Things to do in Maui Hawaii
I think Maui is on everybody’s bucket list. There are so many things you can do in Maui from snorkeling in the beautiful blue water to sunrise at Haleakala to black sand beach at Road to Hana but if you had to ask me what my top things to do in Maui Hawaii that I would absolutely tell anybody to do on their first and maybe only time visiting Maui this is what would be on that list.
Getting to Maui
Before we talk about all the fun things to do in Maui Hawaii – have you booked your flights yet? If not I highly recommend checking out Kayak.com – theyre my favorite search engine for booking flights. They have the “flight alert tool” that you can use if you aren’t ready to book yet and want to wait to watch prices go down. Kayak.com is also fantastic for flexibility. If you know what month or approximately what week you want to go but have flexibility in your exact day the kayak.com tool lets you browse multiple options of returning on different days in one search without checking each one individually.
Hotels in Maui, Hawaii
If you’re looking for places to stay in Maui I highly recommend checking Booking.com – I always find all my hotels on Booking when I’m traveling. Booking.com always seems to have the most comprehensive list of whats available.
Transportation in Maui
When in Maui I always recommend having a rental car. I always check Kayak.com for the best rates – you can compare then book directly with the rental car company of your choice. I know people that have tried doing Hawaii with only public transportation & uber and they were very limited on things they could do. Kayak.com is a fantastic search engine anytime you want to book a flight or car rental but don’t. have a preference on which company you want to use. Or if you just want to compare rates.
1 | Road to Hana
From Waterfalls you can jump down to the bamboo forest and black sand beach. If you don’t have a rental car or don’t want to drive on the one way road then this is the tour I recommend to everyone. Its pricey but covers everything and you’ll have a fantastic time.
If you plan on doing any hiking to any of the amazing waterfalls (there are plenty) I definitely recommend turning on a gps tracker on your phone. If I don’t pack my Garmin GPS then I normally bring a spare portable charger so I don’t kill the battery on my phone and lose out on any photo opportunities along the way. This Anker charger lasts me a solid week on vacations and I’ve had it for over 3 years now. There are some “off trail” areas in the guide books for the RTH(I havent written a comprehensive guide myself) so keep that in mind when you go.
The Road to Hana should easily be at the top of your list of things to do in Maui. There’s so much to do on the Road to Hana, it requires its own guide. As of April 2021 there is now a reservation system for Black Sand beach so be sure you buy a timeslot for the day you want to go. Note: If you are in a rental car and require a tow your rental car agency will not help you out and the tow was quoted at $800 to us last time. You shouldn’t have any issues driving in this area but do you know that it is a one Lane road at the very last stretch of it. The locals do kind of drive a little crazy but so did some of the tourists if Im honest. I only tell you about that just to keep in mind. The last time we went our group decided that if we broke down in an area where our vehicle wasn’t covered we’d forfeit the money because it was SO worth it.
2 | See a Sunrise
Yes it’s a pain in your side to wake up at 3am while you’re on vacation in Maui to experience sunrise but it’s so worth it. How often do you get to experience sunrise above the clouds? You need a ticket for this so definitely grab one from the National Park website.
3 | Snorkeling
There are so many amazing snorkeling spots in Maui from the North Coast all the way over towards Kihei. Please make sure you purchase reef safe sunscreen to help protect the very delicate coral reefs in Hawaii. They are very expensive if you purchase on the island. You can buy this Reef Safe Sunscreen on Amazon for half that price and throw it in your bag.
My favorite snorkeling spots include:
- Ahihi Bay
- Kapalua Bay
- Honolua Bay
- Olowalu
- Black Rock
Ahihi bay is very rocky, bring water shoes but amazing and full of fish. I saw more locals then tourists here. Snorkeling at Black Rock is a bit tricky if you aren’t staying at a resort then parking is a bit tricky but you can find free parking if you look hard enough.
I suggest bringing your own gear so you can snorkel at your own leisure all over the island. If you don’t have gear then Snorkel Bobs can set you up with a rental for the week. If you’re a good swimmer you’ll have an amazing time doing all the snorkeling you want. We literally went snorkeling in maui in the very early AM 5 out of 7 days on our last trip.
I’ve seen turtles all around the island as well. You could take a boat out to Molokini but honestly I had better snorkeling everywhere around the island then anything at the Molokini crater. It seemed very desolate. So if that’s what you’re after you will not be disappointed. one thing I will tell you about snorkeling is if the water is murky do not get into it that is the number one time people get bitten by sharks because they can’t see you. sharks don’t want to eat humans so go where there’s good visibility. every day is different in Maui so you could have poor visibility on the South side but fantastic visibility on the North.
4 | Take a Boat Excursion
IF you don’t want to snorkel off the coast then I highly recommend a boat tour. I love this particular company because they do an excellent job finding as many fish and turtles for you as possible. Go in the morning for the least winds and best visibility. You might even see a dolphin on the way In or out.
5 | Luau
If you haven’t ever been to a luau Maui is one of the most fantastic places to see one . They can be kind of expensive but I think everyone should experience one at least once! This Luau in Maui is one of my top 3 favorites I’ve experienced so far. I love the entertainment and the food & drinks were great too.
6 | Eat Spam Musabi
Its everywhere – even at 7/11. You’ll find It on so many different menus and I really cant offer a specific restaurant as the place I loved it the most closed down. Regardless you really cant leave Maui without trying it once!
7 | Go to the blowhole
The blowhole in Maui is located in Nakalele which is just a short but beautiful drive from the resort area. It’s a fast hike down a hill, less then 1/3 mile then a steep climb back up but completely worth it. It’s a really cool feature and place for photos. Bonus points if you spot the heart shaped rock nearby. Note: Please whatever you do mind your kids and what area you are standing in. People die here by getting too close and get swept out to sea. If you get swept out there are zero places to climb back up at. When you’re done I highly recommend driving down the road to see if Mama Leis Homemade Goodness is open and buying some of the amazing banana bread. Don’t keep going though, turn around and go back the way you came. There is nothing but locals driving from their homes on a one way road and a stressful trip around a bunch of houses back to where you came from.
8 | Watch a Sunset
We actually love staying in Kihei at a VRBO with a lanai facing the ocean to enjoy Sunset from it or the roof top. Its one of our favorite activities because Sunset is different every single time . We normally catch sunset then head out to dinner for the evening which leads me to my next point the food in Maui is expensive but so delicious.
9 | Eat!
There are some amazing local restaurants in Maui, Hawaii. Everyone loves Mamas fish house in Maui but we haven’t been because of the very expensive price point. These are our favorite places we really enjoyed include:
- Tin Roof – Yummy Poke!
- Coconuts Fish Café – Delish Lunch Fish Tacos
- Star Noodle – When you’ve had enough fish and spam go here for the pork buns!
- Sansei Sushi – my FAVORITE Calamari I’ve ever eaten in my entire life
10 | Take a Helicopter Tour
If You have never taken a ride on a helicopter and want to do that Maui is the place to do it. It’s indescribable how beautiful the island is when you’re there but when you go up in the air and you see it from Birds Eye view on a helicopter ride over Maui you have an even more amazing appreciation for the island.
11 | Go Whale Watching
Whale Season is one of my favorite times of the year in Maui. If you visit during prime whale watching season from December to March you’ll find lots of opportunities to see the whales. There are look out spots all down the coast. If seeing the whales is a priority you should definitely book a whale watching tour.
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