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Our soon-to-be-married travel editor takes a romantic getaway with her fiancé-and you're invited!

When I got engaged, I was so elated that I couldn’t imagine ever feeling any happier. But one week later, when my fiancé, Iván, and I went to Hawaii for six days, we had to admit that the experience was in a whole different league. We split our time between Maui and its small sister island, Lanai, taking advantage of their opportunities for hiking, sailing and surfing. And we relished the quiet times too, in a setting of such unparalleled natural beauty. Always, the writer/editor in me couldn’t help but take notes about our fantasy-island vacation to share with all of you. Here’s the diary of our adventure.

Day One

A wooden church in Lanai’s jungle interior

After landing in Maui, Iván and I hopped in a little Chrysler Crossfire convertible and zoomed past towering palms toward Wailea, the island’s upscale resort area on the southern coast. At one point, when we stopped for a light, we looked over and saw Haleakala, a hulking dormant volcano that sits in the middle of the island, shrouded in mist. One popular activity here is to take a daybreak excursion to the top. You set out from your hotel in a van in the dead of night, then you wait to watch the sun rise (in Hawaiian Haleakala actually means “house used by the sun”). Once day breaks, everyone hops on bikes and glides down the mountain.

Chilling out at the adults-only infinity pool at Wailea Marriott Resort & Spa

When we arrived at the Wailea Marriott Resort & Spa, we checked in at the open-air front desk and were told about a mandatory resort fee. (Travel tip: Many Hawaiian hotels have these $15 to $25 fees in addition to the room rate and local taxes, so budget accordingly. The rates may cover the cost of anything from housekeeping and bellmen services to beach towel rentals.) Our cozy room had a huge balcony overlooking the Pacific. We chilled out on the lanai (as the balcony is usually referred to in Hawaii), absorbing the soft ocean breeze. A little while later, we attended an intimate cocktail party by the hotel’s adults-only infinity pool, which stretches toward the horizon and seems to become one with the Pacific. We snacked on pupus (appetizers in Hawaiian) and marveled at all the stars in the sky (a rarity in New York City). The calmness and tranquillity felt magical to us, and everything got even better when we spotted a mother whale and her young calf cavorting offshore. But after our more than 11 hours of traveling, we were beat and soon headed back to our room for a serious sleep session in the supercomfy bed (marriott.com).

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