Maui Vacation Tips for Your Greatest Holiday Ever

Get Your Money’s Worth in Maui and All Hawaii!

Maui vacation tips to guarantee you a great holiday:

1. It’s best to reserve your Maui vacation lodging 11 months ahead or 2 months ahead.
2. If you can, travel off-season: May, October or early December.
3. Plan islands, lodging and activities to fit your time. See Section I.
4. Experience traditional Hawaiian culture. See Sections II and III.
5. Be sure to include “tourist” activities too. See Section IV.

How these Maui vacation suggestions can help you:

1. Reserving early gives you your choice of lodging and flights. Reserving late gives you great discounts, especially on Maui vacation oceanfront rentals.
2. Off-season is more relaxed, with fewer visitors. It’s easier to get reservations for restaurants and activities. Moreover, lodging rates and airfares are much lower!
3. A Hawaii vacation is very popular with travelers. Even in the quietest months, Hawaii is filled with other travelers who want to do the same things that you do. Therefore, make the best use of your time by planning ahead. Also, make reservations for restaurants and key activities as early as you can. See Section I below.
4. Hawaii has rich traditions and unique attractions that locals are happy to share with visitors. Attend a luau with hula dancers and Hawaiian foods. Also, you can swim and snorkel with giant sea turtles among coral reefs. In winter months, take a boat trip to watch humpback whales splashing and jumping. See Sections II and III below.
5. Don’t miss some fun just because it seems too “touristy.” A day on the beach, a walk through town, a drive to Hana or up Mount Haleakala can bring unforgettable experiences. See Section IV.

This is the Maui Vacation Cornerstone or Hub Page. It’s a complete guide to planning a great Maui vacation, with links to additional ArtChester.net posts on Maui vacation planning.
The rest of this page gives you some perfect Hawaii or Maui vacation ideas. Links take you to articles with in-depth detail on how to plan a Maui vacation.

I. Hawaii & Maui Vacation Advice for a Great Trip:

The articles below cover everything a visitor needs for a great Hawaii or Maui vacation. However, even if you’ve had a Maui vacation many times, you probably haven’t seen and done everything that the islands offer. Therefore, if you scan these articles you may gain a fresh perspective on planning your adventures:

– Visiting Hawaii – the Very First Time!

– Best Hawaiian Islands for a First Visit

– Best Hawaii Lodging, Transport & Touring

– New Website & New Vacation Discount

– Maui

If you’re planning Maui vacation activities, our condo website has a good list of things to do on Maui. Furthermore, many of them are free or inexpensive: https://maui114.net/free-activities-maui/.

II. Maui Vacation Discoveries – Nature & Traditional Culture

There are two “must have” experiences for your Maui vacation planning: Hawaii’s natural attractions; and Hawaiian cultural traditions.

First of all, there are two natural attractions of the islands that you are unlikely to find anywhere else. Green sea turtles abound, especially at good snorkeling locations such as Honokeana Cove. In addition, from mid-November to mid-April 12,000 humpback whales visit from Alaska, on a Maui vacation of their own! And the whales are easily visited by taking a Whale Watch boat out of Lahaina.

Here are two articles with more details about these special experiences in the natural world:

– Green Sea Turtles, Your New Friends

– Humpback Whales: Singing, Dancing and 20 Feet from Stardom

Hawaiian Culture

Maui vacation planning should not omit a look at Hawaiian cultural traditions. Native Hawaiians are happy to share their culture with visitors. For example, you can enjoy hula dancers as part of a luau, or by visiting the free shows at the Lahaina Cannery shopping mall. Another very accessible tradition to enjoy is Hawaii’s “slack key” guitar music. There are weekly shows in west Maui, just a few doors from Honokeana Cove.

These two articles tell you all you need to know about these wonderful experiences:

– Hula – Heartbeat of the Hawaiian People

– Slack Key Guitar – Hawaii’s Secret Music

There’s one more Hawaiian tradition to mention here. And that is the funeral service carried out for those who want their ashes honored with sea burial in Hawaii. You probably won’t experience a sea burial ceremony during your Maui vacation activities. However, this ritual gives important insights into the feelings of Hawaiians toward their loved ones and toward their environment. For those reasons, I think you’ll enjoy the following article:

– Hawaiian Sea Burial – Even for Haoles

III. Maui Vacation Adventures Undersea: Snorkeling, Subs and Scuba

One of Hawaii’s biggest natural attractions is its undersea life. In addition to sea turtles, close to the shore you can see coral reefs and colorful tropical fish.

There are three principal ways to view underwater critters. You’ll want to include one of these in your Maui vacation musts: scuba, snorkeling or a trip by submarine. And if you choose the submarine route, you don’t even have to get wet!

This article talks about these and other ways to see the huge and fascinating undersea world around us:

– Snorkel #0: Snorkel Versus Scuba, plus Lookies & Subs

Snorkeling is a popular way to view undersea life and its busy activities during your Maui vacation. Therefore, the following three articles give a complete course in the pleasures of snorkeling:

– Snorkel #1: Choosing the Perfect Snorkel Equipment

– Snorkeling #2: Snorkel Basics – Safety, Breathing & Vision

– Snorkel #3: Snorkel Skills – Location, Entry & Enjoyment

IV. Maui Vacation – Tourist Discoveries

Hawaii is such a popular tourist destination that many activities have sprung up aimed specifically at the vacation visitor. For example, I previously mentioned the Maui vacation what to do list. There you will find horseback riding, off-road touring, golf, tennis, helicopter tours and much more.

In addition, Maui offers many opportunities to walk, hike or bicycle. Some of the hiking trails are quite strenuous. In contrast, the following two articles describe some relaxed walking opportunities. One describes a leisurely walk through Lahaina’s oceanfront parks, which are very popular with local residents. And the other tells of a Sunday afternoon walk in Lahaina town, skipping the tourist shops to seek out more unique discoveries.

– Maui Walk, with Zombies and Mongooses

– Lahaina Walk, with Tongans, Kings & Prisons

During your Maui vacation activities you will have many chances to sample tropical cocktails, of which the most famous is the Mai Tai. However, local restaurateurs are more adventuresome than that. As a result, they have invented many more beverages for your consideration.

The first article below describes a variety of martinis available both on and off Maui. The second article uses a local Maui fruit to bring the lemon drop martini to a whole new level.

– Lemon Drop Martini, with Hawaiian Enhancements

– Better Lemon Drop Martini with Rough Lemon

Thanks for reading this Maui vacation guide! Make sure you see my new blogs about your Maui vacation, Hawaii vacation and other great topics. Sign up here:

Image Credits:
– Landsat photo of Hawaii by Jacques Descloitres, retouched by IdLoveOne.
– Sea turtle by John Bentson, Honokeana Cove.
– Snorkeler at Honokeana Cove by Dana Bell.
– Other photos by Art Chester.

Navigation to All Cornerstone or Hub Pages: