===== Welcome to The Mauian Conch Blog ===== I am wrapping up a wonderful 3-week stint on Maui, and I have a lot to share. This blog will hopefully be a long-running (but likely sparsely-updated blog) of the goings on with the Royal Mauian Unit 205 condo. I hope to share items of interest to repeat visitors to my unit. The following topics will be discussed: - Updates to the unit itself (#condo), including physical updates (of which I have much to share), the HOA, my management company, rental status, etc. - Updates regarding the rental market (#rental) in general in South Maui - Updates to the RMauian205 website (#website) - Snorkel and nature updates (#snorkelm #nature) - Dining and entertainment updates (#dining, #entertainment) This post will be a long one because it is my first post, and I have stuff to talk about on all of the above topics. ====== ====== Since this is my first post, perhaps I should provide some baseline information about the unit. You can see photos of the unit on the [[https://www.aliiresorts.com/vrp/unit/ROYAL_MAUIAN_205-89566-13?_ga=2.107739329.2113773455.1663274394-30628160.1662415006&_gl=1*eocxt5*_ga*MzA2MjgxNjAuMTY2MjQxNTAwNg..*_ga_N2MNNX17JG*MTY2MzI3NDM5NC4xMS4xLjE2NjMyNzQ0MDEuMC4wLjA.|Manager's website]]. Since those photos were taken I had a number of improvements made to the interior of my condo. ==== Lanai A/C cover ==== Most recently, I added an A/C cover to the A/C unit on the lanai. It is custom built out of redwood and has a granite top. {{ :blog:2024:a-c_cover.jpeg?nolink&400 |}} It also has a power outlet on the side facing out. The outlet is really an extension cord that plugs into the wall outlet hidden by the a/c unit. I'm very happy with it because it looks great, should be maintenance free, and be very useful by providing a great surface for food, beverages or other items on the lanai. ==== Bedroom screens ==== The next really great improvement is to the ocean-side bedroom window. These windows are "dormer style" and are designed to withstand hurricane-strength winds. The original screens swung in on hinges so that you could then reach through and open the dormers. Little screw-latches were supposed to hold the screen closed but most of them had stripped their threadings and in order to swing the screen open you had to open the curtains all the way. So, not ideal! The new screens slide to the side. They were not cheap, with $1,000 just in material costs! (One thing you get used to on the island is the cost of anything/everything -- expect to pay double to triple what you would think it should cost.) But anyway, they look great and are easy to operate: {{ :blog:2024:sliding_screens.jpeg?nolink&400 |}} Even though they cost an arm and a leg, they make life so much easier, I consider it a good purchase. ==== Rental Market ==== There are lots of theories why, but the fact remains that the rental market is soft. Folks, for the most part, are making only last-minute bookings instead of booking 3-4 months out as in years past. This has improved somewhat in the last few weeks, though. Still, rental rates are depressed compared to last year, so there are some great opportunities for reducing your vacation spend. Royal Mauian 205 is mostly booked in July and August, which, along with June are typically "high" months for rentals. September and October, and February-May are the low-season. {{ :blog:2024:bookings_cal.png?nolink&400 |}} Although my unit is still renting rather well, there is a great deal of disruption in the market since the Lahaina fires last year. I believe that vacation-goers have been dissuaded from visiting Maui because of a lot of disinformation conveyed to the public about the impact of the fires. Tourists were told to "stay away" from Maui after the fires, which is unfortunate because, while devastating to the Lahaina area, South Maui (where my condo is) is largely untouched, and a great many businesses in South Maui depend on tourists to survive. The Lahaina fire exacerbated housing shortage of Maui residents and as a result of the political outcry from citizens of Maui (and more broadly, Hawaii) the politicians acted to [[https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2024-05-24/behind-the-minatoya-list-short-term-rentals-affected-by-county-proposal|restrict short-term rentals]], which has added yet another shock to the community. The history of condo rentals in Hawaii is a bit complicated, but if you're interested in reading more, see [[https://www.hawaiilife.com/blog/maui-county-publishes-maui-county-short-term-vacation-rental-list/|this article]] for a good primer. Briefly, the Minatoya List was published years ago as a list of condominium projects exempt from restrictions on short-term rentals of apartments. Any owner of a condo whose project is listed would be permitted to rent their unit on a short-term basis. The solution to the housing shortage problem that the government landed on is the removal of condominiums from the Minatoya List, essentially shifting any properties in the list rented out on a short-term basis to only owner-occupation or long-term rentals. This will likely have the intended effect of (1) increasing available housing, and (2) depressing home values making ownership more affordable. The question in my mind is whether they will over-shoot the target and depress the economy overall in Maui. The change will not go into effect until 2025 and there is likely to be legal challenges in the meantime. Fortunately for me, the Royal Mauian is in a hotel-zone, so it is not on the Minatoya list, so the change will not impact my unit (at least so far). ==== RMauian205.com website ==== I've made a publicly-accessible home page on the [[https://rmauian205.com|rental website]] with instructions on how to log in to access the "enjoyment guides" and "guestbook" features of the site. I have no idea if my guests will have any interest in the website (or this blog, for that matter) but the only way to find out is to put it out there and see. ==== Snorkeling ==== Over the past few weeks of our stay on Maui we have had some spectacular snorkeling. In case you're new to snorkeling, here are my top tips: - Go early, when the sun is up, but the ocean is still calm - Don't put your fins on until you're floating in the water. You'll find its easier than putting them on first and trying to walk in your fins, plus you'll avoid getting sand in them. - There is a great coral reef with fantastic things to see right in front of the building! Don't believe me? Check out this video:
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- Ordinary dish soap will make a great anti-fogger. Just mix with equal parts water, smear a drop in on the inside of each of your goggle lenses and then rinse twice in the ocean water just before putting on your goggles. if you rent gear from Snorkel Bob's, Boss Frog, or Aunti Snorkel (right across the street), they will probably give you a small bottle of anti-fogger if you ask. - Use a [[https://www.amazon.com/TRC-Recreation-Promotional-Super-Soft/dp/B000AU9V0U/ref=sr_1_39|banana-float]], especially if you're out there with a friend/partner. For me, I like it because with it, it is much easier to keep my head above water so that I can talk with my significant other. If I'm out there by myself, I don't really need it. ==== Dining Highlights ==== On this trip, while we were trying to save some money due to my recent layoff and attempting to get back on my feet, financially speaking, we did hit our usual spots: * [[https://maps.app.goo.gl/uDMj5J2mtfZrAcyN6|Nalu's South Shore Grill]]: Great asian-inspired breakfasts and all-day meals. I got the straight-up burger with bacon. Their bacon is simply the best. My significant other got the "Ribs, Island-style" which is very much like Korean LA-style Kalbi, served with rice and mac-salad (hence the "island style"). I like almost everything they make here. Once, I ordered the chicken and waffles, and while both were great on their own, somehow the combination did not work. =) * [[https://maps.app.goo.gl/CqkP7bgrtoJ8aZHj9|Monkeypod]]: This is an upscale place with an eclectic lunch-time menue of pizza, fish tacos, sandwiches, and more. They typically have a live musician. Many say (and I agree) they have the best mai-tais on the island. Don't skip the lobster deviled-egg appetizer. * [[https://maps.app.goo.gl/Jv2oTgH4g9W6j9Ya6|Penny's]]: This is a wood-fired pizza place with solid pizzas and a great covered outdoor atmosphere. just across the street and down a half-block from the building. * [[https://maps.app.goo.gl/sLKnaWd55ciycZ3B9|Koiso Sushi Bar]]: Book at least a month in advance for this very small husband and wife sushi spot that's a 2-minute walk from the building. Reservations start at 5:00 PM HST on the first work day of the month prior to the booking date. The sushi is phenomenal. * [[https://maps.app.goo.gl/n6d1qw7MHeDGKjJB6|South Shore Tiki Lounge]]: This is one of those places we go back to over and over again for happy hour. They often have great musicians performing, the pizza is good, and the drinks are great. Their coladas are terrific; made with real coconut cream (which is different from and (IMHO) way better than cream of coconut, a syrup often used to make inferior coladas). We also, as a special treat took the kids to [[https://www.allrecipes.com/article/what-is-cream-of-coconut/|Mama's Fish House]] (which was spectacular). Very high end. We stopped on our way back from Hana and looked pretty rough but somehow scored a table without a reservation. It never hurts to try! A gem we discovered on this trip is called [[https://maps.app.goo.gl/6jBwya6wr8m4fCNC7|Okus Sushi]] across from Kalama Park. Another small husband & wife team, but we got in for lunch, no reservation needed. Not cheap with $10 2-piece ngiris, but the fish was sliced thick and long, and was super fresh. 👍👍. ==== Lastly ==== Yes, we did the Road to Hana and stayed over night at the [[https://hanainn.com|Hana Inn]], which made the whole trip a joy. We used the [[https://www.shakaguide.com/ |Shaka Guide]] and highly recommend it. Here is a photo from the Pipiwai Trail, taken with my iPhone 12: {{ :blog:2024:pipiwai_falls.jpeg?direct&400 |}} {{tag>#condo, #rental, #website, #snorkel, #dining, #nature}} ~~LINKBACK~~ ~~DISCUSSION~~