Here is a little guide I put together about Maui not too long ago for a friend. If you are planning a destination wedding in Maui, here is a little guide to navigate your way around the island.
PAIA
Cute little town, about 40 minutes from Kahului. Not touristy, and quaint. Lots of amazing shops.
Flat Bread Pizza- They use mostly local ingredients for their pizza’s. Super yummy.
Mana Foods – An amazing little grocery store that sells all kinds of natural foods, and tries really hard to do the local thing.
Baldwin Beach – this is where the locals go to relax. It is not touristy, and if you keep walking west along the beach, there is the area where people hang out naked.
Hookipa Park - If you are into Psychedelic Mushrooms, go into the park. You will see cows by the seaside. In their poop, mushrooms grow. Pick em, eat em, and go on a vision quest.
Road to Hana
- This is an amazing drive. Things to visit, Seven Sacred Pools, and the Red Sand beach.
- Awesome little banana bread shops along the way.
- TRY THE ROASTED COCONUT!!! OMG
- It is Rainy, rainforest type climate, but beautiful. On the way, there is the Bamboo Forest. GREAT HIKE! (For advanced Hikers tho, because it was really hard for me!)
Lahaina
- Really touristy town, mainly because the climate is that of a desert. HOT! There is very little rain, if any at all. If you want to be surrounded by tourists, this is the place to go. Chances are that if you booked a hotel off expedia or orbitz, you are staying in Kanapaalii just north of Lahaina where there is all the hotels.
- The Banyon Tree – Planted in 1873, brought over from India it covers about 2/3 of an acre.
- The Whalers Museum – Really cool look at the whaling industry back in the day. Neat Artifacts, and I think it is by donation.
Mile 13-14 market on the way to Lahaina. Best snorkeling I have ever done. Really amazing passageways of coral in the water where bright fish hang out.
Honolua Bay – AMAZING SNORKELING and DOLPHINS and SEA TURTLES!
WIALIKU – First Friday of Month
The main street closes down to a festival like activity. Music and food, and it is every first friday in WAILUKU. Neat thing that locals and tourists go to.
There are two ways to get to Lahaina and such. Going South. The first way is the regular way, through the center of the island. Paved highway all the way to Kanapaalii. Really nice drive after getting back to the water. Takes about an hour and a half
The second and more interesting way is North. If you are driving north, allow 4 hours or 5 hours. Don’t go when it is raining. It goes up the hills. 100-200 feet drops. 1 lane unpaved road some of the way. Kind of a white knuckle trip. The tradeoff is beautiful views. So if you are the Evil Kenivel type, take this way.
Upcountry
Going upcountry is beautiful. There is the Ali’i Lavender Farm. AMAZING VIEWS, and so pretty. I have always wanted to shoot a wedding in the lavender farm.
Kula
Oprah lives in Kula and has a private road going from Kula to Kihei. Don’t mention it to locals. I think they are envious. Kula is beautiful, lovely. The climate is colder. On the way up, you will find desert going to redwoods, and apple groves.
Iao Valley
In 1790, the Battle of Kepaniwai took place there, in which Kamehameha the Great defeated Kalanikūpule and the Maui army during his campaign to unify the islands. The battle was said to be so bloody that dead bodies blocked ʻĪao Stream, and the battle site was named Kepaniwai (“the damming of the waters”).
Really great hike.
Haleakala – This is an amazing trip. You see the climates change drastically. I would recommend going up at 3PM, so that you get there in time for sunset at around 6. Also, wear lots of clothes. Even in the middle of summer, it gets HELLA cold. Like colder than Vancouver in the winter cold. Mittens are recommended. And a scarf.
Little Beach
Every Sunday hundreds of people go to little beach. It is beautiful. Mostly hippies, drum circle, nudity, pot being passed around, just like Wreck Beach (In Vancouver), except bigger, on Maui.
Just talk to people here, don’t be shy. Get up and dance. Get naked.
Try to find a house share or try VRBO. You get more of an experience there.
And that is my guide to Maui. Don’t be afraid of sharks, they only come out at dusk and in the rain. Don’t be afraid of locals, because they are always all smiles. Rainbows don’t have pots of gold or leprechauns, but you see them ALL THE TIME!








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Wow, very nice!