Topic Wiki
Topic Wiki
Maui Overview/DansMeals:
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/39407
Trip Reports:
Dan 1, Dan 2, SpillTheBeans, e-Lawyer, Eli, lfas25, RJ898, gavhaller, daganster, Something Fishy, Yehoshua, Marco Polo, @Yehuda, @Yehuda - Grand Wailea, Wizmanison's Maui TR 2018
Sam28 Maui TR Nov 2020 Covid 19, CGR
Related DDF Threads:
-Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
-Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
-Kauai Master Thread
-Oahu Master Thread
-Lanai, Molokai, and Niihau, Hawaii Master Thread
Before you go:
How long should I go for?
You could spend 10 years on Maui and not get your fill. That being said, the bare minimum to enjoy your stay is 4 days on the ground. A week is ideal.
It's possible to do a short trip by leaving early Sunday morning, getting there in the afternoon, and then leaving Thursday night and being back home for shabbos.
Do I need a guide book?
Very definitely. Sure you could find most info online, but nothing compares to a good, written-by-a-local, guide book. Maui Revealed is by far the best option, and will possibly be the best $16 you spent on your trip.
Here it is for FREE.
There is also an app version available for both iOS and Android for $7.99. The app has all the content of the book, plus navigation, offline maps, and links when applicable. You don't really need both, but some people find it useful to have the book while planning (much easier to use) and the app while on the island (for the maps and navigation).
What about Shabbos?
Some authorities hold that there's a dateline issue with Shabbos.
The local communities keep Shabbos on Saturday.
Definitely ask your LOR before you go - some hold simply that Shabbos is on Saturday, some hold that you have to keep Shabbos on both Friday and Saturday, and some hold that you have to keep D'oreisas on Friday and full Shabbos on Saturday.
If you must keep 2 days, remember that there are many questions that could come up (such as when to light Shabbos candles, how to warm up food, etc.), so make sure to discuss it all with your LOR.
There have been books written about the Chabad opinion of keeping Shabbos only on Saturday. Rabbi Aharon Dovid Gancz gives an absolutely fascinating pilpul on the topic, if you get a chance to attend one please record it (with permission) and upload the video online.
Note that you may run into this issue even if you leave the islands Thursday afternoon, as it may already be considered Shabbos. Ask your LOR.
Getting there and getting around:
Air:
The main airport is in Kahului, and is designated OGG. The are two other small airports - Kapalua (JHM) in the West Maui Mountains and Hana (HNM) in the east.
You could fly directly from the mainland to OGG from (bold is seasonal only):
ANC (AS)
BLI (AS, Allegiant Air)
DEN (UA)
DFW (AA)
LAX (AA, DL, HA, UA)
OAK (AS, HA)
ORD (UA)
PDX (AS)
PHX (US)
SAN (AS, HA)
SEA (AS, HA)
SFO (UA)
SJC (AS)
SMF (AS)
YEG (WestJet)
YVR (AC, WestJet)
YYC (AC, WestJet)
There are no direct flights from the East coast, so you will stop in one of these cities.
Alternately, you could fly directly to Honolulu (HNL) and continue to OGG from there.
Hawaiian and Go fly interisland from HNL, KOA, and LIH, Go, and Island Air flies from HNL. Mokulele flies from HNL and KOA, as well as to Kapalua (JHM), Hana (HNM), Molokai (MKK), Lanai (LNY), and Waimea-Kohala (MUE) on the Big Island.
Alternatively, you can also use 5k AA, 6k UA or 7.5k HA miles each way to fly interisland. You can use 15k DL pesos for a RT interisland. United allows a free stopover on a round-trip, so for instance you can fly HNL-LIH-OGG-HNL for just 12K miles.
HA has several tiers, similar to DL, the lowest tier is the only one that's available using partner miles, but with HA miles you can purchase tickets that are otherwise unavailable for additional miles.
Car:
A car is necessary on Maui. All major companies have branches, mostly at the airport. There are also some local companies.
Hertz has Gold Choice at the airport. According to National's website there is no Executive Aisle/Selection at the airport, but according to reports there is one, albeit sparse to the point of uselessness. Also check out www.discounthawaiicarrental.com - they book from the major brands, and are worth a try. Costco Travel very often has great prices too.
Make sure to check your reservations often, as prices tend to drop a few weeks before pickup. If it does, make a new reservation and only then cancel your original one.
There's nothing like a convertible on Maui (especially on the Road to Hana). A 4WD is not really necessary, however some people feel more comfortable in one on the 'other side' of the Road to Hana and the hairy parts of Kahekill Hwy (east of the blowhole).
Air Maui will mail you a nice free paper map of the island - click here to request it. It usually takes a week or two to arrive.
Where to stay:
The two most popular area to stay are on the West side (Lahaina, Ka'anapali, Kapalua) and the South side (Wailea, Kihei), due to the better weather there. The South side could sometimes get windy in the winter, though. There are also many places to rent Upcountry (Kula, Pukalani), where the air is cooler and the views smashing (but farther from the beach).
Here are some places that are discussed in this thread:
What to do:
Beaches:
There are countless beaches on Maui, and all are public. Most offer amazing snorkeling. The East and South side beaches are safe for swimming / snorkeling year round, while some North and West beaches could be deadly in winter. Here are some popular ones, in no particular order:
Hiking:
There are a tremendous amount of great hikes on Maui. Check the Maui Revealed book for detailed info on all of them, with maps, difficulty ratings, etc. These are just a few which are discussed in this thread:
Other activities:
Shopping:
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/39407
Trip Reports:
Dan 1, Dan 2, SpillTheBeans, e-Lawyer, Eli, lfas25, RJ898, gavhaller, daganster, Something Fishy, Yehoshua, Marco Polo, @Yehuda, @Yehuda - Grand Wailea, Wizmanison's Maui TR 2018
Sam28 Maui TR Nov 2020 Covid 19, CGR
Related DDF Threads:
-Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
-Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
-Kauai Master Thread
-Oahu Master Thread
-Lanai, Molokai, and Niihau, Hawaii Master Thread
Before you go:
How long should I go for?
You could spend 10 years on Maui and not get your fill. That being said, the bare minimum to enjoy your stay is 4 days on the ground. A week is ideal.
It's possible to do a short trip by leaving early Sunday morning, getting there in the afternoon, and then leaving Thursday night and being back home for shabbos.
Do I need a guide book?
Very definitely. Sure you could find most info online, but nothing compares to a good, written-by-a-local, guide book. Maui Revealed is by far the best option, and will possibly be the best $16 you spent on your trip.
Here it is for FREE.
There is also an app version available for both iOS and Android for $7.99. The app has all the content of the book, plus navigation, offline maps, and links when applicable. You don't really need both, but some people find it useful to have the book while planning (much easier to use) and the app while on the island (for the maps and navigation).
What about Shabbos?
Some authorities hold that there's a dateline issue with Shabbos.
The local communities keep Shabbos on Saturday.
Definitely ask your LOR before you go - some hold simply that Shabbos is on Saturday, some hold that you have to keep Shabbos on both Friday and Saturday, and some hold that you have to keep D'oreisas on Friday and full Shabbos on Saturday.
If you must keep 2 days, remember that there are many questions that could come up (such as when to light Shabbos candles, how to warm up food, etc.), so make sure to discuss it all with your LOR.
There have been books written about the Chabad opinion of keeping Shabbos only on Saturday. Rabbi Aharon Dovid Gancz gives an absolutely fascinating pilpul on the topic, if you get a chance to attend one please record it (with permission) and upload the video online.
Note that you may run into this issue even if you leave the islands Thursday afternoon, as it may already be considered Shabbos. Ask your LOR.
Getting there and getting around:
Air:
The main airport is in Kahului, and is designated OGG. The are two other small airports - Kapalua (JHM) in the West Maui Mountains and Hana (HNM) in the east.
You could fly directly from the mainland to OGG from (bold is seasonal only):
ANC (AS)
BLI (AS, Allegiant Air)
DEN (UA)
DFW (AA)
LAX (AA, DL, HA, UA)
OAK (AS, HA)
ORD (UA)
PDX (AS)
PHX (US)
SAN (AS, HA)
SEA (AS, HA)
SFO (UA)
SJC (AS)
SMF (AS)
YEG (WestJet)
YVR (AC, WestJet)
YYC (AC, WestJet)
There are no direct flights from the East coast, so you will stop in one of these cities.
Alternately, you could fly directly to Honolulu (HNL) and continue to OGG from there.
Hawaiian and Go fly interisland from HNL, KOA, and LIH, Go, and Island Air flies from HNL. Mokulele flies from HNL and KOA, as well as to Kapalua (JHM), Hana (HNM), Molokai (MKK), Lanai (LNY), and Waimea-Kohala (MUE) on the Big Island.
Alternatively, you can also use 5k AA, 6k UA or 7.5k HA miles each way to fly interisland. You can use 15k DL pesos for a RT interisland. United allows a free stopover on a round-trip, so for instance you can fly HNL-LIH-OGG-HNL for just 12K miles.
HA has several tiers, similar to DL, the lowest tier is the only one that's available using partner miles, but with HA miles you can purchase tickets that are otherwise unavailable for additional miles.
Car:
A car is necessary on Maui. All major companies have branches, mostly at the airport. There are also some local companies.
Hertz has Gold Choice at the airport. According to National's website there is no Executive Aisle/Selection at the airport, but according to reports there is one, albeit sparse to the point of uselessness. Also check out www.discounthawaiicarrental.com - they book from the major brands, and are worth a try. Costco Travel very often has great prices too.
Make sure to check your reservations often, as prices tend to drop a few weeks before pickup. If it does, make a new reservation and only then cancel your original one.
There's nothing like a convertible on Maui (especially on the Road to Hana). A 4WD is not really necessary, however some people feel more comfortable in one on the 'other side' of the Road to Hana and the hairy parts of Kahekill Hwy (east of the blowhole).
Air Maui will mail you a nice free paper map of the island - click here to request it. It usually takes a week or two to arrive.
Where to stay:
The two most popular area to stay are on the West side (Lahaina, Ka'anapali, Kapalua) and the South side (Wailea, Kihei), due to the better weather there. The South side could sometimes get windy in the winter, though. There are also many places to rent Upcountry (Kula, Pukalani), where the air is cooler and the views smashing (but farther from the beach).
Here are some places that are discussed in this thread:
| Name | Area | More Info | Comments | |
| ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ | _____________________________________________________ | __________________________________________________________ | ____________________________________________________________________________ | |
| Hyatt Regency | West side (Lahaina) | Website | Hyatt Category 5. The Hyatt advertises having Kosher food. In the past, these meals came from Oahu Kosher (Chabad in Honolulu). However, in Dec 2016 they claimed the meals were prepared by the Chabad of Maui, while in actuality they were prepared by a reform temple (story explained at the bottom of this post), which is still true as of Feb 2017. | |
| Andaz | South side (Wailea) | Website | Hyatt category 6. A favorite among DDFers, although award space isn't easy to come by. | |
| Grand Wailea | South side (Wailea) | Website | Hilton - 80k-95k depending on season. Reminiscent of the GHK in Kauai with sprawling grounds and more pools than you count, located on the beautiful Wailea Beach. | |
| Sheraton | West side (Lahaina) | Website | SPG category 6. | |
| Westin | West side (Lahaina) | Website | SPG category 6. | |
| Fairmont | South side (Wailea) | Website | All suite hotel. | |
| "Get your own place" | Anywhere | Website | There are countless condos, timeshares, or villas available to rent on the island. The advantages are that you get more for your money - a couple of bedrooms, living/dining rooms, and a full kitchen. There will usually be a pool, sometimes even a private one. Additionally, they're often cheaper than a hotel. There are many places to find them - HomeAway Maui VRBO Maui Airbnb Maui |
What to do:
Beaches:
There are countless beaches on Maui, and all are public. Most offer amazing snorkeling. The East and South side beaches are safe for swimming / snorkeling year round, while some North and West beaches could be deadly in winter. Here are some popular ones, in no particular order:
| Name | Area | Comments | |
| ______________________________________________________________ | ____________________________________________________ | _________________________________________________________________________________ | |
| Beach 1 | Area 1 | Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. | |
| Beach 2 | Area 2 | Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. | |
| Beach 3 | Area 3 | Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. |
Hiking:
There are a tremendous amount of great hikes on Maui. Check the Maui Revealed book for detailed info on all of them, with maps, difficulty ratings, etc. These are just a few which are discussed in this thread:
| Name | Area | Comments | |
| ______________________________________________________________ | ____________________________________________________ | _________________________________________________________________________________ | |
| Sliding Sands | Haleakala | An amazing hike into the crater from the upper visitors center. Quite challenging due to the constant downhill on a loose cinder trail. Amazing views unlike anything on the island, and no shade. The entire trail takes all day, but most people take it only partway in. Go as far as you like and remember that the way back is a constant uphill and will take twice as long. Bring lots of water. | |
| Pipiwai Trail | Hana | One of the nicest trail on Maui. A bit past Hana, just before the Seven Sacred Pools. The hike goes through the jungle, past banyan trees and a 200-foot waterfall, and through a bamboo forest (this is the highlight for most people). The trail ends at the amazing 400-foot Waimoku Falls. Give this hike a couple of hours. | |
| Lava Field | South Maui | At the end of the road, past the Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve. This is an amazing and relatively difficult hike. You will be walking on sharp, loose lava rocks the entire time, but the views are smashing and the terrain interesting. Great views of a particularly wild stretch of ocean, interesting pools (not swimmable), and ends in a glorious (and generally empty) beach if you brave it till the end. Do the loop - hug the coast on the way out, and take the Kings Highway back. See Maui Revealed for all the details. |
Other activities:
| Activity | Comments | |
| ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ | _________________________________________________________________________________ | |
| Helicopter tours | A few companies offer this; Blue Hawaiian is generally considered to be the best. There are different routes to choose from - keep in mind that the ones going to Haleakala don't actually go into the crater. This is not as recommended on Maui as it is on other islands, since the entire island is pretty much easily accessible so you won't go anywhere remote or extremely amazing. | |
| Road to Hana | Absolute must-do. Don't get scared off by misinformation and go all the way around - in a way the backside is even more spectacular that the more popular first half. You do NOT need a special car or 4WD; any regular car could do it happily. Best way to do the road is to spend the night in Hana, as that will leave the most time to explore the thousand different things along the road. If you're only going for the day, make sure to be on the road EARLY (7-7:30 the latest). | |
| Haleakala Sunrise | A spectacular event that is not to be missed. You will wake up at the witching hour, it will be freezing cold, and it will be absolutely worth it. Be there at least 45 minutes before the listed sunrise - the earlier the better; they close the upper parking lot when it fills up and you'll have to park at the lower visitor center lot. Dress warmly and bring lots of jackets and blankets. Take the trail to Pakaoao (White Hill) and you'll have the sunrise to yourself (mostly, at least). | |
| 'Ohe'o Gulch (Seven Sacred Pools) | Also known as the Seven Sacred Pools, this is in the Hana side of Haleakala National Park. Save your receipt from sunrise; it's valid for three days and will get you in to the pools too. Short hike from the parking lot to the pools, and it's absolutely stunning. Will be absolutely PACKED from around 1PM and on (but still worth it). If you're staying in Hana go early in the morning and it'll be mostly empty. | |
| Snorkling Molokini crater | Countless boat companies will take you out to Molokini. It has the best underwater visibility in the state, sometimes over 100 feet. Somewhat overrated and over-touristed, but generally considered to be worth it. | |
| Kayaking | ||
| Biking | ||
| Horseback riding | ||
| Ziplining | ||
| Cruises |
Shopping:
- Costco in Kahului has some kosher food, as well as the cheapest gas on the island
- Lapperts ice cream store
« Last edited by cgr on February 24, 2022, 09:17:33 PM »
