Maui is one of our favourite of the Hawaiian islands and such a wonderful place to get away to. It has the right mix of tranquility, activities, and excitement to keep you coming back over and over.

We've put together this list of some of the best places to eat, things to do, and places to explore while you're on Maui. This guide will have you driving all over the island and keep you busy but don't worry if you don't get through everything, you'll just have to come back!

Where to Stay

There are lots of amazing towns on Maui: Paia (Pāʻia) and Haiku, Waialua, Kihei, Hana... but the place we always recommend people stay on Maui, at least their first time to the island, is around Lahania, in the north west.

Lahania is a picture perfect, seaside town, on the touristy side, but situated between some of the best beaches, restaurants, night life and activities on the island. The water is usually calmer on this side, making for better snorkling, swimming and easier waves for learning to surf or SUP.

Staying just outside of Lahania, anywhere between Lahania and Kapalua, will give you plenty of accomodation options for any budget, and make sure you're setup to enjoy the best of Maui.

Maui is a fairly small island, and you can easily drive all over (we recommend you do!) and the Lahania area serves well as a home base for your travels.

Car Rental

To enjoy all that Maui has to offer, we highly recommend you rent a car, at least for part of your visit. Roadtripping around the island and looking for whales on seaside mountain passes, driving up to the volcano at sunset or winding through the rainforests is a definite must-do.

Our favourite rental car company is Kihei Rent a Car. They rent old Nissan Sentras that look like they have been beat up by the sun and salt but they always ran well and are affordable (by island standards).

They’ll pick you up from the airport in a big black van, drive you down to Kihei, (about 30 minutes from Lahania). You can drop it off in Kihei and they’ll drop you off the airport for free (just arrange it ahead of time).

The car radios always worked but the CD players never did, and many didn't have aux or USB ports.. and the air-conditioners where hit or miss... so you'll be rocking the local stations (Native 92.5) with the windows down... best way to go.

Places to Eat and Drink

Our favourite cocktail bar on the island, Fleetwoods is a rooftop bar in Lahania. Its the perfect spot to enjoy a sunset drink. It can be quite busy at sundowner time but we found it pretty easy to find a spot for 2 if you wait for a few minutes. Grab a couple drinks after the place empties out during the dinner rush and enjoy the live music. Owner Mick Fleetwood (of Fleetwood Mac) sometimes plays when he's on the island.

Dinner on the water at Lahania Fish Co., is a great option after waiting out the dinner rush in Fleetwoods (otherwise make a reservation). The terrace is built over the water, so you can hear the waves lapping below you as you sample the sustainably caught local seafood.

Breakwall Shave Ice is our pick for the BEST shaved ice on the island. If you've never had Hawaiian shaved ice, get it with the works: ice cream, condensed sweet milk, and your choice of tropical fruit. You won't regret it.

On the outskirts of Lahania is our favourite brunch spot, Mala. Situated right on the water, it would be weird if you didn't see turtles popping their heads up while you overlook the harbour from their oceanside tables.

Over in Paia, the famous Paia Fish Market is a good lunch spot, whether you're hanging out in the town for the day, or passing through on your way back from Hana or Haleakala, the fresh fish and casual atmosphere makes it a perfect stop. Update: There is a new location in Lahania if you don't make it down to Paia.

If you find yourself down in Wailea, Monkeypod is a modern, farm to table restaurant, started by Hawaii-famous restauranteur Peter Merriman. Beautiful local food, huge beer list and live music.

Mama's Fish House, comes up a lot as a "must-try" in Maui. It's a world class restaurant... with world-class prices. At $60 USD an entree, you can safely skip it unless you're looking to splurge... there are lots of options on Maui that are just as delicious and won't break your wallet.

Things To Do

One of our favourite towns on Maui is the small, hippy town of Paia. Its not a big town, and you can easily walk around it within a few hours but it has a more authentic, down to earth feel about it. The beach is incredible but often has more intense surf, so watch out when swimming. Along with Paia Fish Market, visit Mana Foods for natural and healthy groceries, Paia Flatbread for wood-fired pizzas, or Cafe des Amis for a laid back lilikoi mojito in the courtyard with live music. After eating, checkout Imrie and Wings Hawaii for some local shopping.

Haleakala Crater is a must-do adventure at least once. Whether its for sunrise, sunset, star-gazing or just in the middle of day, the views from Haleakala will be something you never forget. You'll need to pay for a National Park pass when you visit the summit, and if you're going for sunrise, you need to make a separate reservation online, but both are affordable and worth the cost. Keep your National Park pass, its good for 3 days and can be used when you visit Kipahulu State Park in Hana. For the more adventurous, there are some epic hiking trails within the crater. Check out our post Hiking in Haleakala for more details.

Maui has a famous right of passage for explorers known as The Road to Hana. Hana is a small, isolated town on the eastern edge of the island that is most commonly accessed via a long and windy highway through the jungle. If bamboo forest hikes, showering in a 400ft high waterfall, black sand beaches, bathing in sacred pools and famous banana bread seem like a worthy reward to potential car sickness, read our guide to Conquering the Road to Hana for all the tips you'll need.

La Perouse Bay, and the lava fields on the drive down, are a picturesque detour if you're down in the Kihei, Waimeia, or Makena area. The bay is a spinner dolphin resting area, so you can sometimes catch a pod hanging out while you swim in the calm waters.

Black Rock and Whaler's Village is a touristy area just north of Lahania, with some standard shopping options and a few good (but busy!) restaurants. The black volcanic cliff at the north of the beach is a superb place to snorkle with turtles as there are always a few hanging around. There is a nightly torch lightning ceremony put on by the hotel which is nice to watch if you happen to be in the area at dusk. Parking is limited in the area, so if you end up parking in the paid lot, grab a bottle or two of wine from the ABC store on the way out and have your parking validated.

Pe’ahi Lookout, also known as Jaws, or Hookipa Lookout are fun stops if you get lucky with the weather. Jaws only goes off several times a year, so check the local wave forecast. Hookipa is cool spot for watching all the kite and wind surfers if the wind stays up.

On the other side of the island, Honolua Bay is a great spot to watch one of the island's better surfing waves up close. There is a car pull out on the top of a cliff and a short walk down to an outcropping overlooking the bay with an awesome vantage point.

That should keep you busy for a bit, but we have lots more posts from Maui as well as the other Hawaiian Islands, if you want to keep reading!