Maui Travel Guide

Koki Beach

Paradise. THE most beautiful place I have visited to this day. If you ever get a chance to visit, do not think twice about it. And honestly, I did not break the bank for this vacation, and I went by myself without having someone to split the cost with. Before the Pandemic, American Airlines had very reasonably priced flights (~ $500 – 700 roundtrip) and just before the Pandemic, Southwest had non-stop flights from Nola to Maui for as low as $550.

This trip did not start off like I had hoped (6-hour flight delay, sliced my foot on coral, and became sick the last couple of days). And it is still one of my favorite vacations I have taken. SO many gorgeous beaches to choose from: Kaanapali Beach, Wailea Beach, Koki Beach at Hamoa Village (My favorite), Baby Beach, or the Black Sand Beach at Waianapanapa State Park. The food was unbelievable and honestly caught me off guard by how delicious it was. I always hear people going to Hawaii for the beaches and the paradise feel but have never heard people rave about the food. I’ve put together a Maui travel guide below to follow whenever you’re ready to finally take that dream vacation.

Where to Stay in Maui:

VRBO. Airbnb and hotels did not come close to the affordability of VRBO when I booked the trip. I paid $200 a night to stay at Maui Kai Beach Resort, which is located on the western side of the island in Kaanapali (45 mins from the airport). There are some nice beaches on this side of the island, and you’re close to the Nakalele Blowhole and the town of Lahaina, which is a hotspot for shops and restaurants. The main street in Lahaina is called Front Street, and was ranked as one of the top ten greatest streets in the US. If I could change one thing about my trip, I would have tried to stay closer to central Maui (Paia) for part of my trip to be closer to the Road to Hana and the Volcano at Haleakala National Park.

Transportation in Maui:

Rental car. There’s so many beaches and attractions spread out all over the island that this is the only feasible option.

What to Do in Maui:

Other than visiting the beaches I mentioned, if there is one must thing to do it’s the Road to Hana. The Road to Hana is a driving tour on the Hana Highway (Van tour or drive yourself) that goes through the eastern part of the island where you get to experience rainforests, gardens, water falls, beaches, and food stands at different mile markers. The road is 64 miles long with something to do or see at almost every mile marker so I recommend visiting this website and picking a few locations that look the most intriguing and take your time at each spot. FYI, the mile markers are weird. They start over after #16. And after Hana Town they jump to #51 then go backwards. Download the GyPSy Guide Road to Hana app. It’s $10 but it’s the perfect tour guide. As you’re driving it narrates the history of the Island and points out the sights at the mile markers. The best part is that the GPS on the app doesn’t require data, which is a life saver because there’s little to no cell signal on most of the drive. There will be tons of people on this road so start early. If you want to do it the Broke-Traveler way this is what I did:

Gas up the night before and head towards the town of Paia for 7-8am. The last gas station before the start of the Road to Hana is in this town so you can also gas up here and grab some breakfast. Bring Dramamine (there’s over 600 turns), sunscreen, bottled water, towels, bug spray, swimsuit, cash, and a phone charger. You can bring snacks but there will be stands that sell smoothies, banana bread, and other food. I stopped at Twin Falls (Mile Marker #2), Halfway to Hana Stand (Mile Marker #17) for some delicious banana bread, the famous black sand beach and fresh water caves at Waianapanapa State Park (Mile Marker #32), Wailua Falls (Mile Marker #45), and my favorite, Koki Beach (Mile Marker #51). I don’t suggest swimming here because of the rip currents (If you ever get caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore to escape it) but it’s a great spot to relax on the beach and take in the beauty. I drove to Hana and back to Paia in 6-7 hours. I was rushing because you don’t want to be driving on that road at night.

  • Black Sand Beach @ Waianapanapa State Park
  • Black Sand Beach @ Waianapanapa State Park
  • Wailea Beach
  • Wailea Beach
  • Baby Beach
  • Kaanapali Beach
  • Koki Beach
  • Waianapanapa State Park
  • Koki Beach
  • Black Sand Beach @ Waianapanapa State Park
  • Road to Hana
  • Aloha Mixed Plate
  • Aloha Mixed Plate
  • Aloha Mixed Plate
  • Ululani’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice
  • Mama’s Fish House
  • Mama’s Fish House

What to Eat & Drink in Maui:

I’m going to make a bold statement…..The food here is just as good as the food in New Orleans. There are so many great, affordable choices. Poke Tacos at Hula Grill, poke bowls at the South Maui Fish Co. food truck, and red snapper at Fleetwood’s on Front Street (best I’ve ever had, thanks for the recommendation Michelle Beadle!). One meal you should absolutely break the bank for is Mama’s Fish House. The Mama’s Stuffed Fish, stuffed with lobster and crab, a side of wild boar, topped off with a James Bond Martini may go down as one of the best meals of my life. This restaurant is so popular that you have to book a reservation at least a month in advance, sometimes two. For dessert stop at Ululani’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice (Sunset Beach flavor stuffed with ice cream) or Leoda’s Pie Shop for their banana cream pie. And if you’re looking for a good happy hour stop by Monkeypod Kitchen, there’s three locations on the island.

Tips for Visiting Maui:

  • Wear swim shoes when swimming
  • Travel first aid kits are also pretty valuable if you happen to step on a piece of coral
  • Buy a snorkel mask
  • When you get your rental car, prepay for gas using the rental agency’s gas price. Would’ve saved me $1 per gallon. Every gas station on the island had $4+ gas at the time.

Bucket List for Visiting Maui Again:

Maui Maps: