Maui is a fantastic island to visit. It avoids some of the crowds and urbanization of Oahu. It’s got beautiful beaches; incredible swimming, diving, and surfing; and the remarkable natural beauty of Haleakalā.
Maui is popular and has some big resorts and great beaches. But do yourself a favor and explore beyond the resort and beach – there are some amazing things to see
See the critical information in our Maui at a glance
Itineraries
Eat & Drink
Old Lahaina Luau
If you want to experience a luau, Lahaina is the place with it’s Old Lahaina Luau. While many luaus are disgustingly touristy (think big resort luau), this one tends is more authentic and shares more of Hawaii’s history and culture (you’ll need reservations).
Merriman’s Kapalua
Gorgeous oceanfront farm to table dining easy walking distance from Napili bay with fantastic food.
Pacific’O
Lovely farm to table restaurant in Lahaina right on the water.
Mama’s Fish House
Delicious Hawaiian restaurant offering lots of yummy seafood and great ocean views.
Maui Brewing Company
A neat spot with a relaxed vibe offering local brews.
Kimo’s Lahaina
Waterfront Restaurant in Lahaina and a good place for lunch – try the poke appetizer and kula pie dessert especially.
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Halfway to Hana
Roadside stand which is actually more like 2/3 of the way to Hana. Awesome banana bread, shaved ice, and pineapple smoothies.
Monkeypod
Located close to downtown Wailea, Monkeypod, located next to one of the trees it’s named after, is a fun restaurant located a short drive from the beach, offering local Hawaiian dishes, fresh fish, wood-fired pizzas, and island-inspired cocktails served in some extra fun glasses.
The Preserve Kitchen and Bar
There are VERY limited dining options in Hana and this is probably your best bet unless you want to dine at a food trucks or a chain.
See
Napili Bay Beach
A fantastic beach in west Maui – sandy and with safe swimming. It’s walking distance from Napili lodging. Good snorkeling at offshore and left side of reef.
Kīpahulu District
A beautiful portion of Haleakalā National Park on Maui’s southeast coast that has spectacular pools, beaches, and waterfalls, as well as a great hike up the valley.
Upper Waikani Falls (3 Bears)
Gorgeous waterfall on the way to Hana – probably the most impressive as three falls cascade into a fern filled basin. You can walk to the falls and swim below them but the “trail” is slippery and is basically muddy rock scrambling. Don’t try it in flip flops. It leaves just on the far side […]
Big and Little Beach
These are great beaches in Makena state park in south Maui. Big Beach is, well big, but also beautiful. It offers good body surfing at times but the waves can get too big to make it safe. Little beach is a short walk over trails though lava on the right end of big beach and […]
Honolua Bay
A beautiful bay with great snorkeling. Park near preserve signs and take the short walk through jungle to reach snorkeling. The right side of the bay is sandy but the water is cloudy from the stream.
Honokeana Cove
This is the cove right adjacent to the Napili point condominiums. It offers amazing snorkeling. Be careful getting in (you need to get in via lava rocks) and don’t go in if it is rough. The upside: lots of turtles live here!
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Waiʻānapanapa State Park
A required stop on the road to Hana. Visit to see the beautiful black sand beach and stunning sea arch.
Black Rock Beach / Kaanapali beach
A great beach with great snorkeling on the right side near the lava rock. There are many, many people here, mostly served by giant resorts. There is pay public parking at the Sheraton (this is the side of the beach you want). Whalers village mall is right adjacent to the middle of the beach and […]
Kapalua Beach
Lovely beach within walking distance (along the shore path just past Napili Kai condos / Merriman’s) of Napili condos. This is usually calm and has great snorkeling as well. Not better than Napili bay, but a lovely different option.
Surfing Goat Dairy
A beautiful dairy farm located on the scenic slopes of Haleakalā. Take a tour, meet the goats, and sample some delicious cheeses.
Ke’anea Peninsula
Stop here on your way to Hana for incredible views and sheer Hawaiian beauty.
Hasegawa General Store
Worth a quick stop in Hana for the eclectic selection and arrangement of hardware next to fishing equipment and breakfast cereal. Oh and yes, you can of course gets snacks and drinks. Check out the best machete options on the wall above the register.
Haleakalā Crater
Get up very early to drive to the top of Haleakalā and see the sunrise and take in the gorgeous views, drive up a little later in the day for just the views, or come at night for stargazing.
Hāmoa Beach
A beautiful beach beyond Hana with good body surfing when conditions aren’t too rough.
Pua’aKa’a Falls
This is a small state park/wayside with picnic tables and bathrooms and offers you the easiest access to swim in the pond below waterfalls.
Hana Town
A small town at the end of the aptly named road to Hana. You don’t need to spend much time here, but it’s a nice spot to get lunch if you’re hungry after the long drive.
Saint Gabriel’s Mission Coral Miracle Church
In 1860 the residents of Hula wanted to build a church out of lava rock and intended to use coral as a bonding agent. But they were stymied by the fact that harvesting coral from the ocean took a huge amount of time and effort. As they prepared to begin building, a massive storm washed […]
Do
Snorkeling on Maui
Half of the Hawaii you need to see is under the water. If you don’t get to see it you are missing out. There’s a lot of great options for where to go – some of our favorites are listed here.
Whale watch by sailboat
If you love sailing this is a great way to get out on the water. Most of the other whale watch trips are by power boat, which is fine for seeing whales but there’s something really relaxing about sailing and this boat spends their time under wind power.
PacWhale Eco Adventures
Enjoy a morning of snorkeling with dolphins or whale watching with this company that offers trips that leave from Lahaina.
Hana Highway
In our opinion the Road to Hana is a must see. it is undeniably gorgeous. Waterfalls, jungle greenery, spectacular ocean vistas, and a view of “old Hawaii” await you. If you are not comfortable with driving winding roads, a variety of tour operators make the trip – a quick google search will give you a ton of options.
Lanaʻi Snorkel & Dolphin Watch
Spend a fantastic morning watching dolphins frolic and snorkel off the coast of the mostly uninhabited island of Lanaʻi.
Molokini snorkel
Molokini is a small island visible from wets Maui. It has incredibly clear waters and thus is a destination for MANY snorkel trips. There are dozens of boats that can take you out there and we can’t really recommend one over the others, but grab the latest copy of Maui Revealed and make a selection.
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Kapalua Zipline
There are quite a few zippiness which have sprung up on Maui. We did this one and had a blast. It has the advantage of (besides being fun, beautiful, and the largest on the Island) being 5 minutes from your Napili bay condo.
Haleakalā Stargazing
Visit Haleakalā at night to avoid some of the crowds and check out the cosmos through the mountain’s famously clear air. Be sure to dress very warmly.
Lahaina
Lahaina is Hawaii’s historic former capital and was the hub of whaling and missionary activity. It’s a great town to wander around on foot with real charm.
‘Īao Needle State Monument
Take an easy half-mile (paved) hike to a scenic viewpoint of Kuka‘emoku (ʻIao Needle), a formation that rises 1200 feet from the valley floor.
Stay
Makena Surf
This is an ideally situated condominium in Wailea. There’s a beach and snorkeling right outside the door. (Not inexpensive but nothing is in Wailea)
Marriott Wailea Beach Resort
Fantastic location right on the beach with infinity pool overlooking the ocean. Not cheap but nothing in this area is. Be sure and check out the great coastal path and nearby snorkeling
Napili Point Condos
This is a lovely condominium on a point very near Napili Bay beach and right on one of the best snorkeling bays on Maui. It is one of the few lodgings in the area that has multiple room condos (Note you can also search VRBO for condos in same complex).
Napili Shores
Condos directly adjacent to Napili Beach with very lovely grounds.
Napili Surf
Lodging right on Napili Bay. It’s pricier than some of our other listed options but is in an awesome location.
Hana Lodging
We can’t comment on any of these, as we’ve not stayed here. But we will the next time we drive the Hana Highway.