# Maui, Things we shouldn't miss



## mac81 (Apr 18, 2016)

Hello, The wife and I are going to Maui in late October into November for 2 weeks. what are some of the things we wouldn't want to miss ?


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## DaveNV (Apr 18, 2016)

If you plan to drive the Road to Hana (not nearly as scary as it used to be since they widened the road) it's nice to have a tour guide.  We found this cell phone app was great.  You pair your phone with the rental car, start the app, and the tour guide sits inside the car with you.  It's GPS controlled, and is very intuitive. On the way back, since they can tell you heard everything on the way out, they give a narrative of the history of the Hawaiian Monarchy.  It was a great listen while enjoying the beautiful drive.  Definitely worth the five bucks. You can also find the direct app in the ITunes store.

http://gypsyguide.com/package/the-road-to-hana/

Dave


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## LisaRex (Apr 18, 2016)

It's pretty hard to answer your question when you don't give us much information about who you are (e.g. how old you are and what limitations you might have), and most importantly, what you like to do. It wouldn't be very helpful for us to advise an 20 year old who doesn't know how to swim well to snorkel off Black Rock, or an 40 year old with a bum knee to hike down Haleakala.   

The best general advice I can give you is to go to TripAdvisor.com and search for the top rated Maui activities. I do that before I travel anywhere.  Find things that interest you and plan your itinerary around that.  Or come back and ask if we have recommendations for a few specific things. I'd also advise posting your general questions in the Hawaii folder instead of the Starwood folder. 

In the meantime, here are two general threads that might interest you. 

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212550&highlight=Maui

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199408&highlight=Maui


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## LisaRex (Apr 18, 2016)

Deleted as duplicate


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## Sugarcubesea (Apr 18, 2016)

DaveNW said:


> If you plan to drive the Road to Hana (not nearly as scary as it used to be since they widened the road) it's nice to have a tour guide.  We found this cell phone app was great.  You pair your phone with the rental car, start the app, and the tour guide sits inside the car with you.  It's GPS controlled, and is very intuitive. On the way back, since they can tell you heard everything on the way out, they give a narrative of the history of the Hawaiian Monarchy.  It was a great listen while enjoying the beautiful drive.  Definitely worth the five bucks. You can also find the direct app in the ITunes store.
> 
> http://gypsyguide.com/package/the-road-to-hana/
> 
> Dave



Dave,

Thanks, I just bought this for my trip in August...


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## DaveNV (Apr 18, 2016)

Sugarcubesea said:


> Dave,
> 
> Thanks, I just bought this formy trip in August...



I think you'll get a lot from it.  We sure did. 

Dave


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## PamMo (Apr 18, 2016)

DaveNW said:


> ...  Definitely worth the five bucks. You can also find the direct app in the ITunes store.
> 
> http://gypsyguide.com/package/the-road-to-hana/
> 
> Dave



+1 more. We bought the Maui Full Island Tour ($9.99) a few years ago, and it was good, but I just noticed it's been updated and now it's much better! (I'm glad I didn't delete the app on my phone.) The narration was great and spot on the GPS coordinates on our drive to the Olivine pools. There were lots of interesting stories about the local sights, personalities, geology, history, culture... It's a MUST buy if you plan on exploring Maui by car for the first time.


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## MULTIZ321 (Apr 18, 2016)

DaveNW said:


> If you plan to drive the Road to Hana (not nearly as scary as it used to be since they widened the road) it's nice to have a tour guide.  We found this cell phone app was great.  You pair your phone with the rental car, start the app, and the tour guide sits inside the car with you.  It's GPS controlled, and is very intuitive. On the way back, since they can tell you heard everything on the way out, they give a narrative of the history of the Hawaiian Monarchy.  It was a great listen while enjoying the beautiful drive.  Definitely worth the five bucks. You can also find the direct app in the ITunes store.
> 
> http://gypsyguide.com/package/the-road-to-hana/
> 
> Dave



Just a note to Android users who are interested in this - the Gypsy Apps are also available in the Google Play Store.

For more info, see www.gypsyguide.com


Happy Travels,

Richard


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## klpca (Apr 19, 2016)

I'll play along. 

1. Hiking the sliding sands trail at Haleakala National Park. http://www.hawaii-guide.com/maui/hiking_trails/sliding_sands_trail_keoneheehee A bit of a buttkicker on the way back up but you will see a landscape like you will see nowhere else. Make it as short or as long as you wish. No need to go all the way to the bottom. I have also done sunrise and sunset up at the summit of Haleakala - nice but I would do it only if you're into that kind of thing. It was too crowded for me, plus I don't like to get up in the middle of the night while I'm on vacation.  

2. Snorkeling - We like Ulua beach (Wailea) http://www.to-hawaii.com/maui/beaches/uluabeach.php and Kahekili Beach (in front of the Westin timeshare) http://www.perfect-hawaiian-vacation.com/Maui-Beaches-Kahekili.html We like Maui Dive Shop for our gear. http://www.mauidiveshop.com/

3. Ululani's Shave Ice. We like the north Kihei location best, but it's all good and you can't go wrong here. Get the punch card to justify multiple visits. http://www.ululanishawaiianshaveice.com/

4. The Bamboo Forest hike. You will take the Road to Hana on your way here so it's a 2-for-1 but a long, long day. Start early and bring a sack lunch. http://www.unrealhawaii.com/2013/04/pipiwai-trail-to-waimoku-falls/ My favorite part of this hike is going through the bamboo forest - I love the sound they make in the breeze. You can't go all the way to the falls any more without trespassing (according to the sign that was posted when we were there in 2014) - not a huge loss, imho. Crossing the creek to get to the other side was always a bit more adventure that I liked and once you got back there you were looking at a beautiful ribbon fall with a lot of other people. 

This is *my* short list. I'd love seeing everyone else's list.


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## jeff01 (Apr 19, 2016)

+1 Definitely get the Gypsy Full Island Tour and be sure to pair the Bluetooth so you can get the audio through the car speakers.


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## BocaBoy (Apr 19, 2016)

My short list is the Road to Hana, Haleakala (even if not at sunrise), a day upcountry (our favorite town is Makawao and there is a fantastic bakery there on Baldwin Avenue downtown(Komoda's), the town of Lahaina, and the Old Lahaina Luau if you want a luau.


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## blondietink (Apr 20, 2016)

I guess I am in the minority, but we just didn't like the road to Hana. Took the whole day and we were surprised that there were not many scenic pull-outs at all. Haha was nice when we got there and visiting the national park and Lindberg's grave beyond Hana were good. 

We did Haleakala in the daytime and the views are spectacular. Lahaina is nice for shopping. Any and all beaches are great.

Iow (sp?) Valley is also nice.


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## Sugarcubesea (Apr 20, 2016)

DaveNW said:


> I think you'll get a lot from it.  We sure did.
> 
> Dave



Did you use their other app, the one for Haleakala?


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## Sugarcubesea (Apr 20, 2016)

PamMo said:


> +1 more. We bought the Maui Full Island Tour ($9.99) a few years ago, and it was good, but I just noticed it's been updated and now it's much better! (I'm glad I didn't delete the app on my phone.) The narration was great and spot on the GPS coordinates on our drive to the Olivine pools. There were lots of interesting stories about the local sights, personalities, geology, history, culture... It's a MUST buy if you plan on exploring Maui by car for the first time.



PamMo,  I was thinking of purchasing the Maui Full Island Tour, since we will be there for 12 days....thanks for the high praise for this app.


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## kalima (Apr 20, 2016)

*Maui Tropical Plantation*

We loved this place and will def. be going back. It's reasonable to get in, I think around $15, and you go on a little sort of train type thing through all the plantations of nuts/fruit etc. You have a guided tour and it's really interesting. There is a gift store where you can buy their coffee/artwork etc which is nice as well. Hana was awesome but next time we will likely do a bus tour as we were freaked right out with how scary it was lol! We drove all the way around and there is a little winery at the other end where we tasted pineapple wine. Really good trip but takes the whole day.


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## DaveNV (Apr 20, 2016)

Sugarcubesea said:


> Did you use their other app, the one for Haleakala?



I didn't, because we went in the very dark hours of the morning, and were focused on getting to the top before the sun came up.  But if doing it in daylight, I'd expect the Gypsy tour to be as well done as the Road to Hana tour.  I would certainly do it next time we're on the island.

GREAT TIP:  If anyone plans to do the Haleakala summit, take this excellent tip, which I got from a Tugger much more experienced than me:  

If you plan to drive to see the sunrise at Haleakala, do it the day after you arrive on Maui.  Your biological clock will still be on Mainland time, so getting up in the middle of the (Hawaiian) night won't be such a stretch. We did that, leaving Kihei at about 3:00AM, (which was 6:00AM Pacific Time.)  We were in the summit parking area early enough to have our choice of parking spots, and we had a choice viewing area for the sunrise.  Don't forget to bring a warm coat and hat - it gets cold and windy at the top.  Well worth the effort to get there.

Following this advice, you can go to bed at a reasonable hour that second evening on the island, sleep a full night, and be on Island Time the next morning.  It's an excellent way to fight jet lag, and get adjusted to the Hawaiian time zone.

Dave


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## Blues (Apr 20, 2016)

DaveNW said:


> If you plan to drive to see the sunrise at Haleakala, do it the day after you arrive on Maui.  Your biological clock will still be on Mainland time, so getting up in the middle of the (Hawaiian) night won't be such a stretch.



Good advice.  Or you can do it as we did the first time we visited Maui.  We were staying in Kaanapali, which meant that the drive to Haleakala for sunrise was a real stretch.  So we did it on departure day.  Yes, we had to get up in the middle of the night.  But we packed up, drove to Haleakala, enjoyed sunrise, then drove half way down the mountain.  Found a nice cafe in upcountry to have breakfast.  From there, it was a very leisurely drive to the airport.  We slept on the plane on the way home.


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## triangulum33 (Apr 21, 2016)

I highly recommend Maui Revealed.  
Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook https://www.amazon.com/dp/0996131809/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_BmngxbG61BD5B
They have an app that is fantastic too. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Sugarcubesea (Apr 21, 2016)

triangulum33 said:


> I highly recommend Maui Revealed.
> Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook https://www.amazon.com/dp/0996131809/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_BmngxbG61BD5B
> They have an app that is fantastic too.
> 
> ...



I second this recommendation as I purchased this about 6 months ago for our upcoming trip and I have highlighted the pages and bookmarked the areas we want to go to


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## easyrider (Apr 21, 2016)

A Molokini Crater snorkel or scuba dive is pretty cool. Sundays are the least crowded. 

The Lahaina nightclub Fleetwoods is likely the best place to go for live music on the roof. The Pioneer Grill in Lahaina will often have a guy playing music in the early evening. On our last visit was a guy playing Grateful Dead, Neil Young and other music on a ukulele. 

Napali Bay and Kapalua Bay are really good places to snorkel. 

The Kaanapali Beach walkway is a crowded kind of fun. We parked at the mall and hiked the walkway past Black Rock. I was told that the snorkeling is pretty good at Black Rock. The Hula Grill is a good enough place to grab a beverage and something to eat if you don't mind crowds.  

Lahaina's famous Banyan Tree and the Jodo Buddhist Temple are free to see. Jodo Temple has a pretty nice beach. 

There is a person that rents beach gear like chairs, umbrellas, boards and ice chests on front street near the Jodo Temple. 

Visiting Haleakala is easier at sunset because it is not as cold and you don't have to wake up so early. The view is pretty good looking west but the view is better at sunrise , imo, because there are no buildings and telescopes facing east of the view. 

There are a bunch of trails that are pretty easy. Twin Falls near Paia is pretty cool. You can swim here.This is a very easy trail. Ioa Valley State Park is a very easy trail with opportunities to wade in the river. 

I can take or leave the Hana HWY. If you go , go very early as the many attractions will end up with tour groups and tourists wanting to see the sites. 


Bill


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## Scott&Laura (Apr 22, 2016)

Maui Things to do;

•	Right out front of WKORV and WKORVN is some of the best easy snorkeling in all of Maui. Chop up lettuce, peas or stop at tropical fish store and get healthy diets for fish—to feed. There will be 200 fish around you in minutes if you feed. Make sure food is healthy for fish. A GoPro  will be excellent
•	Olivine pools are fun make sure car empty when parked. A lot of smash and grab at parking lot—glass on ground betrays issue
•	Lahaina at night is fun and we always go to restaurants and Poster store and look at old posters and stores like Peter Lik photography, Vladimir Kush’s shop, and Thomas Barbey  photos  which are extremely creative and portray Excellency in their crafts. 
•	Dragons teeth is a great photo spot morning light or evening light for best color were lava was forced back by strong winds and waves. Ask Concierge—it’s a very short distance away
•	Nakalele blowhole is fun also best early or late light if photographing or fun anytime
•	Haleakala Crater is great for sunrise but very, very cold, need coats and jackets However  we go up early morning driving   We always come down and stop at Kula Lodge for lunch it’s a relaxing day and Kula is a great place to stop and see grounds. Don’t miss Rainbow Eucalyptus on way down from Haleakala.   
•	Ocean Organic Vodka tour was fun. I was shocked at how smooth a Vodka could be
•	Surfing Goat Dairy is fun
•	North Shore beach next to Mama’s Fish House is great in early AM windsurfers—then Surfboarders—and afterwards Wind surfers again  They are great to watch and fun to walk beach
•	Go upcountry and see Surfboard fence concierge can help direct
•	Go Road to Hana Seven sacred pools---watch movie I.Q. first with Walter Matthau, Tim Robbins, Meg Ryan where he portrays Einstein  were they talk about  Seven sacred pools 
•	Road to Hana has so many opportunities to see pools and other things on way we often only get 1/ way their. Peter Liks Rainbow Eucalyptus photo was taken at point on road to Hana. Maybe go road two days---However do not attempt on last day before leaving as we witnessed an accident and the road caused hundreds of people to miss flight as road blo4ked for 5 hours  to return
•	We have driven both ways to Hana South and North. South end I like driving at night slower but a  car in front leading way makes trip relaxing Charles Lindberg grave is beautiful spot and worth visiting—get directions from concierge first
•	Go upcountry—they have numerous artists and we always stop and watch for an hour the glass blowers. Shops are great.
•	Maui Bird Sanctuary in upcountry were they try to breed and preserve rare native Birds is open to public first week in November only for tours--  It was very interesting to us
•	A great art stop is nearby that teaches people crafts and is relaxing to visit.


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## singlemalt_18 (Apr 23, 2016)

The most important thing to do after you have your luggage loaded into the rental car and you start the engine is...

Tune the car radio to KPOA 93.5 FM and do not touch it again unless you are turning up the volume.


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## blondietink (Apr 28, 2016)

Sugarcubesea said:


> I second this recommendation as I purchased this about 6 months ago for our upcoming trip and I have highlighted the pages and bookmarked the areas we want to go to



I also 3rd this book.  There is also an APP you can purchase for your phone.  I think it is $7.99 and it works great.  Used it on Kauai and Oahu.


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## geist1223 (Apr 28, 2016)

Most of the good stuff has been mentioned. But you should also consider the drive around the other end of the Island from Hana. Drive clockwise so that you are on the inside lane. Back a big picnic basket and make a day of it. Also we like Kihei Cafe for breakfast. It is cash only. Great Loco Moco and many other dishes. You go through the line, order, pay, and then find a table.


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## blondietink (Apr 28, 2016)

geist1223 said:


> Most of the good stuff has been mentioned. But you should also consider the drive around the other end of the Island from Hana. Drive clockwise so that you are on the inside lane. Back a big picnic basket and make a day of it. Also we like Kihei Cafe for breakfast. It is cash only. Great Loco Moco and many other dishes. You go through the line, order, pay, and then find a table.



Ditto the drive from Hana around the other side of the island.  HOWEVER, most rental car companies forbid this drive (it will violate the contract)  and if you have a breakdown while on that road, you are on your own.


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## riverdees05 (Apr 29, 2016)

*Molokini Crater snorkel Tour Recommendations needed*

A Molokini Crater snorkel or scuba dive is pretty cool. Sundays are the least crowded."  

Any recommended tours for this snorkel?


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