Maui is the second largest island in Hawaii and is packed with a wide variety of things to do. Maui is best known for its beaches, resorts, mountains, reefs, and of course the Road to Hana. On our time on the island we went scuba diving, climbed a mountain, rode in a helicopter, and even attended a luau. Maui was the first island we visited on our trip to Hawaii and it was a great introduction to our time in our 50th state of America!
Here’s our guide on the best things to do on Maui, as well as places to visit and eat. We also have guides to Oahu, Big Island, and Kauai if you plan to visit other islands in Hawaii!
Things to Do
Attend A Luau
No trip to Hawaii would be complete without a luau! Old Lahaina Luau in Maui is one of the highest rated luaus in Hawaii and for good reason! We were even greeted with real flower leis.
The luau is located right on the water and started off with a presentation of the pig in an imu – a Hawaiian underground oven. The tables are arranged family style and we quickly became luau friends with 6 of the nicest people. There is no way to leave the Old Lahaina Luau still hungry. There is plenty of amazing food. From tasty chicken to traditional Hawaiian dishes, there is a little bit of something for everyone.
After we got our food, the performances started. It was really cool to see locals performing the luau and to learn more about Hawaiian culture. Whether you go for the food, fun, or friends, the Old Lahaina Luau is a great choice!
Haleakala National Park Sunrise
Sunrise at Haleakala National Park was one of the most unique and prettiest sunrises we have ever seen. Usually when we set out to see a beautiful sunrise, the weather does not want to cooperate. But the morning we went to Haleakala National Park was incredible.
The first thing to know if you want to go see the sunrise in the national park is that you have to get a permit ahead of time. We got ours online a few weeks before our trip. (If you aren’t able to get a permit, you can still travel up the mountain in the evening for an amazing sunset! As of 2019, they don’t require a permit for sunsets.)
We started winding our way up the mountain around 4:30AM. We got to the overlook with plenty of time for the sunrise, but there was already a large crowd. I was worried that we’d have to peek at the sunrise from behind hundreds of other people. Fortunately, we went a little further up the path and had an incredible view away from the hundreds of other people!
It is surreal, sitting at 10,000 feet elevation above the clouds. The clouds pool up just under the peak of the overlook. The sun slowly creeping above the mountains and clouds made it the perfect view. (It was such a perfect view that we even got to witness a marriage proposal! =)
Note: Even though this is Hawaii, it is definitely cold and windy early in the morning at the top of the mountain. I was in shorts and a light jacket and wish I had worn longer pants and a thicker jacket. (But braving the wind is still definitely worth it!)
Helicopter Tour
One of the most beautiful and iconic sights in Hawaii is the Molokai Sea Cliffs and waterfalls. These are the tallest sea cliffs in the world and the only way to get to see them up close is by helicopter. And in our trip through four of the Hawaiian Islands, this was the most beautiful view!
We decided to take the Pacific Helicopter Tours doors off helicopter tour from Maui to see the cliffs. Em did their 3 Island Tour, where she also got to see the island of Lanai. She loved this because Molokai and Lanai were the two islands of the main six that we didn’t get to visit during our trip, but she got to see them from the air.
I went on Pacific Helicopter Tours’ Molokai and West Maui Waterfalls tour, which was awesome getting to go into the mountains of Maui and see the incredible waterfalls in addition to seeing Molokai.
We’ve gotten to experience a few helicopter tours over some famous scenery and landmarks, and we both agree that this was the most breathtaking! Our pilots were awesome. It is incredible how close they get weaving through the lush mountains and waterfalls. They even let us take some touristy shoe selfies (haha a favorite for a doors off ride =) Em even saw a tiger shark! This helicopter tour ranks up there as one of the most beautiful sights that we have seen in the 50 states.
Road to Hana Drive
Even before we started planning for Hawaii I had heard about the Road to Hana, but I had no idea what it was. It’s a beautiful, windy drive that weaves along the Maui coast to the town of Hana – and an absolute must-do while you are in Maui!
There’s so many awesome things to see on the Road to Hana that I decided to write a separate guide about it. Here’s our list of the best stops on the Road to Hana!
Scuba Dive
Ever since we got our scuba certifications earlier this year we have been looking for new scuba diving experiences. In researching best places to scuba dive in Hawaii, we read great reviews about Prodiver Maui and their scooter scuba dives. This was our first time using a scuba scooter, and we quickly fell in love.
Jay, one of the owners and our divemaster, did an incredible job explaining how to use the scooters and taking some incredible video footage of us (we later found out he used to be a professional videographer)! We dove at Makena Landing and saw hundreds of fish. It was so cool getting to feel like we were flying along side the fish as the scooter propelled us through the water. We are definitely addicted to scooter diving and would totally recommend diving with Prodiver Maui in Maui.
Snorkel
If you don’t have your scuba certification, there’s plenty of snorkel spots in Maui! One of the most iconic Maui snorkeling sites is at Molokini Crater. It is a crescent-shaped island off the coast of Maui. We tried out “snuba” with Trilogy Excursions, which is like scuba diving but your air is attached to the surface by a hose. Snuba is an awesome way to be introduced to scuba diving if you don’t have your license.
After exploring Molokini, we climbed back onto Trilogy’s catamaran, ate lunch, and headed to a second snorkel location. I think this spot was actually better than Molokini. We saw a small shark along with several incredible fish.
Places to See
Iao Valley Monument Needle
An easy way to experience the green, steep mountains of Maui without having to do too much hiking is to visit the Iao Valley Monument. Parking is $5 and after less than a half mile hike you will have a great view of the Needle, a green peak between the mountains. There are plenty of other incredible hikes on the island but, if you are pressed for time, this is an easy and beautiful option. A hike we kept hearing people talk about but didn’t get the chance to try is the Waihee Ridge Trail.
Wailea Beach Path
If you are staying near the town of Wailea, definitely check out Wailea Beach Path. It is a beautiful paved walking path that weaves along the southern Maui coast. We started our walk near the Four Seasons Resort and within about five minutes we saw two sea turtles hanging out right along the coast! This is a great, easy morning walk surrounded by picture perfect Maui beach resorts.
Makena Beach (Big Beach)
Nicknamed “Big Beach,” Makena Beach is about 100 yards wide and 1.5 miles long. It is beautiful, big, and often less crowded than the resort beaches. The cliffs and trees make an awesome backdrop for this incredible beach.
Ho’okipa Beach Park Lookout
This beach is known worldwide for its incredible windsurfing. We stopped by one evening and saw dozens of windsurfers riding some waves. It looks like so much fun, yet such a challenging sport at the same time!
Black Rock Beach (Pu’u Keka’a)
Located right outside of Whalers Village shopping area in Kāʻanapali is Black Rock Beach. Although it’s a little more crowded than some other beaches, it’s a great beach to go to after some shopping or to go cliff jumping! There are also some great food trucks (see below :) in the area, which make it a great beach for a grab-and-go picnic.
Places to Eat
Tommy Bahama Food Truck
If you are shopping at Whalers Village or visiting Black Rock Beach beach in Kāʻanapali, check out the Tommy Bahama Food Truck. Located in the middle of the shopping area, the Tommy Bahama Food Truck has an awesome beach style fusion menu.
My favorite was their blackened mahi fish tacos. Em loved their shrimp tacos. Another definite must try is their hurricane tots. The food truck has a great eating area, but it also makes a great place to grab food and take it for a beach picnic!
The Mill House
Located at the Maui Tropical Plantation in the Waikapū Valley, the view at The Mill House alone is worth the visit. We sat at the edge of a beautiful pond overlooking the farmland and Maui’s mountains. The chef uses ingredients from local farms, and the food is delicious. We loved the Kauai Prawn and Fish Coconut Curry. A meal at The Mill House is a great way to experience Maui’s incredible environment and cuisine.
Monkeypod and Mama’s Fish House
Two other restaurants that we heard good things about but didn’t get to go to are Monkeypod and Mama’s Fish House. Monkeypod has two locations on Maui and is known for its fresh, farm-to-table food. Mama’s Fish House is definitely on the pricey side and reservations are a must, but it is known for some of the best fish in Hawaii (and has been ranked on some lists as one of the best restaurants in America). We decided to not eat there because of the cost, but we have heard it’s amazing!
Transportation
Go Rent A Car Maui
In order to experience the island, we knew we needed a car. Without a car, we wouldn’t have been able to see the Road to Hana, watch the sunrise at Haleakala National Park, or lay out at Makena Beach. Wanting to maximize our time on Maui as much as possible instead of waiting in a line at a rental agency, Em found Go Rent A Car Maui. What made this a great option for us was rather than having to catch a shuttle or check-in with a rental company, the car was waiting in the airport parking lot for us. All we had to do was throw our bags in and go. When we were flying out we parked in the same lot and walked out to our flight! It was super easy and saved us a lot of time. They were a great company to rent from and I wish there were more great options like this around the world!
Accommodations
This trip was our first time trying Couchsurfing and we had some great experiences. We found that Couchsurfing is way more than just finding a free or cheap place to stay, but about meeting some incredible and generous new people. On Maui, we stayed on the south side of the island in Maalaea Harbor. Although our hosts were busy during our stay, it was a great first Couchsurfing experience and helped save some money on the cost of accommodations in Maui!
Final Thoughts
Maui is one of the easiest islands to navigate and an especially great option for people wanting to spend their Hawaii vacation relaxing at a resort. There are a lot of great resorts and so many different things to experience. I don’t think you can really go wrong with any island, but if you are looking to see the sunrise at the top of Haleakalā National Park or drive the Road to Hana, Maui is a great island to visit!
Here are our guides to Oahu, Big Island, and Kauai if you plan to visit other islands in Hawaii!
