Maui, Hawaii, USA by Gautam Khattak
Last updated: September 26, 2011
Disclaimer: These are notes I’ve written or gathered from various sources. I have not experienced all things in this document nor is it intended to be a definitive guide.
General Tips
I HIGHLY recommend getting the book Maui Revealed. It is fantastic and full of great tips. You can get it almost everywhere on the island or in the airport. It’s worth the buy!
If you’re staying on the west side of the island like Ka’anapali it takes about an hour (Unless they widened the road) to get to the main fork in the road where you would then go to somewhere else…so it’s good to have your day planned because at least 2 hours of it is driving to/from the hotel, most likely more.
Do not leave your valuables in the car! There are a lot of locals that break into vehicles and steal everything. So to avoid the broken glass and hassle with the car rental agency, leave your car unlocked and take all your valuables with you. Basically pack light and make sure everything you care about fits in a backpack.
If you’re going to hike to some of the waterfalls, or get into any of the beautiful natural pools all along the island I strongly recommend investing in a pair of closed toed sandals or water shoes. I bought Teva Dozer’s. They have great tread, don’t require socks and you won’t stub your toes. They’re like Keens only cheaper and have much better treads than Crocs…very worth it!!
Destinations and Excursions
There is a lot to do or not do to fill a week in Maui. Some days were packed with excursions and then they were offset them in between by just relaxing at the pool or beach. I was in bed most nights by 9pm because it was such a relaxing but exhausting trip.
Drive to Nakalele Blowhole & Olivine Pools. These are on the west side of the island. The map says your rental agreement is void if you go here because it used to be a dirt road. In 2006 only 1 mile of it was dirt and it is very compacted and an easy drive so nothing to worry about to get here. The blowhole is cool and you can go swimming at the Olivine Pools. This stuff is just north of Ka’anapali, where I was staying.
Road to Hana – Leave early and bring the Maui Unleashed book! It is a life saver for this trip. Along the way you can stop by the Garden of Eden which is a very nice arboretum that takes about an hour to explore. This road trip will take up your entire day because you stop a dozen times to take pictures or go hike to a waterfall. This is where the closed-toed sandals come in handy.
The main ones I saw were, Black Sand Beach, Ching’s Pond, Honomanu Bay, Blue Pool, and of course Hana. Some people stay at Hana for the night because it’s a long drive back (about 1-1.5 hours without the stops) but at night it’s scary because the roads are windy and there are no guard rails.
Some people recommend renting a convertible just for this one day because you can see the treetop canopy above the road. But it’s bound to rain at some point on the trip (it’s a rainforest) so I didn’t bother.
Sunrise on Haleakala – You have to get up really early so if you suspect you’ll have jetlag do this the first day. Basically you go up to the top of the volcano and see the sunrise. I’m not a morning person AT ALL and I say this is really worth doing. If it’s a cloudy morning do not be discouraged because the clouds become the canvas for the sun. I think I left the hotel at 3:30am to get there by 4:30~5ish…There are tours that will take you up and you can ride bicycles back down…I was originally going to do that but decided to just drive ourselves up (there is parking up on top but you have to walk a little) It’s very cold in the morning so bring a sweatshirt and the hotel blanket. IF you are planning on doing any scuba diving make sure you plan accordingly because you don’t want to dive and then go up the volcano the next day. The change in altitude is too much.
Snorkeling at Black Rock. This beach is in front of the Sheraton in Ka’anapali. It is very nice but gets very crowded. Grab a snorkel and mask and walk out onto the beach and swim around Black Rock. You’re very close to the beach, in shallow water but you see a lot of fish. Great in the mornings and also for a night dive. At night there is a fire dance which you can witness from the beach. Ask any of the local shops or restaurants for the timing.
Snorkel Cruise to Molokini. I went on the Four Winds II. I really enjoyed this trip. You can also do a dive trip to Molokini. The snorkeling is great because the water is only 30 feet deep and crystal clear. Mornings are always better for either diving or snorkeling because there are more fish and less people. The Four Winds II was the recommended company from the book and they treated me well. Free drinks on the way there and back and a burger or BBQ lunch on the way back.
Sunset at the Ritz – Pretend you’re staying at this resort and just walk down the golf course to the very end. On the left (West) you’ll see the sun setting over Dragon’s Tooth. It’s a great sunset viewpoint. You can hike to Dragon’s Tooth itself but the grass on the golf course grass is much nicer to sit on the jagged rock at Dragon’s Tooth!
Our last day I went to the Upcountry near Haleakala to visit a Goat Cheese farm, Alii Kula Lavender Farm, and Tedeschi Winery. You’ll see all 3 things on one of those hotel pamphlets because they’re close together. It was our last day so I took it easy it was nice and relaxing, nothing too exciting but beautiful and fun. You can take a tour but I just drove ourselves to each destination.
Drive to Lahina and do shopping (touristy shopping that is) and eat on the waterfront.
Other than that, drove around the south side a little and saw the Lava fields, visited the various hotels (The Hyatt is really beautiful)
There are also Zip-line things and other excursions but I didn’t do any of those.
Lodging
I’ve only stayed at the Westin Ka’anapali Oceanside Resorts. This is not the Westin Hotel, which is nearby, but is the Westin timeshares (that are also available for rent). This place is very nice, comfortable and relaxing!
The Hyatt Regency in Maui is beautiful and worth at least visiting.
The Ritz Carlton is also really nice but doesn’t have the kitchen like the Westin timeshare rooms do.
Dining
You can go out to dinner in shorts, a golf shirt and flip-flops with no problem. The real nice restaurants don’t appreciate bathing suits and a T-shirt. Reservations are recommended for the nicer, well-known restaurants. I have never been to nor have any interest in going to a Luau so ask a local or check the Maui Revealed book.
I had a condo and therefore a kitchen so I picked up sandwich meat and food (there is a Costco & Wal-Mart near the airport) and cooked half of our meals and had sandwich lunches to reduce cost and give more time to wander rather than stopping for a full formal meal.
All along the beach in Ka’anapali there are nifty places to eat.
Hula Grill – Right in Ka’anapali’s Whaler’s Village. This comfortable and relaxed restaurant is right on the beach. Enjoy your dinner with your feet in the sand or dine inside in the restaurant. Great for lunch or an easy/casual dinner.
Sansei Restaurant & Sushi Bar
Located at the shops at Kapalua. A great seafood restaurant and sushi bar. From Ka’anapali, it is about a 15 minute ride north to Kapalua. Reservations are recommended.
115 Bay Drive
5:30 PM – 11 PM Daily
(808) 669-6286
The Maalaea Waterfront Restaurant
The food is great and so is the view! It is located in a condo complex in Maalaea Bay. Ask the concierge at the Westin on how to get there. When making reservations, ask for the patio – it is a must because of the great view. The Cioppino is a favorite of a friend of mine. All the fresh fish entrees are great. Check out the menu on their website. They were closed for renovations but were supposed to open September 15th 2011, so make sure they’re back in business.
50 Hauoli St.
Maalaea, Maui, Hawaii 96793
For Reservations or Information
Phone (808) 244-9028
Mama’s Fish House in Paia is very famous. I didn’t go but I heard the setting is beautiful and the food is good (not great). You might just want to try it once to see if you like it. My friend says he enjoys the dinner there but it’s nothing wow.
There are a lot of nice restaurants in Lahina along Front Street – only a ten minute drive from your hotel to downtown. Just walk around and pick one. They have your classic tourist stops like is Cheeseburger in Paradise if that’s your thing. It’s not mine but one reason to check it out is that that the restaurant sits on the ocean side and it is nice sitting there having a brew and burger and watching the sun set.
Diving
- I went with the Scuba company that was in the Westin (where my timeshare was). I did a 3 dive package through them. The company has places in other hotels so I did one dive with the Hyatt and two with the Westin Normal Dive off Westin’s beach, a Night dive @ Black Rock, and a Scooter Dive at the Hyatt. There are some good companies (the Maui Revealed book mentions them) that will take you on a boat ride to a dive on Lana’i or another island but I didn’t do any far away excursions.
My Itinerary
- Need to fill this in