March 11th, 2008
The best things to do on Maui
Maui, the "Magic Isle," has been voted the "Best Pacific Island" by readers of the Conde Nast Traveler magazine for 16 years in a row, and it’s easy to see why. Maui has something for everyone - whether you’re looking to sip Mai Tais on a beautiful white sand beach, hike into a dormant volcano, snorkel with green sea turtles, or putt on one of the island’s championship golf courses, Maui has it all.
Below are my top ten personal favorite ways to spend time on the island.
- Attend a traditional Hawaiian luau
- Go snorkeling with the turtles
- Spend a day or evening in Old Lahaina Town
Maui has a lot of great tropical little towns. A visit to Old Lahaina Town is a must. This old whaling town is a great place to spend a couple hours checking out the shops, restaurants, galleries, and there are a lot of places here to book discounted activities as well. Lahaina is a short 5-minute drive from the Kaanapali Resort Area, and several of the hotels also offer complimentary shuttle service.
- See the sunrise or sunset at Haleakala Crater
A visit to Maui wouldn’t be complete without visiting Haleakala Crater, the world’s largest resting volcano. If you can get up early enough, sunrise is absolutely spectacular - you really feel like you’re on the moon! If not sunrise, sunset is amazing as well. To see Haleakala, you can either drive up to the top on your own or go as part of a tour. Haleakala is cold at the top (after all, the crater rises to over 10,000 ft!), so be sure to bring a sweatshirt of jacket with you, and if you’re driving, plan on spending at least two hours in the Park to drive up to the Summit and back to the entrance, and longer if you plan on hiking or attending any of the natural/cultural history programs. If you’re interested in hiking or walking throughout the park, there are 27 miles of trails that range from 1/4 mile to over 11 miles. There is a $10 per vehicle charge to enter the park, which is valid for seven days. Daily tours also go to Haleakala daily that will pick you up right at your hotel. If you really want an adventure, you can bike down the western slopes of the crater on the Haleakala Super Sunrise Safari Bike Tour, enjoying stunning view as you passing through eucalpytus forests and the upcountry community of Kula with its beautiful lavender farms and Jacaranda tree lined roadways. The tour operates daily with a hotel pick-up time of 2-2:30 am, and returns at approximately 11:30 am and includes a coach tour of Haleakala National Park, a tour of the House of the Sun Visitor Center at the crater’s rim and a rest stop at Sunrise Market and Flower Farm. Prices are $185/person.
- Drive the Road to Hana
The famous Road to Hana is one of the most scenic and breathtaking drives in the world. However, I wouldn’t recommend taking children on this trip and if you have any chance of getting carsick - it’s not worth it. The road is probably the curviest road in the world! If you do the drive to Hana and back, you’ll want to plan a whole day for it because the trip, with all the stops and curves takes about three hours each way, plus the time you actually spend in the small, sleepy town of Hana. You’ll want to stop in a small town right at the beginning of the Hana Highway on the north shore called Paia. You can’t miss it. In Paia, there are several cute little funky places to pick up picnic lunches or stock up at the natural foods store, and they have several brochures available all over the town which will map out the Road to Hana and list various places to stop and sites to see on the way.
- Relax on a sunset dinner or cocktail cruise
A cruise off the West Coast of Maui is a breathtaking experience - with lush mountains and craters to one side and the islands of Molokai and Lana’i to the other. During Whale Season from December to April, you’ll also be able to spot plenty of humpback whales playing in the water around you. The Teralani offers sunset cocktail and dinner cruises onboard a deluxe catamaran that conveniently departs right from Kaanapali Beach. The 2.5 hour sunset dinner cruise is $84/person and includes an Italian buffet as well as assorted desserts, soft drinks & tropical juices, champagne, wine, premium beers, and cocktails.
- Educate yourself on Hawaii’s marine life at the Maui Ocean Center
Open daily from 9 - 5 pm in Maalaea Harbor Village, the Maui Ocean Center is three acres of marine park and the largest tropical reef aquarium in the western hemisphere, dedicated to the understanding, wonder, and preservation of Hawaii’s marine plants and animals. Here you’ll find exhibits on thousands of fish, sharks, turltes, stingrays, and other marine animals that are only found in the waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. There are also presentations by marine naturalists and biologists, as well as two restaurants and a gift shop. Admission is $24 for adults and $17 for children 3 -12 and may be purchased in advance or at the door.
- See the island by helicopter
Helicopter tours offer a unique perspective on Maui’s diverse and beautiful terrain. Tours start as low as $180/person and go up to almost $800/person, depending on the duration of the flight and your seating. Tours like the "Circle Island Explorer" (starting at $279/person) allow you to explore all of the Valley Isle, including the West Maui Mountains with Honokohau Waterfall, Haleakala Crater, Kaupo and Ko’olau Gaps, the taro field of Ke’anae, fabulous coastline waterfalls, the world famous Ho’okipa windsurfing beach, and the Hana Rain Forest (the largest tropical rain forest in the US) which extends for over 180 square miles along Maui’s northern coast.
- Hike through the rainforest to a waterfall
Maui is filled with rainforests and waterfalls, and if you’re an "outdoorsy" person (like myself), you’ll have a fantastic time exploring the contrasting terrain. Maui Eco Adventures offers guided tours for all fitness levels. The "Waterfall Experience" includes a light 1-mile hike through the West Maui tropical forest with a chance to swim in two different waterfalls, along with a driven sight-seeing tour of the west side - Honolua Bay, Nakalele Blowhole, and Kahakuloa Village. The tour is $75/person and includes transportation from your hotel, continental breakfast, the tour and hike, snacks, and bottled water. The "West Maui Rainforest/Waterfall Hike" is a more moderate 5-mile hike through the rainforest, complete with taro fields and waterfalls, and includes complimentary breakfast of fresh fruit, muffins, and hot coffee, as well as a deli-style lunch. $112/person.
- Enjoy life at one of Maui’s many beautiful beaches
Need I say more? Maui has more miles of gorgeous and swimmable beaches than any other island in Hawaii, and you’ll sure to find several spots where you can relax, play, or just enjoy being alive.
I hope that helps a little! This list, however, doesn’t even come close to skimming the surface of what’s available on Maui.
If you have any questions about any other activities that you’re interested in, or if you’d like to book anything listed above, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’d love to chat with you about this wonderful island!
Abby Lapointe
Hawaii Aloha Travel
1-800-843-8771 ext. 23
abby@hawaii-aloha.com