Honeymooners
Beautiful sunsets, perfect beaches, and unlimited activities

Golfers
Some of the best courses in the United States

Families
Several resorts and tourist attractions offer classes just for kids where they can learn Hawaiian culture and activities

Island Lovers
Maui has been voted "Best Island Destination in the World" by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine.

Transfers
Transfers between the airport and hotels are not included, but are available for purchase.

Car
Rental cars are recommended, as public transportation is limited.

Bus
There is no public bus transportation on Maui, however, there is a private company that transports people around West and South Maui.

Bicycle
Biking is safer and more convenient than in the past, due to the many miles of bicycle paths on the island’s roads. Painted bike lanes make it possible to pedal 40 miles, all the way from Makena to Kapalua.

Taxi
Taxis must be called, as there are no taxi stands. They are good for short trips between hotels and restaurants.

Maui isn’t known for its late night action. However, before 10pm there are luau shows, dinner cruises, concerts, and more. While in Maui, be sure to attend a luau. Several are offered on the island; the best known are at the Marriott and Royal Lahaina resorts. Check the Maui News on Thursday and Sunday for up-to-date listings. For dining, your best bets are seafood restaurants and those that serve regional cuisine. Here are some favorite restaurants.

• A.K.'s Café
  Voted "Best Kept Secret" by the 2nd annual 'Alpono Awards and touted as the healthiest restaurant on Maui, A.K.'s Café serves delicious cuisine at inexpensive prices. Wailuku.
• Aloha Mixed Plate
  Eat where the locals eat and get the "two scoops rice" and "one scoop macaroni salad" that always accompany the traditional lunch plate. Lahaina.
• Humuhumunukunukuapua'a Restaurant
  Named after Hawaii's state fish, or Humu for short, you can capture your own dinner from the saltwater lagoon. Wailea.
• I'o
  Enjoy fresh Pacific cuisine in a contemporary, waterfront atmosphere. Dine on the lanai for amazing views of the ocean. Lahaina.
• Kimo's
  Great views and affordable prices are second only to the fabulous food at Kimo's. Dine on a variety of fresh seafood or the usual steak, chicken, and sandwiches. Lahaina.
• Lahaina Fish Company
  Enjoy open-air dining literally over the water with a romantic, torch-lit atmosphere. The only thing better than the view of the sunset is the perfectly prepared Pacific Rim specialties. Lahaina.

Maui has an abundance of locally made arts and crafts. Items made of koa and milo wood are a local specialty, as well as clothing—the state’s third largest industry.

As for shopping malls, Maui offers an array of upscale malls featuring boutiques with designer fashions. Ka’ahumanu Center located in Kahului is Maui’s largest. On Wednesday evenings, the 150,000-square-foot Shops at Wailea showcases artists, fashion events, restaurant specials, and live entertainment beginning at 6:30pm. Located in Maalaea Harbor Village is a 40,000-square-foot shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. Also check out the Maui Marketplace, Lahaina Cannery, Kapalua Shops, the Maui Mall, Whalers Village at Ka'anapali as well as the boutique shops in towns like Lahaina, Paia, and Makawao.

Lahaina and Makawao are centers of the Maui art world. There are numerous galleries where you can view and purchase the works of local artists as well as names known around the world.

Outdoor markets are abundant throughout the island as well. One of the most famous is the Maui Swap Meet held every Wednesday and Saturday morning in Kahului.

Check the Maui News on Thursday and Sunday for up-to-date listings of what’s going on.

Free Hula Shows
Mondays/Thursdays/Saturdays. Enjoy Hawaiian, Polynesian, and Tahitian performances from 6-8pm at Whalers Village, Ka’anapali. The Ka’anapali Beach Hotel also offers free hula shows nightly from 6:30 - 7:30pm.

Chinese New Year
January or February. Colorful and exciting lion dance on Lahaina’s Front Street with Chinese calligraphy, arts and crafts, games, food, fireworks, and more.

Whale Week
February. Events in Wailea honor the humpback whales that visit Maui each winter and include the Parade of Whales, Run for the Whales, Wild and Wonderful Whale Regatta, and the Whale Day celebration featuring live Hawaiian entertainment, great food, a Hawaiian craft fair, and children’s carnival and entertainment.

Ocean Arts Festival
March. Celebration of the humpback whales featuring art, Hawaiian entertainment, exciting games, and activities. Held at Banyan Tree Park, Lahaina.

May Day is Lei Day Celebration
May. Celebrate this traditional Hawaiian day at The Fairmont Kea Lani with lei making, a craft show, entertainment, food, and activities.

Makawao Parade and Rodeo
July. Celebrate Independence Day Maui-style with a street parade, rodeo, entertainment, and down-home fun. Held at the Oski Rice Arena in Makawao.

Aloha Festivals
October. A cultural celebration of music, dance, and the history of Hawaii held throughout the island.

Holiday Lighting of the Banyan Tree
December. Art displays, crafts, food, and entertainment on Lahaina’s Front Street.

Golf

The Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel has use of these courses at the Wailea Golf Club:

• Wailea Blue Course
  Fairways offer views of the ocean and Mt. Haleakala. Designed by Arthur Jack Snyder.
• Wailea Emerald Course
  Features a large double green shared by holes #10 and #17. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
• Wailea Gold Course
  Home course of The Senior Skins Game. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr.

Whale Watching
One of the best places to watch the whales is conveniently from shore at McGregor Point, at mile marker 9 on Highway 30, just south of the Lahaina Tunnel. From approximately December - April the whales migrate along Maui’s western coast.

Sportfishing
A popular option with marlin, mahi mahi, ono, and ahi the usual catch. Most charter fishing fleets depart from Lahaina and Ma’alaea.

Snorkeling + Scuba Diving
Join a snorkel excursion to Molokini or head down the coast to another preserve that includes the twin bays of Mokule’ia and Honolua. Popular snorkeling spots in the Kihei/Wailea area are Ulua and Mokapu Beach Parks with their white-sand beaches and varied marine life. Polo Beach offers excellent snorkeling and abundant fish due to the rocky reef outcroppings and coral areas. The Wailea/Makena area offers Ahihi Bay, a marine reserve that comes highly recommended; La Perouse Bay, one of Maui’s four marine reserves; and Makena Landing. In the Lahaina/Ka’anapali area try Papalaua, one of the best snorkeling spots on the island with its nice beach, acres of hard coral, and clear water; Olowalu and Black Rock are protected from the waves and favorites for viewing fish and turtles; Airport Beach is also another very nice spot, however, there can be a bit of a current here.

There are numerous dive shops on the island that can train you for an introductory scuba dive, or prepare you for full certification. Night dives offer a surprising amount of color and activity. Lobster, shrimp, crabs, squid, night octopus, conger eels, and many shelled animals come out to feed. The St. Anthony wreck site, where visibility is often more than 100 feet, is diver friendly and awe-inspiring. Molokini’s back wall has been rated the #1 wall dive in the U.S. The wall drops more than 300 feet and visibility is often in excess of 150 feet making it an amazing dive with the deep blue ocean on one side and the colorful wall on the other. Divers may see black coral (rarely found at this depth), other corals, encrusting sponges, lobsters, crabs, shrimp, the rare long-nose hawk fish, gray reef sharks, and mantas. This dive is appropriate for more experienced divers due to the depth and current of the dive. Reef dives are one of the best ways to explore the diverse reefs in Maui’s coves and bays as well as those formed on ancient lava flows. The reefs support a variety of marine life including green sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, manta rays, moray eels, shrimp, crabs, lobster, white tip reef sharks, octopus, and numerous reef fish.

Remember, when snorkeling or diving, don’t wear sunscreen or bug spray as they are toxic to marine life.

First Trip to Maui
On Maui, there are several must-do activities for the first-time visitor. First, visit Iao Valley State Park to see the Iao Needle, a 2,250-foot rock pinnacle. Second, browse through the Lahaina storefronts and visit the 60-foot-tall banyan tree. Third, take a boat trip to Molokini island for diving or snorkeling. Fourth, drive the Road to Hana and see the Seven Sacred Pools. And lastly, drive up to the Haleakala National park and learn about the House of the Rising Sun.

Breathtaking Sunrise
Don’t miss the sunrise from atop Mt. Haleakala, it’s amazing. A few things to think about. (1) It’s cold at the summit, so make sure you bring a hat and jacket. (2) You’ll need to get up early (maybe 3am Maui time), so go early on in your vacation when you’re still adjusting to the time change. (3) There will be a lot of people enjoying the view at the summit. If you prefer to be around fewer people, try the Kalahaku Overlook. To get there, drive your car to the summit, turn around, and drive back down the volcano for a short distance. There’s a large sign directing to the overlook on the way down.

Snorkeling and Diving
There are many areas well suited for an exciting snorkeling or diving adventure, but for an extra special experience, discover the Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve, known for the dolphins that frequent the area.

Hawaiian Wine
Tedeschi Vineyards is Hawaii's only commercial winery and a beautiful side trip. Make your way up 2,000 feet and marvel at the expansive views of Maui's Central Valley and the West Maui Mountains. If you visit in the morning or the afternoon, you'll want to bring a sweater.

Bring the Kids
With so many activities, it's no wonder kids love Maui. Whether building sandcastles on one of Maui's beaches or discovering the Hawaiian Islands at the Hawaii Nature Center, Haleakala Visitor Center, or Maui Ocean Center, kids are enthralled.

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