Yeah, me neither. No one creates some of their fondest memories in the freezing cold. No one searches for a vacation spot, lies out on the beach and hopes to get frostbite. And no one - no one - plans a romantic getaway to a destination that requires they bundle themselves up in 4 layers of clothing.



Instead, when I plan my travel, I look for places that I know to be warm, safe, and relaxing. The point of travelling is to find yourself in a place you wish you were every day - a haven where even work feels like play, and wherever you go you're always in the right place.

Finding the Right Place

It took some trial and error, but I found my haven in Wailea and Makena on the island of Maui. Every day I found something to do, and every day was a tremendous pleasure.

The most alluring aspect of Wailea and Makena can be summarized by one word: Golf. They have the most phenomenal golf courses with such breathtaking beauty. I almost regret golfing, because for those few seconds that I watched the ball, I had to take my eyes off the scenery. If you see nothing else in Maui, see the Wailea Blue, Gold, and Emerald Courses. The great artists of the Renaissance could not have designed a more perfect golf course.

In Makena, the Makena State Park looks like a beach that will never end, with the most attractive men and women on the planet relaxing in the sunlight at all hours of the day. Unlike the beaches of California, Makena's beaches are so vast, while Makena's population is so small, that on any day of any week you can find a spot on the beach to relax with friends and family.

In Los Angeles, you spend half the time trying to find a spot on the crowded sand, and the rest of the time avoiding the kids running carelessly over your towels. In Makena, the only limit to the size of your spot on the beach is the distance you can throw a Frisbee.

But the greatest memories on Wailea and Makena are not formed during the day - they are formed at night. At night, the air is still warm and fresh, and although the sun has gone down, it feels as though the day has barely begun.

Night in Wailea is as exciting as the day. You can have a romantic evening at the Mokapu beach, complete with the privacy of the darkness as your blanket. Or you can find a place to chat it up with the locals - men and women that purchased a home in this tropical paradise to live their vacations for the rest of their lives.

And in Makena, you can eat at Capische restaurant, or stroll alongside the beautiful houses and simply enjoying their splendour. Rarely will you find a location where the aesthetic quality of the homes matches the aesthetics of the beach, and the inviting atmosphere and safe streets will likely keep you wishing for more during all hours of the night.

Both Wailea and Makena are more than just vacation spots, analogous to any other warm climate region - they are the apex of what travel was meant to be - a way to relax and forget all the pressures of life, while creating long-lasting memories that will endure through even the most stressful time periods and give you a place of refuge should you ever find yourself struggling to get through the day.

Maui may be an island several thousand miles from where I live, but whenever I find myself wishing I could be anywhere other than where I am, the memories of Maui become my home.