After eating our fair share of seafood, shaved ice, and tropical fruit in Oahu, we hopped over to Maui for 6 days to eat more, play more, and relax more.
Where to Stay
We stayed at the Hyatt Ka’anapali Beach – Maui, A Hyatt Residence Club in a gorgeous two bedroom suite with a kitchen, dining room, living room, and balcony. The stay was absolutely incredible! We had breakfast in the mornings on our spacious balcony with ocean front and poolside views. The pools and hot tubs were open 24/7, allowing us to take a late night hot tub dip. And the beds were dreamy… slept like a baby… It really allowed us to fully unwind.
Where to Eat
Honu Seafood: Freshest seafood and oceanside dining. A bit pricey, but it’s worth it for the fun seafood, Hawaiian fusion dishes. Try the octopus appetizer and the mushroom truffle pizza!
Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop: P and I came here twice because it was so good. The sandwiches are amazing and of course, both the savory and sweet pies are a must!
Star Noodle: Subpar by Asian standards but still a great place to grab some decent noodles and pickled starters. I would recommend the Vietnamese crepe and garlic noodles. Skip the ramen…
Kimo’s: A classic Hawaiian restaurant with tons of history and of course, ocean views located in the heart of Lahaina. Love the Hula Pie! It’s amazing if you have a sweet tooth.
Island Vintage Coffee: A great place for breakfast! Everything from eggs and bacon plate to the breakfast sandwiches to the acai bowl is incredibly fresh and the coffee is good. This is a chain with most shops in Oahu, but the one in Maui is located at Whalers Village.
Best Things to Do
(1) Catch the sunrise at Haleakala: Worth getting up at 4 a.m. in the morning and driving the 1.5 hours. Watching the clouds float below us was mesmerizing and unlike anything I had seen before. Be sure to get there early for parking and hike up the short moderate trail for the best views. For more info, see here.
(2) Swim with the sea turtles: We had no luck spotting turtles when we were in Oahu, but turtles were plentiful in Maui… and incredibly friendly. P and I would swim along the coast and bumped into turtle after turtle unexpectedly. We brought our own snorkels, so we were able to beach hop and visit several beaches. We found that the best places to see sea turtles in Maui was Black Sand Beach and Kapalua Bay.
Please note: Enjoy these gentle creatures from a distance. A word to the wise, if you just float and let the turtles carry on, more oftentimes than not, they will hang around you for awhile. If you harass or try to touch them, expect to get injured… and incur a huge fine and possible jail time.
They would literally float near the surface for a few minutes and could even be spotted from the beach.
(3) Experience upcountry living: This was one of the highlights of our Maui trip. We visited O’o farm near Haleakala in the town of Kula for their gourmet lunch and farm tour. We learned about all different types of vegetables and fruits grown in their little farm and had a fantastic farm to table lunch prepared by the on-site chef. I loved that we got to pick our own salad from the gardens based on what was available and fresh for picking. They also have a morning coffee and breakfast tour for the coffee lovers.
(4) Paddle a traditional Hawaiian outrigger canoe: We love getting out on the water any chance we get. So, we went on an outrigger canoe tour with Hawaiian Paddle Sports which donates a portion of their profit to a non-profit organization every month. The tour not only included paddling and snorkeling with the turtles in Turtle Town, but also a little lesson on Hawaii and the sea life. You can find other outrigger canoe tours here.
(5) Attend a luau: There are so many luaus to choose from, but the best, by far, has always been the Old Lahaina Luau. The food was pretty good, all drinks were included, and the show was professional and entertaining. The venue was also gorgeous with ocean front sunset views. Here are other luau options that may work better for you.
(6) Scuba dive in waters with 100 feet visibility: The diving tours in Maui are amazing so find an excursion or company that works best for you! There is so much wild sea life to see and the water was also incredibly warm.
(7) Snorkel in Turtle Town and Molikini: A must do when in Hawaii is to go on a snorkeling boat excursion. We specifically recommend going to Turtle Town and Molikini in Maui but there are also other beautiful snorkeling places to explore.
(8) Explore Old Town Lahaina: With some time in the evening before and after dinner, we were able to explore this town, which is full of history for Hawaii and for me personally. I have memories of a young local who sat under the famous Banyan tree threading a banana leaf hat for my younger 4 year old self. At the time, the now plentiful souvenir and art shops in town were nonexistent and most of the area really hadn’t been built up yet. Despite the town now being more accommodating to tourists, it’s still a great spot to grab a bite to eat, shop, and take an evening stroll.
(9) Drive the Road to Hana: Brave the 64 miles of winding roads, lush greenery, towering waterfalls / swimming holes, and black sand beaches. The roads can be narrow and after a rainfall, the conditions can be slick. But, it’s worth the drive to discover and appreciate the untouched areas of Maui!
(10) Relax at the Beach: And don’t forget to relax! We always try to jam pack everything when we travel that sometimes, we don’t make time to just relax. It’s incredible to rent an umbrella and some beach chairs, take a nap on the beach, wade in the water and swim with the turtles! our favorite beaches in Maui are Ka’anapali Beach, Kapalua Bay and Makena Beach.
