Maui Travel Guide

Aloha! About two weeks ago, I came back from five unforgettable days on Maui with my dad! If you read the travel section on the blog, you’ll see that last year, I was completely taken aback by the stark beauty of Oahu.

Prior to this trip, when I thought of Maui the first thing that came to mind was luxury resort hotels. So many celebrities like Oprah, Steven Tyler, Owen Wilson frequent their lavish estates in search of relaxation.

The first thing that struck me about Maui was the size of the island. It’s the second biggest island, after the island of Hawaii, so if you’re planning on exploring Maui, a car rental is non-negotiable. Our average drive time to get somewhere on the island ranged from 40 minutes to an hour.

There’s only so much you can do in four days. Everyone is different and the weather in Hawaii is unpredictable. With this being said, plan accordingly and stick to a doable itinerary, something you can change on the fly. Our main focus were the beaches – because we are suckers for exotic beaches – but some people love hiking and then being rewarded with a nice swim in a waterfall. Others like to be safe and prefer lounging by the pool at a luxury resort.

Moreover, the long distances made it tricky to balance the beach with nature attractions, which were tucked deep in the center of the island. 

Something I missed about Oahu was the spontaneity. In 20 minutes, you could cross to the other side of the island through Interstate H-1. Most roads on Maui are two-lane roads with a 45 mph speed limit, and it is highly enforced! In my Oahu blog post, I mentioned that drivers on Oahu were slow, but Maui has surely beaten that record!

In this post, I rounded up all the places we went to, where we stayed and the best beaches to visit. Also, don’t forget to visit my other blog post: Maui for foodies. All in all, to sum up the vibe of the island, think of Maui as Oahu’s easy-going brother. While Oahu is the most populated island and receives the majority of tourist influx, Maui’s lack of development provides you with a calmness that washes over you as soon as you step out of the plane. The islands are so close to each other, yet so different from one another. Good luck partying the night away on Maui, whereas in Honolulu, nightlife is a big part of Waikiki beach. 

A very last important tip: wear lots of sunscreen. Despite the fact that the sun was not present 100% of the time, we got sunburnt shoulders and I came back the tannest I’ve ever been. Not even on Oahu did I get this tan. I’m not upset but the sun in this part of the world is brutal and very unforgiving!

Lahaina

Lahaina is one of Maui’s beautiful beach towns. It’s an amazing place for eating, dining and further discovering the magic of Maui with its quaint and rustic architecture. Lahaina’s main hub is on Main Street, which is dotted with several historic buildings and cultural sites, like the Heritage Museum. We didn’t stay in the tourist area of Lahaina, but rather in a nice secluded hotel on a residential street.

The Kulani Maui

 441 Ilikahi St, Lahaina, HI 96761

This is where we stayed! If you want to get an authentic Hawaiian experience, instead of staying at a regular hotel with a concierge and full room service, come here. Kulani Maui is a gorgeous boutique bungalow hotel away from the tourist area. It was so quiet and peaceful, exactly what the doctor ordered to get away from the everyday life in the city. Our bungalow was a Hawaiian dream: exposed wooden beam ceiling, hardwood floors, and a gorgeous foyer decked up in Hawaiian-style furniture made of bamboo. I loved waking up to the chirping birds and the sounds of nature. One time, instead of being startled by the sound of a loud tourist, I was startled by a squawking bird outside when I got out of the shower. 

This hotel has only been open since December 2018. The owners are Heather who is a New Jersey native and has been living on Maui for 7 years and Pavel, a Czech tennis player. You can definitely tell Heather loves living there, and she truly embraces the Hawaiian lifestyle. She told me she used to live in Santa Monica, but she loved Maui because of its tranquility and of course, its untouched natural beauty.

Heather even wrote us a list of her favorite places. The best thing was coming back to the hotel at night and finding the garden completely lit up by green lights from the fireflies! It was a beautiful experience and I would go back in a heartbeat. Just be aware that this is not a kid-friendly hotel and room service is not provided, not deal-breakers at all, but just keep that in mind. They do provide wifi, a change of beach towels, tons of bathroom towels and trash bags for the bathroom. 

Visit the website for more photos and reservations.

Whaler’s Village in Lahaina

We went there on our first day to take a relaxing stroll, but it was crowded with tourists. Whaler’s Village is an upscale outdoor mall tucked in one of Maui’s impressive golf courses. There’s a nice selection of high-end stores, including a Sephora! At least in the Ala Moana Center in Honolulu, you could see some local people, but given the upscale location on Maui, Whaler’s Village was jam-packed with tourists.

The crazy amount of tourists at every restaurant put us off, so this is not a place I would come back to, although Monkey Pod Kitchen was on my restaurant list and is located there…

Kaanapali Beach

This is a beach resort, but don’t let this put you off. This three-mile stretch of beach is spacious enough for you to peacefully lie down and relax. However, there are two downsides: the strong wind and the complete lack of shade.

Slaughterhouse Beach

This treasure of a beach was only 19 minutes away from our hotel. We loved it so much that we came here twice. The cliffs on the beach will make you feel like you’re in Tulum. The highlight was swimming alongside two sea turtles. I was happily jumping waves when I noticed not too far from me a giant turtle’s beak peeking through the water. Everyone noticed them too but thankfully, most people who visit Hawaii are very respectful of the marine life and no one attempted to touch them. This beach is also famous for snorkeling, and since it’s located in a cove, the waves were perfect for boogie boarding and bodysurfing. Although this beach is not usually very crowded, parking spots are very limited. There’s also a flight of stairs to access the beach, but it’s super easy and a very short walk. 

Slaughterhouse Beach is a beautiful white sand beach with crystal clear water. Every time I dove beneath the water and opened my eyes, it genuinely felt like I was inside an aquarium. 

Wailea

Forty minutes away from Lahaina, on the southern part of the island, lies what can be described as the Beverly Hills of Maui. On your way to the following beaches, you’ll drive down a beautiful road with luxury hotels on one side and the best golf courses in the country on the other side. Out of curiosity, we parked at the Four Seasons and took a walk around the premises. Let me tell you, although we loooved the Kulani, we wouldn’t have minded staying there for a night or two. However, a night at the Four Seasons Resort Maui starts at $900! A quick Google search will let you in on the luxury and beauty of this hotel. After all, this is the hotel most celebrities stay at. However, given the number of amenities, I wouldn’t leave!

Makena Beach

This one is one of Maui’s most famous beaches, and it’s one of the most beautiful beaches for those seeking white sand and crystal clear blue water. Makena Beach encompasses Big Beach, Little Beach and One’uli Beach. The latter is a gorgeous black sand beach that flies under the radar, making it a relatively hidden gem. You have to drive down a narrow and bumpy dirt road, which is why a big car is preferred. 

This black beach is really secluded. I was surprised that it was just us and a small group of tourists. Some other people came, quickly snapped a few photos and left. The sand was super soft and the water was great for snorkeling.  

Big Beach and Little Beach, on the other hand, are right next to each other and parking is easily accessible. 

Paako Cove

Also known as Maui’s secret cove. This beautiful pocket beach is very popular for weddings, and lo and behold, there was a Hawaiian wedding going on when we got there late in the afternoon. The locals kindly allowed us to crash their wedding. It’s a beautiful intimate beach that sets itself apart from the rest. If you want to go for a swim, enter safely in the space between the rocks located on the right side. 

This is how Paako cove looks like on a clear day.

Kihei

Kihei is another beach town with restaurants and resorts, but in my opinion Lahaina is more charming and quaint. 

Road to Hana

Maui’s famous scenic route. In a nutshell, Road to Hana is treacherous road that circles around the east side of the island. It’s full of sharp switchbacks at every corner. While Maui’s south and west side of the island are very dry, Road To Hana reminded me of Oahu: lush foliage, scenic sea cliff vistas and dreamy waterfalls. The drive to Hana from Lahaina is 3.5 hours. We drove Road to Hana halfway to the town of Hana, and that was more than enough. All those curves got a little tedious after a while, which is why I don’t recommend this route to inexperienced drivers. 

I drove on the way to Hana and my father drove on the way back right behind a tour bus, which saved us from paying attention to all the yield and stop signs.

If you have the extra time and want to experience Road To Hana in its entirety, download the Gypsy App guide on the App store for $5, which is a GPS guided tour.

Wai’anapanapa State Park – Black sand beach

Two hours into Road to Hana, we stopped by Wai’anapanapa’s black sand beach. This place is a must-see if you have the time to do Road To Hana. My dad and I unloaded all of our swim gear, ready to take a dip on this unique beach, but the windy conditions made the water unsafe. The beach was small and got crowded pretty quickly. The sand was super fine, it was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Despite the wind, it was a sheer delight to walk barefoot on this jewel of a beach. If you kept walking, you could venture into the caves and see the blowholes. It was stunning to see the juxtaposition of the black sand, the blue water and the green trees.

Hana

I wish I could say that Hana as a destination was special and full of interesting activities, but I was disappointed. The town consisted of a locals beach, a hotel, a small museum and numerous food trucks lined up next to each other. No souvenir shops, no bustling street activity. We missed Hana in the blink of an eye and I had to make a U-turn. I also had to go to the only hotel there for wifi because there was no phone service either – NONE. Heed my advice and plan your route very well on your GPS. It goes without saying that a full gas tank is a requisite on this trip.

Hana is worth it if you have the extra time, but if you’re looking for waterfalls and you don’t want to make the arduous drive, there are many other waterfalls on Maui. After all, the main attraction of Road to Hana is not Hana, but the road itself. 

On our way back, just 3 miles before exiting this endless road, we stopped at the Bamboo Forest, ventured into the mud and finally reached the rewarding sight of a charming waterfall. Only two seconds before we reached our car, we were surprised by a heavy yet brief downpour. 

After reading the numerous warnings and safety tips online, I thought Road to Hana was going to be hell but surprisingly, I managed the drive pretty well. It also helped that we rented a Jeep; tall cars are the best for these roads. There are many horror stories online of people getting carsick because they rented a standard sedan, and being aggressively tailgated by locals. Thankfully, none of this happened and we had a pretty smooth drive. 

If you want to get a glimpse of how Road to Hana looks like from a drone’s aerial view, enjoy this awesome video by Shay Mitchell. 

Paia

This is the most laid-back, hippie town on Maui. Lots of cute restaurants, boutique shops, art galleries and even yoga studios! At the entrance of the town, there’s a huge free parking lot. I loved strolling down Main Street on Hana Highway, browsing the different stores after a hearty and nutritious breakfast. Paia has nice array of healthy cafes like Paia Bay Coffee, which was my favorite breakfast spot on Maui.

Blue Helicopter Tours

One of the main highlights of our trip! It was absolutely amazing! The route was intended to go over the island, as well as Hana! But there was inclement weather in that specific area, so we flew from Maui to Molokai, another nearby island. The island of Molokai has one of the tallest cliffs in the world! It was a once in a lifetime experience to witness this remarkable sight.

We couldn’t see the tops of the cliffs because of the clouds, but we could get a really good grasp of their formidable sizes. We saw another helicopter flying near them. The juxtaposition of the tiny size of the helicopter and the formidable cliffs was staggering. 

My dad and I loved Maui, and we’ll definitely be back! Here a few things we’ll have to save for our next trip:

Seven Sacred Pools – Although locals are known for embracing the Aloha lifestyle, Hawaii has a big locals-only policy. There are many reviews online, noting the horrible treatment some tourists have received at this place. Furthermore, the recent reviews warned us that the pools were closed for swimming due to weather hazards, not to mention the treacherous road to get there. Because we didn’t experience the greatest weather on Road to Hana, we decided to skip this.

Advice: If you’re going to swim in waterfalls, bring a good pair of sturdy shoes. Unlike the beaches, which most of them are easily accesible, waterfalls require a hike in order to reach them.

Halakeala Crater. People wake up well before dawn to see the sunrise from Maui’s tallest peak. On our last day, we saw the impressive crater from an overlook spot, but to get there was almost a two-hour drive from our hotel in Lahaina! Plus, the weather on our last day was too good not to go to the beach and enjoy the crystal water before catching a red-eye back to LA – back to reality. Reservations are required to visit the Halakeala Crater.

Surfing Goat Dairy Maui. I wanted to go there after one of our days at the beach, but the drive was too long from Kihei and we preferred to squeeze in another beach day in Lahaina. On this farm, you’ll find adorable goats prancing around. Some of them even get up on the surfboards that are scattered on the grounds. Not only will you be able to taste samples of amazing goat cheese, but you’ll also be able to feed the friendly goats and take photos with them. 

Ziplining Who would pass up the opportunity to zipline over Maui’s beautiful landscape? Unfortunately, just like the places mentioned above, distance was a hindrance and we didn’t want to spread ourselves too thin. If you’re interested, there are quite a few zipline companies on different parts of the island.

Red Sand Beach on Road To Hana.

Have you been to Hawaii or any of the islands?