maui.
Maui is an absolute dream. Everyone always talks about how wonderful and picturesque Hawaii is and I used to get annoyed. I thought people were crazy and just wanting to brag about visiting such a far away place. After spending ten exciting days in Maui, I finally understand what the hype is all about. And trust me, it’s all true.
Hawaii is not easy to get too, of course, depending on where you live. It took us a full day to travel from Indiana to Maui. We visited the last week of March and the weather was perfect. I really don’t think you can go wrong with Hawaii weather but it wasn’t too hot, but just hot enough. It does rain almost every day in Maui but what is nice is that you can escape the rain. The weather patterns in Hawaii are wild, you can be on one side of the island and the weather is 80 and sunny but there is a thunderstorm on the other side. As long as you are willing to drive and be patient, the rain won’t ruin your day, I promise!
When I used to think about Hawaii, all I thought of were pina coladas, pineapples, and laying on the beach. Though all of these things are wonderful, Hawaii has SO much more. This was one of the first trips where I fell in love with hiking. I’m talking pre-hiking boot days, Logan literally hiked in Vans. Yes, Vans. We weren’t experienced hikers, and took pictures with our outdated iPhone’s, but we fell in love with the sport.
You absolutely need to rent a car when in Maui, I recommend renting at least a SUV. Some of the roads are dirt roads with large potholes and there can be a lot of traffic. When going places, make sure to allow for extra driving time due to traffic and sudden changes in weather.
The food in Maui is absolutely out of this world. Everything is so fresh, there are fruit markets on every corner. We stopped at a new smoothie or fruit market every day. Take advantage and enjoy the goodness! Food is very expensive in Maui, when experiencing a new place, food is so much fun. I would budget high for food so you can allow yourself to enjoy it rather than feel like you are eating a hundred dollar bill at every meal. We went to the grocery store for snacks and breakfast items but even the grocery store was expensive. Take advantage of happy hours and eat breakfast at home and you will be just fine!
Activities:
You absolutely have to attend a luau while in Maui! We had so much fun doing this. It was a great visual into the Hawaiian culture. We got to eat, dance, and honor the culture. The food was truly some of the best I’ve ever had. You really get your money’s worth at a luau; we had unlimited food and drink as well as a show. This is definitely a must do! We went to the Te Au Moana at the Wailea Beach Resort.
If you are looking for a day out of the sun, the Shops at Wailea are beautiful to walk around and window shop. There are elegant jewelry stores, cafes, and many beach gear shops.
Pretend to be a local for an afternoon and rent a surf board! We all rented boards from the Surf Shack at Kihei beach. This beach has smaller waves and is much easier to learn. We didn’t pay for lessons and just went out and tried on our own. Since this beach is right across from the rental facility, there were several other surfers. If you already know how to surf, this may not be the place for you to go.
We own our own snorkel equipment but if you don’t have it, you should rent some for the whole time you are in Maui. Everywhere you go, there is going to be a place to snorkel. One of our favorite beaches was Turtle Beach. We were able to rent paddle boards from a local on the beach and paddled out with the snorkel equipment. There were literally SO many turtles in the water you would have to swim in between them and sometimes, the turtles would bump into you! Not only did Turtle Beach have dozens of turtles, but the coral reefs were so incredible. We even saw a whale from this beach!
Makena Beach, also known as Big Beach has THE biggest waves I have ever seen. The waves were so fun to swim in but also, pretty dangerous. This beach was full of many locals and not touristy. If you like swimming in the waves, this beach is a must visit. If you walk about a mile north on Big Beach, you will run into some rocks to climb over. Once you climb these rocks and walk through the sea grass, you will be at Little Beach. This is certainly a site to be seen. Little Beach is a locals nude beach where many people congregate to take part in local Hawaiian tribal dances. We walked down the beach not knowing what we would find. I wouldn’t spend much time here but it was certainly interesting to experience.
Along the Kaanapali coast, near Lahaina and the large resorts is the Black Rock at Kaanapali Beach. This rock is perfect for cliff diving! It gets very crowded since you are now in the touristy area of the island, but cliff diving into the crystal clear water was unforgettable. There is also a parking garage near this beach.
The Road to Hana:
The road to Hana is my favorite memory in Maui (other than getting engaged, of course!). The Hana Highway is technically in Haleakalā National Park, though the drive and hikes are free. Before the rest of the family got there, Logan and I decided to venture out to see what Hana was all about. Now, as a preface, we had been warned that many couples do not make it to Hana. The drive is dangerous, long, and can be stressful and confusing at times. Hawaiian legend says that if a couple can make it to Hana and back, they can make it through anything. We were determined to try!
We started the drive after getting coffee and acai bowls in Paia. Thankfully we started early in the morning as the full drive ended up taking almost ten hours. Don’t let that scare you, the whole time isn’t spent in the car, we got out of the car and explored quite a bit! I recommend leaving for the drive from Paia as this is the true beginning of the drive. You will hop on the Hana Highway and simply stay on this road the entire time. We were told you would see waterfalls from the road and for the first fifteen minutes, the drive is pretty much down a highway. We thought this seemed weird and not what the drive was made out to be so we stopped at a local shop and asked if we were going the right way. The shop owner said just be patient and keep driving so we did as we were told! About another ten minutes down the road, the entire terrain changed. The road got a bit more narrow and bumpy, the trees got taller and closer to us and all of a sudden we were in a tropical rainforest. The drive took us by dozens and dozens of waterfalls. Some of which we stopped and got out and explored, others, we simply drove slowly past. Along the highway, there are some parking lots but most visitors park along the side of the road. The beauty of this drive is that you can go at your own speed. If you just want to drive, go for it! Even by driving, you will see so much from your car. Or, for the more adventurous type, there are some great trails that start on the road to Hana.
The first half of the drive, the weather was very misty; rainforest like. Make sure to bring a rain jacket! Along the highway, you will see several local fruit stands, many of which operate on the honor system so make sure to have cash! For most of the drive, you will not have wifi, make sure to download music and have your maps app ready before losing wifi.
After a few hours, we made it to Hana! This small town is known for their local banana bread, so make sure to get some while in Hana. I had imagined Hana to be a little tourist town with shops and restaurants but it’s far from this. There are a few outdoor, shack type restaurants, homes, a school, and a church but that’s about it.
After looking at our map, we noticed that the road to Hana kept going past Hana. Everyone we had spoken to previously about the drive, stated that they made it to Hana and then turned around. Why turn around when you can drive a full loop?! We kept going. After driving through Hana, the road quickly got much more rough, some parts of the drive were not even paved. The drive takes you up and down beachside cliffs, through a rainforest, and then opens up to a beautiful landscape that I was not expecting! The mountainside was so green and the trees calmly blew in the sea breeze. The clouds laid so low, we could almost touch them. The road past Hana, was our favorite part and I’m so glad we kept driving.
Now, we really didn’t do much research before driving the loop, and by this time, you can imagine, we were starving! Be sure to pack plenty of water and snacks for your adventure! Like an oasis in the desert, we turned a corner and found Ulapalakua Ranch Store and across the street from it, Maui Wine. Both of these places are great stops! I’ll explain more in the dining section below.
After having lunch and wine, the drive slowly became a bit more civilized and eventually, we came down the hill back to where we started, near Paia.
This drive is long. But it is worth every minute on the road. You truly get to experience what feels like rural Hawaii. Throughout our time in Maui, we did several hikes that started from somewhere along the Hana Highway. That being said, we drove parts of the highway a few times. There is only one way in and one way out so you have to drive either the loop or back track, even if you want to just do a hike. We spent a lot of time driving while in Maui, but that’s the only way you will be able to experience some of the most beautiful parts. The good news is, even while you are driving, the views are spectacular. Below are my favorite stops along the Hana Highway. I organized them in order of proximity to Hana, leaving from Paia. Parking was generally simple, either park in the parking lot if there is one, or, park along the side of the road. Here are my favs:
Bamboo Forest Trail (6.5 miles RT)- this is one of my all time favorite hikes. This hike can be difficult to find and park at so make sure to get up early and start your drive to Hana. This trail is not marked but starts at mile marker 6.5 - pay attention to the mile markers once you pass Jaws beach, the mile markers do not always go in sequential order, this hike is about 30 minutes from Paia). The trail has four waterfalls, we made it to three of them. At the mile marker, you will see an opening in the forest and a small trail. Follow the trail until you have to cross a river via large boulders. Next, the trail will come to a “T.” Veer left and after a few minutes, you will see the first waterfall! After the first waterfall, you will hop back on the trail and continue onto the second. This waterfall was a perfect place to stop for a swim! Now most hikers stop after the first two waterfalls as the third and fourth can be difficult to access. After the second waterfall, you will see a trail to the left of the falls with a ladder and rope to use to climb up a cliff. This section is very steep and slippery, take your time, I promise, the third fall is so worth it! Once you get to the top of the waterfall, you will walk among large boulders until you reach a river where the trail head ends. At first we were very confused but a nearby hiker explained to us that the third waterfall was down the river. We hid our bags in a nearby bush, and hopped in the river! We swam a short distance down a long, narrow river until we came to a small waterfall with rocks. Here, we had to get out of the water and climb up. Once we were over this mini fall, there was a short trail to the third waterfall. The third fall was the largest of all and was perfect for cliff diving! We were told the fourth waterfall was extremely dangerous to get to so we turned around and went back down the river and hiked back to our car. This hike felt like Indiana Jones! Swinging on a rope, climbing a ladder, and swimming down a river? Yes please! This was one of my favorite memories of the whole trip!
Honomanu Bay - a small, secluded beach surrounded by coves and mountains, we had the whole place to ourselves.
Waiʻānapanapa State Park - shortly before reaching Hana, you will see signs for the black sand beach. This is an absolute must stop, I had never seen anything like it. The sand was rough and black, the water was as warm as a bath tub, and the lava rocks were a blast to climb on and explore.
Pipiwai Trail (3.5 miles RT) - after driving past Hana (for this hike, I would recommend starting the back way to Hana, rather than driving through Hana), you will see signs for both the Pipiwai and the Seven Sacred Pools. The pools are the very start of the Pipiwai. The pools are a seven layer waterfall, each creating their own pool, flowing into the next, and then ultimately flowing into the ocean. After passing the pools, you will start on a wooden boardwalk surrounded by bamboo. At the end of the trail is the 400’ waterfall, Waimoku Falls.
West Maui Drive:
After conquering the Road to Hana, we started researching other drives in Maua. The West Maui loop came up as one of the most dangerous drives in Hawaii. Of course this sparked our interest so we took off! We started the drive from our AirBnB on the north side of the island. The west side of the island is much more rainy than the rest of the island. We drove through rain and extreme wind but this made the drive all the more exciting. As long as you have an SUV and don’t mind spending time in the car, I cannot recommend this drive enough. The drive took about four hours to complete and of course, we stopped dozens of times along the way to get out and explore. Since we started on the north side, we did the drive counter clockwise. The first part of the drive is very rural with lush rainforest. The drive reminded us of what Hawaii must have been like before settlers. The drive will take you past many local homes and even some fruit stands. We stumbled upon the Nakalele Blowhole. This point felt like a different planet. We walked through dark lava rock with waves crashing beneath us. We had most of the area to ourselves. This is definitely worth the drive! To get to the blowhole faster, you could drive the loop clockwise.
Just past Nakalele is Honokohau Bay. This is a local spot to stop and snorkel! You will see several cars parked along the road. Park and walk down the wooded trail until you get to the bay. This trail is beautiful and full of Banyan trees and wild roosters! The bay does not have a beach, rather a very rocky coast. I highly recommend wearing water shoes to walk across the rocks. We left our belongings on the rocks and dove in! We saw turtles, fish, and even an eel! This was such a neat experience!
After leaving Honokohau, you will start driving past more civilization and smaller towns. Eventually, you will come to Lahaina. This town is where most of the resorts are, as well as shopping, and great waterfront dining.
Haleakalā National Park:
Haleakalā is a dormant volcano that rises over 10,000 feet above sea level! At the top of the volcano is a massive crater that feels like a completely different planet. The volcano is actually a national park. Though there were many hiking trails, we went to the park for the sunrise. Please keep in mind, reservations are required to drive to the top of the summit. Reservations fill up fast so as soon as you know you are going to Maui, make your reservations!
Sunrise at the summit, March 2017
The sunrise from the top of the volcano has been referred to as the most beautiful sunrise in the world. We woke up around 2am to head to the park and wait for the sunrise. The drive up to the summit takes about two hours from Kihei, so make sure to leave early. When we got to the top, the stars were unlike anything I had ever seen before. The lit up the entire sky; I felt like I could almost touch them. The summit was freezing! Like middle of the winter freezing. We packed hats and sweatshirts but we should have packed much more. If you plan on watching the sunrise, I recommend packing long underwear, hats, gloves, scarves, and even a winter coat if you have room! There is a small room you can wait in at the summit but it does get very crowded. All of a sudden, the sky started shooting beams of color and low and behold the sun rose from the other side of the crater. Just like the stars, we felt like we could touch the sun. Watching the sunrise from the top of a volcano was truly an other-worldly experience. There is an option to rent bikes and ride bikes all the way down the summit. Looking back, I wish we would have done this, next time we will! This was a wonderful experience but remember, you have to wake up incredibly early, so doing this does take away one of your evenings since we went to bed very early. Most likely, you also will be tired throughout your day. Plan ahead and pick what is a priority to you. I would suggest having a nice and relaxing beach day after watching the sunrise from the summit.
Sunrise at the summit, March 2017
Where We Stayed:
Logan and I arrived in Maui three days earlier than the rest of our family. When it was just the two of us, we stayed at an AirBnB near Paukukalo. Unfortunately, the home we stayed at is no longer an AirBnb but there are plenty others to choose from in the area. We really enjoyed staying in this area because it showed us what “real life” is like in Maui. We were away from the resorts and farther inland. We really enjoyed the town of Paia, near our AirBnb. The town was less touristy and had some great shops and restaurants.
Once the family arrived in Maui, we stayed at my father-in-law’s timeshare on the coast of Kihei. The side of the island had many more restaurants and shops than the north side where our AirBnb was.
Where We Ate:
There wasn’t a single meal we had in Maui that wasn’t good. Hawaiian cuisine is so fresh! Almost everyday we had fish and fresh pineapple! There are so many local fruit and smoothie stands. We enjoyed either a fresh smoothie or acai bowl every daily.
My favorite restaurant was Merriman’s at Kapalua Bay. This is high-end waterfront dining located in the gorgeous Kapalua Bay. Just outside of the restaurant, down on the water at sunset, is where Logan proposed to me. After proposing, he had reservations for us at Merriman’s and the entire staff was so sweet to us. Even if we didn’t go here after getting engaged, I would still recommend it. The seafood was incredible!
Kapalua Bay, outside of Merriman’s, March 24th, 2017
My next favorite place in Maui was much more casual than Merriman’s. Paia Fish Market is a small, walk up and order at the counter type establishment. The seafood pasta from Paia was the best I’ve ever had, I still think about it! The only reason we decided to go to Paia was literally the smell. Paia takes over the whole street with their incredible smells!
While on your Hana adventure, if you choose to drive the whole loop, you have to stop at Ulapalakua Ranch Store. This store was so neat! You could walk up to the butcher, pick out your meat and they would go out back and grill it up for you. Logan had the buffalo burger and it was fantastic. You eat outside at picnic tables with stunning views of the Maui countryside. Right across from Ulapalakua is Maui Wine. This small vineyard still is my favorite wine I have ever had. The Maui Splash is a passion fruit and pineapple semi-dry white. I don’t usually drink white wine, but this is a special wine. You must try it! I stock up on bottles every time I see it in the store (very hard to find).
After driving the Road to Hana, you will be exhausted and hungry. Paia has many restaurant options. We ate at the American, Charley’s Restaurant and Saloon. We also enjoyed the Mexican street fare at Milagros Food Company.
After watching the sunrise at Haleakalā, about half way down the volcano, we stopped at the Kula Lodge. Almost the entire restaurant was windows! When we got to the restaurant, the windows were full of clouds. We were that high! But after breakfast, the clouds burned off and we could see for miles. Breakfast was expensive here, but what else can you expect when on the side of a volcano?!
Most of our stay, we stayed in Kihei. There were several restaurants and bars within walking distance from our condo. We stopped at Fred’s Mexican Cafe several nights for their great happy hour menu! If you are spending the day on the beach in Kihei, Coconuts Fish Cafe is a quick and easy fish taco joint. Also in Kihei is the Kihei Kalama Village. This shopping area had several local restaurants to choose from!
In Lahaina, the area is more touristy but there are many waterfront dining options. We had delicious cocktails at Kimo’s. The waves literally crash right on the deck.
All in all, you simply can’t go wrong with dining in Maui. If nothing else, you will wish you had more time to experience all of the cuisines Maui has to offer.
Best Time to Visit:
Spring
Fall