Quick Facts

Maui is the second largest island of Hawaii and is much different from the other islands. The island’s climate is diverse. It has areas of lush vegetation and rainforest (in Hana), hot and dry areas (in Lahaina) and cool and moist areas (in Kula). This island has beautiful sunsets, widespread beaches, natural delights (such as Haleakala National Park), waterfalls, and a variety of outdoor activities (hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving, etc).

Getting There & Other Transportation

Flights directly to Maui’s Kahului Airport (rather than transferring in Honolulu) are your best bet as a traveler. If you plan on renting a car, it is best that you reserve your car rental ahead of time, instead of showing up and hoping they have enough cars for you. Prearranged ground transportation is usually made by the passenger, or the passenger’s travel agent. The reservations are done in advance of the passenger’s arrival at the airport, and include passenger transportation services, tours, and courtesy car services.

Taxis are available upon arrival and depending on how far your hotel is from the airport, this could be an expensive option. Talk to the driver about fare before you enter the taxi.

The best way to get around the island (if you plan on doing some traveling around Maui) is by car rental.

Hotels & Places to Stay

There is a wide variety of accommodations in Maui. Everything from Bed & Breakfasts to luxury hotels are found on the island. Here is a list of great accommodations and their location on the island:

Luxury Hotels:

Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa (Kaanapali Beach)

Kaanapali Alii (Kaanapali Beach)

Sheraton Maui Resort (Kaanapali Beach)

Ritz Carlton Kapalua (Kapalua)

The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui (Wailea)

Hotel Hana-Maui (Hana)

Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa (Wailea)

Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea (Wailea)

Mid Range Hotels:

The Plantation Inn (Lahaina)

Lahaina Inn (Lahaina)

Kahana Sunset (Lahaina)

Punahoa Beach Apartments (Kihei)

Bed & Breakfasts:

Old Wailuku Inn at Ulupono (Wailuku)

Maui Guest House (Lahaina)

Nona Lani Cottages (Kihei)

Pineapple Inn Maui (Kihei)

Two Mermaids on Maui B&B (Kihei)

Ekena (Hana)

Hamoa Bay House & Bungalow (Hana)

Dining & Nightlife

The Valley Isle is an area of Maui that has Hawaii’s famous enterprising chefs. Here is a list of their fantastic, generally upscale, restaurants:

Roy’s

Gerard’s

I’O

Pacific’O

Peter Merriman Kapalua

Maui Tacos

Mala Ocean Tavern

Mala Wailea

Sansei Seafood Restaurant

Here are some other ‘must try’s’ around the island:

Whalers Village – Seafood food court (Kaanapali)

A Saigon Café – Vietnamese cuisine (Wailuku)

A.K. Café – Fusion (Wailuku)

Mala Ocean Tavern (Lahaina)

Roy’s Kahana Bar & Grill – Seafood and Hawaiian fusion cuisine (Lahaina)

Pineapple Grill – Hawaiian cuisine (Kapalua)

Attractions

A vacation in Maui will prove to be so much more than just sun and sand. There is much to explore with its varying terrains and climates. Here is a list of great things to do while on this beautiful island:

Guided Tours:

Helicopter Tours

• ALEXAIR Helicopter tours
• Sunshine Helicopters

Snorkeling, Diving and Sailing Tours

• Frogman
• Pacific Whale Foundation
• Pride of Maui
• Trilogy

Backpacking/Eco Tours:

• Eco Adventures with Hike Maui

Horseback Tours:

• Ironwood Ranch
• Lahaina Stables
• Makani Olu Ranch
• Mendes Ranch

Historical Sites / Museums:

Lahaina Heritage Museum

Hale Pai

Baldwin Home Museum

Bailey House Museum

Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum

Luaus:

No visit to Hawaii would be complete without experiencing an authentic Hawaiian Luau. Several hotels stage beachside luaus with foods like kalua pig (cooked in hot stones in the ground), poi, Hawaiian music, hula and fire dancing. A few great Luaus to check out are:

Old Lahaina Luau

Feast at Lele

Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa Drums of the Pacific Luau

Other Things to do in Maui:

• Watch the sun rise over Haleakala
• Explore up to 80 beaches and their (gold, black, green, red or white sands)
• Whale watching
• Zip-lining
• Para-sailing
• Hiking in Haleakala National Park

Currency, Culture and Language

The official language in Hawaii is English.

The official currency in Hawaii is the United States Dollar (USD).