A first-time guide to Maui

22.07.2024 - 08:26 / lonelyplanet.com

Jul 21, 2024 • 10 min read

The island of Maui is characterized by a delicate balance of lively nightlife, esteemed restaurants and mai tais on the beach, contrasted against secluded adventures, rugged terrain and rich Native Hawaiian culture. 

Maui has been through a lot historically. In 1898, the Kingdom of Hawai‘i was annexed by the United States and later became a state, putting an end to the Hawaiian monarchy and Native Hawaiian autonomy on their own homeland. In the years that followed, foreign businessmen exploited the lands through plantations, development and tourism. And, tragically, on August 8, 2023, Maui experienced wildfires that killed more than 100 people and destroyed more than 2200 structures – including significant historical and cultural sites. 

Tourism to the island has been a long-debated subject, with inhabitants trying to find the most sustainable way to preserve the land while also supporting the economy. The most important things to remember when visiting Maui and its neighboring islands are to educate yourself on the culture, respect the land and its people, and spend your money wisely by supporting local businesses. 

Maui is beautiful all year long, so there really isn’t a wrong time to go. People typically like to plan a vacation during Maui’s whale-watching season, which is in the wintertime from November to April. However, some water activities like jet skiing and parasailing aren’t available during this time, to protect these aquatic visitors. Even though it can rain at any time of the year, wet weather may be more prevalent during these months, causing hiking trails to be inaccessible. For surfers, though, winter has the best conditions. 

High season, when Maui is the most busy and expensive, is during winter, summer and spring break. Low season is during spring (excluding spring break) and fall, and it's generally less busy and expensive during these seasons. However, in reality, Maui is comparatively expensive all the time. 

Hurricane season is from June to November, but consulting a weather forecast before a trip is always a good idea.

Your time on Maui is dependent on multiple factors, like how much money you have to spend and how far you’ve come. 

You can have a really solid trip in three days: one day spent shopping and sightseeing, another day going on an adventure (like driving the Road to Hana), and another day relaxing at the beach or pool with plans for fine dining later. 

However, more adventurous folks would probably prefer to stay up to a week, checking out the popular hiking trails like the Waiheʻe Ridge Trail, trying out water activities such as taking surfing lessons, spending some time in all the different parts of the island, and hitting up the popular local