Maui, Hawaii’s second-largest island, also called “The Valley Isle” as it is nestled in the valleys of the volcanic mountains of Haleakala and Mauna Kahalawai. Known for its serene unblemished natural beauty with its sparkling blue waters, one of the highest Volcanic peaks, the sun and sand, vibrant coral reefs, and the list goes on and on!
If you want to escape the winters of the Northeast, the Texan summers, or just enjoy the tropical sun, look no further than the Hawaiian Islands!
This itinerary will cover a 4-day visit to Maui but would highly recommend spending more time in this Hawaiian Paradise. If you wish to club your visit with the other Hawaiian Islands, here are some of our fun-filled itineraries for Big Island and Oahu!
Tips to Plan your Trip to Maui:
It is a long flight if you are traveling from the east coast. So it would be preferable to combine it with another Hawaiian Island.
The drive to Hana and Haleakala can be challenging with hairpin bends and one-way bridges.
On the summit of Haleakala the temperatures are quite low, so if you are planning to go by yourself, do carry a heavy jacket or you can book for tours which will provide the warm wears.
Stock on your insect repellent and sunscreen lotion.
Carry cash for Road to Hana as local vendors will accept only cash for food and drinks.
Carry an underwater camera if you are planning to snorkel.
Day 1: Lahaina and Kanaha beach
As we landed in Maui, we headed to our first stop the Kanaha Beach Park. Located less than 3 miles from the Kahului Airport, this beach offered us a warm welcome to Maui and was the perfect spot to start our trip! We enjoyed our packed lunch along the beach in the shade of tall coconut trees as we saw the windsurfers surfing over the magnificent blue waves.
We headed on our way to West Maui from the airport area and the initial views along the drive were breathtaking. We stopped at a couple of lookout points to soak in the sun and the glistening waters of Pacific. We explored the little town of Lahaina in the evening. We strolled through the Front street with all the local restaurants, shopping areas, and art galleries with works of artists from around the US while enjoying tropical flavors of shaved ice. One of the historic Sites to definitely visit is the Giant Banyan Tree. After the long day, we enjoyed our dinner at Thai Chef Restaurant in Lahaina.
We stayed in West Maui at Noelani Condominium Resort for all four days.
Day 2: Road to Hana
The next day we decided to drive through the scenic ‘Road to Hana’ in the eastern region of Maui. When you look at the map of Maui to plan the trip, the journey to Hana is barely 55 miles and you may think that it might take approximately 4 hours for a round trip. However, the numerous scenic spots and the drive-through more than 600 hairpin bends and 50 one way bridges can easily take the whole day. Plan to leave early in the morning as you would be able to avoid the rush at most of the spots. On your way, you will find many mile markers. Few mile markers are unorganized and start over from #16. Also, after you cross the town of Hana, they jump to #51 then go backward.
Paia Town This is the last town before you start the scenic drive for Road to Hana. You might want to stock up on food and drinks for the day and grab a refreshing coffee to start the day-long drive.
Ho’okipa Lookout Approximately 2.5 miles from Paia, you would be able to see the gorgeous Pacific studded with colorful windsurfers! Maui is fondly known as the mecca for the windsurfers due to its enormous, consistent waves.
Twin Falls Approximately 9.5 miles from the Ho’okipa Lookout is the hike for the twin falls. On your drive to Hana, you will come across a cascade of falls, however, these are the first ones along the way. The hike was a moderate one leading to the beautiful twin falls and a small pond to swim. Patches of the hike include walking through the waters, so comfortable footwear and outfit are highly recommended.
Garden of Eden Arboretum Located 8.5 miles from the Twin Falls at Mile marker 10.5, this botanical garden spread around 26 Acres is a worth a visit. It offers hiking trails surrounded by beautiful and vibrant tropical flora and fauna. Some of the highlights of our hikes were the bamboo alleys and the rainbow trees. The garden is open from 8.00 am - 4:00 pm with a $15 charge for adults.
Halfway to Hana The halfway to Hana is a strategic location for the travelers to take a pit stop and relish its fresh-baked banana bread and refreshments.
Hana Lava Tube The Hana lava tubes are the caves formed around 960 years ago from the activity of the molten lava. They offer tours for the underground caves for a fee of $11 and provide flashlights. It is open form 10:30 am to 4:00 pm. We were one of the last ones to take the tour and when we reached the end of the cave, we switched off the flashlight to experience the silence and darkness like never before.
Wai’anapanapa State Park It is located approximately 2 miles from Lava tube at mile marker 32, this offers the characteristic black sand beach from the volcanic activities, freshwater caves, and blowhole along the cliffs. This a must-stop destination on your scenic drive.
Koki Beach After the long day, we relaxed at the Koki beach, enjoyed the windsurfers dance over the waves, relished some fresh coconut water from local vendors, and prepared for our return drive before it got dark.
Day 3: Molokini Crater and Haleakala Mountain
Molokini Crater Snorkeling
Ever since we started planning our trip to Maui I was excited about exploring the marine world!
Molokini Crater formed as a result of volcanic eruptions in the Pacific and now home to the colorful coral reefs and aquatic beasts offered a perfect spot to snorkel. Not being proficient in swimming, we decided to go with a tour company called Maui Reef Adventures.
They cater to small groups and operate with smaller raft boats rather than huge catamarans.
This was a great advantage as we could break free from the tourist crowd and reached the crater much earlier. They also provided us with all the gear for snorkeling in the Molokini. This was followed by an excursion in Turtle Arch to swim with the green sea turtles. This was an awe-inspiring experience and one of the highlights of the Hawaii vacation.
Haleakala Mountain
After exploring the underwater world it was now time to explore one of the highest volcanic peaks in the world, Haleakala is also known as “House of the Sun”. The highest peak of Haleakala is at an altitude of 10,023 feet. We drove up there to the Summit piercing through the clouds for a heavenly sunset. It was the first time ever that I was looking at the sunset below. It is known for its beautiful sunrises and sunsets and I certainly agree after watching one myself!
We stayed on the summit past the sunset to experience the mesmerizing blanket of stars. Due to the elevation, no artificial city lights, and dryness of the air, the Haleakala summit offers an ideal location for ground-based telescopes. We went with Maui Astronomy Tours for out of the world experience through outer space. The tour guide showed us stars, planets, satellites, constellations, and the milky way through her deep space telescope. She also provided with jackets and the gears needed for the high altitudes. It was indeed a celestial party on the peaks of Haleakala!
Day 4: Relax at the beach
On the last day, we decided to relax at the beaches and explore the western coastline of Maui. To start our day we had an amazing brunch at The Gazebo on the shores of the Napili beach. The wait time was over an hour but Macadamia nut pancakes were well worth the wait. From there we headed to the famous Ka’anapali Beach and Kahekili Beach Park. These were few of the commercial beaches, however, the beauty of Maui is that you can drive through the coast and you can stop by a near area to name it as your private beach!
With this our fun-filled, exotic Hawaiian trip comes to an end, but as I conclude this blog I am tempted to plan another tropical vacation for myself!
~ Nomadic Traveler ~
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