Must-Do on Maui: Piiholo Ranch Zipline

Ziplining is all the rage all over the world ... but there's no place like Maui and the slopes of Haleakala.

Last night I flipped through an Orlando tourist magazine (I’m here for a conference) and stopped, slack-jawed, at a full page ad for a zipline. In central Florida??? There are no hills here, of any kind, and the only thing to see over the swampland is the towering theme park rides and multi-storied hotels. What are they thinking?

(No offense, of course, to Floridians. I’m not saying that Central Florida doesn’t have its own charm and beauty — I’m just saying it’s remarkably flat. All the “zip” is manmade, even if the scenery is natural.)

Such is ziplining’s popularity. Ziplines have multipled across the globe, as more and more people have realized just how darn FUN it is to strap yourself to an overhead cable and ride down over a landscape. It’s the feeling of flying with the security of engineering. You get to interact with nature in a whole new way, and there’s no engine — your weight and gravity do all the work. Eco-friendly? Check.

The Florida zipline advertises “750 feet!” of adventurous ziplining, which makes me miss Maui more than I already do.

Just beginning their descent. Floating and free and fast ... Piiholo Ranch Zipline is No Ka Oi (the best).

When I go ziplining, I get THREE MILES of thrilling scenery. I get to see one of Maui’s oldest and most established working ranches. I get to see award-winning rodeo cattle, and I get to see precious Koa trees, wild boar, and countless birds. When I look up, I see panoramic views of Maui’s dormant volcano, Haleakala — but also both North and South shores of the island. I get to see other Hawaiian islands, rain clouds to the North and rainbows straight ahead. For three miles. Seriously fun — and if someone in your party is not comfortable zipping, they can walk the course, which is in its own right, breathtaking.

(The zipline I’m describing is Piiholo Ranch Zipline in Makawao — where you start your amazing tour with a 317 foot suspension bridge and it takes three hours to complete the course. It’s the longest side-by-side zipline in the state, which means James and I can exchange wide-eyed glances as we fly.)

So, I think I’ll stick to my original after-conference plan, to visit Harry Potter … and wait to zipline when I get home. If you’re coming to Maui or already there, I recommend booking your tickets now. They book up ahead of time, and they sponsored the newest edition of our dining guide, Top Maui Restaurants — so Top Maui Restaurants, or Molly Jacobson, when you book, you get a discount. You’re welcome 😉

Maui No Ka Oi (Maui’s the best!) and Piiholo Ranch Zipline No Ka Oi, Too:

Piiholo Ranch Zipline
www.piiholozipline.com
Don’t forget to mention Top Maui Restaurants for $20 off!