7 Days in Maui, Hawaii — The Active Voyager

Welcome to Maui

After one day in Maui, it is easy to understand why some people go there on vacation and never come back. It is nothing short of a paradise with its warm weather, calm beaches, fresh caught fish, and volcanic landscape. For us active voyagers, there are several unique and challenging hikes which make the relaxation all the more worth it. Our goal was to balance activity with relaxation, so we tried to spread out the day trips and hikes, and intersperse them with the peaceful beaches and beautiful scenery. This trip will not disappoint you.

Where to Stay

We stayed in Wailea and would highly recommend it. Home to the most beautiful and swimmable beaches, it is also home to some of the nicest hotels on the island. We were lucky to be able to stay at the Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, which was an epic experience; if you can cash in hotel points or find another way to swing that, you will not be disappointed. Slightly north of Wailea is Kihei. We spent a bit of time in Kihei eating at food trucks, walking along the beach, and shopping for groceries. It has a more earthy, less resorty vibe, and is more residential than Wailea—so you’re more likely to find an affordable Airbnb condo in Kihea than Wailea. You can’t go wrong with either spot, and it’s only a 20 minute walk along the beach between them.

With an early morning flight from the East Coast you will arrive early evening. Unpack and unwind during your first evening in Maui.

4:00 - Arrive at the Maui Kahului Airport (A) and pick up a rental car for the week.

5:00 - On the way from the airport to the Airbnb or hotel, stop at the Safeway in Kahului for groceries (B). If you don’t already have a Safeway card, sign up for one; food is expensive in Hawaii and you’ll likely be back a few times. Be sure to pick up bug spray and sunscreen. You might also like to get ingredients for breakfast, a few packed lunches, and a couple of dinners.

6:00 - Check in to the hotel or Airbnb (C). We found that on our first night, we weren’t very hungry and were content to have a light snack and a glass of wine. You’ll probably be tired and head to bed early. If you’re feeling energized, by all means, get out there and take a walk along the ocean!

**Day 2.**
**Explore West Maui and Go Whale Watching**

Spend the day exploring the beaches and towns on the west side of the island, followed by a sunset whale watching cruise (December-March).

7:00 - You’ll likely be up early with the time change. Have some breakfast, then pack your beach towels, walking shoes, and beach gear and hop in the car. If you are staying in an Airbnb or hotel that has snorkel equipment to borrow, bring that with you too.

8:00 - Head first to Kapalua Beach (A), about an hour from Wailea. Park and follow signs for the Kapalua Coastal Trail, a 2-mile rocky pathway with panoramic views of the ocean.

10:00 - Drive south to Ka’anapali Beach (B). Walk along Ka’anapali Beach, heading towards Black Rock Beach (C) (3 miles one way). If you do have snorkel equipment, you can use it at Black Rock Beach. Otherwise, enjoy the walk, spend some time reading, take a dip, or watch the waves.

12:00 - Continue south to Lahaina (D), a whaling town with shops, restaurants, art galleries, and more. Walk around the town, and stop for lunch. Paia Fish Market is a popular spot (we went to both locations and would recommend the Kihei location over this one). Be sure to check out the Banyan Court, a public park across from Paia Fish Market which has one of the largest banyan trees in the United States.

2:00 - Head back to the Airbnb (E) to relax, clean up, and get ready for the evening.

4:30 - If you are visiting during whale watching season (December-March), then it’s worth trying to see some whales while you’re here. A sunset whale-watching cruise is a fun, slightly indulgent, way to do that. We did a Pride of Maui (F) catamaran tour ($100), which had an open bar and decent food. It’s about 20 minutes from Waila to Ma'alaea Harbor, and the event ends around 8pm.

The Road to Hana is an out-and-back drive (approx. three hours each way) which is not at all about getting to the town of Hana but about enjoying the scenery along the coastal road that leads there. It’s a fun road trip which takes you along nearly the entire eastern side of the island.

7:00 - This is a good day to get another early start. While having breakfast, download the Road to Hana Maui GyPSy Guide phone app. A friend recommended it to us, so even though we waffled at the price ($7 for a phone app?!), we downloaded it and were so glad we did. The audio tour plays automatically as you pass GPS coordinates, and it made the long drive very entertaining. Plus, we learned way more about the island than we would have otherwise. Be sure to pack your USB cord for the car, and don’t forget to bring snacks.

7:30 - Drive towards the town of Paia (A) (pronounced pie-ee-ah), where the Road to Hana starts. The audio tour will point out all the best stops along Hana Highway, including Ho'okipa Beach to see the sea turtles (B), an arboretum (C), Wai'anapanapa State Park (D) for the black sand beach, a hidden red sand beach (E), numerous waterfalls including Wailua Falls (F), among many other sites. You’ll stop several times on the way there, and then drive the way back largely uninterrupted.

12:00 - Try to pace your stops such that you enter Haleakala National Park around noon. The audio tour will give you the option to hike the Pipiwai Trail (G), and we highly recommend that you do. It’s not long (3 miles round-trip; approx. 1.5 hours), and takes you through a bamboo forest to the foot of a huge waterfall. From there, you’ll drive back the way you came. If you’re looking for a quick snack on the way home, stop at Hana Farms (H) and get their delicious fish tacos. (Note: hold on to your Haleakala National Park entrance receipt as it will also get you in tomorrow when visiting the crater.)

4:30 - If you’re interested in eating at the iconic Mama’s Fish House (near B), I suggest stopping for an early dinner there on your way home as you’ll drive right past it. The fish is delicious though very pricey (like most nice restaurants in Maui.) Even at an early hour like this, you’ll want to make a reservation online. The dress code is upscale casual, so you may want to bring a change of clothes and shoes as well.

**Day 4.**
**Hike Haleakala Crater at Sunset**

While most people visit Haleakala Crater at sunrise, we were told by multiple locals that sunset is the way to go; it’s less busy, less painful (not having to wake up at 2:00am), and similarly awe-inspiring.

8:30 - Have breakfast and enjoy a relaxing morning by the beach or pool. (Note: all beaches on the island are public, though you cannot pass through private property to access them).

1:00 - After lunch, drive to Haleakala Crater, about two hours from Wailea (Google Maps will give you the time to the entrance by default, but it’s another 30 minutes up to the summit.) The drive up to the summit is, itself, an experience. The switchbacks will take you up 10,000 feet, above the cloud line, and give you panoramic views of the island.

3:00 - Park at the Visitor Center and follow signs for the Sliding Sands Trail. After reading reviews, we elected not to hike the whole thing (11 miles) because most reviewers said the beginning was the most interesting. Enjoy the moon-like landscape on the hike down into the crater, before turning around and coming back up. (We hiked ~4 miles total in about 2 hours). Be sure to plan ahead so you are finished with the hike well before sunset.

5:00 - Arrive back at the Visitor Center, and drive up to the summit to get a parking spot for sunset. The lot will start filling up about an hour before sunset, so get there early. Have a snack in the car, and hang out until about 20 minutes before sunset. Follow the crowd to find a seat looking west. Pack extra layers, a hat, and a blanket to sit on. The sunset itself is awesome; you’ll actually see what appears to be two sunsets as the sun passes below the cloud line and then below the horizon. The sky fills with all the colors of the rainbow.

6:30 - After sunset, drive back to the Airbnb and cook dinner. If you need more groceries, you’ll pass the Safeway on your way back and can make a quick stop.

Our snorkel trip was one of the highlights of the week. While you can snorkel on your own on most beaches, a tour will take you to the best places to see colorful fish, sea turtles, and whales.

7:00 - Arrive for the snorkel tour at Kihei Boat Ramp (A). We chose the Morning Molokini Snorkel 4 hour Excursion hosted by Maui Snorkel Charters, Inc. We would highly recommend the tour ($150) which included five stops—three at Molokini Crater and two in Turtle Town (though the stops change daily). We saw whales up close (some even came under our boat), swam with a half-a-dozen sea turtles, and saw lots of interesting marine life like manta rays, coral, and colorful fish. The boat had 18 people, so we didn’t feel like we were in a huge group, and the tour staff were very knowledgeable and friendly. The tour includes snacks and a light lunch on the way back.

12:00 - The tour ends around noon. If you’re still hungry, head to South Maui Fish Co.(B), a food truck with amazing poke. Spend the afternoon relaxing on a beach near Kihei (C) or Wailea (D).

5:30 - Have dinner at Monkeypod Kitchen (E). This was one of our favorite meals of the trip. The place was very busy, even at this early hour, and a reservation was necessary. The food was delicious, and they are famous for their pies for dessert. Get the pie special!

On your last full day, hike the Waihee Ridge Trail—the views will not disappoint.

8:00 - Have breakfast, then head out to the Waihee Ridge Trailhead (A) (~45 mins). The earlier you arrive, the less crowded it will be. Pack snacks or, if you’re getting off to a later start, bring lunch to eat at the top.

9:00 - Hike the Waihee Ridge trail. This was our favorite hike on Maui. It is four miles, much of which is along the ridge of a mountain, giving you 360 degree views of the ocean and landscape reminiscent of Jurassic Park. It took us about two hours, moving at a good clip and without spending too much time at the top.

11:00 - If you didn’t eat lunch on the trail, stop in Kihei (B) on the way back to Wailea for lunch. You can’t go wrong with South Maui Fish Co. (if you didn’t stop there yesterday) or Paia Fish Market. Spend the afternoon walking along the beach in Kihei, reading on a beach, or doing whatever else draws you for your final few hours in Maui.

5:30 - If you’re up for another splurge dinner, head to Ka’ana Kitchen (C). This was another of our favorite meals of the trip. The menu was unique and everything was delicious. Make a reservation a few minutes before sunset and request a table outside.

**Day 7. Head Home (or to Another Island)**

Have a relaxing morning, then head home or on to another island.

8:00 - Take advantage of your last morning in Maui; take a walk along the beach and soak up some sun.

11:00 - Check out of your hotel or Airbnb. Have lunch in Kihei.

12:00 - Head to the airport. There are flights back to the East Coast in the early afternoon by way of Honolulu. You can also take an afternoon flight to another island. From Maui, we headed to Kauai, which you can read more about here.

Have More than 7 Days?

If you’d like to tack on a road race in Maui, you can run the Maui Oceanfront Half Marathon, which takes place the third Sunday in January. It’s a beautiful race along the ocean. From Maui, we flew on to Kauai for another six days. Two weeks in Hawaii, including a week on two different islands, was great; we were there long enough in each place to be able to see a ton and also relax, and really got into a vacation groove.

Costs for Two People

One-Way Flights (NYC to Maui) - $800
Lodging - $1,750 ($250/night)
Rental Car (incl. gas) - $750
Food and Drink - $120 ($170/day)
Activities - $500
Total Costs = $5,000 (in 2020)

Pre-Travel Checklist

Confirm open hours.
Make restaurant reservations.
Reserve a car permit for Haleakala Crater (only if you plan to go at sunrise, a permit is not needed for sunset.)
Research trail closures.
Download offline google maps for Maui.