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So excited to be back part two of my Maui Travel Guide. It feels SO good to be traveling again! We’re going to dive into my week long trip to Maui. It was pure magic. I initially wrote one post with allll the details (travel logistics, where to stay, what to do and where to eat). That post ended up being 3000+ words. I decided it would be more digestible to break it up into two posts. Part one was all about travel logistics, transportation, where I stayed, printable packing list and bonus tips. In part two of my Maui travel guide, I’ll dive into beaches to visit, what to do, and where to eat. I’ll also do a dedicated hotel review post on the Westin Maui Resort & Spa in Ka’anapali.
Beaches
West Maui: Since we stayed in west Maui, I’ll start with these. Our first stop was Honolua Bay, which is phenomenal for snorkeling. You’ll need to park along the road, do a short hike down & make sure to bring water shoes. This is a very rocky beach but you will see a ton of fish close to the shore. We also visited Fleming Beach, which has a free parking lot close by. While Kaanapali Beach was right in front of our hotel, it was our least favorite. The waves were rough. Last but certainly not least: Hanakaoʻo Park. It doesn’t look like much and it is rocky BUT we saw several turtles when we were snorkeling 🙂 Also, here are the beaches we were recommended and didn’t make it to: Slaughterhouse Beach, Kapalua Bay Beach, Napili Bay, and Black Rock Beach.
South Maui: My favorite beaches were in the Wailea area. Polo Beach was by far my favorite. Not only was it gorgeous with soft sand but the water was so calm. We just floated for an hour! It’s in front of the Fairmont Kea Lani. It would LOVE to stay there next time! Another beautiful beach: Maluaka Beach. We were told this was “Turtle Town” but unfortunately we didn’t see any. Also, here are the beaches we were recommended and didn’t make it to: Kamaole Beach Park, Wailea Beach, Palauea Beach, Paako Cove, and Makena Beach (we almost visited but we didn’t want to pay $10 for parking when there were so many free options nearby).
Upcountry Maui: We visited two beaches in this area. We stopped by Baldwin Beach and Baby Beach. Both were stunning and had soft sand, however, the waves were rough (we visited in the afternoon). We also spent some time at the beach by Mama’s Fish House before our reservation.
What To Do
Swimming: As you can clearly see, I like to be in the water. We went to the pool every day and visited multiple beaches most days.
Snorkeling: Of course I had to include snorkeling in my Maui travel guide. We opted to buy our own snorkels. I believe it was similar to what we would have paid to rent them but I felt more comfortable getting our own (for safety reasons). It was really nice to keep these in the trunk of our rental car and stop off wherever we wanted!
Shopping: We wondered around Whaler’s Village (next to our hotel) and the Shops at Wailea. I even picked up pearl earrings from the Tiffany’s in Wailea 🙂 Fun fact: designers are slightly cheaper in Hawaii AND they have lower sales tax (~4%). Both shopping areas are nice but the Shops at Wailea is definitely a little more upscale.
Massages: I knew I definitely wanted to get a massage on my birthday. The spa at the Westin is expensive and didn’t feel worth it to me. I opted for Spa by the Sea. It was ~15 minute walk along the Kāʻanapali Beachwalk – this spa is located at the Marriott. Right now, they are only offering outside massages in the cabanas by the beach, which was what I wanted anyway. They weren’t technically offering couples massages but they had two cabanas and we were able to book our massages at the same time.
Pineapple Tour: We went through Maui Pineapple Tours (Maui Gold). I believe that’s the only option on the island. We actually booked our tour through Chase Travel Rewards with points so we didn’t pay anything out of pocket. The tours were $65/person and included the 90 minute tour, tasting, and pineapple to take home. We learned that most airlines do not count your pineapple as part of your luggage. Unfortunately, Southwest is the only one that does. Our box of pineapples did count as one of our carry on items. They also have a distillery on the property, where you can do a tasting as well.
Farmer’s Markets & Fruit Stands: I love checking out the local offerings whenever I travel. We stopped by Olowalu Juice Stand in Lahaina (near Leoda’s). They had fresh juice, jams, nuts, and tons of fruit. We also visited Farmers Market Maui in Kihei. We even found mochi filled with peanut butter there. Yum!
Where To Eat
I’ve debated how to break down this section of my Maui travel guide. I want to share the best of the best, sort options by location, and help you find options for all different meals. Does that make any sense?! I’ve decided that I’m going to sort this section by location in my Maui travel guide. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, feel free to DM me on Instagram!
Lahaina
- Monkeypod Kitchen: This is a beach adjacent restaurant and bar in Whaler’s Village. We weren’t able to get a reservation before we left and it was a long wait (so be prepared!). We enjoyed it though. They also have other locations in Maui.
- Baya Bowls: These are the top rated acai bowls in Maui and I totally agree with that verdict. Baya Bowls is a food truck in a parking lot. They offer one type of acai bowl and several additional topping options. We visited twice and I added fresh mango and peanut butter both times.
- Lappert’s Ice Cream / Lahaina Dole Whip: We came for the Dole Whip and weren’t disappointed. There is also a Maui Gold shop next door with pineapple soft serve too.
- Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop: Everyone recommended this spot to us and it was delicious. We got sandwiches for lunch one day and of course, mini pies!
- Fish Market Maui: We came here for fish tacos because everyone raved about them. They were good but not my favorite of the trip.
- Slappy Cakes: This place looked too fun to pass up. Slappy Cakes is a make your own pancake breakfast spot. You can opt for a table with a griddle to customize your pancakes if you’d like (they also have other menu offerings). You choose batter(s), which come in 8oz bottles. Then you can pick various toppings. I shared more of our experience in my Maui travel vlog.
- Coffee Store In Napili: Arguably my favorite coffee drink came from this shop: Dulce de Leche with caramel sauce, sweetened condensed milk, espresso, and milk. Iced, of course. They have a lot of fun speciality drinks and cold brew. We visited twice!
- The Gazebo: We really wanted to stop here because my in laws said they ate here every morning on their honeymoon and stop by every time they visit. Warning: this place does not take reservations and is quite a wait. We arrived shortly before 7:30AM (when they opened). After waiting in line for a while (45 minutes or an hour), we discovered the takeout line, which opened at 8AM. We switched and by slightly before 9AM, we were eating at a table by pool and beach (right next to the restaurant). I highly recommend just opting for takeout. The inside of the restaurant isn’t glamorous and you could find yourself waiting for hours to get a table.
- Burger Shack: This spot is a casual beachfront restaurant and bar. We stopped by because we were in the area and hungry. The food was decent but the milkshakes were phenomenal. The service was really slow. I’m not sure if that’s always the case or because they were short staffed. I’d visit again but wouldn’t go on a completely empty stomach.
Kihei & Wailea
- Sugar Beach Bake Shop (Kihei): This place is known for their malasadas (sugared donuts). They do sell out early and we didn’t make it in time. We scooped up what was still available (+ coffee) and enjoyed it.
- Ululani’s Shave Ice (Kihei): Another spot that came highly recommended and it was so worth it. I’m not really a shave ice fan but this is truly delicious. They make their own syrups (some with fruit puree). I got the sunset beach (guava, mango, passion orange) topped with fresh mochi. Highly recommend that combo!
- Maui Pie: There are a ton of options. I got the chocolate peanut butter pie and loved it.
- Coconut’s Fish Cafe: The story behind this restaurant is so sweet. It was named after a rescue cat, Coconut, who had a happy long life and inspired this cafe. They have several locations. Their fish tacos were my second favorite in Maui!
- Lappert’s Hawaii: Fantastic ice cream shop at the Shops at Wailea. They also have good coffee – they even took some home.
- Jazzy’s Kitchen: We stopped here on a whim because they had a sign that said: best fish tacos. And they were right. These were my favorite fish tacos of the trip. Everything was fresh and I loved the sauce. This food truck is an easy, affordable option near the beach.
- Spago: I was a little underwhelmed with this high end restaurant. We chose to have dinner here one night. The food was definitely good but it didn’t wow me. We made a reservation a while in advance but were seated at a table inside, behind a beam so we couldn’t see the sunset quite as well. I also think they may have been short staffed that night because service was slow midway through. I will say the focaccia they serve before the meal is AMAZING.
Upcountry Maui
- Mama’s Fish House: My absolute favorite dining experience of the trip was Mama’s Fish House. Every single person I talked to recommended this spot. I’m so glad I made a reservation months in advance. I wanted a sunset table on my birthday and that’s exactly what I got. The service was excellent. Our waiter was friendly, thoughtful and really encouraged us to take our time. We spent two or three hours enjoying this wonderful dinner. The ambience felt like the Disneyland Tiki Room in real life (without any birds singing!). There is also a beautiful beach out front to take photos before or after your meal.
- Tin Roof: Such a gem near the airport. My friend suggested this place. We were starving after we landed so we headed straight over. They offer a small menu of various plates and it’s all to go. Both our plates were great and I got a lilikoi kombucha (yum!).
- Maui Coffee Roasters: Another spot near the airport. We desperately needed coffee after our early flight. I opted for the chocolate cold brew because it was mentioned a lot on Yelp. I noticed they also had a large food menu and ample places to sit.
- Baked on Maui: I’m a sucker for a bakery. When Baked on Maui popped up, I immediately added it to my list. We actually ended up having lunch there (great burgers). Of course we had to try one of their giant cinnamon rolls too. So good!
- Maui Cookie Lady: We happened to pass by this spot and had to stop by. The store was very whimsical and gave me Alice in Wonderland vibes (also felt like Alice’s Tea Cup in New York!). There was a great selection of cookies offered. My favorite was the Half Baked 🙂 We also chatted with the sweet owner for a bit. This is definitely a must if you’re in the area!
More recommendations that we’re on our list but we didn’t make it to:
- Roy’s (Lahaina)
- Star Noodle (Lahaina)
- Kimo’s (Lahaina)
- Lahaina Grill (Lahaina)
- Down The Hatch (Lahaina)
- Duke’s (Lahaina)
- Maui Brewing Co (Lahaina)
- Da Nani Pirates (Kihei)
- South Maui Fish Company (Kihei)
- Kihei Caffe (Kihei)
- Beach Street Maui Shave Ice (Kihei)
- Brekkie Bowls (Wailea)
- Akamai Coffee (various)
- Ferraro’s (Wailea)
Joe’s Mai Tai Recommendations
Last but not least for my Maui travel guide: Joe’s Mai Tai recommendations! This was highly requested so I’m so excited to bring you what you want 🙂 Without further ado, here is Joe’s section:
Mai Tais are a great and refreshing drink to have while on vacation. This simple drink is made with pineapple juice with a dark rum floater and sometimes a twist of lime. The fresh juice with the dark molasses flavor of the rum can be the perfect drink on a hot day. Almost every place we visited had the option to get one and they usually had their own version of the drink as well.
Mama’s Fish House
Something about this drink made it my absolute favorite. It was so sweet and the pineapple was so fresh. It had a lot of different citrus flavors mixed in and a rich dark rum floater. The view at the restaurant probably helped as well. Easily one of the best cocktails on the island.
Monkeypod Kitchen
This one is definitely more of a crazy cocktail. The drink itself was just ok. It really needs the Honey Liliko‘i foam. They add the foam on top of the rum floater for an additional flavor. The foam is really good and once it’s mixed in, the drink is incredible. I would put this foam on every drink I had on the island if it was an option. Do not skip the foam if they offer it.
Spago (Four Seasons)
This one is called the 1944 Mai Tai. It’s the Mai Tai for people who do not like Mai Tais. It’s a good drink and still very refreshing. It kind of tasted like a citrus rum mojito but that might have just been the mint they add. It is worth a try.
Westin Resort Bar
While the resort has a more basic mai tai, there is an option that is much better and for a little extra it will come in a whole pineapple. The premium one has four different types of rum and they all taste great with the orange and pineapple juices. It’s a great drink to have around the pool.
I hope you enjoyed part two of my Maui travel guide!
