Maui, HI - A 3 Day Guide to the Island
If you’re planning a trip to Maui, HI - read more!! I’m sharing some of the fun experiences we had, places we ate, things we saw and so much more on this post! This is just a small glimpse into our entire 12 day trip! To read about our entire 12 day trip, check out THIS blog post!
MAUI
Day 1— We headed out for the airport early this morning for our flight to Maui. We flew with Southwest Airlines again. This flight was not direct— we had a layover in Oahu. There were no direct flights from Kauai to Maui. Once we got into Maui we had to go through the Hawaii Safe Travels again— this was the longest line we waited in while on any of the islands. It took 30-40 minutes.
Once cleared, we picked up our rental car from Hertz— this was the only traditional rental car we used while on the islands and it was INSANELY expensive. But definitely necessary in Maui. Another great option we used while in Hawaii was Turo — similar to airbnb for cars.
Once we packed our tiny car full of our luggage we got in and headed to our LAST Covid Test at Long’s Drug Store again! Thankfully this drive thru testing is super quick— takes about 5 minutes and most importantly FREE.
We headed for the hotel next— about a 45 minute drive from the airport.
We stayed in Kaanapali at Kaanapali Beach Hotel— they recently renovated their rooms and they are very nice. The area is perfect— right beside Whaler’s Village and Black Rock Beach, an iconic snorkeling spot. You cannot go wrong in Kaanapali.
For lunch we went to Maui Fish Market— so good. I had no idea I would ever be so into fish markets for lunch but yall! They are so good. On the way home we stopped in a gas station and bought snorkels to go check out the beach in front of our hotel— Black Rock Beach.
We got in our bathing suits on and our gas station snorkels and headed out to Black Rock Beach— the sea life was way more than I could have expected!!! So many fish and other animals, we even saw a sea turtle eating on the rocks! You can cliff jump here too. A GREAT place to snorkel— this is located right in front of the Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa.
We watched the sunset and had dinner at Hula Grill in Whaler’s Village. You can dine with your toes in the sand at this adorable beach side eatery! Make a reservation here.
Other dinner options in Whaler’s Village— you will need a reservation for any of these!
Monkeypod— HIGHLY recommended but we were unable to get in here. They also have locations in Wailea and Oahu. You can make reservations here.
Leilani’s on the Beach— offering incredible ocean front views with award winning dining! You can make a reservation here.
We finished the night with gelato from Ono’s Gelato! Such a great way to end the night.
Day 2— We got a later start than I would have liked, but we set out for the Road to Hana around 8am. While this does not sound late, we were staying on the west coast of Maui, so it was about a 45 minute drive to Paia, where the road typically starts.
You can read my very detailed blog post here. It includes all the best stops and what you can skip!
If you are doing the Road to Hana I HIGHLY suggest downloading the app Gypsy Guides— Road to Hana, Maui, for $6.99 you will have an automated auto guided tour via an app. IMO this is a requirement as there is no cell phone service on the drive. It provides 140 audio points and alerts you when to stop. The app is guided by location and does not need cell phone service to work!
Day 3— Our morning started early as we were headed out with Pride of Maui on the Molokini Snorkeling Tour. Molokini is widely considered to be a world-class snorkeling destination—because of its unique crescent shape, it is protected from high winds offering calm waters and vibrant underwater life.
They served breakfast upon arrival and we were off to Molokini. At the first stop we snorkeled and snuba’d— which is a combination of snorkel and scuba diving. This was my first time to do it. You breathe through an oxygen regulator but you do not have to carry the tank on your back. The oxygen tank floats on the surface. It was an excellent experience and our guide was phenomenal!!
Once back on the boat we were served lunch and moved to Turtle Town— this is where you will see sea turtles. We were fortunate enough to see several!
On the way back we got cookies and they offered an open bar! Overall I would highly recommend this tour. The staff was so professional and ensured everyone’s safety and made sure a good time was had!
Since we were close to Paia we went back into town— we grabbed an acai bowl from Paia Bowls. They are sooo good! We continued to stroll the town. They have a lot of cute surf shops and little local places!
We went to Hookapu Beach— this is a famed place to see see turtles lounging on the beach. Today there were only about 3 but they were so cute!! You can also watch the surfers here too! The water was pretty rough, so not a great place for swimming.
On our way back through town we got Hawaiian ice at Ululani’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice— this is a staple! You can find it on a few islands but we stumbled upon the location in Paia. Highly recommend. I had the POG flavor and it was the best shaved ice I have ever had!
To end the day we went into Lahaina— a town on the west coast but south of Kaanapali. They have a ton of shops, restaurants and treat stores to stop into off Front Street. We had sushi at Lahaina Sushi Ko— oddly enough we had been looking for sushi this whole trip and never really found any until here.
We also saw the Banyan Tree— a tree that takes up almost 2 acres! It was planted in 1873 after it was brought from India.
Other restaurants recommended in Lahaina:
Star Noodle— the famed noodle restaurant serving fresh, house made noodles!
Dirty Monkey— Bar and grill over looking the Front Street, offers live music.
Breakwall Shave Ice Co— home of the adult shaved ice, acai bowls, coffee and more!
