What to do in Maui, Hawaii

 

What to Do in Maui, Hawaii: Ultimate Guide

If you are thinking about going to Maui, Hawaii or if you already booked a trip to this gorgeous island, then read this post to find out what you should do to prepare for your trip. 

My husband and I went to Maui for our honeymoon! We went for 7 days and we felt like we had just the right amount of time to explore the island. Also, it was the perfect place to go to because of the location and beautiful scenery. There was so much to do that we never got bored!

Where should I stay?

We stayed in an Airbnb in Kihei. That is the lower east side of the island. It was a safe area and our Airbnb host was great! She communicated with us and made sure everything was clear for check-in and check-out. The location was good too! It was close to many restaurants, bars and beaches. However, it was not walking distance because there was a busy road we had to cross. CLICK HERE for link to the Airbnb we stayed at. 

Do you need a rental?

I would highly recommend a car if you come to Maui. There are so many places to explore and a rental gives you the freedom to see everything. Some of the things that you HAVE to see are pretty isolated and far. I did see tour buses in some location, but I personally would not want to be on a tour bus when exploring. However, if you are scared to drive on windy roads, maybe a tour bus would be a better option for you. 

My husband and I got a convertible and it was so worth the extra money. It made our drives that much more enjoyable and allowed us to clearly see the scenery! 

If you are trying to go more off road, I would recommend a jeep. We felt pretty safe driving our convertible to all of the locations we went to. 

What to do in Maui

1. Nakalele Blowhole

This is a must-do when you are in Maui. We drove to the blowhole and we had to do a mini hike down a steep hill to get to the blowhole at the bottom. It took us about 15 minutes to get down. I was silly and wore flip flops to the blowhole without knowing there was a steep climb down. However, I was able to do the hike. I would recommend wearing close toes shoes or more stable shoes. Don't be like me and walk down the steep hill with flip flops. We stayed a lot longer than we anticipated because it was so much fun waiting for the water to blow. We stayed for about an hour and a half. You can probably do it in 35 minutes if you are short on time. 

2. Honolua-Mokuleia Bay 

This is the beach that I recommend going to. I did not capture the best photo of this place, but trust me when I say you want to go to this beach. First of all, the water was crystal clear. Also, there were very few people here. My husband and I randomly found the beach while we were driving. I was amazed at the blue water and I was telling him that I would rather go to that beach down the big mountain than the beaches we went to that morning. The beaches we went to in the morning had murky water and so many people in a tiny space. The whole time we were driving down the mountain, I was like how in the world do we get all the way down the mountain. Out of nowhere, I saw a man with a beach towel popped out of a small passage way with a steep staircase. I told my husband to stop and this became our go-to beach spot! 

3. Haleakala National Park

You will literally be in the clouds! It costs $30 to get into this national park and it is well worth the price. I have never been so close to clouds in my life (minus in an airplane). We stayed until sunset and the view was beautiful. If you want to see sunrise you have to book the tickets in advance, but honestly sunset was just as nice. I wish we hiked the volcanoes, but we didn't have enough time. Make sure you carve enough time into your trip to hike the trails. The drive up to this location was nicely paved, but really windy. Take your time driving up and down. Also, the weather here is cold. I was freezing when the sun was going down. Wear a lot of layers!

4. Road to Hana

Road to Hana will take you hours to do. My husband and I did it twice because there was so much we wanted to see. However, if you are short on time it is possible to do it all in one day.

5. Waimoku Falls

Take the Pipiwai Trail to Waimoku falls. The trail is 2 miles one way. When you get to the end of the trail, you will be amazed at what you see. The waterfall is massive and there is no way I can capture such a beautiful place in a photo. You have to do the hike and see it for yourself.

6. Bamboo Forest 

This bamboo forest is on your way to Waimoku falls. It is one mile into Pipiwai Trail. When you walk into the bamboo forest, you can't help but feel like a magical creature in a magical place. 

7. Waioka pond (Venus pool)

On your road trip to Hana, you have to stop by Venus Pool. When you get to the location (Driving past Hana town), there will be limited parking on the left side of the street. After you park your car, you have to walk back up the road. On the left, you will see a bridge. Go towards the guard rail and jump over. When you are on the other side of the guard rail, you will see a fence. The fence will be on the left. Climb through the fence and you will see a path. Follow the path. You will have to climb down a super steep and I mean STEEP hill to get to the pool. When you get there, it will be worth it. You can go cliff jumping or just hang out in the water. It is a gorgeous view.   

8. Black Sand Beach 

I am so glad I woke up early to come to Black Sand Beach. You need a reservation to go to this location. CLICK HERE to make your reservation. My husband and I could only get the 7-10 AM slot and it took two hours to get to Black Sand Beach from our Airbnb. We barely made it on time. We got to the beach at 9:30 AM. The lady scanned us in but told us our reservation ended in 30 minutes. I heard that they will not let you in if you miss your reservation slot, so make sure you get there on time. The 30 minutes was enough time to snap some photos and go into the water, but I would have loved 3 hours here. 

9. Red Sand Beach 

When you get to Red Sand Beach, park in front of the community center. Walk towards the gate. Right before the gate, there is a trail. Follow the trail and you will get to a wooded area. The hike here was not as bad as the reviews made it seem. You could wear flip flops and get down to the beach. The walk was around 5 minutes. However, use caution and walk slowly and carefully. Take your time because it is against a steep cliff. When we got to the red sand beach, my husband and I swam in the water for about an hour. 

 10. Makena Cove 

 Come to this secret cove to watch the waves crash onto the rocks. The view is gorgeous and this is the perfect thing to do when you have a chill day. Just drive around the island and come by this cove. My husband and I stay here for an hour just watching the waves crash. 

11. Twin Falls

This was the first stop on our road trip to Hana town. You have to pay for parking which is $10 and the parking lot fills up quickly, so I would get there as early as you can. We got there around 8 AM. When we left around 9AM the lot was full. The hike to the Twin Falls is not too bad until you get to the water. Make sure you have good water shoes to walk easily through the water and get to the other side. I was actually low key scared walking through the (kind of fast) moving water. The hike is around 15-20 minutes.

12. Eat and Drink Maui 

There are so many places to eat and drink in Maui. CLICK HERE for a list of places I went and would recommend. 

Hope you enjoy your trip!