8 Best Maui Vacation Tips by Melinda
"Whether you are visiting Maui for a wedding, an extended stopover on the way to Asia or just plain rest and recreation vacation, well-informed planning ensures a Maui vacation that lives up to your expectations. Based on many trips to Maui ranging in duration from several days to several months, here are my 8 Best Maui Vacation Tips:
1. When to visit Maui?
High season on Maui is Christmas through Easter. Is it the best time to visit Maui? Nope! That's just when the most people are eager to escape winter on the Mainland. What little bad weather Maui has actually clusters in the winter months. The rest of the year, Maui weather is warmer but not unpleasantly hot. Maui hotel or vacation rental rates are lowest during fall and late spring.
2. How long to stay in Maui?
You can see the whole island in four days, but to have a real Maui experience, you should stay 10 - 14 days. After the first week you'll find yourself slowing down and mellowing to a Maui rhythm, enjoying life the way it was meant to be.
3. Where to stay on Maui vacation - condo or hotel?
There are very few traditional hotels and next to no motels on Maui. Your two main choices are Maui resorts (expensive) and Maui vacation condos (generally cheaper). Many condo complexes offer nearly everything you'd want from a resort except the high prices. The least expensive Maui condo rentals are available directly from the owners. Many of those Maui vacation condos include kitchens, giving you the ultimate flexibility in being able to dine in or out. Not to forget all those FREE amenities like Internet access and tons of beach equipment
4. Maui Beach vacation
In looking through Maui condo and resort descriptions, be aware that in Maui no one owns the beach. All of Maui's wonderful white sand beaches have public access, even the most high-priced Maui resorts . If you plan to swim or snorkel a lot, you might be better advised to book one of those Maui beach condos adjacent to one of the public beaches, such as Kamaole Beach Park I, II or III. Unlike most of the resort beaches, these are manned by lifeguards seven days a week, and they're clean, with restrooms.
5. Maui vacation locations
The two main beach locations for an extended stay are West Maui (Ka'anapali and Lahaina) and South Maui (Kihei and Wailea). Of these, Kihei is the least expensive, and its beaches are just as nice as elsewhere. If you prefer a resort atmosphere, gravitate to Ka'anapali or Wailea instead.
6. Do you need to rent a car on your Maui vacation?
Most visitors to Maui rent a car, but it's possible to have a great vacation without that expense. Simply choose a Maui vacation condo at the beach, surrounded by plenty of eatery choices. Then book sightseeing tours through any one of the plentiful activity kiosks you'll see nearby, selecting operators who will pick you up at the hotel. You can visit the top of Haleakala, ride the road to Hana and take snorkeling trips this way.
7. What to pack for your Maui vacation?
Maui is relentlessly casual. It's also warm, both day and night. This means you can travel light when visiting Maui. All you need in the way of clothing are shorts and shirts, one pair of pants or one light dress, your bathing suit of course, a light jacket or sweater, sandals and sneakers. If you plan to visit the top of Haleakala, where it can be as cool as 40 degrees, bring a down vest or fleece as well. I recommend a pair of binoculars as well, for watching whales and surfers.
8. Day planning of Maui activities
Most guidebooks don't tell you that the ocean is quietest in the morning prior to about 10 a.m., and therefore that's when you should plan swimming, snorkeling and boat tours. They also don't advise you to plan to watch the nightly sunset, especially in winter, when the sky puts on a spectacular show. Afternoons are great for sitting by the pool or sightseeing.
Use a few of my personal vacation tips, or best all of them, and have the best Maui vacation of your dreams."
Use a few of my personal vacation tips, or best all of them, and have the best Maui vacation of your dreams."
Much mahalo, Melinda, for your great vacation tips for our Maui visitors fitting right into our Maui vacation articles. Maui visitors, what's your best Maui vacation tip? We love to hear from everybody who has Maui in his heart. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacation
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22 comments:
Aloha! I am a Maui Blogger and I agree to everything you wrote on this post. Very helpful tips. I like it that you answered the questions specifically. The beaches in Kihei are fantastic as as beautiful as in Wailea. Thank you for writing this post
Aloha, Liza,
and mahalo for confirming our Maui vacation tips. Appreciation by the Maui expert from 'A Maui Blog' feels very special.
Wonderful tips. When I visit Maui and the islands I definitely prefer to rent condos directly from owners. It is the best deal--lots of space and lower prices.
Good idea to choose a private vacation place on Maui. Most of Maui condos are offering the same amenities as hotels do and don't even charge extra.
Not to mention the resort fees which Hawaii hotels are now asking now in addition to room rate. Anybody booking a Maui hotel room, make sure whether they'll add a resort fee. BTW, there is NO opt-out option.
Thanks for the tips.I agree with that but of course in every vacation, we have to be prepared financially,and physically.
...your vacation tips are valid for any kind of vacation.
Since Hawaii travelers book their air fares, vacation rental or hotel and car rental ahead of the time of their Maui vacation, the biggest Maui vacation expenses are already taken care of before landing on Maui!
So great content! Very practical and helpful tips given most especially on point number 3. I agree with it! If you are a traveler and opting for that best vacation rentals experience of your life, it is good to have a comfortable and affordable place to stay throughout the whole duration of your vacation. Mahalo for sharing a good post! :)
Yes, finding the perfect accommodation is on any travelers list when making travel plans. Maui is not any different. So it's worthwhile to spend plenty of time checking amenities + rates available rentals on Maui to make sure that guests get what they look for.
Great tips in vacation in Maui!
Actually, another great option to stay in Maui is to look for friendly bed and breakfast. The prices are not that expensive, and you will have great value and interesting and knowledgeable local hosts.
Good idea, Hanna. I have quite a number of friends who prefer a bed & breakfasts to a vacation rental w/kichen.
They love to enjoy a great Hawaiian island breakfast with all the tropical fruits without having to spend lots of their valuable Maui vacation time with shopping. Maui has quite a number of well established bed& breakfasts!
Aloha! I agree to everything that you said. And just to share something, I found the best website where you guys can also check out when you finally decide to relocate to Maui! relocatetomaui.com
Mahalo for Maui website tip. When checking it out, I personally would prefer some more information about moving to Maui for good or even just some Maui vacation tips for people who consider moving to Maui. Just an idea!
I truly like to reading your post. Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a nice information. I'll definitely add this great post in my article section.
As we are not Maui experts ourselves, we were really happy to publish these Maui vacation tips from our guest author for our Hawaii visitors.
I really dislike resorts, which is why I haven't been to Maui yet, knowing that there isn't much choice when it comes to accommodation. But condos do sound better, and your tips show that it is possible to navigate around the resort areas to quieter places...
Aloha US traveler,
It looks like you had a bad experience when staying at a resort but remember we should not generalize and believe it or not, there are wonderful Maui resorts with all the amenities a Hawaii visitor dreams of.
Admitted, it takes some thorough research but the same applies to Maui condo complexes. If you love a peaceful and laid back Hawaii vacation, you want to stay away from resorts with water slides or nightly entertainment. When booking a Maui condo and you prefer serenity, make sure that it is NOT facing the swimming pool or the tennis courts.
Choosing Maui as holiday spot is a great idea. The island of Maui is one of the best islands of Hawaii. It is the second largest of the eight major islands. There are many trails on Maui including a couple of trails in Io Valley State Monument. You have created a great post. I enjoyed reading it.
Much mahalo for joining our Maui post. Most vacationers who have come to Maui for their first Hawaii vacation come back time after time. Hard to resist the island beauty, the stretches of white sand beaches and the many things to do.
just couldn’t leave your website before telling you that we really enjoyed the quality information you offer to your visitors… Will be back often to check up on new posts.
Mahalo for telling us that you liked what you read on our blog about visiting Maui. Maui vacation experts are always wanted with valuable comments and maybe a Maui guest post?!
Many interested holidaymakers would be delighted to read this informative article! I'm sure a lot of people will now be more confident to visit Maui after reading this!
Maui is on the mind of many visitors planning their Hawaii vacation. 'Maui activities' are the next thing to think about. Happy to hear that our activities' post is getting so much attention.
This post is still open. If you'd like to share your favorite Maui activity with our blog visitors, we love to hear from you. Mahalo, Pua
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