Roadster

My husband and I will be in Maui for 7 days at the end of November/beginning December. We want to stay on the drier/sunnier side of the island for this time of year. We want to drive the Hana highway, Whale watch, do the sunrise/bike ride on the Maui volcano and relax on the beach. We would also like to stay in a low key area, not a lot of highrise condos. I am thinking a central location would be Kihei. Weekly rentals seem to be more economical, but does anyone think it would be a better experience to spend a few nights in a couple of locations on Maui instead of one? We would like to spend no more than $ 175 per night. Thank you in advance for your suggestions!

Inakauaidavidababy

I would suggest NOT doing the infamously dangerous bike ride - but to each their own.

I would also suggest a couple of nights in Hana. There are some great rentals to really take in the area on your own time.

Inakauaidavidababy

I can personally vouch for this place in Hana, although they are newish, they have a pretty full calendar. Excellent hosts and property.

http://www.vrbo.com/572934

Roadster

Thank you for the suggestion. Definitely would like to stay around Hana for a few nights. The rental looked perfect but is booked during our stay. I will check other places. Does anyone have a suggestion for the other portion of our stay on Maui?

sylvia3

Kihei (South) is a very good choice. I also would not recommend the bike ride; I know 2 people (different trips, years apart, not one accident) who were seriously hurt going down. Those odds are unreal!

sf7307

Kihei is not my choice of location in Maui (we prefer resorts), but you can't beat it for affordability and availability of low-key low-rise condos. If you do stay there, Kihei Kaffe is great for breakfast/lunch, and there's now a Paia Fish market in Kihei (both low-key, with delicious food).

jamie99

Another vote against the bike ride.
We stayed West Maui at a condo in Honokawai and enjoyed it, did not care for South Maui as much, but this is purely a matter of personal preference,many prefer that area.
You are much more likely to get a better rate staying in one
place rather than moving around as most condos on any of the islands have cleaning fees and security deposits.Also during high season, like Christmas, many have minimum stay requirements.

Songdoc

For me ... two nights in Hana was sufficient. Just past Hana, the hike on the Pipiwai trail (through the bamboo groves--and ending at a wonderful waterfall) and the "seven sacred" pools was wonderful. Wai'anapanapa State Park (just before Hana) with its caves and black sand beach was also a favorite place.

I did not do the bike ride, but we drove up Haleakala for sunset. It was one of the most breathtaking, spectacular experiences of a lifetime.

I did not get to Kihei, so can't comment about that. I hope you have a great trip.

ChiSue

You only have one week. Stay in one place. You will also get a better deal on a condo for a full week; owner may waive the cleaning fee.

South Maui is conveniently located for Haleakala, Upcountry, Iao Valley and Road to Hana (and the airport). We drive South Kihei-Kahului in 20 minutes on 4-lane highway. The sole access to West Maui is 2-lane road between Maalaea and Lahaina -- then it becomes six lanes around busy Kaanapali.

Look in Maalaea and North and South Kihei for condos within your budget. Best beaches in this area are Sugar Beach in North Kihei and the Kamaoles in South Kihei -- then on south through Wailea and Makena. Take a day to drive up to Kapalua, stopping in Lahaina Town.

You can do RTH in one 12-hour day. Skip the 'braking down (some of) Haleakala' nonsense, but go *all the way up to the crater* at any time of day.

It may be difficult to see whales this early, but a watch is your best bet. (Season is January - March.) They have already started coming in, but not in the huge numbers that will be making the waters off Maui into "Whale Soup".

Have you reserved your rental car?

Inakauaidavidababy

ChiSue, I'm curious why you always suggest doing a 12 hour drive on RTH rather then stay there? It makes no sense to me as my multiple stays in Hana have been some of the most memorable on the islands.

And I've done many vrbo's on islands and have often negotiated price, but never negotiated cleaning fee? I just wouldn't - even though I do all linens before I leave to help out the cleaning staff's timeline.

It's unclear your opinion on the bike tour down Haleakala's safety concerns. I always say, when in doubt call the hospital emergency room, and you'll get the truth.

I found Iao Valley deppressing - to muc blood and war in the aina. It bothers me when people don't recognize or feel that.

denisea

I would stay in one place. I also give a thumbs down to the bike trip but works recommend kayaking/snorkeling. Much better way to see turtles and enjoy the snorkeling. I hate all the huge catamarans that 100 people out all at once. South Pacific Kayaks is a good option and located in Kihei.

I have only stayed at Wailea or Kaanapali. If you stay in Kihei then try Sansei for sushi.

tifa2276

I have done a split stay on a 7-night trip before. We stayed in Kihei at the Maui Coast for 4 nights then moved to the Ritz Carlton in Kapalua for 3. (It averaged out to about 200/night across both hotels). A split-stay works if you plan correctly. Do all the stuff in central/south Maui when you're in Kihei and stuff in West Maui when you're there. Alternatively, you could spend a few nights in Hana. It depends on what you want to do.

I don't think moving from one location to another takes that much time. For example: if you're going to visit West Maui anyways, it's going to take you about 2 hours to go back and forth if you're staying on South Maui. And if you're going to visit west maui more than one day, the driving time can add up. However the drive is quite lovely, so not really a chore However, if you're looking to rent a condo it makes sense to stay put for the whole week. There are usually cleaning fees which make staying the week more economical. In addition, there can be discounts for stays of a week or longer. Just something to think about.

Kihei seems to fit your needs and budget. In all honestly we were not in Kihei that much because we were out exploring. It was a good "home base" and the Kamaole beaches are usually right across the street from your hotel/condo. From Kihei we visited Haleakala, did Road to Hana, Wailea/Makena beaches, etc. We also ate at Kihei Caffee a lot! There are lots of restaurants/bars there, so you'll always find something to eat and do after a day of activity. A short drive away is Wailea which has more upscale shops and eateries. Some people say Kihei is filled with strip malls and mainstream offerings, but I think those can be easily avoided and some great local flavor can be found there.

Here's a trip report from our split stay several years ago: http://sulynnchen.com/travelblog/?page_id=38

Here's a more recent trip report:
http://sulynnchen.com/travelblog/?page_id=545
Although it was a split stay too, it was a much longer trip. I found staying in West Maui a little more inconvenient, but not terribly so.

ChiSue

It's great if people can stay Hana -- more logical if they have more than one week on a first visit to Maui.

A split stay using hotels is fine. Splitting between condos means hours in a car with your luggage -- and maybe perishables. Also, I don't know of any nice hotels withing the OP's budget of under $175/night.

Inakauaidavidababy

Well my first visit to the islands included 5 nights in Kaanapali area and two nights in Hana.

fdecarlo

> We would also like to stay in a low key area, not a lot of highrise condos. I am thinking a central location would be Kihei.

Kihei is central, but as others have mentioned it's also very developed. Most accomodations that have direct beach access on the island are high-rise hotels and condos. Especially with a $175/night budget you probably won't find anything else. Since you've already decided on a few days in Hana you might want to consider the north shore for your other accomodation, e.g. Sprecks Plantation House if a 10-minute walk to the beach is acceptable.

sylvia3

There are many condos across the street from Kamaole Beach parks (central and south Kihei) that are well within your budget. http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals...uth-maui/kihei