MAUI TRAVEL GUIDE — Molly's Musings

We just got back from Maui yesterday, but I wanted to go ahead and get a blog post up with a few of my recommendations for those of you who are planning holiday travel and are thinking about Maui. This was our first time to Maui, and let's just say it definitely will not be our last. Unlike Oahu, which felt a bit more fast-paced, modern and touristy, Maui felt slower, more relaxed and more spread apart.

We met up with our friends that you might recognize from a lot of our travels, Ryan and Caroline ( @thebelleabroad) for a few days of sand and sunshine!

WHERE TO STAY:

We stayed in a two-bedroom suite at the beautiful Honua Kai Resort & Spa. I honestly cannot say enough wonderful things about this lovely hotel on Kaanapali Beach. It's only 50 minutes from the airport and conveniently located to the town of Lahaina (for shopping and dining) and some of Maui's best beaches. We loved the incredible pools and hot tubs and the lush and beautifully manicured grounds. Our two bedroom suite was the perfect spot for our group of four and included a gourmet kitchen, huge living room and a great lanai for outdoor dining.

WHAT TO DO:

-Napili Beach- Turtles

-Black Rock Beach- we spent an afternoon here and enjoyed MASSIVE waves. My husband swears it's the most fun he has ever had in the ocean, but the current was definitely strong. A great place to cliff jump and snorkel.

-Road To Hana

Paia Town : last town before you make your journey clockwise to Hana Town. Here, you can have a great breakfast, grab some coffee, and pick up a Hana picnic lunch for the road (We stopped and ate at Cafe Des Amis and it was DELiCIOUS)
Twin Falls Waterfalls : MM2 ; close to road + smoothie stand!
Ho'okipa Lookout : MM 9 ;best surfing to watch
Kaumahina State Wayside Park : MM12 ; good lookout + BATHROOMS
Halfway to Hana Stand : MM 17 BEST BANANA BREAD
Pua’a Kaa State Wayside Park: MM22 ; good stop, bathrooms, freashwater pool
Nahiku Marketplace : MM29 best kalua pork tacos
Hana Town : MM34
Wailua Falls (45 mile marker, a short walk to the falls)
Hamoa Beach (MM50) to swim OR Koki Beach (MM51) for views

-Sunrise or sunset at Haleakala (we ran out of time to do this, but heard it was worth it)

you need a reservation for sunrise
$25 per car
1.5 to 2 hour drive from Wailea
make sure and check the weather conditions (can be cold)

WHAT TO EAT:

Halfway to Hana stand banana bread (absolutely delicious)
Mama's Fish House- we ran out of time to here but it was recommended to us over and over again
Star Noodle- supposedly a lot of the locals eat here
Duke's- Restaurant at our hotel that had great food and very reasonably priced drinks (order the Dig Me Daiquiri, so yummy)
Wow Wow Lemonade
Belle Surf Cafe
The Gazebo (famous for macadamia nut pancakes)
Cafe Des Amis
Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice

One of my favorite parts about living in Seattle has been the proximity to Hawaii! I am so thrilled we have been taking advantage of this tropical paradise that offers so much to see and do. Maui, you did not disappoint!