No resident or visitor has ever complained about a lack of local activities on Maui, and for good reason! With a never-ending list of monthly festivals, concerts, parades, dining events, volunteer opportunities and neighborhood festivities, the difficult part is narrowing down your options to create an itinerary worthy of one of the world’s dreamiest destinations.
There are certain activities, however, that we recommend for every visitor, not only for their variety of thrilling island experiences, but for the unique perspective they provide for travelers eager to see more of the various landscapes and savor their time in paradise.
Haleakala Tour with Haleakala Eco Tours
With a summit of 10,023 feet and a landscape that looks more like the moon than a tropical Hawaiian Island, Haleakala Volcano is the most breathtaking location to witness a Maui sunrise or sunset.
Haleakala Eco Tours offers three options for exploring Haleakala National Park – the Sunrise, Summit or Sunset Tours – all of which provide round trip transportation from your accommodation through the winding hills of Upcountry to the summit of Haleakala Volcano, including interpretive tours by NAI Certified Interpretive Guides, admission into Haleakala National Park, ample rain gear, and breakfast, lunch or dinner options. No matter what time of day you go, a Haleakala experience is a can’t miss on Maui.
Maui Helicopter Tour
With more than three decades of local flying experience, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters offer an assortment of helicopter tours in and around Maui, with options for group excursions or private charters. If you’re traveling with a friend group, as a family or even a wedding group short on time, this is absolutely one of the coolest ways to see the beauty of the island.
Choose from one of five options – the West Maui Mountains Tour, West Maui and Molokai, Hana & Haleakala, Complete Island Maui Tour, or the Maui Spectacular on the A-Star or Eco-Star options – and see aerial views of Maui from the safety of one of the longest running helicopter tour companies in Hawaii. A total blast for all ages!
Maui Luaus
One of the most iconic parts of any Hawaiian vacation, enjoying a Maui Luau has long been a celebrated tradition on Maui. Grab a seat with a view of one of Maui’s golden sand beaches, and sit back for an evening of entertainment, cultural information, a scenic sunset, local-style feast, tropical cocktails, live music and dance performances, and most of all, Hawaiian tradition.
From traditional floor seating at the Old Lahaina Luau and Polynesian dancing at the Hyatt’s Drums of the Pacific to fire knife dancing at the Royal Lahaina Luau, there’s a perfect for every kind of visitor.
Maui Whale Watching
with Hawaii Ocean Rafting
Each year from approximately December to April, thousands of humpback whales swim from the freezing feeding grounds of Alaska to mate and give birth in the warm waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. Thanks to its shallow waters, Maui’s south and west shores are often one of the best places to witness these majestic animals up close.
Grab a spot on a 2 hour Maui Whale Watching Tour for the best vantage points. With narration about humpback whale behaviors and tours aboard their fleet of small, fast ocean rafts with low capacity, Hawaii Ocean Rafting offers one of your best chances for seeing these fascinating giants breach, slap and dive from a nearby location.
Maui Ziplining
Above the simple thrill of the experience, ziplining offers a chance for travelers to see the most remote, stunning areas of the island they likely wouldn’t get the opportunity to see otherwise. Soar through tree-tops and canyons on the slopes of Haleakala Volcano at Haleakala Ziplines, or treat your eyes to panoramic views of the West Maui shoreline and West Maui Mountains at Ka’anapali Ziplines.
Tours include top safety standards from experienced guides who are more than willing to share their knowledge about the local wildlife, history, and Maui landscape, and kids and adults of all ages are sure to love it.
Dining at The Mill House Restaurant
Located at the lush grounds of Maui Tropical Plantation, The Mill House Restaurant is one of Maui’s most recognized ‘farm-to-table’ restaurants. Headed by Aipono Award’s ‘2015 Chef of the Year’, Jeff Scheer, guests are invited to grab a table on the lanai overlooking the sparkling tropical pond and West Maui Mountains for a feast of inventive, fresh, seasonal menu items and craft cocktails.
It’s hard to say what’s better – the view or the restaurant! For those who want to make a romantic date of it, we recommend booking seats at the weekly Maui Chef’s Table event to sample seven courses in a scenic open-air kitchen.
Surfing Lesson
Whether you have surfed before or are a complete beginner, Maui Surf Lessons are often one of the best ways to guarantee a fun ocean experience on Maui, all while ensuring you choose the right spot on the first try. Learn useful tips and location scouting alongside a local surf instructor, and experience a Hawaiian ocean tradition first hand.
Let Tyler Larronde, a professional big wave surfer and Maui local, teach you how to stand up on your first (or 100th) wave during your next trip to Maui, and discover why surfing is truly Hawaii’s favorite pastime.
Bottom Fishing or Sport Fishing
Where would we be if we didn’t mention fishing on FishMaui.com!
Bottom fishing is ideal for families with school aged children, and virtually anyone else looking to spend a relaxing morning on the Pacific Ocean, enjoying the scenery and fine tuning their fishing skills. Guests learn more about the local marine life from seasoned fishing professionals, all with the opportunity to catch their own fish.
Sport fishing usually requires a bit more time, but gives anglers the chance to hook into larger gamefish like mahi mahi, ono, ahi and the pacific blue marlin which can top the scales at well over 500 lbs.
Make your fishing reservation right now!
