What To Do in Maui, Hawaii | Travel Edit

A while back, I shared a post on What to do in Oahu. If you’re going to Hawaii, chances are you’re going to more than one island. Maui is an incredible option just a short flight away! So if you’re wondering what to do in Maui, look no further!

Clique aqui para ler este post em Português.

When to go

Just as with Oahu, Maui has beautiful weather year-round. My general rule for booking trips is to avoid the tourist season (May-August), and this rule applies well here! We went at the beginning of September, and it was perfect timing: tourist season was over, the weather was perfect, and we avoided the rainy season that begins in October.

April is also a good time to go, as it’s after the rainy season but before the tourist season.

How to Get There

For most people, flights to Hawaii land in Honolulu, which is in Oahu. One of the incentives, for me, was that Hawaiian Airlines started a direct flight between Austin, TX (where I live) and Honolulu. From there, it’s so easy to island-hop. Hawaiian Airlines has direct (and super short) flights to Maui and other islands. Flights from Oahu to Maui are ~40 min.

Other than Hawaiian, several other airlines offer flights to Oahu, such as United, Air Canada, Delta, and American.

A quick reminder to tourists coming from abroad: Hawaii is an American state, so in order to visit you will need a US tourist (B2) visa.

What to do in Maui

Don’t overplan

This is a list of what to do, yes, but I’m kicking it off with one thing not to do.

While there are so many fantastic things to do in Maui, the best thing to do will always be relaxing on a beach so beautiful you question how it can be real. Plan for a few big things, sure, but leave ample time to just enjoy whichever beach is closest to you.

Snorkel

By far one of the most incredible experiences in Maui! There are lots of options for snorkeling, though we heard from friends and locals that West Maui was the best spot. We did a half-day snorkel Ka’anapali Beach for ~$150/person, which included the boat ride there and back, snorkeling equipment, box lunch, and drinks. The boat ride itself was beautiful and fun, and the snorkeling experience was so peaceful. It’s incredible to see sea turtles and fish up close, and it was a highlight of our trip.

For us, it was absolutely worth the price and would do it again in a heartbeat. We also bought the photography package afterward (~$100). It was definitely pricey, but the photos turned out so great that it was also worth it in my opinion.

Our tour was booked through Viator but other options are available on Expedia, AirBnB experiences, Trip Advisor, etc.

Hike

What to do in Maui? Enjoy the scenic views by going on hikes. Maui has everything from winding boardwalks to more challenging volcano hikes like Haleakalā National Park. We had already planned to hike Diamond Head in Oahu, so we took a more relaxing approach in Maui. We stayed in Ka’anapali, on the far West coast of the island, which has a ~4.5 mile trail that’s perfect for people with strollers or mobility issues. There are spots in which you can veer off the trail and hike the rocks to get stunning views of the beach, so you can choose your own adventure.

Road to Hana

If you do one thing in Maui, make it this. Hana Highway is a ~65-mile-long stretch that connects Kahului to the town of Hana in east Maui, with breathtaking spots along the way. You’ll need a car for this, of course, and I highly recommend something on the smaller side. Several parts of the road are one-lane only and require either you or the driver on the other direction to pull up very close to the edge. Also, there are no gas stations along the way, so make sure to fill up before you go. Or better yet, rent an electric car.

The full Road to Hana itinerary is a full-day activity and requires you to be on the road early. We decided we wanted to take it easy (it’s a vacation, after all) so we did about 30% of the route. This allowed us to sleep in a bit and have beach time back on West Maui. It was more than enough for us!

The drive itself is stunning, and a large part of what makes this trip so great. Go for the drive, not just the stops! We used this interactive Google map with the markers for different stops. Tip: there will likely be no internet or cell service along the way. Make sure to cache the map on at least 2 people’s phones.

Please keep in mind that some of the most famous stops on the route (like Kaihalulu Beach) are on private property and require trespassing in order to access. We opted to not do any of those, but do your research and decide for yourself.

Twin Falls

This is one of the first stops along the route, but I highly recommend saving it for last. These gorgeous falls are the perfect way to cool off and relax at the end of a day on the road. The parking lot isn’t too big, but we found that coming towards the late afternoon meant it wasn’t as full.

Rainbow Forest

Around Mile 7, you’ll see these beautifully colored trees that will make you feel like you’re in the movie “Avatar.” There’s no parking lot around it but you can find some space on the shoulder along the road. These trees are native to the Philippines and their different colors come from the bark peeling at different rates. Really interesting quick stop.

Garden of Eden

A plant lover’s paradise! There is a fee to enter, but the Garden of Eden has two great things going for it: 1: the variety of tropical plants, and 2: the view of the forest and the ocean from the top. We stopped and spent a good 2 hours here, walking through the different paths, enjoying the view from the top, and eating delicious thai food at one of the food trucks at the bottom.

Look out for rainbows

Hawaii isn’t known as the “Rainbow State” for nothing—we saw rainbows every single day we were in Maui. It’s definitely worth watching out for them and pulling over to enjoy the view.

Food

One word of advice: if there are any restaurants you absolutely want to go to, book reservations well in advance of your trip. Some of the most highly rated restaurants were completely booked for the next few weeks, some (like Star Noodle) even for the next few months.

That being said, the quality of the food in Maui is super fresh and there are plenty of less-hyped options that are super worth your time. If you love sushi, Miso Phat is an unbelievable treat. Don’t be fooled by the unpretentious exterior—this place is amazing. Their tasting menu is about 10 courses for ~$140 (which easily serves three, maybe four) is fantastic, with everything from fresh tuna to fried yellowtail cheek. If we had a Miso Phat here in Austin, we would go there often.

For a beautiful view in a more central location, head to Café O’Lei at the Mill House (I’m a sucker for a good pun). Their happy hour is full of delicious cocktails and delicious small plates (the Ahi nachos were incredible).

Lastly, one thing you should absolutely not skip in Maui that requires no reservations or planning ahead is eating lots of fruit. The tropical fruits there are some of the best I’ve ever had (and this is coming from someone born and raised in Brazil, where fruits are also amazing). Papaya, mangoes, pineapples, they’re all so delicious.

What to do in Maui

Have you been to Maui? What else do you love or recommend? If you haven’t, I hope you found this list helpful in planning your trip.

Stay curious,

Nati