Introduction
After spending five days in Oahu (read my Oahu Travel Guide), I took a short flight to Maui for another four days.
If you’re planning a trip to Maui and looking for the best things to do, best beaches, and where to eat on Maui, this is my full review of everything I did and what I’d skip.
North Shore (Paia)
Best Beaches and Things to Do in Paia
Baldwin Beach
I watched the sunset at Baldwin Beach. The beach is peaceful and beautiful, with a great view of the mountains in the distance, and the sand is unbelievably soft.
Ho’okipa Lookout
Ho’okipa is known for being a fantastic sunset spot. I came in the early morning, and there was no view of the sunrise (wrong direction), but the lookout has an amazing view of the mountains and surfers.
Best Food in Paia (and Where to Avoid)
Ice cream
- Artisan Ice Cream in Paia ($): Fantastic coconut coffee ice cream!
Coffee and Cafes
- Island Fresh Cafe ($$): Cold brew was good. The burrito was not – too much egg, not enough other stuff, bland, expensive.
- Baked on Maui ($): Cold brew was bad (really watered down) and quiche wasn’t great either.
Restaurants
- Paia Fish Market ($$$): Unpopular opinion: I didn’t like it. The fish quesadilla tasted off, a bit sour and the cheese wasn’t fully melted.
Central Maui
Best Things to Do in Central Maui
‘Iao Valley State Monument
Super short visit. I walked the path to see the iconic ‘Iao Needle. The needle and surrounding area are beautiful and worth it. Advance reservations are required.
Kumu Farms
Stopped at Kumu Farms to pick up a Maui Gold pineapple, which was probably the best thing I ate on my trip. You can get the pineapples pretty much anywhere on the island, but I enjoyed walking around Kumu Farms.
West Maui
Best Beaches in West Maui (Past Lahaina)
Slaughterhouse Beach
Quiet, not too crowded, good snorkeling, and big waves. Slaughterhouse Beach is located past the resort areas on the west side of the island, where the roads get narrower and windier, but it’s not hard to drive until you go past Punalau Beach.
Papalaua Wayside Park
Papalaua Wayside Park is a surprisingly nice sunset spot right off Honoapiilani Highway. It was fun watching hermit crabs emerge from their burrows after sunset.
Driving the Road to Hana (My Stops and Reviews)
The Road to Hana is known for its windiness, blind turns, and one-way bridges, and scenic stops.
I recommend starting early when there are way fewer cars, taking the full day to drive the Road to Hana, staying in Hana overnight, and driving back the next morning.
Honest Review of Road to Hana Stops
- Kaumahina State Wayside Park: Nice viewpoint overlooking the ocean, convenient bathroom stop.
- Honomanu Black Sand Beach: Black sand beach at the end of a narrow, steep, and windy road. Much quieter than the famous black sand beach at Waiʻānapanapa.
- Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread: To be honest, this banana bread was unbelievably bad. Dry, doughy, too sweet, texture of a brick. Huge letdown.
- Keanae Lookout: Great place to watch huge waves crashing over the rocks. The macadamia nut brittle sold nearby is great.
- Nua’ailua Bay Lookout: My personal favorite lookout on the Road to Hana – Huge waves and palm trees to frame the ocean.
- Wailua Valley Lookout: Lookout with views of the hills and ocean, at the top of a short set of stairs. Parking is limited.
- Pua’a Ka’a State Wayside: Can park here and walk across the road to swim in a waterfall (very cold).
- Coconut Glen’s: One of the best things I ate in Hawai’i. The coconut & coffee toffee ice cream was incredible.
- Cajun Fresh / Cocoa Bananas Farm: Very peaceful roadside stop with a bathroom, fresh fruit, and ocean lookouts.
- Hana Lava Tube: I didn’t go into the Lava Tube because I’m not that into caves and it was kind of expensive ($15), but my friend (who loves caves) thought it was cool.
- Huli Huli Chicken: Iconic chicken spot. Cash only, sells out fast. Good, but not mind-blowing.
- Koki Beach: Red sand beach (more like red pebble beach), and a nice spot to relax after getting huli huli chicken.
- ‘Ohe’o Gulch: I regret this stop. The water at ‘Ohe’o Gulch looked dirty and the view wasn’t that impressive. The road gets significantly less maintained past Koki Beach and we got a flat tire here.
- Waiʻānapanapa State Park: Famous black sand beach. We had reservations for the park but couldn’t make it due to our flat tire.
Was the Road to Hana Worth It?
I enjoyed my day on the Road to Hana, but I didn’t think it was a must-do.
The narrow, windy, and potholed roads are scary to drive, especially with aggressive local drivers.
Most of the views are subtle rather than dramatic, and there are similar beaches and scenic stops elsewhere on Maui.
If you’re low on time or an unconfident driver, I would skip the Road to Hana.
South Maui (Kihei)
Best Beaches in Kihei
Keawakapu Beach
Keawakapu Beach is a public access beach with free parking. Soft sand, great snorkeling, and lots of turtles!
Best Food in Kihei (and Where to Avoid)
Kihei has a fun food truck park with live music in the evenings, I visited a few times and thought it was a great place to eat and hang out.
Coffee and Bakeries
- Blue Door ($$): Their Lilikoi caramel french toast (on sourdough!) was surprisingly good, and their banana bread was solid.
- Da Green Coffee Shop ($): Cold brew and almond butter toast with strawberries are both delicious.
Restaurants
- Kitoko ($$$): Mahi mahi bento box was alright. The fish and crispy rice were both really well-cooked, but the sauce was really bad and the vegetable side was low effort. For a $24 food truck meal, I expected better quality and bigger portions.
- Aloha Prime ($$): Hoisin chicken plate was easily one of the best meals I had in Maui.
Haleakalā National Park
How to Watch Sunrise at Haleakalā National Park
Haleakalā National Park is known for its volcanic crater, rainforest landscapes, and incredible views over Maui.
We tried to go for sunset first, but got turned away because we arrived too late.
For sunrise (reservations required), following a ranger’s suggestion, we left around 2:30am from Kahului and arrived around 3:30am. Even with a reservation, parking can be difficult to find at the main lot, so it’s best to arrive a while before sunset.
We honestly arrived a bit too early. There was still plenty of parking at the top and we spent a lot of time waiting around in the cold before sunrise.
Before the sun came up, it was freezing at the top (I wore five layers and a ski jacket on top).
Everyone says the “show” starts before sunrise, but honestly, I thought five minutes after sunrise was the best view of the day.
Reviews of Where I Stayed on Maui
Mike’s House Airbnb (Paia, 2 nights)
- Price: $200 / night.
- We stayed in a private room with private bathroom in a shared house with shared kitchen. Clean, spacious, and had good amenities. Quiet area.
- Slightly annoying extra charges (parking, even though the owner owned the parking spot, and expensive luggage storage). We ended up parking on the street nearby.
Hana Inn (Hana, 1 night)
- Price: $180 / night.
- Private room, attached private bathroom in a refurbished inn. Spacious rooms, cute resident cat, and free coffee and fresh fruit for guests.
- The staff are incredibly kind and helpful (fixed our flat tire). Great value option for a stay in Hana.
Howzit Hostels (Kahului, 1 night)
- Price: $200 / night.
- Private room with shared bathroom. Would not recommend.
- The surrounding area is sketchy at night (someone screaming expletives on the street). No parking nearby. Dirty fridge and moldy food and water. Expensive for how gross and unsanitary it felt. Other guests were nice and friendly.
Maui Trip Costs (4 Days)
I visited Maui in January, which is the off-season, so costs are typically cheaper. My cost breakdown:
- Accommodations: $380
- Food: $175
- Car: $120
- Park reservations: $22
My total costs for 4 days on Maui came out to about $700. I was on a mid-range budget and split all costs with a friend.
Final Thoughts: Is Maui Worth Visiting?
Maui felt quieter, more peaceful, and wilder than Oahu.
While I wouldn’t consider Maui the trip of a lifetime, the diversity of landscapes and slower pace of life made for a great and memorable experience, and I can’t wait to come back to explore more of Hawai’i in the future.
Planning a trip to Hawai’i?
ADJENTURING 