If you’ve never been you are in for a treat – that is, if you like tropical, paradisical islands with a variety of things to do and see and vistas around every corner which compete with one another for being the most fantastic. Sure, it’s a bit of a hike to get there (at least a five hour flight from anywhere in North America), but as soon as you disembark and smell that plumeria-scented air, you’ll be hooked!

While many people choose to honeymoon in Hawaii, couples, sports enthusiasts, families and singles will feel right at home here as well. There is truly something for everyone.

Note: Click on pictures for full-sized versions.

As a quick rundown, the main airport on Maui is in Kahului, a bustling city with many permanent residents. We always rent a car (Orbitz always has great prices and gives a comparative rundown) and drive straight to the Whole Foods, which not only has a fantastic selection of yummy food to stock up on but also a lovely array of Hawai’ian goods, making it the coolest Whole Foods ever! Grab some lunch and snacks and go – you will likely be staying in a resort area, and almost all hotels are a ways from the main airport and from Kahului. Luckily, the roads are good, and because of the time difference from the mainland, most flights arrive midday, giving you time to drive to your resort destination in the daylight, enjoying the sights of Maui.

Where to Stay on Maui

There are several popular vacation areas on Maui, and many activities to enjoy. You will need a car to get around the island if you plan on venturing out at all. Maui resort and vacation areas include:

Wailea: An upscale resort are on the southeastern end of Maui, with golf courses and some of the finest hotels, shopping and beaches in the world. Here you will find the Four Seasons, Wailea Beach Marriott, Fairmont Kea Lani and many private villa communities such as the Wailea Beach Villas, Ekahi and Elua, and The Palms at Wailea, as well as the Shops at Wailea, featuring high end shopping. This area is, in our opinion, the most beautiful resort area on Maui to stay, and is fairly convenient to Kihei shopping and dining.

Kihei: Kihei is a great place to relax and enjoy the local beaches and the laid back spirit of Maui. It lies along the southern coast along a bay, and there are myriad shops, restaurants, condos and resorts in Kihei. More relaxed and less expensive than Wailea, Kihei is a great town to rent a condo (try VRBO) and just chill out.

Maalaea: Smaller and more intimate then Kihei, this coastal town offers more condos by the ocean and also a famous aquarium, popular with tourists. Also found here is the popular restaurant Buzz’s Wharf. Look for whales off the beach in season!

Lahaina: Around the northwestern corner of Maui you will come to the famous town of Lahaina, a cultural center of Maui and a popular place to both stay and visit. Lahaina is a lovely oceanfront town with many charming shops, inns and restaurants, and it also serves as a cruise port, along with Kahului. The main streets are bustling with tourists on days when ships are in port. You will find a lot of local art here, along with charter fishing and dolphin- and whale-sighting tours at the marina.

Ka’anapali: Further along the main road along this part of Maui you will find the popular resort area of Ka’anapali. Unlike Lahaina, which is actually an old town, Ka’anapali was built specifically as a resort area, with hotels such as the Hyatt, Sheraton, and Westin lining the narrow beach. There is great shopping and dining both in the hotels and at the Whaler’s Village, and good snorkeling along the sandy beach, particularly at black rock. Golfing is good in this area and further up the coast towards Kapalua. Snorkeling gear and trips are readily available at local dive shops like Boss Frog’s and Snorkel Bob’s (beware the timeshare sales pitches, though!). There is a Polynesian Cirque show in Ka’anapali, and several popular evening Luaus.

Napili: Napili is a resort area with great snorkeling and dining, and public oceanfront parks. You will find many bed and breakfast places as well as resorts that are more affordable and perhaps more charming and homey than those in the more popular tourist areas such as Wailea and Ka’anapali. Most resemble large, sprawling motels and have community pools and amenities. In the many bays along this stretch you’ll see turtles frolicking in the surf and can access public beaches for sunning and snorkeling.

Kapalua: Home of the Ritz Carlton Maui Resort, this windswept and beautiful area is worth the drive. You may not be guaranteed the sun and heat of Lahaina, but the vistas are truly stunning and the flora is more lush due to higher annual rainfall. Craggy volcanic rock formations, whale sightings and the verdant hillside make this area absolutely beautiful and worth a visit, even if you just drive there for an afternoon.

Paia: This charming town is on the north end of Maui, not far from the airport in Kahului. You’ll find quaint shops and restaurants, along with condos and small resorts. This area and the beaches further along the coast towards Hana are popular with surfers and kitesurfers…you can see them as you are landing at the airport.

Hana: Of course the legendary road to Hana trip leads to the tiny town of Hana, on Maui’s rugged and very tropical northeast coast. From Kahului, you can expect to drive for about 3 hours to reach Hana, and it is no exaggeration to say that the road is fraught with switchbacks and areas of one lane highway which require awareness and care to navigate. You can also drive around the back, eastern side of the Maui to Hana, although this will invalidate most rental car agreements, as will driving from Kahului to Kapalua around the northern coast.

Things to do on Maui

One of the best things about Maui is its incredible diversity. As with all the islands of Hawaii, Maui is a volcanic island. In some places lush and tropical, others high desert and still others rainy and cool, there is always a new vista on Maui. Around every corner is a new and stunning view, a fantastic beach or bay, a staggeringly beautiful mountain or cliff. The smaller islands of Molokai, Molokini and Lanai and others frame the backdrop for countless gorgeous views. The water sparkles and crashes on the shores, the whales and dolphins frolick in the bays, the palms sway in the breeze and glint in the sun and the mountains rise with majesty above it all, in many places with cascading waterfalls.

Some ideas for things to do in Maui include:

• Surfing, snorkeling and kayaking: You can find guided trips or you can drive to a beach and use your own or rented equipment. Note that the waves are VERY strong in some places and only experienced surfers should partake: for beginners, surf lessons would be a great start.
• Scenic drives: Drive the 10,000 feet upward snaking road to the craters of the extinct volcano Haleakala. Many people do this in the pre-dawn hours so they can enjoy the sunrise; an unforgettable experience. Take warm clothing as it is very cold at the top. There is nowhere on Maui you can drive that isn’t scenic and beautiful, but of note are the Io Needle trip which includes a hike, and the winding drive to Hana, along the way of which you can stop for swimming, hiking to various waterfalls, shopping and eating and enjoying local pineapple and sugarcane from roadside stands. For the drive to Hana you will want a full tank of gas and ideally a full day’s light so you have time for the return trip, unless you’ve booked a night’s stay in Hana.
• Luaus: Most visitors to Maui want to take in at least one Luau, a traditional feast and show which usually includes roasted Kalua pig and Polynesian hula dancing and fire juggling, etc.. Many of hte larger hotels offer Luaus, for instance the Hyatt Regency in Ka’anapali and the Wailea Beach Marriott. Also popular is the Old Lahaina Luau.
• Helicopter rides: Maui sightseeing takes on a whole new meaning when enjoyed from above. By helicopter, you can tour the crevices and mountains which are unreachable by car, and the inner valleys are absolutely stunning. This is a great way to get an overall feel for the island of Maui.

Questions? Write to me at admin @ travel-like-a-pro.com.

TIPS: You’ll find more Hawaii pictures in the reviews of the Rhapsody of the Seas and the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Also see Travel Tips for Visiting Maui.

Click on any of the shots below for a full-sized view.

A Plumeria bloom in Oahu, Hawaii. These flowers are not only beautiful, they have a magnificent fragrance. Luckily, you can take the scent home by purchasing some high quality plumeria cream at any local ABC Store.

The lovely beach at Ka’anapali, on the south side of Maui. This is where you’ll find many of the major hotels, and on calm days some nice snorkeling and swimming.

The waves at Ho’okipa beach…an incredible and memorable sight

Crashing waves near the blowhole along the shores of Oahu – beautiful! Here is a video of these waves:

Driving with a rental car is easy and safe in the Hawaii’an islands. Here is a shot of the northern coast of Oahu on a gorgeous day. Click to get a better view of the waves and the lighthouse.

Watching the famous sunset from the beach in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Oahu.

A plane leaving from Kahului airport on the north shore of Maui…and a pretty nice beach too!

Twin Falls in Maui, accessed by the driving along the famous ‘road to Hana’ and then taking a very long hike through stunning tropical forest. This hike is not for the faint of heart, nor the disabled. Be sure and stop along the highway, by the way, and enjoy fresh coconut, sugarcane, pineapple and other local produce. Yum!

The beautiful, lush mountains in Maui. Often on all islands we found it raining at the mountaintops and sunny down below where we were.

A surfer about to enjoy the waves at the beach in Kapalua, a lovely and exclusive resort area in Maui. This area of the island gets more breeze and rain than down below where it’s lower, and is a bit cooler and a lot lusher. The port town of Lahaina is both charming and very hot and sticky!

The grounds of the Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua, Maui

Turtles (honu) frequent this beach in Kailua-Kona on the big island. The beach is called Kahalu’u and is known as turtle beach. Many people come here to swim and snorkel.

Big old tree in the center of the town of Kailua Kona. Not sure what it is…banyan? Ficus?

We’ve sailed many times out of Miami, and thought you might enjoy some of the pictures. As always, click on the pictures for a larger view.

For those of you with questions about a cruise sailing out of Miami, here are some tips:

• You can stay at any number of hotels the night before or after your cruise, either by the airport or downtown, which is only a few minutes away from the Port of Miami. Most airport hotels have complimentary shuttles to and from the airport, and there is also a shuttle available for a charge that will take you from the airport (MIA) directly to the cruise terminal of your choice. Try Orbitz.com for good pricing on pre-cruise hotels, or learn to use Priceline for even deeper hotel discounts. You should be able to catch a cab from your downtown hotel to the terminal for about $10, whereas it will cost you between $20 and $30 from an airport area hotel.
• Transportation from the pier to the airport runs from $9-$10 per person for a shuttle (you will share with others) and approximately $24 per ride for a taxi. You can also arrange for transport through various local tour companies, your cruise ship line or possibly your hotel.
• For the various cruises we have taken, we find that arriving earlier allows for the best embarkation experience. It’s usually less busy between the hours of 11am and 1pm, before the masses begin arriving. In this way, we usually get to board the ship and look around before it gets crowded, and although the rooms aren’t usually ready we don’t mind and enjoy having the ship to ourselves.
• TIP: Always ask at the check-in counter and then again at the guest relations desk (after muster, to ensure they have a final passenger count) if any upgrades are available. Sometimes you can receive a complimentary or low-cost upgrade to a better room, and enjoy it for less than you would have paid at the time of booking. It’s always worth asking!

If you should have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. You can reach me at admin@travel-like-a-pro.com.

Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas, sailing out of Miami at sunset (it was turning around). She looked glorious! (As seen from the deck of the Celebrity Solstice)

A row of pretty cruise ships leaving the Miami port on a Monday evening. Two Royal Caribbean ships, two Carnival ships and a Norwegian ship. As seen from the deck of the Navigator of the Seas

On the deck of the Carnival Fascination while docked in Miami

Freedom of the Seas docked in Miami port

Downtown Miami in the background, as seen from our cruise ship deck (Freedom of the Seas)

Cruise ship terminal at Port of Miami

Biscayne Bay as seen from a cruise ship deck in Port of Miami. Also note the parking garage immediately adjacent to the cruise terminal/s

Downtown Miami, including the massive entertainment complex, as seen from Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas

Loading up the ship on turnaround day. There were dogs sniffing each skid of goods to check for illegal substances.

Leaving the ship on turnaround day in Miami. Over the bridge you can just see the marina and Bayside Marketplace, a great place to have lunch or dinner and watch the cruise ships (before or after your trip).

The beautiful Freedom of the Seas docked in Miami

Royal Caribbean’s cruise terminal in Miami

A barge in Biscayne Bay

A view of some of the beautiful homes and boats in Miami, from the deck of the Carnival Fascination

The shipping canal in Miami, out of which all the cruise ships sail

Norwegian cruise ship docked in Miami

Last few minutes on board the Carnival Fascination before disembarking in Miami