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There are plenty of people who believe Maui is heaven on earth. Those people tend to be partial to a spectacular beach - Maui offers a choice or golden, or pearlescent sand; clear oceans; lush rainforest and towns and villages with warmth and charm. Maui’s fans come from all walks of life. It’s an obvious honeymoon destination, but it’s also perfect for families and groups, as well as those with an adventurous spirit, and those who just want to escape and relax.
At around 80kms long, Maui island might be larger than you’re imagining? It’s divided into five regions, which are much larger than a neighbourhood - they all have several cities, resort towns and villages within them. The neighbourhoods within each region differ, but it’s useful to talk about the regions too, they’re: South Maui; West Maui; East Maui; the Northshore; and Central Maui. If you hire a car it’s easy to travel around and see lots of the island if you want to, but the different regions all offer a slightly different version of paradise, and different types of accommodation. Here’s the basics:
A large, but relaxed town with a friendly atmosphere and a nice mix of locals and tourists, Kihei is a great destination for families and groups. There’s a huge range of accommodation here, lots with great access to the beach, shops, restaurants, bars and ice cream shops! There are even playgrounds.
Wailea is just to the south of Kihei, a bit closer to some of South Maui’s best loved beaches, and with more of a luxury resort vibe. Wailea has some gear shopping opportunities, and some great restaurants - fancy ones too. There’s also a well regarded golf course, and pretty much all the other bells and whistles too.
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Lahaina is an excellent choice if you want to spend quite a lot of your Hawaiian holiday in, or on, the water. Known for what watching opportunities, and incredible underwater scenes, Lahaina is also good for surfers and sailors. There are some fantastic beachfront restaurants in Lahaina too, and the accommodation ranges from relaxed to luxurious and honeymoon-style. Ka’anapali is just to the north of Lahaina, and is where you’ll find some of Maui’s most famous barefoot luxury resorts - think waterfalls and lush tropical scenes just behind your beach cabana.
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Napili Bay has beautiful pale sand and bright turquoise waters, alongside a family friendly atmosphere. The beach has soft sand that dips gradually into the ocean, and there are some spectacular snorkelling spots that are easy to get to. This is a great place to try out paddle boarding or kayaking too, and has some of the few hiking routes of West Maui. Napili Bay has plenty of family friendly accommodation options - lots of condos as well as resort accommodation and hotels.
The Hana Highway runs along Maui’s eastern, windward shore, a road that will take your breath away with its beauty and its hairpin turns! East Maui gets the rain, so the landscape is lush, green, and dotted with tropical waterfalls. Hana is where most of the resorts and hotels on East Maui are, and there’s plenty of choice, including larger apartments and condos. Away from Hana you’re more likely to find small inns and hotels set back from the Hana Highway, on their own. Hana is a popular spot for a honeymoon escape, while also being ideal for families, and hikers - East Maui has some of Maui’s best hiking trails.
Paia and Haiku are typical of Maui’s North Shore: pretty, peaceful and historic. Paia began as a fishing village, and flourished as an historic fish market town. Today the winds attract world-class windsurfers, as well as devotees of incredible seafood and boutique hotels in island paradises… Haiku is Paia’s neighbour, close to the rainforest and lush waterfalls of the area, and popular with hikers and those hoping for an island escape.
Kahului is Maui’s largest hub, close to the airport and the seaport, and where the lion’s share of local Hawaiians live. While visitors don’t tend to need schools, this is a really central spot, so if you’re happy to do some travelling around, you could stay here and see a lot of different parts of the island. Kahului beaches aren’t the island’s most popular or spectacular, but there’s lots of choice when it comes to eating and drinking. Especially if you’re on a limited budget.
Waiuku is a small town associated with the Iao Valley State Park. This is a really spectacular place to visit, and if you want to stay here as well you’ll benefit from being away from the crowds. The town is historic, and the community itself is friendly. There are a nice collection of local shops, including antique stores, and art galleries.
