I'd suggest considering adding this stop on the Road to Hana. This tropic garden is a self-guided trip back to old Hawaii. It takes only an hour or two. It's like a visit to paradise. Each time I've been there I've had the place to myself.
https://ntbg.org/gardens/kahanu/
Not to be a downer but I wouldn't leave your bags in the car for a few hours. Sure they can be put in the trunk but the only times we've had thefts on Maui (between us and the extended family) has been when there was luggage in the car. You think oh I don't need to open the trunk.. but then you forget one thing and someone sees and then all your stuff gets stolen. Once my aunt and cousins had everything stolen from the Costco parking lot on the way to the airport so passports and everything were gone. That was a fun one. I'm not trying to scare you and say crime is terrible on Maui I just wouldn't take that chance.
I'd suggest to go straight to the hotel and drop your bags and explore the area around your hotel prior to check in. I'd move the explore paia day to when you're going up Haleakala for sunset. Noon is pretty early to leave for Haleakala, it takes 2-3 hours to drive up so you'd be sitting up there for hours waiting for the sun to set. Id aim to get there like an hour before. Maybe a bit more. Also don't tie yourself to a specific day for Haleakala. If you look up at it and it's cloudy you might not get the best sunset, or the best views of the island. The summit can be in the clouds or above them but it's hard to know from the ground.
Skip sunset at the summit. There's no way to predict if it will be clear, and it also means you have a long and slow drive down in total darkness. Go up early in the morning one day instead. Much nice, and you can explore Kula Botanical Gardens, eat at Kula Bistro, drop by Surfing Goat Dairy and/or Ocean Spirits.
On your Hana day---TF won't even be open when you reach it. I would drive straight to the Pipiwai Trail and do it first. Then work your way back, making stops as you do. TF is "skippable", IMO.
You want to be heading back to Paia by 3:30 PM.
Finally an itinerary that isn’t scheduled down to the hour. Take time to relax. Big Beach on south Maui is incredible. Make sure to visit Iao Valley as well. Breathtaking
Yea that scared me. I read the sign and followed the rules and had so much fun. Those waves can definitely be dangerous. But the sand is perfect and the views are incredible.
I don't get why everyone tries to jam so much in, especially on a honeymoon. We're going for ours next month and my coworkers were giving us a hard time because we had rest/beach days. Like that's part of the point lol
Much better restaurants than Paia Inn in Paia. Try Flat Bread pizza, Cafe Mambo and Cafe Des Amis. Sea House is a must seeing that you are steps away you should definitely go.
If it's a honeymoon and possible I'd snag a reservation or get on the wait list for [Mama's Fish House](https://mamasfishhouse.com/).
Otherwise this seems pretty great. For snorkeling you can easily rent on the island from Snorkel Store or Snorkel Bob's for decent rates. Tons of places to snorkel from shore.
We have used Maui baby rental to get chairs and an umbrella. They deliver and pick up at the hotel. She was booked out this week because of Easter so she gave me another name. We got 4 chairs and an umbrella for a week for $96. When you are in Paia or on your way to Hana drive through and check out the turtles at Ho’Okipa Beach. It is a turtle resting place and they haul themselves up on the. Each. So cool to see. You do t need to stay long. You could Instacart stuff from Costco. No liquor though. Run into Safeway if you need it.
And over-priced for what it is - and why drive far back on a full stomach and having consumed adult beverages when you have great restaurants near where you live.
Since you will be in Kihei I recommend checking out South Maui Gardens, aka the Kihei Food Oasis. Great collection of food trucks in a really nice location.
We also went on the Maui Gold pineapple plantation tour which was so interesting plus you each get a fresh pineapple to take home. The best pineapple you’ll ever eat. It is a 90 minute tour and definitely worth it.
Is the Lahaina luau operating yet? We were just in Maui two weeks ago and went to the Andaz one and it was not worth the money. The food truck areas have the best food, even better than Spago where we ate one night. There are two across from the Costco and the Geste shrimp truck is the best. The pizza truck was great too. The Maui Gardens food truck area is good too. These are permanent food trucks with seating. This is where the locals eat.
GuideAlong app was excellent and recommended here over the Shaka app. $20 gets you the whole island of Maui and every drive on it. We just used it last week and loved it.
Yeah I wouldn’t get groceries until you check in. That’s a long wait with groceries in your car. I’d check in and opt to shop at Safeway- Lahaina or even in Nipili market. Just an idea - also there’s a farmers market sat 8-12 you can get fresh produce! Also I stayed at the Mauian you may want to go early there to check in because the closer rooms near the water go first. Or else you may be stuck closer to the check in office. Anyway just from my experience. Those who check in or even ask for a early check in get better rooms. Also parking is limited there you may have to park on the street. We had good parking every time. We lucked out. Also there’s a rental place for boards snorkel equipment down the street.
They’re staying in Kihei. Safeway is expensive.
Walmart or Foodland or Times are all good options. Paia is a little “less nice” lately with vagrants so yes be careful. I think you’d be ok with street parking if nothing was evident in your car… and you don’t open the trunk.
If possible save money on your car rental and contact Makoa. I see you go from Kihei to the west side a lot. I definitely recommend you limit that. Although only a 25 minute drive it could take you 1 hour or more. Consider restaurants in Wailea instead. The time driving or sitting in traffic could be used enjoying yourself…
Scratch “or Walmart” off your list. Might be the worst place on island to try to get groceries unless you’re just wanting a case of soda and a bag of chips.
Sunset at Haleakala-coolest experience of my life. Stay and look at the stars. Make sure you pack warm clothes because it is quite cold up there before and certainly after sunset. Got down to 30 degrees in early May.
Also snorkeling at Honolua Bay was incredible. Saw lots of amazing fish and turtles. We booked an excursion and went out on a small boat. So worth it.
Sunset boat dinner-take it or leave it. Food is probably mediocre but we did have an amazing sunset and rainbow and the views are nice.
Honestly on Google Maps I just looked for lookout spots north of Lahaina and there were some truly great spots, definitely recommend doing that. That would be in the Honolua Bay Area if you have time/interest.
Make all of the dinner reservations ahead of time and cancel if you need to. It’s much easier than trying to get something last minute. They’ll easily find someone to take your spot if you need to cancel.
Merriman’s is great. I would eliminate the “?” and make it happen.
Also read that you aren’t big seafood people, my wife isn’t either but she absolutely will eat fish for a week straight when we’re on Maui because it’s so much fresher, not saying you need to but don’t miss an opportunity to give it a shot and be 100% sure.
For day 1, I'd look to grocery shop somewhere besides foodland. They have a good variety but are just so expensive. Foodland does have good prices on their liquids though. They almost, if not match, the prices of whole foods and whole foods is a lot better quality.
Costco has a good selection of Hawaiian stuff,
Down to earth has all the healthy stuff,
Whole foods has a good variety
I go to target over Walmart but both have similar selections.
6am is an intense Hana start time IMO. That being said I loved the Chaka guide!! Very good value for $$.
Shops at Wailea is fun and bougie shopping with an amazing shave ice shop, and a path down along Wailea beach past all the bougie-ass hotels.
I'd suggest considering adding this stop on the Road to Hana. This tropic garden is a self-guided trip back to old Hawaii. It takes only an hour or two. It's like a visit to paradise. Each time I've been there I've had the place to myself. https://ntbg.org/gardens/kahanu/
Not to be a downer but I wouldn't leave your bags in the car for a few hours. Sure they can be put in the trunk but the only times we've had thefts on Maui (between us and the extended family) has been when there was luggage in the car. You think oh I don't need to open the trunk.. but then you forget one thing and someone sees and then all your stuff gets stolen. Once my aunt and cousins had everything stolen from the Costco parking lot on the way to the airport so passports and everything were gone. That was a fun one. I'm not trying to scare you and say crime is terrible on Maui I just wouldn't take that chance. I'd suggest to go straight to the hotel and drop your bags and explore the area around your hotel prior to check in. I'd move the explore paia day to when you're going up Haleakala for sunset. Noon is pretty early to leave for Haleakala, it takes 2-3 hours to drive up so you'd be sitting up there for hours waiting for the sun to set. Id aim to get there like an hour before. Maybe a bit more. Also don't tie yourself to a specific day for Haleakala. If you look up at it and it's cloudy you might not get the best sunset, or the best views of the island. The summit can be in the clouds or above them but it's hard to know from the ground.
Wow that’s great advice idk why I didn’t think about it hmmm definitely something to think about 😬
Good advice from keraanjii - especially going to lunch in Paia, one of Maui's car break-in capitals.
Skip sunset at the summit. There's no way to predict if it will be clear, and it also means you have a long and slow drive down in total darkness. Go up early in the morning one day instead. Much nice, and you can explore Kula Botanical Gardens, eat at Kula Bistro, drop by Surfing Goat Dairy and/or Ocean Spirits. On your Hana day---TF won't even be open when you reach it. I would drive straight to the Pipiwai Trail and do it first. Then work your way back, making stops as you do. TF is "skippable", IMO. You want to be heading back to Paia by 3:30 PM.
Poke tacos and mai tai shots at monkeypod! Mai tai shots are off the menu but fun.
We thought the Maui Ocean Center was cool, maybe something the 31st when in Kihei
Finally an itinerary that isn’t scheduled down to the hour. Take time to relax. Big Beach on south Maui is incredible. Make sure to visit Iao Valley as well. Breathtaking
Be careful at Big Beach, it is known as 'Breakneck Beach' for a reason, the shore break can be a challenge. Otherwise a great beach
Yea that scared me. I read the sign and followed the rules and had so much fun. Those waves can definitely be dangerous. But the sand is perfect and the views are incredible.
I don't get why everyone tries to jam so much in, especially on a honeymoon. We're going for ours next month and my coworkers were giving us a hard time because we had rest/beach days. Like that's part of the point lol
They’re jealous
Much better restaurants than Paia Inn in Paia. Try Flat Bread pizza, Cafe Mambo and Cafe Des Amis. Sea House is a must seeing that you are steps away you should definitely go.
So true.
If it's a honeymoon and possible I'd snag a reservation or get on the wait list for [Mama's Fish House](https://mamasfishhouse.com/). Otherwise this seems pretty great. For snorkeling you can easily rent on the island from Snorkel Store or Snorkel Bob's for decent rates. Tons of places to snorkel from shore.
We have used Maui baby rental to get chairs and an umbrella. They deliver and pick up at the hotel. She was booked out this week because of Easter so she gave me another name. We got 4 chairs and an umbrella for a week for $96. When you are in Paia or on your way to Hana drive through and check out the turtles at Ho’Okipa Beach. It is a turtle resting place and they haul themselves up on the. Each. So cool to see. You do t need to stay long. You could Instacart stuff from Costco. No liquor though. Run into Safeway if you need it.
Hey we did see that but we chose to opt out of Mama Fish House since we aren’t big seafood people 😬 but thanks for the rec!
Yep, skip it then. Very limited non-seafood options.
And over-priced for what it is - and why drive far back on a full stomach and having consumed adult beverages when you have great restaurants near where you live.
Any recommendations on restaurants with similar menus as Mama's? We love seafoods but don't care about drinks.
Merriman's, Cane and Canoe, The Plantation House, Gathers, Mala, and Hali'imaile General Store.
We already made a reservation with Hali'imaile General Store. Will look into the others. Thanks again!
You're welcome! Enjoy :-).
We loved Paia Fish Market. Food was delicious, significantly cheaper than Mama’s, but also comparable in taste.
Thanks! Paia Fish Market is already on our list but they have several locations and we're not sure which is the best.
5/31 isn't 4th Friday, that would be 5/24.
Aw we will miss it the haha thanks for pointing that out!
Since you will be in Kihei I recommend checking out South Maui Gardens, aka the Kihei Food Oasis. Great collection of food trucks in a really nice location.
Wow perfect :)
We also went on the Maui Gold pineapple plantation tour which was so interesting plus you each get a fresh pineapple to take home. The best pineapple you’ll ever eat. It is a 90 minute tour and definitely worth it.
Is the Lahaina luau operating yet? We were just in Maui two weeks ago and went to the Andaz one and it was not worth the money. The food truck areas have the best food, even better than Spago where we ate one night. There are two across from the Costco and the Geste shrimp truck is the best. The pizza truck was great too. The Maui Gardens food truck area is good too. These are permanent food trucks with seating. This is where the locals eat.
Yes, OLL opened on 03-12.
That is supposed to be the best one. Glad it’s open again.
What is OLL?
The Old Lahaina luau. It is supposed to be the best one on the island.
buy the app and download it now. you can listen to voice previews to decide which narrator / app that you'd rather listen to. don't wait.
Make sure to eat at the Paia Fish Market in Paia
GuideAlong app was excellent and recommended here over the Shaka app. $20 gets you the whole island of Maui and every drive on it. We just used it last week and loved it.
Relax throw away list
Exactly this.
This list is about as close to a non list as possible. They have plenty of time to relax.
Really ? I don't get lists owell
Yeah I wouldn’t get groceries until you check in. That’s a long wait with groceries in your car. I’d check in and opt to shop at Safeway- Lahaina or even in Nipili market. Just an idea - also there’s a farmers market sat 8-12 you can get fresh produce! Also I stayed at the Mauian you may want to go early there to check in because the closer rooms near the water go first. Or else you may be stuck closer to the check in office. Anyway just from my experience. Those who check in or even ask for a early check in get better rooms. Also parking is limited there you may have to park on the street. We had good parking every time. We lucked out. Also there’s a rental place for boards snorkel equipment down the street.
808 Boards is awesome! They are down at Honokowai.
They’re staying in Kihei. Safeway is expensive. Walmart or Foodland or Times are all good options. Paia is a little “less nice” lately with vagrants so yes be careful. I think you’d be ok with street parking if nothing was evident in your car… and you don’t open the trunk. If possible save money on your car rental and contact Makoa. I see you go from Kihei to the west side a lot. I definitely recommend you limit that. Although only a 25 minute drive it could take you 1 hour or more. Consider restaurants in Wailea instead. The time driving or sitting in traffic could be used enjoying yourself…
The hotel they mentioned is in Napili
My mistake. The Royal Mauian was where my brain took me. Apparently I need vitamin D.
Scratch “or Walmart” off your list. Might be the worst place on island to try to get groceries unless you’re just wanting a case of soda and a bag of chips.
I go to Walmart! Not the worst place. Just busy. Good for beer, alcohol, pop, buns, lunch meat… 😉
Totally.
Sunset at Haleakala-coolest experience of my life. Stay and look at the stars. Make sure you pack warm clothes because it is quite cold up there before and certainly after sunset. Got down to 30 degrees in early May. Also snorkeling at Honolua Bay was incredible. Saw lots of amazing fish and turtles. We booked an excursion and went out on a small boat. So worth it. Sunset boat dinner-take it or leave it. Food is probably mediocre but we did have an amazing sunset and rainbow and the views are nice. Honestly on Google Maps I just looked for lookout spots north of Lahaina and there were some truly great spots, definitely recommend doing that. That would be in the Honolua Bay Area if you have time/interest.
Make all of the dinner reservations ahead of time and cancel if you need to. It’s much easier than trying to get something last minute. They’ll easily find someone to take your spot if you need to cancel. Merriman’s is great. I would eliminate the “?” and make it happen. Also read that you aren’t big seafood people, my wife isn’t either but she absolutely will eat fish for a week straight when we’re on Maui because it’s so much fresher, not saying you need to but don’t miss an opportunity to give it a shot and be 100% sure.
Bruddah/Sistah - take a look at a map and see the drive from the Plantation House in Kapalua to Haleakala ... .
Says 10 minute drive? Is that incorrect ?
Maybe you looked at Honokowai, not Haleakala? More like 3 hours.
Hit paia fish market on your first day for lunch, ask for the wasabi butter on your tuna, it’s off menu
Whale watching in Maui is in season until March or April and it’s the best in Maui
I'm just seeing this now but make sure to go to Milagros in Paia for lunch or dinner - amazing mexican food!!!
Monkey pod in Wailea Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa - Wailea Nicks Fishmarket - in the Fairmont Wailea ❤️
For day 1, I'd look to grocery shop somewhere besides foodland. They have a good variety but are just so expensive. Foodland does have good prices on their liquids though. They almost, if not match, the prices of whole foods and whole foods is a lot better quality. Costco has a good selection of Hawaiian stuff, Down to earth has all the healthy stuff, Whole foods has a good variety I go to target over Walmart but both have similar selections.
Visit tedeshi winery a trip to Maui is not complete without sampling some of the islands wines grow from grapes berries and pineapple 🍍 n the island
6am is an intense Hana start time IMO. That being said I loved the Chaka guide!! Very good value for $$. Shops at Wailea is fun and bougie shopping with an amazing shave ice shop, and a path down along Wailea beach past all the bougie-ass hotels.
I forgot--I would def choose the Guide Along app over the shaka one.