For many, the island of Maui is the most interesting of the Hawaiian Islands. What we love about the island are the great beaches and beautiful terrain.

How long to stay?

We could spend a week on Maui and feel like it’s worth coming back. That speaks to the overall grandeur the island brings. While you could certainly plan a week, we’d suggest spending a minimum of four nights on the Maui. As a baseline, that gives enough time to soak in the sun on the beaches and relax. After all, isn’t relaxation the reason you’re coming to the islands in the first place?

As with all of the Hawaiian Islands, you’ll want a car to truly get out and explore. This is especially true if you want to drive up to see the sunrise at Haleakala or take the Road to Hana. Make your reservations in advance as practically everyone will have the same idea.

For multi-island vacations, consider checking out our primers on other nearby islands. (Yes, we’re throwing Tahiti in here given the relatively short flight from Hawaii to Tahiti):

• Hawaii (The Big Island)
• Kauai
• O’ahu
• Tahiti

What we did in Maui, Hawaii

Haleakala

We’ll start with Haleakala, the massive dormant volcano in the center of Maui. One of the most magical things to do on the volcano is watch the sunrise. Here are a few tips if that’s something you want to do:

• Book in advance as you’ll need reservations.
• Prepare for colder weather, even during summer. The altitude and early-morning temperatures will make your visit much colder than it is on the beach.
• You’ll need to leave your hotel by 3AM or so to get here in time. If you get jetlagged, consider doing this the first morning of your trip.
• When you book your reservation, you’re not going to know if clouds will impede your sunrise, so make the most of it.

We did it along with dozens of other sleepless souls, and we got a lovely sunrise. Yes, we also got some clouds in the sky but that didn’t impede our views too much. Kids aren’t going to enjoy this activity, so save this one more for the parents.

While you’re on the mountain after the sun rises, check out the hiking trails or even consider horseback riding. We went with a company that no longer offers rides into the Haleakala Crater, but others do. One thing that’s nice about being on a horse is that you won’t have to do the hike out of the crater on your own. Don’t forget you’re at elevation, so exercises are sure to fatigue you more.

Maui Tropical Plantation

If you’ve been to the Dole Plantation on Oahu, the format of this plantation will look familiar. There’s a large gift shop, a tram tour around the plantation, dining options, and other activities. While the Dole Plantation felt a bit commercialized, the Maui Tropical Plantation feels a little more like Hawaii.

The tour is informative and has live narration as you go past the different rows of crops. You’ll also get to see a coconut demonstration, which was nice. It wasn’t the best coconut demonstration we’ve seen (that belongs to the St. Regis Bora Bora), but it still worked with the kids.

Unless you’re looking to take advantage of the extensive ziplining system they have, expect your visit to last within two hours. It’s a nice distraction from the glamorous beaches.

The beaches

We should take a moment just to talk about the many beaches on Maui. Chances are if you’re coming to Hawaii, you’re going to spend time at the beach. A lot of the island is covered in beaches, with some better than others. Popular beaches include Wailea Beach, Honolua Bay, Ka’anapali Beach, and Kama’ole Beach Park. We might as well also toss in the Olivine Tide Pools into the mix.

Beaches that are good for swimming might not be the same as those best for snorkeling. And those still might not line up with places that are better for seeing wildlife or going surfing. In general, we’d say the following:

• Wailea Beach is great for sunbathing and wading into the water.
• Honolua Bay has excellent snorkeling in the summer, and big waves for surfing in the winter.
• Ka’anapali Beach has good swimming and is a popular place for cliff diving.
• Kama’ole Beach Park is great for families and bodyboarding.

Sea Maui Whale Watching

If you’re here in the winter, you’ll be able to take whale watching cruises. That’s when the whales who normally live in the Arctic Circle during summer months travel down to Hawaii to splash in the warmer waters. It’s also when baby whales learn how to dive and work on their survival skills. For the kids, it’s also just nice to be out on the water.

In between views of the whales, you’ll get unlimited drinks (including alcohol) while on the cruise. Yes, there are options for kids. If you are just looking for an excuse to thoroughly enjoy a cruise along the Maui coast, it’s not a bad choice.

And, of course, we got to see some whales. Don’t worry too much about “guaranteed” whale sightings. You’ll find them splashing about. However, a few notes so you don’t get your hopes up too high:

• You won’t get up close to the whales. The law prohibits it unless one catches the captain off-guard.
• There is no feeding in the waters by Maui. If you want to see the whales eating, you’ll need to go to Alaska. And, frankly, we found that particular whale-watching cruise more captivating.
• Consider Tahiti if you want to get closer to the whales. We haven’t yet been, but you can actually swim with the whales over there.

Road to Hana

The famous Road to Hana is so popular because it gives you a feel for how we imagine Hawaii used to be. There are plenty of places to pull off to the side of the road and explore. To fully appreciate the 64-mile drive, which extends from Paia to Hana (and beyond to Venus Pool), you’ll want a guidebook. We recommend the excellent Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook (contains a referral link). A few notes so you’re properly prepared:

• Making this drive will at a minimum take a full day.
• While the drive is beautiful, you’ll want to pull over and explore too.
• Some places have roads not wide enough for two cars to drive side-by-side and traffic runs in both directions. Be observant and drive carefully.
• It’s not necessary to stay in Hana, but if you do, it will give more time to explore the south end with far fewer crowds.

With that out of the way, there are a few highlights of the trip for us:

• Plenty of waterfalls including Lower Puohokamoa Falls, Upper Waikani Falls, Hanawi Falls, and Makappi Falls.
• Lava tubes and a black sand beach by Wai’anapanapa Park.
• A red sand beach at Hana.
• The Venus Pool and Seven Sacred Pools are a nice place to check out, especially in summer if you want to take a dip.

No matter what, this will be one of the most memorable drives you take. Our advice is to take it slowly and explore it to your heart’s desires.

Where we ate in Maui, Hawaii

Monkeypod Kitchen

We are big fans of Moneypod Kitchen. What we specifically like about it is the excellent happy hour (3:30-5PM) and the family-friendly environment. Happy hour pricing makes the restaurant quite affordable by Hawaii standards. Reservations are highly recommended, and you’ll want to make them as far in advance as possible (we did it six months in advance).

The menu is extensive, with plenty of fresh flavors to remind you both of the island and back home. If you come for the half-off appetizers at happy hour, you’ll have lots of choices. We loved the poke tacos–just look at how fresh that fish looks–but enjoyed everything we ordered.

The kids stuck to the kids meals, which are also substantial. One awesome extra is that kids under 3 get a free kids meal (noodles and cheese). How neat is that that kids can get free food? We took advantage of that in the past when the kids were young enough.

Kihei Caffe

Need a breakfast option when you’re not thrilled with the hotel offerings? Kihei Caffe offers great eats at reasonable (for Hawaii) prices. There are three locations (including Lahaina, which is most definitely not in Kihei), giving options if you’re staying in the more popular areas on the island. We went to the Kihei location and the look of it is classic Hawaiian.

Portions are large and packed with flavor, like these banana mac pancakes. It’s hard to beat fluffy pancakes!

If you’re feeling for something more savory, try out their omelets. It’s absolutely massive and is sure to satisfy almost anyone’s appetite. It came with some crispy breakfast potatoes for a nice contrast in textures.

Mama’s Fish House

Near where some might consider the entrance to the Road to Hana is the famous Mama’s Fish House. Since it’s located where lots of traffic passes by, expect a lot of crowds, especially in the evening as everyone returns from their daytrip. We found crowds to be pretty minimal around lunch, which is when everyone else is still exploring the road. That was only made possible because we spent the night in Hana, and then returned as everyone else was just showing up.

You’ll find lots of delicious Hawaiian food here, including excellent fish and appetizers. They’ve continued to elevate the cuisine, so try not to be scared off by $100 lobsters and $80 bouillabaisse.

One dessert they’re best known for is the Polynesian Black Pearl, chocolate mousse in an edible seashell. On top of being delicious, it’s insanely pretty and feels like a bit of a crime to destroy it as you eat it. Even if you find the entrees to be outrageously priced, it might be worth it just to stop in and share this dessert.

Ululani’s Shave Ice

First, a disclaimer. Don’t call it a sno cone or shaved ice. It’s “shave ice”. We’re just making sure you don’t get awkward looks from locals when you place your order. Anyways, with that out of the way…

Everyone is going to have their favorite place to go for shave ice. And, yes, some places are absolutely better than others. One place that we always loved visiting on Hawaii is Ululani’s. You’ll find their locations all throughout the island. Don’t be surprised at all to find a long line, but we’d say the line moves quickly and it’s worth giving it a try.

The choice of flavors is all up to you. We prefer getting tropical flavors that remind us a bit more of the island, but honestly any work. One thing we love adding to our shave ice is a scoop of ice cream. That helps make the flavors a bit smoother and the creaminess adds a lot of umami to the dish.

• For more information on these and other restaurants we ate at on the island, check out our dedicated post.

Where we stayed in Maui, Hawaii

Andaz Maui

Of the two times we’ve been on the island of Maui, this is our favorite hotel. Full disclosure: it’s not going to have traditional Hawaiian design and feels a bit more modern. We’re completely fine with the design, but recognize the look of the hotel might not work for all.

What made the hotel great for us was the excellent Hyatt benefits available to Globalist members. This included a suite upgrade prior to arrival and a delicious breakfast in their restaurant. Yes, the hotel is a top-tier Category 8 property, costing between 35,000 and 45,000 Hyatt points/night. But with how expensive the island is and what you’ll get, the cost doesn’t surprise us.

The multiple pools are nice, with a zero-entry option at the base level. Just past the pools is where the hotel has its luau. It’s not set up as an all-you-can-eat version, but the food quality seemed much better that way. Luaus are expensive in Hawaii these days. Those looking to save money can try watching the performance from their room (we could see it from ours) or consider going to Tahiti (a semi-joke, but cultural performances are much cheaper there).

For more information on our time at the Andaz Maui, check out the following posts:

• Plenty of Aloha: Review of the Andaz Maui at Wailea
• Andaz Maui Dining Options

Grand Wailea

One of the better known hotels on Maui is the Grand Wailea, which as its name implies is along the expensive beachfront called Wailea. It’s located pretty close to the Andaz Maui, so the views between the two are going to be similar. That said, this particular hotel is great for Hilton loyalists looking to maximize both their status and the credit that comes with their Hilton credit cards. Combined, that will help take a sizeable dent out of the high cost of island living.

The rooms have quite a bit of white and off-white colors. And the property feels a bit more like what you might expect from a Hawaiian resort. So, from that perspective, it might appeal more than the Andaz Maui, but keep in mind this place is huge. Expect crowds everywhere and get your reservations in if you want to dine on-property.

The main selling feature of the Grand Wailea is the very involved system of pools. There are plenty of waterslides that take you from the top all the way down to the bottom. In the past, they had a water elevator that would take you back to the top without needing to get out of the water. However, this water elevator is sadly broken. (Though to be honest, we’ve done it before and it’s more of a gimmick than anything else.)

One other important thing to know is that the hotel is perfectly situated to see fireworks. If you happen to be here during a holiday (like we were for New Year’s), you might get a room that faces the action. Nothing better than watching fireworks from the comfort of your room.

For more information on our time at the Grand Wailea, check out the following posts:

• Good for Hilton Loyalists: A Review of the Grand Wailea
• Dining at Grand Wailea: Tasty Meals But Expensive

Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas

Important to note this is the timeshare version of the Westin Ka’anapali and not the true Westin hotel. Yes, this was our first timeshare experience. We won’t get into the specifics of timeshares here, but if you’re good with saying no, you’ll be fine. Sitting through two hours of a presentation can help make travel possible for some.

Anyways, we found the resort fine enough. All rooms have a kitchenette, which is great especially if you’re looking to save some money on an expensive island. There are some decent family activities on and around property, including a pirate ship sitting in one of their pools and a small playground for the kids to release some energy.

If you’re just looking for a room without too many extra amenities, and are willing to dedicate up to two hours at a timeshare, it’s not bad. This isn’t going to ever be one of the more luxurious stays you have, but the price can be excellent if you get the right deal.

Hana Kai Maui

Looking to check out the Road to Hana but want to spend more time in Hana? There are only a couple of hotels to choose from. Hyatt loyalists might want to check out the Hana-Maui Resort. Of course, that hotel wasn’t a Hyatt back when we were looking for a spot along the Road to Hana. Instead, we ended up at the Hana Kai Maui.

We unfortunately don’t have pictures of the hotel (well before we started blogging), but we recall the hotel being… livable. The room met basic needs and we’re tempted to call it more consistent with what you would expect from a Hawaiian motel. It satisfies that basic need to stay in Hana without any of the frills that will tempt you away from continuing your journey.

Sometimes you just need a night to recover and continue on your way, and this would be exactly that.

What is your favorite thing to do on Maui?

Suggested reading:

• Other destinations we’ve visited
• Why You Need to Collect Turkish Miles
• Case in Point: The Way I Value a Hyatt Point