amelie

How did you get around Maui and Kauai? Did you rely on maps from your car rental, did you bring maps, did you print maps out, or use maps in travel books?

Thanks!

JohnD

Used all of the above, but Maui Revealed and Ultimate Kauai Guidebook have the most accurate and helpful info. here is link: www.wizardpub.com

I have also noticed that the rental car maps spell out areas they don't want you to drive their car, and apparently may not assist you if you have problems there. If you belong to tripleAAA, they have a decent free map and tourbook as well on Hawaii but no AAA office/assistance on Maui or Kauai.

Blacktie

Maui is a snap - and everyone hands our a free, light green road map - and that's all you need. Additionally, hotels are stocked with more stuff than you can carry, and all of it contains maps. Now, what's your question about?

JohnD

Hawaiian Air also offered us a decent free map to Kauai on our last visit on the plane.$)

ms_go

More likely than not, you will get a booklet of maps (and lots of ads and coupons) when you pick up your rental cars. Some of these had the most detailed maps I found (including the Wizard Pubs books). We relied on them a lot for getting around.

here_today_gone2Maui

One of my husband's favorite film moments is in Lilo and Stitch, when Stitch pulls a large book from a bookshelf and the title on the book is "Road Maps of Maui." While it is true you would never need a Thomas Guide here, nothing beats a really good map, and the very best map out there can be found among the rack cards.

When you get to Maui, look for the big display full of rack cards at the airport (or your hotel, at shopping centers, or any place around the island). Pick up a brochure called "Helicopter Tours" from Air Maui. It has a helicopter and a waterfall on the front. It is by far the best map of Maui available. It has blow ups of many areas and it also points out mile markers, condos, resorts, restaurants, stores, divem snorkel, surfing sites, golf courses, historical sites and other places of interest.

JohnD

Your previous posts indicate that you will be driving the road to Hana and that you have the bible, we found it worthwhile to start studying where you want to stop and explore the road to Hana, before you get to Maui.

Additionally, there is a CD/cassette audio tour widely available in stores on Maui that helped us find alot of neat sights that we would have driven on right by without it.

here_today_gone2Maui

I just saw that JohnD said: "but no AAA office/assistance on Maui ." Not true. There is AAA assistance, just call the out of state number on your card and they will contact Hawai`i AAA for you, or dial (800) 736-2886 from a Hawai`i phone.

JohnD

Reply to Gone 2, can you please explain how the triple AAA office on Hawaii is going to help you and your car with a problem on Maui, because our triple AAA office on the mainland stated that roadside help is only available on Hawaii and Oahu.

here_today_gone2Maui

Well, you call them, and they send a tow truck, just like on the mainland. I pay for it each year, and most recently used my roadside assistance a few weeks ago in Lahaina when I locked my keys in my car. There is no AAA office here (yet-the word on the cocoanut wireless is that they are opening one this year is), but we do have AAA roadside assistance.

JohnD

Thanks for the update, my apologies for being misinformed about AAA, and since you've opened up a new subject; do you care to comment on whether it is better to lock your rental car while visiting tourist sites or leave it unlocked ?

here_today_gone2Maui

Perhaps your AAA office meant that we have no AAA offices here. This is true.

It is my understanding that if you fail to lock your car and it is stolen or vandalized the rental company will hold you in contempt or give you a time out or somethignalong those lines.


Lock your doors, but don't leave things of value in your car, anymore than you would anyplace else. I rarely lock my truck or even put up the window, but I leave nothing in it and no one is going to steal my husband's old surfing truck. My car, I lock and I use the alarm. When I travel anyplace I take the camera with me in my pocket or purse and leave the camera bag and all the extra stuff at the hotel. When I go hiking or go to the beach I put what I need in my pocket, leave my purse and stuff at home. No temptation, no worries.

Whenever I hear of a smash and grab incident people have left things out in the open in their car. I can't image that many thieves are going to smash a window in hopes you have hidden something under the front seat. These are crimes of opportunity, in relatively public places. And, BTW, they occur everywhere, not just in Hawai`i.

JohnD

Thanks again gone2 for stating your opinion!