Mar 17th, 2007
Maui Vacation Guide
About Maui
Maui is the island of Hawaii called “the magic isle” and magic you will find there! It has an incredible mixture of terrain for exploration and site seeing. In Maui, you can be as relaxed or adventurous as you like. You will find world class golf courses, spas, restaurants, and hotels. Experience a marvelous sunrise on the summit of Maui’s Haleakala that is 10,000 feet above sea level. Watch romantic sunsets from one of the many beautiful beaches, from your Maui hotel room, from a catamaran cruise, or from your table at an excellent Maui restaurant. You will learn of the rich Hawaiian history through a visit to the Iao Needle, luaus, and strolls through historic Lahaina. Spend a day taking a scenic drive along the road to Hana and see jaw dropping views of lush Maui rainforests, a black sand beach, and abundant waterfalls.
If you are looking for adventure, then Maui is your place! Maui offers tremendous surfing and if you don’t know how to surf, don’t worry, you can take lessons while on the island. The world’s best wind surfers love the waters and tradewinds at Ho’okipa. Even if you don’t windsurf or ride the waves on a surf board, watching the surfers can be fascinating and mesmerizing. Maui has fantastic snorkeling, snuba, and scuba diving. You will find a whole new world under the water with colorful, tropical fish and some of them are native only to Hawaii. Maui has several uncrowded beaches that you can snorkel straight from the beach. You can also take a catamaran excursion to the crystal clear waters of Molokini. Some other adventures to consider while in Maui are hiking, biking, horseback riding, star gazing, tennis, kayaking, and a thrilling helicopter tour.
Maui really does have it all! Maui is the perfect spot for a memorable honeymoon, anniversary, or family vacation. Even the humpback whales agree as they enjoy their annual vacation among the sheltered, warm waters of Maui after their long journey from Alaska. They like Maui so well that they give birth to their calves in the waters surrounding Maui. Many experts agree that Maui is one of the best places to watch the humpback whales breaching from Mid-November to April. Imagine your awe as you watch a 45 foot whale that weighs about a ton per foot breaching just off the coast or from an organized whale watching tour! It is incredible!
Maui Weather:
In general, there are two seasons in Maui, summer and winter. The summer months (April – October) tend to be drier and warmer where the daily average highs are in the mid to upper 80’s. The winter months (November – March) tend to get more rainfall and are a bit cooler with daily average highs in the lower 80’s. See my guide on Maui weather forecast resources to help you with your Maui vacation and activity planning.
Maui (Kahului) year round temperature and rain averages by month
Terrain, Geography and Highlights:
In West Maui you will find some of the best resort towns and areas. Lahaina is a historic town with lots of shops and restaurants. Just to the north of Lahaina is Kaanapali with its award winning beach and several top notch resorts and golf courses. Continuing north, you will find the beautiful resort area of Kapalua that plays host to the Mercedes Championship golf tournament in January each year. The D.T. Flemming Beach in Kapalua has frequently been selected as one of the most beautiful beaches in America. The Kapalua area is also surrounded by a pineapple plantation.
The south coast of Maui tends to be a little drier than the northwestern part of the island. There are some wonderful resort towns including Maalaea, Kihei, Wailea, and Makena, with Wailea being the most popular with its great golfing and swank resorts and spas.
A trip up to the summit Haleakala (10,023 feet above sea level) is well worth your time, particularly, if you can get there to watch the sunrise over the volcanic crater. On your way to and from them summit, you will pass through the beautiful ranching area called Maui’s Upcountry.
East Maui is famous for the Road to Hana that is filled with panoramic view, waterfalls, jaw dropping scenery and its many twists, turns and bridges. No trip to Maui is complete without it.
The county seat, Wailuku, is in the center of Maui. It is a historic town and has some nice shops for antiques. Just west of Wailuku is the spectacular Iao Valley which houses the incredible Iao Needle which is a 1200 foot tall thin green mountain.
Where to stay on Maui?
Our favorite area to stay is in Kapalua. The beaches there are just gorgeous. The Plantation House serves some of the best food on the island. If your time and budget allow, plan to stay a night in Hana for relaxation and pampering, as well. Use this Maui virtual tour article to help you select the region you want to visit and where to stay. As you are selecting your Maui accommodation, be sure to consider staying in a Maui condo as an alternative.
Brief Overview of Maui’s Main Resort Areas:
When is the best time to vacation in Maui?
Anytime of year is great. I’ve been to Maui in all seasons and loved it each time. Summer months are better for avoiding rain, however winter months are excellent for whale watching. For the best deals, least crowds, and better weather, I advise Maui vacations for April, May, September, and October. See this article for more on the best times to vacation in Hawaii.
What kind of activities can you do on Maui other than sightseeing?
Before you start diving into the the activity planning details, be sure and consider these articles on the best things to do in Maui:
Top 5 Things you Must See and Do on Your Maui Vacation
What to do on Maui on a rainy day.
Maui’s best free and budget activities
Other ideas are:
- Maui is an excellent island for whale watching and the ideal time is from January through April.
- Snorkeling and diving around Maui is fantastic. A half day catamaran cruise out to Molokini is a trip worth doing.
- See and learn about Hawaii’s tropical fish at the Maui Ocean Center
- Surfing
- Windsurfing on at Hookipa on Maui’s north shore is world renown. Even if you don’t windsurf it is fun to watch the world’s best windsurfers here.
- Hiking
- Ziplining
- Fishing
- Biking
- Golf at some of the worlds top golf courses
- Horseback riding
- Kayaking
- Stargazing – our advice is to get up to the top of Haleakala at about 5:00am and see the stars before the majestic sunrise.
- Helicopter tour
- Pamper in a spa. Maui has several top rated spas. The Spa Grande at the Grand Wailea is our favorite.
- Enjoy Hawaiian food and a Polynesian show at a Maui Luau.
Maui Vacation Planning Advice
Order a free Maui vacation planning guide from the Maui Visitors Bureau
Get excellent ideas for customizing your own Maui 7-day itinerary
General Maui Travel News
Maui Travel Deals
Maui Restaurant News & Reviews
Maui Activities News & Reviews
Hawaii Vacation Planning Essentials
