Lopakas Aloha Adventure offers guests the chance to hunt their own meat and catch their own fish. If you want to do more than just stop by the grocery store for your dinner, the guides can show you how native Hawaiians track their meals very differently than scanning the aisles of a Costco.
The Back Country of Maui
Lopakas takes you off the beaten path to the untouched wilderness of the island. Trek through fern country that even the locals rarely get to see, and learn how to track wild boars the traditional way. Exciting and wild, the team uses trained dogs who know how to find and box in the wild pig before taking it down. The team will never use modern methods on this excursion, only dogs and a knife/spear.
As you explore the Maui Mountains, you’ll find that these animals are entirely wild, never fed, watered, or penned in. The goal of the staff is always to harvest plants and animals in a way that preserves the resources that abound on this island. Only by using conservation methods can humans live in harmony with the planet.
The fine print:
- Locations can be challenging to navigate, particularly in muddy conditions. The staff has access to a variety of private land, and the regions will change based on the season and weather.
- Participants must be able to walk 4 miles, and cannot have neck, back, hip, or knee problems. The minimum age requirement is 10 years old.
- You must have a hunting license. To get this, you will need to have present proof you took a hunter safety course in your state.
- You will be given muck boots, an orange t-shirt, a headlamp, rain gear, a first aid kit, water, and lunch. You will not be diving from a boat, you will be swimming from shore.
While the dogs do much of the work, finding where the animal sleeps and then grabbing hold of it until the group catches up. The team will harvest the animal, and you’ll be allowed to take the meat home if you have a hard cooler. If you don’t want the meat, it will be donated to local families.
The Big Blue Beyond
Fishing isn’t just a source of nourishment. For Hawaiians, it represents both spiritual and physical wellness. Prayers, tales, proverbs: you’ll see fishing come up again and again, simply because it’s ingrained in the culture. Successful fishermen in the days of old weren’t just appreciated by the community, they may have been considered the region’s best asset.
When you spearfish with Lopakas, you’ll be targeting both invasive and edible species of fish. You’ll learn everything from plant identification to breathing tactics. If you choose to keep your fish, the staff at Lopakas Aloha Adventure will provide you with recipes for a tasty meal. If you’d prefer not to keep your fish, they’ll be donated to families who need them.
The fine print includes:
- You will be given a wetsuit top, mask, fins, weight belt, gloves, spear, and snorkel.
- Must be able to swim or float comfortably in the water for a few hours. The minimum age is 10 years old.
- The group meets at Olowalu to start, but the fishing locations are determined by the weather.
Maui is one of the most beautiful places in the world, largely because the people on the island respect its natural resources. The staff at Lopakas is committed to teaching all guests how they too can have a closer connection to what they eat and how they eat it. These are important lessons for kids and adults alike.