7 Fantastic Tips For Visiting & Loving Maui

It’s not hard to love Maui, many people (and tourists) have been doing so for countless years. That said, when arriving to such a small island with such a strong culture, it’s important to do so the right way and to be respectful as you go.

That’s not to imply you have to walk on eggshells there. The locals tend to be some of the warmest you could ever meet, reflecting the beautiful weather in their attitudes and outlook. However, if you haven’t traveled to this remote part of the world for some time, or perhaps ever, there are certainly some good principles to keep in mind.

Now, the island has a good amount of space and many beautiful attractions, but because you can visit many of these in one trip, we hope that you feel free to explore depending on what’s happening at the time. In such a unique location, though, we can offer you some fantastic principles that many travelers miss out on to begin with.

Let’s consider what that might mean, and how to achieve it:


Consider The “Shoulder Season”

The sweet spot for visiting Maui tends to fall between the spring break crowds and the summer rush which is usually quite intensive. However, some might even go earlier, or during the colder months, not only to help the local economy but to avoid everyone else that has had this mindset too.

That said, April and May do still offer perfect beach weather without the packed beaches, so you may wish to go during these months, and the same goes for September through early November. This means the water will still be pretty warm, but the hotel prices drop to reasonable levels. 

Of course, at this time the weather might throw a few more rain showers, but they pass quickly and keep everything lush and green. There’s a benefit here though, as such quick showers mean more waterfalls and fewer people hogging the best spots at places like Twin Falls and Seven Sacred Pools.

Book Your Rental Car Well Ahead

Maui looks tiny on a map but feels huge once you’re there, especially if you don’t know the territory. Driving from Kaanapali to Hana takes hours, and that’s without stops to see all the beautiful nature surrounding you. 

Just keep in mind that the rental car situation gets wild during peak times, which is why many companies recommending pre-booking if you’re looking for a Budget Friendly Car Rental Service In Maui . We’re going to assume no on reading this wants to spend their vacation stuck at the resort because they couldn’t get wheels. Small cars work fine for most trips here. There’s a lot of advice online about hiring off-roaders, and those Jeep rentals sound fun, but they really only make sense for the back road to Hana or if someone plans to explore some of the rougher beach access roads past Big Beach.

Car Rental
Maui Hawaii

Split Your Stay Between Areas

Living out of a suitcase isn’t fun, but neither is spending half the vacation in traffic, and traffic can unfortunately come quite intensely to this wonderful small island in the peak of the tourist season. That’s why some travelers often split their time between different parts of the island. 

A popular choice involves starting in Kaanapali or Lahaina to let you ease into island time with easy beach access and plenty of restaurants nearby, having a chill time so to speak. Then you could move to Hana for a few nights, which gives you better access to Hamoa Beach or the Pipiwai Trail before the day-trippers arrive, especially if you go in the morning. Or maybe spending some time in Kula can be a lovely alternative, as here the air gets crisp at night and mornings smell like lavender and coffee from nearby farms. 

To be honest, you can’t go wrong no matter where you travel, but if you want to see most of the island and explore some of the heaving tourist hordes (which, of course, we’re all contributing to), this can be a nice alternative.

Get Up Early (Really Early)

Unlike some destinations, morning people have all the fun on Maui, because the island is often bursting with life, and the cooler temperatures and early start to many activities can help you feel you’ve experienced a great deal before lunch. There’s an amazing feeling of health and wonder about it all when you have such a routine in such a beautiful place as well.

For example, sunrise at Haleakala feels really incredible when it’s just a handful of people wrapped in blankets watching the sky turn orange. Some snorkeling activities at Honolua Bay is really quite picturesque in the early morning too, as the water stays crystal clear and the fish seem curious rather than spooked from all the activity that will come later. As ever, the early starts help dodge the worst heat and traffic too. This is your choice of course, but there’s nothing quite like Maui, and Hawaii in general, in the early morning.

Better yet, Maui produces coffee, and so there are many incredible and beautiful coffee shops lining the island with locally grown and diverse flavors. We’d argue that there’s likely nowhere better on the entire planet to wake up with a freshly brewed morning coffee.

Pack Smart For The Microclimates Here

Maui weather pulls surprises on unprepared visitors and even some locals, they will chuckle as they tell you. The summit of Haleakala feels more like Alaska than Hawaii an that’s not as dramatic as it sounds, as people have gotten hypothermia wearing just shorts and t-shirts up there.

On top of that, the beaches bake under serious sun even on cloudy days, which is likely one of the reasons you’re coming here. Flash rains can often be very cold especially when windy. What we’re getting at here is to consider smart packing, which means bringing layers and expecting anything on a daily basis.

In practical terms, a light rain jacket saves the day during surprise showers you’re almost certain to encounter at some point. Reef-safe sunscreen matters too, as often regular sunscreen kills coral reefs, and many beaches now ban the harmful stuff. In addition, good hats and polarized sunglasses can help you cope with the harship of exposure to the intense sun.

Packing for New York She is Wanderlust
Learn Basic Hawaiian Words

Learn Basic Hawaiian Words

No Hawaiian is going to feel offended that a tourist can’t speak their language fluently. But of course, any vacation is going to be better if you learn even a few basics, as it hows respect for local culture. You likely know Aloha and Mahalo already, but learning to say place names right makes a difference. 

Locals appreciate visitors who make an effort to pronounce Haleakala or Kaanapali correctly, and we can send you to a resource as this doesn’t come across so well in text. Understanding some Hawaiian words also helps make sense of place names and their meanings, which often tell stories about the land’s history, as folklore and mythology is often deeply tied into the wonderful world of Hawaii.

Respect The Land & Culture

This applies no matter where you go, of course, but unfortunately, many people assume Hawaii on a larger scale to be a fun tourist spot and nothing more, which is completely the wrong way of looking at it. 

Maui isn’t Disneyland, as real people call this place home, and many spots hold deep cultural significance. Signs asking people to keep out or stay on trails exist for good reasons, and if you can do your part to show that tourists don’t have to be all bad, that’s great. If you can support local business and take the directions of the locals you’ll be much appreciated, as the people are very friendly here, but of course, it’s important to respect that friendly outlook with action.

With this advice, we hope you can more easily visit and love Maui in all its glory.