Things to do in MAUI

The Tropical Paradise

Aloha, guys! 🙏 I am so excited to be here and write all about our Hawaii travel stories as requested by many of you. In December 2020, we were finally able to pursue our long due Hawaii travel dreams 💃. We planned our trip for 10days and visited 2 islands- Maui and Honolulu 🤟🏽

Our Travel Itinerary in Maui:

Day 1:

Waihee Ridge Trail:

We started our Maui trip with a hike to Waihee Ridge Trail which is a 4-mile moderate Round trip and 1500 feet elevation gain. It was a beautiful hike with great views all along the way. You see the dramatic view of the ridge on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. Not much shade, and a bit slick and muddy in some spots of the trial. So, make sure to wear hiking boots with good traction and bring enough water and snacks. I would suggest to start early as this is a heavily trafficked trial.

Ho’okipa Beach Park:

We went to Hookipa Beach Park during the evening which was walkable from our Airbnb. Absolutely gorgeous and a must see! The lookout area is a perfect place to watch all the surfers! Huge waves and Tons of turtles on the beach! 🐢🐢🐢🐢

Mama’s Fish house:

This world famous restaurant gave us a unique and unforgettable dining experience on Maui! The grounds are stunning and the open air seating with ocean views are next level. And that’s before you even get food!

The fish is so fresh, they name who caught it that day in the ocean while you are looking at the menu. We had some Asparagus soup (my husband dreams about it till today, lol), delicious crab cakes and fresh lobster stuffed Mahi Mahi. Not to forget, the desserts were out of the world as well.

The reservations will be usually booked at least 2-3-months ahead. So, if you are planning to go here, make sure you make the reservations well in advance.

Wanderer Pro Tip

If you are not able to make the reservation and you are around Paia town, go in to the restaurant and ask them if you can get a bar seating. If you are lucky enough like us, you might be able to get in.

Day 2:

Road to Hana:

The Hana Highway (colloquially referred to as The Road to Hana) is a 64.4-mile-long (103.6 km) stretch of Hawaii Routes 36 and 360 which connects Kahului to the town of Hana in east Maui.

When it comes to driving the Hana Highway on Maui, it's the journey, not the destination that is the main attraction. All along this scenic drive, you find cliffs cloaked in green and lush valleys bursting with waterfalls. Curves hug the coast and gaze over an ocean that stretches uninterrupted all the way to the Alaskan coastline. Couple that with black, red, and white sand beaches, a multitude of trails, and beautiful gardens, you've discovered the highway to heaven itself. Undoubtedly, my most favorite thing to do in Maui.

Wanderer Pro Tip

Please start really early. I would advise to start before sunrise to beat the traffic as it is a one way road. Also, there are so many places you would want to stop. So, to cover at least the best spots in one day, you got to start your trip as early as you can.

Must-see spots to stop:

Black Sands beach:

MILE MARKER: 32

A large beach area with black sand/pebbles is located at Waianapanapa State Park. A unique experience! When the waves are rolling out you hear this relaxing sound as the water filters through the black pebbles. There is also an old lava tube cave that ends at the ocean and it is fun to walk inside and explore. Our first and favorite stop on Road to Hana. Even better, we had the whole bay to ourselves for about an hour.

Wanderer Pro Tip

Go to this place early around 8am and high chances are you will have the whole bay to yourself.

Pipiwai Trail and Waimoku Falls:

MILE MARKER: 42

The Pipiwai Trail is one of the finest hikes I’ve been on in Hawaii. It’s within Haleakala National Park in the area called Kipahulu. The hike is about a 4-mile (round trip) hike that takes about 2 hours to complete. What I liked about the Pipiwai Trail was how much you get to see in such a short amount of time. And with an elevation gain of just 600 feet, the hiking is not too strenuous. This idyllic trail unfolds alongside a string of (many more than seven) pools and waterfalls framed by the lush green diversity of the lush tropical rainforest. The dramatic diversity then suddenly morphs into an immense bamboo forest. Once released from the bamboo, you’re dropped at the very base of a towering 400’ feet Waimoku Falls

Wailua Falls:

Mile Marker: 45

It is said to be the ‘most photographed waterfall’ on Road to Hana. In fact, you don’t even need to exit your vehicle to see it but you would want to get down and photograph this beautiful 80’ feet waterfall.

Upper Waikini Falls:

Mile Marker: 19

Another, yet amazing road side waterfall. Requires a short but steep climb down from the bridge, but it's worth it. Park above the bridge (as there's no room right at the falls) and walk down. If you are in a mood to take a dip, there is a clear pool below the fall.

Day 3:

Haleakalā National Park:

A Maui sunrise is extra special when viewed from way up above the island shores, Haleakala Summit. From here you can view the incredible views east of the morning sun, and watch as the morning light spreads dramatically across the volcano’s crater floor.

In order to view sunrise at Haleakalā National Park, you must make a reservation ahead of time. Reservations can be made online up to 7 days in advance of your sunrise visit on recreation.gov and are only valid for the day reserved. These tickets are released at 7:00 am HST.

Check the sunrise time of the day and plan to arrive at least 1 hour before Sunrise. Most importantly, dress warmly. At over 10,000 feet above sea level, the summit of Haleakala is always pretty cold even if it’s a hot summer day at the beach. Dress in layers and bring plenty of blankets!

The view points in the park to have the best sunrise views are Visitor center and Red Hill Observatory. We watched the sunrise at Red Hill Observatory which is Haleakala’s highest point and offers beautiful 360 degree views.

Whale watching in Maui:

If you want to go whale watching, Maui is the place to do it. Maui whale watching season runs November through May and February is the peak season

We booked a 2-hour whale watching cruise tour with Pacific Whale foundation: https://www.pacificwhale.org/cruises/maui-whalewatch/whalewatch/. Best part, Pacific Whale Foundation is a non-profit that supports research and preservation of the whale population in the Pacific. Their whale watches are led by naturalists that have been working with whales worldwide.

Adult humpback whales come to the surface to breathe every 10 to 15 minutes, newborns come to the surface every 3 to 5 minutes. So, there’s never a dull moment when experiencing whale watching in Maui! We were able to spot 7-10 whales and it was well worth it. The tour also offered complimentary hydrophones so that you can listen to the beautiful songs that the humpback whales sing.

Wanderer Pro Tip

You’ll want to bring binoculars to get a better view of the whales.

Kaanapali Beach:

We visited this beautiful White Sand beach during sunset. Also, the best beach to snorkel in Maui due to its clear waters. Walkable distance to most of the resorts in Maui with many nice restaurants and bars along the beach.

Lahaina Front Street:

This is the only full-featured, walkable “down-town” you’ll find on Maui. Great restaurants, hopping night-life, swinging’ bars and shops featuring exquisite local hand crafts, from cheap jewelry to masterpieces of fine art. We had some of the best sea food and shaved ice here. Also, had fun strolling the streets and shopping for cool souvenirs.

Where we stayed:

We chose to stay in an Airbnb in Paia town as the location was very close and convenient to drive to most of major locations like Road to Hana and Haleakala National Park.

Commute:

Renting a car was the best option to travel around Maui. Public Commute would not cover many places and Uber can get very expensive as you might want to drive and stop in most of the places.