I’m laying out this post a little differently than my other city guides since Maui is an entire Island. I’m breaking it down by specific locations and then covering the details of each spot. This post is going to be mostly photos because they truly speak for themselves! You definitely can’t see all of Maui in a day, and I recommend splitting up your days and activities based on what side of the Island you’ll be on.
I’m starting with the west region of Maui which is where we stayed. On the west side I’m highlighting Kaanapali Beach, Slaughterhouse Beach, The Nakalele Blowhole, and Lahaina. Then I’m covering the spots that required a little road tripping for us toward the upcountry, the east side, and the south side of Maui which includes the Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm, Makawao, The Road to Hana, Paia, and Makena Beach.
Kaanapali Beach
We stayed at the Sheraton resort right on Kaanapali Beach. It’s literally built on top of Black Rock which is an amazing spot to snorkel and swim. We saw so many sea turtles – in my opinion its the best spot for snorkeling! We would drive a little way down the road every morning and get ice coffee and açaí bowls at The Farmer’s Market grocery store and Badass Coffee Company.
A little bit of a drive but totally worth it for the best body surfing and less people.
Nakalele Blowhole
This is a fun spot to drive out to because there are so many great views the whole way there. A few of these photos are from the trip out there and back!
Lahaina
Lahaina is a big tourist hub but the little beach spots on the way there are great for photos and snorkeling! We would go to Lahaina for dinner and lunch often, our favorite spots were Aloha Mixed Plate and Paia Fish Market – the best fish tacos I’ve ever had.
Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm
This is in the upcountry of Maui and is soooo beautiful.
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MAKAWAO
This little town is the cutest! It’s also in the upcountry of Maui. I found the best coffee shop, Sip Me, and had and ice coffee with actual gold flakes on it, yes please. We also found a dreamy boutique with artisan goods, boho clothes, and handmade jewelry called The Monarch Collective.
MAKENA BEACH
This beach was a long ways from where we stayed and we actually found it on our last day but it was the most beautiful. It felt like we discovered a best-kept secret walking down a winding tree-covered path to get to it. Makena Beach is close to one of my other fave coffee shops I found, Akamai Coffee Co. Driving around this side of the island we also came across this super eerie open area covered in lava rock – it felt a bit like a different planet.
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THE ROAD TO HANA
Make sure you block out a whole day for this! It’s a day-long road trip out and back. Along the way you’ll find black sand beaches and endless waterfalls. We’re super nerdy and downloaded an app with a virtual tour guide and it helped us find things we would have never come across on our own so I definitely recommend!
PAIA
I loooove Paia. It’s a bit boujee, just my style hehe – full of high-end shopping and dining. We somehow were able to get a table at Mama’s Fish House for dinner one evening but aparently most people make reservations months and sometimes even a year in advanced. And, of course, found another coffee shop hidden in a back courtyard.
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