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TRAVEL GUIDE TO MAUI

Sitting down to write this travel guide to Maui is a little sad. It’s been less than a week since I left Maui. A week. And, I am already planning a trip back there! There are just a few places I’ve visited that I didn’t want to leave. We all know that feeling when you’ve been on vacation for just a day too long. Not with Maui, though. It is truly magical.

We visited Maui over Valentines day and my 27th birthday and I can honestly say there wasn’t a better way to ring in my 27th year doing what I love — traveling.

We spent five days in Maui and I think one more day would’ve been juuuust the right amount. Since we traveled during the COVID-19 era, it was harder to travel in-between islands. Now that COVID restrictions have gone down, you could use another day to travel to another island. Right around 6-7 days is an ideal amount of time to be there.

RENTAL CARS IN MAUI

I highly recommend you rent a car while in Maui — it will be a lot easier to get around the island on your own time. Over the past few years, it’s been difficult to rent a car in Maui without paying an arm and a leg. Luckily, prices have gone significantly done. You can find the the best deals on rental cars by using the Rental Cars search engine below. It’s what I use and I always find the best deal.

Short on time? Use the buttons below to find what you’re looking for.

COVID-19 travel requirements

There are currently no travel entry requirements into Maui for domestic travelers. If you are traveling to Maui from an international destination, take a look at the official Hawaii COVID-19 website for travel requirements.

Day 1

bad ass coffee

surf lessons

If there is one thing you do on the island, this is it. We took our lessons with Rivers to the Sea. I would absolutely recommend them 100 times over. Surfing was truly the highlight of our whole trip. Our instructor, Eric, was a former pro surfer who has surfed for over 40 years. He was super patient with us and made our first morning on the island really memorable.

Rivers to the Sea is a boutique-type surfing experience offering 1:1 training that you won’t find at other “surf schools.” It’s a highly hands-on approach that allowed B and I to not only have 1:1 training with a former pro surfer, but we also felt super comfortable with our instructor. It was amazing and I can’t recommend them enough. Fun fact, they have done lessons with Zac Efron and Jake Gyllenhaal.

tamura’s

cabana rental at hyatt regency

If you are staying at the Hyatt, I recommend renting a cabana! They have multiple beach front options for you to choose from and we did the two-person cabana. You’ll be right next to the beach and the pool. Plus, you’ll get access to your own bar service.

Note, Hyatt Regency has recently changed their policy and cabana rentals are now only available for hotel guests.

ho’okipa lookout

Ho’okipa lookout is a must for anyone visiting Maui. It is actually one of the first stops you can do on the Road to Hana. We knew we were leaving early in the morning for the Road to Hana, which meant it would be too dark to see the lookout when we passed. So, we decided to head there for sunset before Mama’s which is a two minute drive down the road. And judging by the look of the sunset, I think we made the right decision.

mama’s fish house

Mama’s Mama’s Mama’s. Every single Maui travel guide will tell you to eat at Mama’s Fish House and rightly so. We loved Mama’s, but it wasn’t the best food we had on the island! The service was phenomenal, the location was great and the atmosphere was very on-brand for Hawaii.

So why wasn’t it the best on the island? In true Stanford fashion, we really hyped this place up in our heads. I’m not sure if we expected a gold-plated fish but it was just a bit of a let down after hearing rave reviews from everyone! However, I still highly recommend it. Be sure to get the sashimi, stuffed mahi mahi and a mai tai!

Day 2

Half-day snorkel tour

We booked our half-day snorkel tour through Boss Frog’s. We booked them for a few reasons. This Maui tour boasts that they are the first boat out of the harbor in the morning, which means you’ll be the first group in the water at Molokini Crater.

We didn’t realize how big of a deal it was until we were leaving Molokini. We were in fact the first ones there and as we were leaving, dozens of boats were arriving. While we had the crater all to ourselves the other boats would be sharing that experience with dozens of other snorkelers. Second, the Maui travel guide on the boat gives you a better understanding of the ocean life rather than just dropping you off at a few places to snorkel.

I couldn’t get over how much ocean life we saw on this snorkel adventure. We even saw a monk seal which is now sadly an endangered species. After Molokini, you’ll go to Turtle Town and swim with the turtles (so cool!). For those who want to see more than what’s on the surface, book this travel guide in Maui .

ululani’s shaved ice

After a day of snorkeling, head to the Maui’s famous shaved ice, Ululani’s. I’m not even a huge fan of shaved ice, but they offer such refreshing flavors. Much different than the ones you’ll find elsewhere, Ululani’s shaved ice is soft rather than icy!

Ka’anapali Beach

One of the best beaches in Maui is right where the Hyatt made its mark: Ka’anapali Beach! We stayed here for a bit before our luau that night but you can easily spend a whole day here if you’re looking for a more relaxing vacation.

old lahaina luau

If it’s your first time in Hawaii or you’re looking for an authentic Hawaiian experience, you have to visit at least one luau. It’s just a rite of passage. There are multiple ones on the island. There is even one at the Hyatt called Drums of the Pacific, but you’ll want to book the Old Lahaina Luau.

Where can you eat a five course traditional meal in Maui? The Old Lahaina Luau. Come hungry because you’ll need an empty stomach. The best part? The food is actually really good which you won’t typically get at experiences like this. Book early so you can get one of the traditional seating arrangements on the floor. After dinner, enjoy learning about the Hawaiian culture and the entertainment provided by the awesome hula dancers.

Day 3

road to hana

If you’re following this Maui travel guide to a tee, you’ll spend the whole third day driving the Road to Hana. Since the Road to Hana is a long journey with many different stops, it has it’s own post! Check out my full Road to Hana guide here.

KA’ANA KITCHEN

Okay, if you followed my itinerary to Road to Hana during the day then you will be back in time for dinner tonight! We spent it at Ka’ana Kitchen in the Andaz Maui Resort and wow. This place has great food and great views. Plus, live music. I recommend the margarita here (go figure, me and a marg? never!) and order the ahi tataki. Another option to eat over on this side of Maui (located in Wailea) is Spago at the Four Seasons.

Day 4

BIG beAch

Spend your next day relaxing a bit and beach hopping over on the Wailea side. They have some equally as great beach spots that a lot of local’s recommend. Big Beach being one of them. This beach is well, big! It stretches on for what seems like miles. You’ll find plenty of space for yourself. Spend the morning or afternoon here soaking in the sun.

secret beach

If you have time for another stop before heading back to Lahaina then head to Secret Beach. If Big Beach is big then Secret beach is tinnnyyyy. And, a local hot spot. You won’t find any tourists crowding this beach and it’s seriously stunning.

eskimo candy

If you’re looking to eat more poke in Maui or need a quick lunch, Eskimo Candy is your go-to gal. A lot of mentions of Eskimo Candy came up for some good poke and they ain’t lyin’.

LEODA’S PIE SHOP

On your way back into town, a must stop is at Leoda’s Pie shop. You can really do this anytime while you’re in Maui but these pies are to die-for. We got a small chocolate pie for my birthday and wowza. I’m not kidding when I say you can’t go to Maui and not eat a Leoda’s pie.

shopping

There are a few locations to do some shopping throughout the western side of Maui. Two of the main ones are Front street and Whaler’s Village. We visited both. You’ll find there are more high-end art galleries and surf-type shops like O’Neil and Billabong along Front street with a few restaurants scattered throughout and the famous Ululuani’s shaved ice.

In Whaler’s village, you’ll find more regular retail shops. If you’re looking for a last minute dinner outfit (ahem Liz Stanford, please stand up), head to Whalers.

sunset sail & whale watching

You can’t visit Maui and miss out on a sunset sail! When we visited, it happened to be during whale season and wow wow wow. I can’t get over how freaking cool they are! Trust me, I am not a marine gal or someone who just loooves seeing ocean life, but I was obsessed with these humpback whales. They are truly amazing creatures.

We took sail with Scotch Mist and can’t recommend them enough. They are one of the only sunset excursions where you’ll be on an actual sail boat in Maui. Most tours will take you out on a catamaran while Scotch Mist provides a truly unique and authentic experience.

MERRIMAN’S KAPULA

Day 5

breakfast at swan court

If you are staying at the Hyatt then getting breakfast in their swan court is a must on a slow day. They literally have a swan lake in their hotel! And, the breakfast is great here, too. We had a free breakfast here every day but were only able to eat here once while in Maui.

Pro tip: sign up for Hyatt’s membership program to earn free breakfast and room upgrades every time you stay at a Hyatt while earning points along the way.

black rock BEACH

Since today marked our last day and we were leaving that night, we decided to lay by the beach and do some more snorkeling. Oh, and there was a freaking RAINBOW on our last day! Are you kidding me Maui?? Talk about not wanting to leave. I’m not lying when I said the vacation scaries were real on this last day.

coconut fish cafe

Before heading out of Maui, make one last stop at Coconut Fish Cafe. These fish taco’s are too good not to talk about and should be on every travel guide to Maui. They are huge and they are great. Highly recommend as a lunch or quick dinner spot.

what i wish i had time for

• Haleakala Sunrise: I really wish we had time for this! You need to book reservations well in advance (6 months) for this sunset here! They release about 50 more tickets a week before you go. I tried to do this and they were sold out in a second. I’m not kidding. So, if you get a chance to make it here don’t miss it. You can also book a tour if you don’t want to worry about driving.
• Waihee Ridge Trail: This hike is a bout 2.5 miles total with great views all around. For the more adventurous, make sure to squeeze in this hike before leaving.

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WHERE TO STAY

There are a few areas to stay in Maui. The more well-known areas are West Maui (Lahaina, Kaanapali, and Kapalua) and South Maui (Wailea and Kihei). There are pros and cons to each. We chose West Maui and I personally thought the beaches were better in this area. There are also some great Maui restaurants to eat at over here like our favorite, Merriman’s. The downfall of West Maui is it’s pretty far from other parts of the island. For example, you had to drive about an hour to get really anywhere else on the island. This area can also be more of a touristy area due to the nicer beaches, too.

South Maui, specifically Wailea, is more of a ritzy area. This is where you’ll find the Four Seasons and Andaz Maui. You’ll find some really good restaurants over here and you’ll be more centrally located on the island, making it a better drive to things like Road to Hana. Next time we come to Maui, I would choose this area because we had already stayed on the west side.

For reference, we stayed at the Hyatt Regency in West Maui and absolutely loved our stay. So many accommodations and the staff was one of the best we experienced. We truly didn’t want to leave. It’s great for families or honeymooners. Plus, their beach front is located on one of the best beaches in Maui.

WHERE TO EAT in maui

I hope this Maui travel guide helps you plan your next adventure to the beautiful island. As always, I am more than happy to help out with any questions you have. Just drop me a note below or reach out via Instagram. And as a reminder, If you are looking to rent a car while on the island, you can find the the best deals on rentals by using the rentalcars.com search engine. It’s what I use and I always find the best deal.

happy travels, liz stanford

Disclosure: Some of these links are affiliate links, which means when you purchase something using these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. However, I link these companies because I have used them and truly recommend them based on their quality and the experience I had.

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