KAYAK - Maui, Hawaii Travel Guide

Maui Travel

Popular Hawaii (HI) Destinations

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Maui Airports

Maui Vacations

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to drive above the clouds, enjoy the sunrise from a ten-thousand-foot crater or watch a pod of humpback whales frolic in the waves? Voted “Best Pacific Island,” Maui offers this and much more. A person can also play a round or two of golf on a championship golf course. For photo bugs, there is the fifty-three mile scenic Hana highway, or the amazing Lao Needle in Lao Valley. There is also plenty for those who love shopping, museums and restaurant hopping, too. So regardless if the great outdoors and activities or more sedentary entertainment puts the zing in one’s vacation, Maui has it all.

Popular Maui Hotels

The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka'anapali
2365 Kaanapali Parkway

Days Inn Maui Oceanfront
2980 South Kihei Road

Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa
2605 Kaanapali Parkway

Leinaala - Maui Condo & Home
998 South Kihei Road

Maui Seaside Hotel
100 W Kaahumanu

Maui Parkshore - Maui Condo & Home
2653 South Kihei Road

View more Maui hotel info »«

Top rated attractions in Maui

1.	Haleakala National Park Haleakala National Park is the home of the largest dormant volcano on the planet, which rises over ten-thousand feet above sea level. Visitors can actually walk above the clouds as they move atop the highest peaks of Haleakala Crater. Or the energetic visitor can hike across desolate deserts, untamed wilderness and lush tropical areas filled with streams and waterfalls. It is also a breathtaking way to watch the sunrise and sunsets. Exploration can be done by car, bike or on foot. Just remember to wear slacks and bring a jacket as it is always colder at the top of the peak. « hide
2.	Maui Ocean Center Maui Ocean Center showcases Hawaii’s underwater and marine life through its many exhibits. A state-of-the-art aquarium, the visitor can view a variety of live marine life including jellyfish, sharks, urchins, stingrays, and eels. In the Whale Discovery Center, one can learn all about the humpback whale, which is Hawaii’s State Marine Mammal. There are also gifts shops and restaurants. « hide
3.	Hana Cultural Center Hana Cultural Center is the birthplace of Queen Kaahumanu, wife of King Kamehameha I. and features several attractions including Kauhale O Hana, which is a replica of an old Hawaiian compound, the Old Historic Hana Courthouse and Lockup, and Hale Waiwai O Hana Museum, which exhibits more than five-hundred-sixty artifacts including poi boards, Hawaiian quilts, a double-hulled sailing canoe, old bottles, fish hooks and shells. « hide
4.	Whaler Village Museum Whaler Village Museum depicts Lahaina’s whaling era with exhibits like the forecastle of a whaling ship, antique ornaments and utensils made from whale ivory and bone, and one of the largest scale models of a whaling ship on display, as well as a prized collection of nineteenth century scrimshaw. The museum also has films, craft demonstrations, and free music and dance entertainment in the evenings. « hide
5.	Kula Botanical Garden Kula Botanical Garden is situated on almost six acres with walking tours and contains over two-thousand species of plants that are grown on the Hawaiian Islands including the Hawaiian sandalwood tree, hibiscus and forty varieties of proteas, Hawaii’s most famous flower, as well as animals that are native to the region. « hide

Top rated restaurants in Maui

1.	Five Palms Five Palms is an open-air, unpretentious restaurant just a few feet from the beach, offering breakfast and lunch from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., so if a guests wants a snow-crab omelet at two in the afternoon or a hamburger at eight in the morning, no problem. With dinner, the main dining room opens, the torches on the beach are lit, and the evening turns romantic. Freshly caught fish tops the dinnertime menu. « hide	6.	Penne Pasta Café Penne Pasta Café is a neighborhood café that specializes in Italian and Mediterranean food at prices a lot more affordable. Pasta, salads, pizza and sandwiches are ordered at the counter and the manager delivers the food to the table. Featuring Bolognese Fettuccini, Baked Penne, Chicken Picatta, and Linguine Pesto just to name a few, and wine is available for less than $6 per glass. « hide
2.	I’o I’o specializes in an impressive array of appetizers, many of the Asian-Polynesian persuasion, like stir-fried lobster with mango-Thai curry sauce, tri-colored pot stickers with roasted mushrooms, peppers, spinach, macadamia nuts and tofu, and foie gras fish topped with truffle butter and served over a vegetable salad. Entrees consist of fish, lamb and filet mignon. « hide	7.	Fish & Game Brewing Co. & Rotisserie Fish & Game Brewing Co. & Rotisserie features a deli counter, oyster bar, tables and retail section. For lunch, the diner has a choice of salads like Oriental chicken with won tons or Caesar, fish and chips and fresh fish sandwiches are also served. Dinner includes rotisserie grilled chicken, steaks, duck, and fresh catch-of-the-day, while late-night diners can snack on cheese fries, quesadillas, shrimp and other light fares. « hide
3.	The Sea House Restaurant The Sea House Restaurant is a throwback to the days when hotels blended with their surroundings. Featuring a breath-taking view of Napili Bay, entrees such as blacken crab cake and sushi of ahi capped in nori top the list. All dinner entrees come complete with soup or salad, vegetables, and rice or potato. « hide	8.	The Waterfront at Maalaea The Waterfront at Maalaea is a family-owned restaurant on the waterfront serving fresh off the boat fish in buttered parchment, Southwestern style with smoked chile and cilantro butter, or island-style poached, broiled, sautéed, or baked with tiger prawns. The Waterfront also serves up their signature lobster chowder and grilled eggplant. « hide
4.	Caffé Ciao Caffé Ciao features both a deli and takeout section as well as a café, with tables under the trees and a bar. The deli sells a nice selection of microwaveable and takeout goodies like roasted potatoes, pizzas, vegetable lasagna, salads, and much more. Dinner includes entrees like linguine pomodoro with fresh tomatoes and spinach-tomato sauce with mascarpone. « hide	9.	Nick’s Fishmarket Maui Nick’s Fishmarket Maui is located in the Kea Lani Hotel and offers a more tried-and-true menu consisting of salmon, scallops, and Hawaiian lobster tails along with chicken, beef and lamb. Guests are served by bow-tied servers with almond scented cold towels, and the bar has dangling amber lights that provide guests with a warm, friendly atmosphere. « hide
5.	Ferraro’s at Seaside Ferraro’s at Seaside, located in the Four Seasons Resort, serves up authentic Italian cuisine with such mouth-watering dishes as poached snapper with red onion-orange marmalade, steamed mussels with saffron risotto cake, and pepper-crusted ahi. Salads include Maine lobster with avocado and toasted sourdough and half-pound burgers and sandwiches are real crowd pleasers served poolside for lunch. « hide	10.	Tiki Bar Tiki Bar is a great place to sit back and enjoy a tropical cocktail, ice-cold beer or fresh fruit smoothies and more. Hawaiian entertainment is provided in the Tiki Courtyard every night of the week or the guests can watch sports on the TV in the bar. « hide

Maui Insider tips

1.	Hana Highway First time visitors to Maui should make sure they take a drive on the Hana Highway. This road winds it way through some of the lushest scenery on Maui and is full of one-lane bridges with lots of spectacular waterfalls along the way. To avoid the crowds and afternoon showers, be sure to leave by eight a.m. and stop by Mama’s Fish House in Paia for lunch in the return trip for a truly great meal with fresh fish caught daily. « hide
2.	Car renting Unless the traveler is staying at a resort and has no plans to do any sightseeing, it is a good idea to rent a car during a stay on Maui. There is no public transportation on the island at all. However, cars being used or belonging to tourists are often targets for thieves. It has been suggested that the best course of action is to hang a kukui nut lei from the rearview mirror, keep all travel information locked in the trunk or at the hotel, and don’t leave any valuables inside the car. « hide
3.	"That pineapple cost how much?!" For those of you visiting Maui and staying at a hotel, condo, or inn that includes a full-service kitchen, and who plan to do some of their own cooking, you may be in for a little sticker shock at the grocery stores. It isn’t unusual to leave a grocery store with one bag of groceries that set the shopper back by fifty dollars. Apparently, the high cost of groceries is just one of the prices to pay for paradise. It is possible to cut costs a little by shopping at places like the local farmer’s markets, discount stores like Wal-Mart and through grocery coupons found in flyers in the Maui newspaper. « hide
4.	"Raindrops keep falling on my head" Visitors to the island should be aware that it rains a lot, and although the showers often last only an hour at a time, the road conditions can become quite slippery. It also gets to be very windy with gusts that can sometimes get quite high. If planning to rent a motorcycle or bicycle to tour the island, just remember that these conditions can cause the vehicle to lose control and wreck. Lava rocks can cause a lot of bodily damage and it can become especially dangerous on the mountains. Even though it isn’t required, be sure to wear a safety helmet just in case. « hide
5.	Beach Rules When visiting the beaches on the island, there are several rules and regulations that are there to help prevent serious emergencies. Nearly every beach that tourists use has trained lifeguards on duty from eight in the morning till five-thirty in the afternoon. Be sure to swim only where they are present and never swim alone. These beaches can have strong currents, sharks, jellyfish and sudden drop-offs as well as sharp coral. Be sure to heed the warning signs posted to ensure a safe and pleasurable vacation. « hide

Maui nightlife

1.	Ka’anapali Beach Hotel Hula Show Ka’anapali Beach Hotel Hula Show is the place to go for an evening of fun under the stars. Each night the torches are lit on the beach and pathways, guests are called to the Tiki Courtyard by the trumpet of conch shells, then the hula show and dance music begins. The show lasts from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and the music plays until 9 p.m. at closing. « hide
2.	Weeping Banyan Lounge Weeping Banyan Lounge is a night spot with a colorful twist. It is an open-air lounge that is located in the Atrium lobby of the Hyatt Regency Hotel and is floating on top of a pond that is filled with koi. The Lounge also features a nightly torch lighting ceremony. « hide

Cheap Kahului Flights

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