It comes up often that Mary and I discuss how to travel more mindful. We were both kids raised in the city, or at least, not too far off from modern civilization. Our main streams of income come from online, meaning, we are always connected and longing to get back into the world of wanderlust, and to us, that means a real, raw experience of every place we visit, gathering everything in with all our senses. For our visit to Maui, we planned such an occasion to bring us back to that mindfulness:

CAMP OLOWALU

Camp Olowalu is a small community on the West Side of Maui, near Lahaina. It is an “upscale” camping experience ei: glamping. No internet, 0 to 1 bar phone connection, outdoor showers and community bathrooms, Camp Olowalu offered a taste of what we are looking for: an end goal of complete disconnection and just “us” time.

The little booth to check-in and check-out of your Tentalow, beach front cabin or camping site, or parking lot for RV and cars. HERE is more info, directly from Camp Olowalu’s website:

OFFICE HOURS
Office hours are from 7am-11am and 1pm-5pm

CHECK-IN
Check-in starts at 2pm. Upon arrival, park in the short-term parking stalls near the manager’s house and proceed to the check-in window.

LATE ARRIVAL WITH RESERVATION
If you arrive at Camp Olowalu after office hours, stop by the check-in window to see which site you have been assigned.

ARRIVAL WITHOUT RESERVATION
If you arrive at Camp Olowalu without a reservation, you are required to check-in at the window prior to entering the campground. During business hours they will assist you with the check-in process; after hours, you are required to follow the self-check-in posted on the bulletin board at the check-in window.

DJI_0393 — The Mountain view Tentalows and available parking.

TENTALOWS

The Tentalows gives you a sense of wilderness living while also being modern, riddled with solar panel chargers for your phone. Don’t worry too much about charging your phone for usage of the internet though; the area has little to no cell coverage – perfect excuse to be outdoors!

All Tentalows include a shower and sink connected to the living area. Two small mattresses, bins full of extra pillows, blankets, and towels! Chairs to relax and watch your kids play in a grassy knoll.

467A4108 — Back of the Tentalow – the open-air showers.

467A4129 — Every Tentalow has an available picnic table to eat your barbecue, cooked at one of the free barbecue stands in the area.

When we first walked in, nothing was set up but spotless. We emptied out two containers that provide all the linen we needed. If you aren’t prepared to “camp” like we were, then worry not about buying blankets, towels or sheets. If two beds aren’t enough, up to two cots are available for rent per tentalow.

Being that it was too small for us, we put the bed together to make it a king size bed. We slept comfortably and woke up to the sun, naturally. .

467A4122 — Sink and mirror toward the back of the Tentalow.

467A4126 — Open-air (no-roof) shower toward the back of the Tentalow.

The shower and sink are connected to the sleeping area. However, the sleeping area is separated by a military grade tent and zipper, giving privacy to the people inside and vice versa. Also, the zipper is lined with a mosquito net to keep out any other pesky critters.

AMENITIES

467A4371 — Public toilets are located about 5 meters/ 16 feet from the nearest Tentalow.

The toilets can be used by everyone (car/rv users as well).

467A4578 — If you aren’t staying in a Tentalow, communal hot/cold showers are available for campers.

Fire pits are also available for anyone.

OUTDOOR + EXPERIENCE

We had the opportunity to meet a lovely local couple that brought their doggies! Apart from being kid friendly, Camp Olowalu is also pet friendly. As soon as we checked in, we explored the area, took some photos, played some games and bonded as a family without any electronics (except our camera).

Camp Olowalu, on the west side of Maui, is a tucked away retreat that provides an affordable stay for all! After staying at a luxury hotel with high speed wi-fi access, amenities galore, and over populated pools, Camp Olowalu was a sight for sore eyes. We wanted to try something different and although there were great Air Bnbs that could have fit our likes perfectly we opted to expand our comfort zone: Landon made new friends, found a nerf ball that provided endless entertainment and enjoyed a camp fire where smores were cooked thanks to friendly neighbors. Maui locals, families, couples, and newly weds were the walks of life to be seen here. No matter how long people stayed, it felt as if you were immediately apart of an existing community without the pressure of trying to be accepted. A very friendly atmosphere that brings out the best in humanity.

A post shared by Wanderlustyle ✈️???? Travel Blog (@wanderlustyleblog) on Jun 1, 2017 at 3:38pm PDT

At night, we gathered around the fire pit to fry up some s’mores and star gazed. I enjoyed taking a shower in our Tentalow but being able to look up and see the stars on a clear night was brought it home to how something like Camp Olowalu brings together two worlds – modern conveniences through solar powered electronics, warm water, with a genuine respect for nature. It was ‘glamping’ at its finest. This unique experience helped us grow closer as a family. It’s hard to disconnect in this day and age, but Olowalu helped us get back to our inner wander.

For more information on Camp Olowalu, visit here.
Camp Olowalu on Facebook and Instagram.

Camp Olowalu
800 Olowalu Village Rd.
Lahaina, HI 96761
Phone: (808) 661-4303