who apparently didn’t have romance in mind when he created wide fairways with not much margin for error. Love is blind, they say, and some of the tee shots on Jack’s course are for sure. Pause for a while and make your own private vows at one of the three holes right on the water’s edge, about 100 feet above the rocky cliffs and surf; for example, the memorable 202-yard par-3 12th.

The Experience at Koele gives you and your partner an opportunity to hike in the mountains of Lana’i as well as golf as you ascend the slopes of the back nine, fog occasionally wafting through the trees, views opening up of Lana’i’s deep valleys filled with eucalyptus, and Maui and Moloka’i etched memorably on the blue horizon. One of the loveliest courses in the world, the Experience at Koele as designed by Greg Norman and Ted Robinson gets you closer to heaven as it winds and weaves around the mountainous landscape. Pause for a moment at the par-4 17th, a beautiful lake on your right, a forested hillside on your left, the tee-to-fairway dropping 100 feet below, hold hands and turn this daunting spot for golfers into a lover’s dream.

Even though you’ve had quite a bit of exercise on the golf course at Koele, the nature path that starts at the reflecting pool behind the Lodge and meanders through a cathedral of Norfolk Pines and past wild ginger provides a wonderfully romantic walk. Consider saving it for the morning, before the clouds roll in, and you will get a panoramic view from Koloiki Ridge over Maunalei Valley. Plan to relax and enjoy a spectacular sunset from comfortable wicker chairs on the verandah of this grand English-manor-style resort. After a day of golf on one of the finest golf courses in Hawaii, experience one of the best dinners in Hawaii at the Formal Dining Room with its roaring fire and superb menu choices of venison, rack of lamb, seafood and creative seasonal preparations. Life is good for a romantic couple sharing superb food – and golf!

T&L’s readers, who equate secluded beaches and romance, should be enthusiastic about Lana’i that has more secluded, empty stretches of beach than any other Hawaiian Island besides Moloka’i. Palm-fringed Hulopoe Beach is one of the most perfect, beautiful beaches anywhere in Hawaii. However, if it’s seclusion you want for either vows or a romantic day, get in a 4WD and head for 8-mile long Shipwreck Beach on Lana’i’s northeastern shore or the equally deserted Polihua Beach on the northwestern shore (you may have to share the beach with green sea turtles).

Moloka’i

Too few couples getting married, making or renewing vows or traveling on their honeymoons have discovered Moloka’i, especially western Moloka’i for those looking for beautiful, empty and secluded beaches. The Kaluakoi Resort on the West Coast is closed but villas on the resort are still renting and offer some of the best vacation rental deals in Hawaii. Kepuhi Beach along the resort’s golf course (9 holes are open for play) is practically deserted. Walk just a little further north along the coast to two Pohaku Mauliuli Beaches (you have to climb over a bluff to the second, totally secluded, gorgeous beach).

Except for the lack of entertainment and restaurants, Kaluakoi is hard to beat for lodging values, an adjacent 9-hole golf course and beautiful beaches. Drive down the West Coast a short way to 3-mile-long, splendid, mostly deserted Papohaku Beach. Big attractive homes in the vicinity are for rent, perfect for honeymoon couples or small wedding parties.

Head further south (with a 4WD via Maunaloa) to stunning, more or less empty Kaupoa Beach. Stay at the Moloka’i Lodge or rent a tent cabin at Kaupo Camp. On the southwest coast, a half-dozen more deserted beaches, especially west of Hale o Lono Harbor, await romantic, adventuresome couples looking for secluded beaches.