Pristine beaches, lush rainforests, unique plant life, marine life, and volcanic landscapes are just a few reasons to visit Maui, Hawaii. At only 727 square miles, this small island is unique with its six major climates including desert, rainforest, and mountainous climates. With its various island landscapes and 30 miles of beach shoreline, you will not run out of things to do during your 6 days in Maui.
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Flights
Depending on where you are located, flying to Maui can take roughly 5-10 hours of airtime. Your travel duration can be even longer when you include layover time. For most Americans, traveling to Maui is an all-day affair. For this trip we traveled from a Saturday to a Saturday knowing two of the eight days would have to be dedicated to traveling.
Get Lei’d at the Airport
If you have seen any movie or TV show where they vacation to Hawaii, you will see local Hawaiians put leis around the actors’ necks. This is not what happens in real life unless you make it happen. If you want to be greeted with a fresh flower necklace at the airport, you will need to arrange for it prior to arriving in Maui. Maui Lei Greetings offers such a service and would be a fun surprise for your traveling partners or family.
Lodging
If you have read any of my blogs, you know that I am a big fan of staying at home rentals. I generally use AirBnb, but we used VRBO for our 6 days in Maui. We stayed in a small condo near Lahaina. Lahaina was a great location because of the plethora of shops and restaurants. A side note – make sure to take your key when staying in a home rental, especially if the door automatically locks when closed. This happened to us and what a debacle! We ended up breaking into the house via the screen door on the back patio.
Other Things to Note:
- Maui is not a party island. It reminded more of a sleepy beach town. If you are looking for a party, you should find another destination location.
- All beaches are public. This does not mean that access to the public beach are open to the masses. Please do not trespass on private property to get to the beach.
- April – May is the best time to visit. Hawaii has mild weather year-round, so there really is not a bad time to visit as far as weather goes. In the April – May time frame, winter travelers have long been gone, and summer vacationers have not yet arrived.
- You will need to rent a car. You will be driving all over the island and will need to rent a car for your duration in Maui. For extra fun, try renting a jeep!
DAY 1 – Molokini Crater and Turtle Town Snorkeling
We spent the first of 6 days in Maui snorkeling at Molokini Crater and Turtle Town. Molokini Crater is the remnants of a volcanic eruption 230,000 years ago. Turtle Town is an area near Maluaka Beach that is a popular hangout area of Hawaiian green sea turtles. On this tour, a catamaran sailed us to these two epic locations where we saw colorful tropical fish and sea turtles. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks (even alcoholic ones) are included as part of this package. The tour guide also gave lots of information and history about Maui such as where the local nudist beach is [insert blushing emoji here!].
We ate dinner at Cheeseburger in Paradise on Front Street in Lahaina as we watched the sunset over the Pacific Ocean. After dinner, we walked along Front Street and treated ourselves to shaved ice at Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice.
DAY 2 – Road to Hana
The second day was the best day: the Road to Hana. We started the day super early because there is a lot to pack in one day. As you drive along the narrow cliffside road, you will see a multitude of sights such as black sand beaches, waterfalls, botanical gardens, bamboo forests, swimming holes and more. If I had to do it over again, I would spend 2 days on the Road to Hana. Read about the best way to spend one day on the Road to Hana.
We did not feel comfortable driving on the cliffs at night, so we rushed through the last several stops. Unfortunately for us, excessive rains caused the Pools of Ohe’o (aka Seven Sacred Pools) unsafe to swim in. If they had been open though, we would have had to choose between swimming in the pools or hiking through the bamboo forests to Waimoku Falls on the Pipiwai Trail.
DAY 3 – Ho’okipa Beach and Luau
It is Day 3, and we are just now getting some relaxing beach time. We went to Ho’okipa Beach Park near Paui which is a popular spot for surfers. As we walked along the shoreline toward Ho’okipa lookout, we spotted several sea turtles sunbathing on the beach! What a sight! There were so many! After a few hours of sunning, we shopped at cute art galleries and boutique shops in Paui.
In the evening, we attended the Old Lahaina Luau where we enjoyed a buffet of authentic Hawaiian foods including Pua’a Kalua and Poi. After dinner, we watched the Hawaiian dancers and flame throwers as they told tales from their ancestors. You will need to make reservations well in advanced of arriving as they do sell out.
DAY 4 – Kaanapali Beach
Day 4 of 6 days in Maui was another beach and fancy dinner day. This time, though, we went to Kaanapali Beach. Before heading to the beach we made margaritas in a thermos to enjoy while we laid out. After we had enough fun in the sun, we went to Dukes Beach House where we sipped on mai tais. For dinner, we ate at the famous Mama’s Fish House in Paui for Polynesian-inspired seafood. My favorite part of this meal was the dessert, Polynesian Black Pearl. So decadent!
DAY 5 – Bike Down Haleakala Volcano
This was my least favorite day. We biked down the Haleakala volcano which is at an elevation of 10,023 feet. Lots of people highly recommended this, so we did it even though we did not really want to. And I wished I had listened to my gut and did a second day of Road to Hana or explored Iao Valley instead. Flying down the side of a mountain on two wheels is not my idea of a good time. Plus it did not help that it was foggy, and we could not see much past our bikes. I am pretty sure we wore the brakes out. But this is one of the top tourist attractions in Maui, so you should do it if it appeals to you.
After our biking excursion, we shopped for souvenirs at the shops in Lahaina. Make sure to get Maui Grown Coffee and Ocean Vodka as locally made souvenirs to take home.
DAY 6 – Kapalua Bay Beach
After our treacherous day biking down the volcano, we decided to just relax on a Maui beach for our last day in paradise. We went to Kapalua Bay Beach. This was the most crowded of all the beaches we went to. Lots of people were snorkeling and stand-up paddleboarding in the bay.
Other Things to Do in Maui:
Even with our 6 days in Maui, we did not have time to do it all. Below is a list of things to do in Maui that I wished we had made time for.
- Ocean Vodka Distillery
- Maui Pineapple Tours
- Iao Valley
- Paddleboarding or Surfing Lessons
If Maui is just too far for you but you still want an epic beach vacation, try visiting Atlantis in the Bahamas.
