The Hawaiian government has asked visitors to stay away from West Maui until October 8 so it can deal with the terrible damage from the Lahaina fire. But it’s encouraging visitors to head to other areas of the island and support businesses that rely on tourist dollars. That’s especially so for smaller, independent shops versus the Costco’s and Starbucks of the world. Besides dining or shopping, there are tons of great nature spots to see and enjoy.
West Maui definitely needs time to heal. But the area that’s closed for tourism is a tiny fraction of the island of Maui, which leaves an amazing array of things to see and do.
Here are some suggestions from someone who’s been 30-plus times and has probably spent six months of his life on this beautiful island.
And here’s my story on 30 things to see and do on West Maui when things open next month.
Take the drive to Hana and stop for a snack at one of the simple roadside stands. You’ll likely find lots of folks selling fresh pineapple, mangoes, guava and banana bread, as well as bbq’d delights and cold drinks. This is a great way to support local residents, and likely to enjoy the drive with very little traffic.
A fruit/food stand on the tiny, beautiful Ke’anae peninsula, between Hana and Kahului. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Stay at the the Fairmont Kea Lani hotel in Wailea. The 22-acre grounds are stunning, as is the sushi. Not to mention the rooms, which are immense. And the beach. And the pool. And the spa. And the Mai Tai’s. And …
Rooms at the Fairmont Kea Lani feature generous patios with great ocean views. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Do a whale watching tour. Alaska’s humpback whales will soon be heading south to warmer waters, and may already be on their way. The waters between Maui, Molokai and Lana’i are probably the best place to see these magnificent creatures, and there are many tour companies who can take you out. I’ve been out on the water a couple times with Trilogy, and they do a great job.
Visit Maui’s Iao Valley. The Iao Needle is a massive tower of rock that juts out of the lush, tropical, Iao Valley. A terrible battle was waged here by King Kamehameha the Great, but you wouldn’t know it today. There are several wonderful hikes that go on for miles, but you can also do an easy walk to a nice viewing platform and admire the rugged, jungle-clad cliffs all around you. Down the road is a nice Japanese garden – Kepaniwai Park – that’s definitely worth a visit.
Iao Valley State Park, Maui, Hawaii. GanapathyKumar-Unsplash Photo
If you’re traveling with kids, try a visit to the Maui Ocean Center, where you can see live Pacific corals and check out brilliant yellow butterfly fish and blacktip reef sharks. You can also learn about the importance of the ocean to Hawaiian culture, and explore an exhibit on the majestic humpback whale.
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Stay the night at the Hana-Maui Resort. It’s a luscious resort set on a sprawling property with deep, green lawns that would make the Irish envious. The cottage-style units are particularly inviting, and there’s a wonderful spa, pickleball courts, and simple but divine swimming pool. They also have a fun, pitch and putt golf course that’s included in your hotel stay (with resort fee). Now part of the Hyatt hotel group, it’s my fave place to unwind on the island.
Hana-Maui Resort by Hyatt in Hawaii. Photo Courtesy Hawaii Tourism Authority
Dine at the Kahului Airport food trucks. If you REALLY want to support a local business, try the food trucks just outside the Maui airport, near the Costco. You can usually find everything from Thai food to tacos, poke and garlic shrimp. My personal fave are the spicy noodle dishes at Thai Mee Up.
The food truck park in Kahului, Maui, Hawaii. JIM BYERS PHOTO
The resort courses at Wailea are gorgeous, but maybe you want to support the county by playing the municipal course at Waiehu. Three of the holes are on the water, which is more than any course on the island. It’s not Kapalua, where they host the opening tournament of the calendar year on the PGA Tour, but it costs a fraction of the price ($65 weekdays for 18 holes for non-residents, $85 on weekends).
The Maui municipal golf course in Waiehu. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Shop the independent boutiques in the town of Paia, which has a relaxed, hippie vibe. There’s a lovely beach in town, too. If you feel like spending the night, and I recommend you do, try the super-boutique Paia Inn, which features lovely, Balinese-inspired design and architecture. On a budget? Try the Aloha Surf Hostel in town.
Take a short drive on Haneoo Road near Hana. This might be my favourite street in the islands. It’s a spur road that drops you from Highway 360 down to Koki Beach Park (very good surfing and body surfing most days, as well as a great Huli Huli bbq chicken stand) and then along the coast to Hamoa Beach, which Mark Twain is said to have called the prettiest beach in Hawaii.
Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Fill up at Fat Daddy’s Smokehouse in Kihei. It’s a family friendly, southern style BBQ place that grills ribs and other great meats over beer-soaked kiawe wood for a great, smoky flavor.
Check out the cowboy town of Makawao with its wooden store fronts and super-chill environment. It’s only a short drive up the hill from the airport in Kahului, but a world away. You’ll find surf shops mixed with stores selling cowboy gear, perhaps for participants in the annual Makawao Rodeo. Casanova Italian Restaurant has a nice veranda for al fresco dining. Stop at Komoda Store and Bakery for a malasada, a Portuguese donut dusted with sugar and sometimes filled with fruit. A cowboy town on Maui with a store named Komoda that sells Portuguese donuts; that’s about as perfect an illustration of Hawaii’s diversity as I can think of.
Makawao, Maui, Hawaii. Photo courtesy Hawaii Tourism Authority
Try a sunrise at Haleakala Crater. In most years, you’ll find hundreds of people camped out at the edge of the crater (the elevation for the highest lookout point is 10,023 feet) as they await sunrise creeping up over the rim of rock on the crater’s eastern edge. It takes a couple hours to get there from Kahului, so you have to leave your hotel well before dawn. If that’s too much, try a trip later in the day, when it’s likely to be considerably warmer. Still, bring a jacket. It’s usually cold at 10,000 feet, even in the tropics.
Haleakala Crater, Maui. Jeff King/Unsplash Photo
Visit a lavender farm. The Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm is a 13.5-acre farm that sits at an elevation of roughly 4000 ft. and is home to approximately 55,000 lavender plants and 20 different varieties of lavender. Lavender is a summer bloomer, but the farm grows about nine varieties of lavender that bloom all year round. You’ll also find olive trees, hydrangea, and succulents in the rolling hills of Maui’s upcountry, which offers fine views of the island and surrounding waters.
Enjoy the sound and the view of the white and blue waves crashing into the jagged, black lava rock on the Ke’anae Peninsula, which is on the road from Wailuku to Hana (or, depending on how you look at it, the other way around). Stop at the little snack shop for a hot dog or a sandwich, or a cold drink, and check out the small but pretty church. This is simple Maui at its old-time best.
The Keanae Peninsula on Maui. PHOTO COURTESY HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY
Visit Maui Tropical Plantation. This is a lush property where visitors can take a tram ride on a working, tropical farm and learn how sugarcane & pineapples grow. A great family activity.
Try a helicopter tour. They’re not flying over West Maui and Lahaina, but the folks at Blue Hawaiian Helicopters tell me they’re still actively flying tourists around to see Maui from the sky. I took a chopper tour of West Maui and Molokai many years ago and loved it.
Try a meal at Mama’s Fish House in Paia. The fish is so fresh they can tell you the name of the fisherman who caught it, and where. The food is sublime, and the setting – steps from a lovely beach, with luscious landscaping and Hawaiian decor all around – is just as impressive.
Mama’s Fish House, Maui, Hawai’i. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Check out the Upcountry Farmers Market. You can grow an astonishing array of produce on the slopes of the dormant volcano known as Haleakala (House of the Sun). Celebrate fresh, locally grown food and community at the market, which is held at the Kula Malu Town Center in the Pukalani/Kula area every Saturday from 7 to 11 a.m. Look for local macadamia nuts, Maui grown coffee, coconuts, fresh fish, Thai and Indian food, lilikoi (passion fruit) butter, and much more.
Try local wine. Yes, local wine. Ulupalakua Vineyards, farmed by MauiWine, is a beautiful region high on the southern slope of the Haleakala volcano. Cooler days and cool nights allow grapes to grow in conditions not unlike northern California, and they make everything from Syrah and Malbec to traditional-style sparkling wine, and even pineapple wine. The area also offers fine views of the coast near Wailea.
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Thank you so much for supporting Maui !!!
Really appreciate it. I have been living in Maui 16 years and I love Maui so much. Your post is beautifully guided what we can offer to our visitors right now !! Yes, Maui is open and please visit us !! Thank you !
Mahalo nui loa, Yoko. Very kind of you.
You forgot to mention the world class shops at Wailea. Kula Lodge on the slopes of Haleakala
Colleen’s in Haiku (vendors). Flea market in S. Kihei. Seascape Restaurant at Maalea Harbor. Kayaking and Wind Surfing. Bike down the Volcano. Need economy condo? Call Leslie at Luana Kai for clean older units. Impeccable grounds ocean front.
Top you trip off at Sargentos 5 star restaurant in Kihei. (Reservations). Sunset extravaganza
I want to do another list, so this is good. Need to spread things out a bit! Don’t spend much time in Kihei/Wailea so appreciate the tips. Will have to try Sargentos some time! Mahalo
Actually, Sarento’s seems to be closed permanently.
It’s seams. You forgot two most important places in. Makawao. SHERRI REVEES. HAWAIIAN ART AND WONDERFUL GIFT SHOP, ALL HER WORLD. Famous creations are both unique and treasures. And the world surfing capital. PIAIA. Down the hill from. Makawao .
I couldn’t mention everyone and everything, but mahalo, Alan!! I love your island.
My favorite spot on Maui is the hiking trails at La Perouse Bay. Most vibrant colors I’ve ever seen, pristine waters with tons of spinner dolphins, Hono turtles and the occasional monk seal napping on the shore. Drive in can be a bit challenging but doable in an AWD vehicle.
Agreed. Very pure/beautiful region of Maui.