Maui Vacations Hawaii

The Maui Vacation Experience

Voted "Best Pacific Island" by Conde Naste Traveler readers, Maui offers a wonderful blend of beautiful resort areas, small town charm, pristine beauty and lush tropical rain forests.

The island has something for everyone with a wide range of vacation activities, breathtaking scenery and beaches, plenty of things to see and places to visit and an excellent selection of holiday resorts and hotels.

A dominant feature of Maui is Haleakala, the worlds largest dormant volcano which now provides excellent hiking opportunities for the fit and adventurous.

What Can I Do On Maui?

Maui vacations involves swimming, snorkeling, surfing, hiking and camping, helicopter tours, scuba diving, sailing, fishing, biking, whale watching and golf.

As with the other Hawaii islands the beaches on Maui are one of the favorite attractions. Visitors can choose from the long, undeveloped beaches such as Big Beach (also called THE Beach) and Kealia, or family oriented beaches like Kama'ole 1, Kama'ole 2 or Kama'ole 3 or the developed beaches lined with high rise hotels - such as Kaanapali Beach.

Two world class windsurfing beaches are located at Kanaha Beach Park in north central Maui and the nearby Ho'okipa Beach Park. The unique black sand beaches of Hawaii can be found in Makena and the Waianapanapa State Park near Hana.

Snorkeling and suba diving enthusiasts will head for the off-shore island of Molokini and its waters of incredible clarity. Tours will take you to this pristine State Marine Life and Bird Conservation District. During summer, Honolua Bay on the north side of the island, and Waianapanapa State Park on the east coast are also excellent locations for divers.

The popular Haleakala National Park can be explored by car, bike or on foot. Drive to the top on a clear morning to view the awesome sunrise. Hikers will find numerous trails to experience solitude and scenic vistas, or take guided hikes to get an experts guidance and insight. Many companies offer a combination of a sunset tour to the crater and mountain bike trips DOWN Mt. Haleakala. Even though the trip is 26 miles, you will only have to pedal a quarter of a mile.

The waters around Maui are now a whale sanctuary, so be on the lookout for humpback whales between December and May when they migrate. Lahaina is a historic whaling village and now home to art galleries and restaurants. Visit the Whalers Village Museum or sit below the Banyan tree with branches and leaves that spread out over two-thirds of an acre. The Lahaina Kaanapali Railroad, also called the Sugar Cane Train, is both an attraction and a means of transportation between Lahaina and Puukolii.

The small town of Hana is in East Maui and the road to Hana is in itself a tourist attraction. The 40 mile route will take approximately 3 hours due to heavy traffic and a 15 mph speed limit around many curves. Hana's climate is different from the rest of the island since the town faces the easterly trade winds which brings moisture to the surrounding mountains.

Popular swimming spots are at Ohe'o Gulch (Seven Sacred Pools), Hana Beach Park and Kaihalulu Beach, also known as Red Sand Beach. Take a hike up the Pipiwai Trail to the 400 foot Waimoku Falls.

Iao Valley State Park in central Maui is home to the 1200 foot Iao Needle. The peak overlooks Iao stream and is an ideal attraction for easy hiking, however an early start is recommended since the needle is often covered in clouds.

Makawao, on the midslope of Haleakala Crater, shares it's cowboy (paniola) past with a lively artistic community. Kaanapali is located north of Lahaina and is a master-planned community and a center of the islands luxury hotels and resorts, golf, entertainment and fine dining.

What Maui Accommodation Will I Find?

The majority of Maui accommodation is located at Lahaina, Kaanapali and Wailea and beckons the visitor looking for that once in a lifetime vacation. Maui has the greatest concentration of luxury resorts and up-market golf courses and the most condominium developments of all the Hawaii islands. Visitors looking for vacation rentals, guest cottages, B&B's and intimate inns are also catered for.

We recommend you use the hotel price comparison tool at the top of this page to find the right hotel and the best available price.

When Is The Best Time On Maui?

Maui is a year round destination, blessed with an equitable climate throughout the year without major changes in temperature. However, the island does get rain, and lots of it, except for the high mountain regions.

Heavy rain storms occur most frequently in the period between October and March. These storms bring heavy rain and are sometimes accompanied by strong winds. The storms may occur when a cold front passes from west to east across the island.

For detailed weather forecasts visit the Hawaiian Islands National Weather Service Forecast website.

Getting To Maui & Getting Around?

Kahului is the commercial hub and main airport for Maui, providing inter-island services to and from the other island airports. Several major US carriers provide non stop service from the mainland.

There is a public bus service on Maui as well as several shuttle services that operate from the Kahului Airport to South Maui and West Maui and within the resort strips at Kaanapali and Wailea.

Renting a car remains the best option to see the best that Maui has to offer and the  convenience is well worth the expense.  For something different, try a Harley Davidson motor cycle, scooter or moped to get around the island.

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