With green flanked mountains that slope towards crystal blue seas, hidden waterfalls that splash into pools so inviting you’ll want to swim in them, and a Hawaiian history and culture that welcomes you the minute you arrive, it’s not surprising Maui is one of Hawai’i’s most popular islands. The island presents a treasure trove of different experiences that can happen in one day. From plantation era towns, full of independent local shops to explore, to historic sites and incredible national parks, along with miles and miles of sunny beaches and luxury hotels to relax at, Maui exceeds expectations. Ross from The Luxury Editor is just back from visiting and here is our guide to each area of the island, along with our favourite tips on things to do while you are there.
West Maui
The sunny northwest coast was once recreational grounds for Hawaiian royalty, and the area still echoes with the mana (spiritual power) of ali i (chiefs) who proved their status through fearless feats of diving at Pu’u Keka’a. The cliff diving ceremony at Pu’u Keka’a takes place daily at sunset and is free to watch from the beach. Arrive early to get a good spot. West Maui also offers a raft of luxury hotels, along with championship golf courses along its impressive coastline.
Ka’anapali Beach
With three miles of white sand and crystal clear water, it’s no wonder that Kāʻanapali Beach was once named America’s Best Beach. Fronting the area’s hotels and resorts is the open-air Whalers Village, home to a fascinating museum dedicated to Lahaina’s rich whaling history, complete with historical artifacts, documents, and a genuine whale skeleton. If your interests lean more towards retail therapy, the outdoor mall is packed with boutique shopping, designer stores and beachside dining. If you want to experience the coastline from a completely different angle, try a zipline tour with Kāʻanapali Skyline Eco Adventures, which offers a bird’s-eye view of this iconic stretch of Maui’s shoreline.
Lahaina Town
In August 2023, the historic town of Lahaina was devastated by forest fires in one of the most destructive natural disasters in Hawaii’s modern history. Whilst many parts of the town are still closed off as rebuilding continues, some areas are steadily reopening. One of the best ways to help the community recover is to support local businesses that have returned to Front Street and the surrounding area. The Lahaina Restoration Foundation’s self-guided walking tour is a great way to learn more about the history of the town.
Come evening time Old Lahaina Lū‘au is not to be missed and was one of the many highlights of my visit to Maui. Regarded as one of the best Lū‘au’s on the island, it’s a fun, high-energy evening. Taking an all-inclusive format across the drinks and food, the evening moves from an imu underground over reveal, to traditional storytelling hula, and dance, along with a generous feast of kālua pork, lomi salmon, poi, and haupia. Booking in advance is recommended as this not-to-be-missed evening regularly sells out.
Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows
If staying in the Lahaina area, we highly recommend the Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows. A long-standing mainstay of the island’s hospitality scene, the resort sits directly on Kahekili Beach, with facilities that include two beachfront pools, a signature restaurant and casual dining options, a poolside bar, fitness and wellness spaces, and direct access to a wide golden beachfront. Recent updates have introduced a new, redesigned oceanfront wellness space and a full refresh of its bungalow accommodation.
Kapalua
Kapalua translates into “arms embracing the sea” and is one of the islands prestigious resort areas, positioned at the foot of the Kahālāwai mountains, the shoreline is lined with five bays and three white sand beaches and it is also an ecological hotspot on the idland as its home to 500 pairs of nesting ‘ua’u kani, the endangered wedge-tailed shearwater bird, up from just six nesting pairs in 2001, thanks to sustained community conservation efforts.
The Kapalua Coastal Trail winds through lava fields and along clifftop boardwalks, offering some of the most dramatic coastal scenery on the island, while Kapalua Beach itself offers excellent snorkelling in calm, clear waters. If you are visiting in June, the Kapalua Wine and Food Festival draws some of the world’s finest chefs and sommeliers to this clifftop setting and is well worth planning a trip around. For accommodation, The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua and The Resort at Kapalua Bay, Maui are two of the finest properties on the island and are worth considering if you want to base yourself away from busier resort areas on the island.
West Maui Golf
Golf on Maui is an experience in itself, with 14 courses to choose from, several of which rank among the world’s best, and fairways designed by legends including Arnold Palmer and Ben Crenshaw. Kapalua is home to the renowned Plantation Course and Bay Course, with the Plantation Course hosting the PGA Tour’s prestigious Sentry Tournament of Champions each January.
Ka’anapali offers two further championship courses, the Royal Ka’anapali and the Ka’anapali Kai, where spotting a breaching humpback whale on the horizon between December and May is a very real possibility as you line up your shot. Fairways stretch alongside ancient lava flows, tees nestled among palm groves, and greens framed by rainbows in the ocean mist. Find out more at kaanapaligolfcourses.com.
East Maui
When you imagine Hawaii, it probably looks a lot like East Maui. Terraced waterfalls thread down forested volcanic slopes into lush lava-rock pools, pineapple stands line roads that snake around plunging sea cliffs, and the landscape shifts from tropical to almost primordial within a few miles.
The Road To Hana – By Road
With over 600 hairpin turns and 54 narrow one-lane bridges, the Hāna Highway is one of the world’s great drives, 52 miles of extraordinary scenery that winds along the island’s northern coast from Kahului all the way to the small, quiet town of Hāna itself. You can complete the drive in around three hours, or stretch it into a full day with stops along the way. For those who want to make the most of the route without the stress of navigating it alone, we highly recommend booking a private Locals’ Favourites Tour with Journey Jill.
JJ to everyone who knows her, which, after five minutes in her company, will include you. Jill is a born storyteller with an infectious enthusiasm for the island. She creates bespoke afternoon itineraries that take in secret waterfalls, meet locals, explore bamboo forests, and rainbow eucalyptus groves, all while driving around in one of her convertible Bronco or Jeeps.
If driving the road to Hana yourself, I recommend departing early to avoid afternoon traffic, plan at least three hours each way, and book any guided stops or timed entry reservations in advance. Wai’anapanapa Black Sand Beach, one of the most photographed spots on the route, now requires a reservation via recreation.gov.
The Road to Hana – By Air
For a truly unforgettable perspective on East Maui, take to the skies on the Maverick Hāna Rainforest Experience. A 75-minute helicopter flight from Kahului Airport that reveals a side of the island most visitors never see. Thousand-foot waterfalls dropping into bamboo valleys, remote black-sand coastlines with no footprints, and a rain-soaked interior of near-hallucinatory green. Halfway through the flight, it lands in a former farm lane deep in the rainforest, where a glass of champagne is poured for you. It is the single most dramatic and breathtaking way to appreciate the true scale and beauty of this island.
Plate Lunch Marketplace
The plate lunch is Hawaii’s great civic dish, and @platelunch_marketplace is one of the best spots on the island to enjoy the experience. Join the queue with locals, order from one of the many food trucks, and eat outside in the afternoon sun.
South Maui
South Maui is the island’s driest and sunniest region, blessed with mile upon mile of golden beaches and clear views across to the islands of Lāna’i, Molokini and Kaho’olawe. Lazy days can be spent here, relaxing by the pool, enjoying fine dining at one of the area’s many high-end eateries, playing golf, or whale watching from December through May.
Mã’ alaea
Mā’alaea Bay forms part of the National Humpback Whale Marine Sanctuary, offering crucial protection for whales during their breeding season, and is one of the best spots on the island for whale watching from December through May. The Pacific Whale Foundation runs excellent eco-certified whale watching and snorkel tours from Mā’alaea Harbour, with options ranging from the Classic Whale Watch tour through to a Sunset Cocktails Whale Sail and a Sunset Dinner and Whale Watch experience. The nearby Maui Harbour Shops offer a good selection of boutiques, craft markets, and restaurants, and are worth an hour of your time.
Molokini
For one of the most unique snorkelling and diving experiences in Hawaii, charter a snorkel trip from Mā’alaea Harbour out to Molokini, a crescent-shaped, partially submerged volcanic crater that now functions as a protected marine reserve. The crater’s lip shields the inner waters from rough ocean swells, allowing a remarkable ecosystem to thrive in extraordinary clarity. Visibility here regularly reaches 150 feet on a clear day.
Kihei
Kīhei offers six miles of beaches, a vibrant community atmosphere, and an easy, unpretentious energy that makes it a popular alternative to the more polished resort corridor of Wailea just to the south. It is a great spot for beachcombing, kayaking, and snorkelling, and the town’s farmers market on Saturdays is one of the best on the island, where you can buy local produce, handmade crafts, and some of the best açaí bowls anywhere in Hawaii. The three beaches of Kamaʻole offer excellent swimming in calm conditions, while birdwatchers should make time for Keālia Pond on the north end of town, a National Wildlife Conservation District home to endangered Hawaiian stilts and coots.
Wailea
Known for its five crescent-shaped beaches and legendary golf courses, Wailea is the luxury heart of South Maui, a beautifully landscaped resort community offering privacy, serenity, and a very high level of guest service. Five exceptional hotels line the shore, ranging from the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel and Spa to the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, and The Shops at Wailea offer high-end retail, excellent dining and regular evening entertainment in an open-air setting. Wailea is also home to the annual Maui Film Festival, which brings outdoor cinema and special screenings to the resort area each summer.
Wailea Beach Resort Marriott Maui
The Wailea Beach Resort Marriott Maui sits on one of the most idyllic stretches of Wailea, spread across 22 generous acres between two of the area’s most coveted beaches. The property has a warm, family-friendly energy alongside resort-scale amenities, multiple pools including an infinity pool, a signature restaurant by acclaimed chef Roy Yamaguchi, a mini water park with two waterslides for younger guests, and the outstanding adults-only Olakino wellness sanctuary. Accommodation ranges from ocean-view rooms and suites through to private villas housed in low-rise hale-style buildings set among tropical manicured gardens. Read the full review here. Read the full review here
Olakino Wellness Sanctuary
Olakino within the Wailea Beach Resort Marriott Maui is not to be missed for any spa fans. An adults-only experience with strictly limited daily spaces, meaning it never feels crowded. Book a full-day or half-day pass to enjoy in-pool spa treatments, mindful programming, and food and drinks served directly to your lounger. It books out in advance, so reserve your pass through the resort.
Central Maui
Most visits to Maui begin in Central Maui, arriving at Kahului Airport. Kahului is known simply as ‘town’ by locals, home to the airport, the harbour, and the large Queen Ka’ahumanu Centre alongside the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.
Wailuku
Just ten minutes from Kahului, Wailuku is well worth a stop, the wooden storefronts of Market Street house dozens of family businesses, many of which have been in continuous operation for generations. We popped into Hallowed Home, which sells a range of metaphysically inspired homeware, gifts and local artwork.
For a deeper understanding of the town’s history, book the Rediscover Wailuku History and Mural Tour, which traces the area’s story from original Hawaiian settlements through the missionary era, plantation culture and beyond, stopping at many street murals that bring Wailuku’s past vividly to life along the way.
‘Tao Valley State Monument Park
Make time in your Wailuku visit for the ‘Īao Valley State Monument Park, a place of natural beauty and deep cultural significance. Fog-shrouded forests and burbling streams surround the park’s centrepiece, Kukaemoku, the ‘Īao Needle, a rock pinnacle rising 1,200 feet from the valley floor. In 1790, this valley was the site of the Battle of Kepaniwai, where King Kamehameha I defeated Maui’s forces to begin the unification of the Hawaiian Islands.
Pa’ia
This former plantation town turned surf village is one of Maui’s most characterful, colourful wooden storefronts, independent boutiques, excellent coffee and a creative community give the town an energy entirely its own. Visit Boho Bungalow, which sells a beautiful range of sweets and home scents, while Kaua Store is a great little deli to pick up some snacks before heading to Ho’okipa Beach Park.
Ho’okipa Beach Park
Just a mile east of Pa’ia at Mile 9 on the Hāna Highway, this is one of the world’s premier windsurfing and big-wave surfing spots and makes a great spot to spend an hour.
Makawao
Six miles up the mountain from Pa’ia takes you to Makawao. This is Hawaiian cowboy territory with a weekend rodeo tradition that continues to this day. The town has a thriving arts scene, a growing gallery district and an eclectic community that makes it one of the most enjoyable places on the island to spend a few hours. For lunch,Polli’s Mexican Restaurant is a local institution, Vida by Sip Me Maui serves excellent coffee and cake and before you leave, stop by Maui Cookie Lady, a Maui institution.
Haleakala
No visit to Maui is complete without making the drive to Haleakalā, and nothing quite prepares you for it. The ascent to the summit at 10,023 feet is one of the most dramatic drives in the United States, the landscape transitioning from subtropical green to sparse alpine scrub to something resembling the surface of Mars in the space of forty minutes. The crater itself is vast enough to swallow Manhattan. Sacred to Native Hawaiians as a realm where gods dwell, and a location of priestly activity for thousands of years, it carries a weight that goes well beyond its physical drama.
We arrived for sunset, the sky puts on a performance that is genuinely difficult to describe as clouds form below you and the sun starts to set on the horizon above the clouds, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime view. Haleakalā is a designated Gold Tier International Dark Sky Park, and once the last light fades, the Milky Way appears with startling clarity. Temperatures at the summit drop well below freezing even in summer, so wrap up warm before you go up. Sunrise reservations must be made well in advance and sell out weeks ahead, while sunset and evening stargazing require no reservation and are, in my opinion truly breathtaking.
Useful Info
Want to learn more about all the Hawaiian islands? Read our guide here.
Getting There: Most visitors arrive into Kahului Airport (OGG), Maui’s main airport, which receives direct flights from the US mainland and easy 30-minute connections from Honolulu on O’ahu. West Maui has its own smaller commuter airport at Kapalua (JHM) for those heading straight to the Ka’anapali and Kapalua resort areas.
Getting Around: A hire car is by far the best way to experience Maui, so book well in advance as demand is high, particularly in peak season. Most major rental companies are represented at Kahului Airport. Taxis and private airport transfers are available, and some larger resorts offer complimentary shuttles to nearby towns.
Distances from Kahului Airport: Wailea 35 min, Lāhainā 45 min, Ka’anapali 50 min, Kapalua 60 min, Haleakalā 1 hr 50 min, Hāna 2 hrs 30 min.
When to Go: Maui is a year-round destination with average temperatures between 75 and 85°F. Summer (April to November) is warmer and drier; winter (December to March) is slightly cooler but still beautiful. Whale watching season runs from December to May, with peak sightings between January and early April. The north shore’s big-wave surf season peaks in winter.
What to Pack: Light summer clothing year-round, with a warm layer for evenings and something genuinely warm for Haleakalā, where temperatures at the summit can drop well below freezing even in summer.
Time Zone: Hawaii Standard Time (GMT-10), five hours behind New York and two hours behind Los Angeles. Hawaii does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
Passports: International visitors will need a valid passport and the relevant US visa or ESTA.
