Best Things to Do Maui

10 Most EPIC Things to Do on Maui

1/23/2023

After spending a week in Maui with Visit Maui, and as two adventure enthusiasts, we were able to gather 10 of the most EPIC things to do on your Maui vacation. We highly recommend booking through the companies we've linked, only because we truly had incredible experiences with them on our own tours and would hate for you to have a bad experience because the tour company is no good. Read on for our 10 favorite things to do in Maui!

While in Maui we stayed at Lumeria Resort and loved it!

Our Essential Travel Resources :
There are a lot of travel companies out there, but some are better than others. These are our favorite websites and resources to help you plan an incredible trip.

For flights, we recommend using WayAway or Hopper to compare the cheapest dates to travel to your destination.

Car rentals comparisons are best through Discover Cars - just make sure to bring your international driver's permit with you if you're heading somewhere international!

We always use AGODA for hotels. They have an easy-to-use platform where you can compare the best rates.

To keep cell phone service if you're traveling internationally, we always use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required).

For fun things to do, we always recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Klook also does the trick, especially for tours in Asia.

Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance.

Lastly, my packing list for your international or domestic travels.

10 Best Things to Do in Maui

1. Waterfall Rappelling - Hands down the most incredible adventure we did during our time in Hawaii. We went through Rappel Maui and they were the best hosts. After the safety brief and an introduction to how to hook ourselves in and rappel down the cliffs, we were able to scale down 3 different walls - the first was a 40 ft, the second was a 110 ft, and the third and final was a 90 ft rappel. The perks of this adventure is it goes RAIN OR SHINE - and ours was even during some light flash flooding in the area! Because of this we weren't able to rappel the regular routes (the waterfalls were too big) and we did the 3 others instead. Rappel Maui will fit you with helmets, life jackets, harnesses, and special shoes for the climb. Fun fact - this valley is where Jurassic Park was filmed in Maui!

2. Sunset & Stargazing at Haleakala NP - A bucket list experience for sure, and no athletic skills required. Begin by following the Maui Stargazing van from outside the park (depending on the year and requirements from Haleakala National Park), you'll then have to pay the park fee as you follow the van in. Typically $30 per car. From there you'll be lead all the way to the summit, over 10,000 feet in elevation, before watching one of the most epic sunsets of your entire life. While you wait for sunset you'll have some time to eat the dinner you brought and do some light hiking. End the night getting expertly coached in the star formations and seeing planets, stars, galaxies, comets, meteors and even other moons in the night sky.

3. Whale Watching & Snorkeling - We have to be 100% honest here, we've been on 6 whale watching tours before this one and none have ever come close to how amazed we were on this tour. Not only did we see multiple babies and whales breaching in what seemed like every direction, while we were snorkeling we even heard whales underwater and saw a whale breach while we were still in the water! We highly recommend this 2 in 1 tour through Hawaii Ocean Rafting - not only are they owned by native Hawaiian but they also highly prioritize respecting nature and doing their part to protect the wildlife there - including stopping along the way to pick up any garbage they see!

** PLEASE remember that because of federal laws no one should ever approach whales within 100 yards (an entire football field) whether by swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding, boating, etc. It's also important to note that Maui only allows REEF SAFE sunscreen!

4. Clean Up Beaches with PAC Whale - There's nothing more epic than doing your part to help clean up local beaches - in our personal opinion volunteering while visiting a new destination should be way more common place! The best part is that it's completely free and only takes about an hour of your time. In order to help out head to any Pacific Whale Foundation store and pick up a free beach clean up kit, then choose any beach and get to work. Don't forget to record anything you find! Then throw away the bag in any garbage can, return the form (digitally or in person at one of their stores) and receive a free recycled bag!

5. Drive the West Loop - Ok so we definitely didn't make it the entire way - we encountered a back up on a one lane road and decided to turn around near Kahakuloa. The roads can get very tight, so we recommend driving only if you're confident - however the views are very rewarding and there are many stops and hikes along the way. We definitely recommend checking out Nakalele Blowhole, Nakalele Lighthouse and Honokoau Lookout. In our personal opinion, this road has some truly stunning landscapes and was not nearly as busy as the Road to Hana.

6. Paragliding & Ali'i Kula Lavender Field - Although we weren't able to do the paragliding on this trip, we've definitely saved it for the next time we're in Maui. Not only would these be some of the most EPIC views ever, but their tandem instructors make this the perfect spot to try paragliding for the first time! Plus, their landing zone is directly across the street from the Ali'i Kula Lavender Field. The field itself might not be the most impressive, but at only $3 each we weren't disappointed. We also had a blast at their cafe trying all their lavender infused items - coffee, tea, honey, brownies, potato chips, etc.

7. Lumeria Maui Retreat Center - The most incredibly relaxing place we've ever stayed. Even if this isn't your home base for the trip, the Lumeria Maui Retreat Center has an amazing selection of lessons (ALL included for onsite guests) like yoga, breath work, ukulele, chakra, intuition, sound therapy, qi gong, hawaiian hula dance, and hawaiian language classes! You'll leave feeling so refreshed you'll definitely want to stay here on your next visit. Did we mention they have the most incredible, delicious, fresh foods on site?!

8. Hang by the Beach - Maui has some of the world's most beautiful beaches, so it only makes sense to spend some of your time hanging out at these spots to take in these views. Try taking a surfing lesson, or find a quiet bay to try stand up paddle-boarding! Just want to relax? Chill on the beach and watch others try their hands at these sports! Our favorite beaches in Maui were Baldwin Beach Park and Baby Beach!

** PLEASE remember that Maui only allows REEF SAFE sunscreen!

9. DIY Food Tour - One of our favorite ways to explore any new destination is to go on a self guided (or locally guided!) food tour! You can check out all our favorite places to eat in the post linked below, or just explore on your own! We recommend starting in the Paia or Lahaina areas! Some food you HAVE to try in our opinion include : shaved ice, musubi, loco moco, garlic shrimp, huli huli chicken, fresh coconut and smoothie bowls!

Check out our complete list of our favorite places to eat on Maui here!

10. Drive the Road to Hana - There's a reason the Road to Hana made it to the last spot on our list. Considered one of the most dangerous roads in the world, many of the turns are complete 180's - and only just barely fit a single car. With just over 64 miles of road from Kahului to Hana, there's a reason Visit Maui recommends that guests only visit the road via a tour. On our short drive to Rappel Maui located at mile marker 10.5, we saw many "no parking" blocks, "pay to park" lots, and barbed wire cutting off many of the once known hikes and waterfalls. We also saw some tourists being incredibly stupid (a word we don't use often - think hanging out of cars, "surfing" on cars, etc.) and other people driving insanely fast. A majority of the buildings we drove by were also closed down. Check out this tour if you're wanting to go!

Watch our Maui Adventures here!