Limited time on Maui: Advice please
 

Mrs Lyon and myself have never been to Hawaii. We are staying on Oahu first before picking up a cruise: NCL Pride of America. As part of the cruise we stay overnight on Maui in Kahului..
Have you any views on any trips to do and with whom, what are the not to miss parts of our stay there which are doable. For private tours, we have been looking at Valley Isle Excursion, Hola Hola Guides and Templeton Tours. Anyone recommend these or suggest alternatives?
Are there any fairly good places to see within striking distance (ie bus) from Kahului?
Thank you in anticipation.
Steve

How long have you got in Maui, I hope it is not just one overnight?

I couldn't imagine one night in Maui. I would just get on a tour bus. Also, although all of the Islands are magical, Kahului is not so great.

Thanks for the replies. Given the distance between the UK and Hawaii this is likely to be our only trip to Hawaii so I have no regrets about a cruise to get an insight into the islands - not ideal, I know.

If I only had one day, I would want a tour that takes in Haleakala, upcountry Maui (actually just the drive up to Haleakala is enough) and at least part of the Road to Hana. You'll get beaches and lava fields elsewhere during your trip.

In the evening, try to get into Lahaina, yes a very touristy town, but a lot of fun too.

If I understand the cruise schedule you have 8am one day till 6pm the next.

I would start looking into a rental car and touring on your own. So many directions you can independently explore. Don't be chained to the boat because of breakfast or dinner. Get island style.

in my response, understand that I have visited the islands any time but have never cruised. so take it with a grain of salt.

<i> Given the distance between the UK and Hawaii this is likely to be our only trip to Hawaii </i>

I thought that too but have been 3 times now and looking to book the 4th one. My sister lives there now.

I think you have two days/1 night. I agree with the above, Haleakala, Road to Hana (black sand beach etc) really gave a feeling of Hawaii or what I thought Hawaii should be like, Iao Valley as well which is not too far from Kahului. I also like Lahaina for dinner and cocktails, you get a good view of the sunset at places like Ma'la and the food was good too (or it was.) I'm not familiar with the tour companies you mention, except for Valley Isle, I think they are the ones I get stuck behind on the Road to Hana.
Ka'anapali is also a nice place to walk along the beach of an evening and there are places to eat.

I'd also rent a car and drive up to Haleakala and afterward visit Upcountry, very pretty countryside. Might want to watch the wind surfers.

IMO you sound like a perfect candidate for a helicopter tour, if it's in your family's interest. Much of the best scenery on Maui is easily viewable only from the air, and it gives much better overviews of Haleakala caldera etc.

These tours aren't cheap, but they can be easily be done in a half day from Kahului.

Thanks so much everybody, this has very much helped. I am a fairly confident driver but the thought of being stuck in traffic jams and not being able to enjoy the scenery puts me off. But...should I drive to a great location and take up one of my favourite pastimes: hiking? If yes, where should I drive to for great walking?

I don't remember traffic jams, not of the variety you get in cities but its been couple years. The road to Hana can be quite busy but everyone drives really slowly. If you go early the roads are not so busy. I do think a rental car is a good idea, you can stop where you want eg Ho'okipa Beach where the windsurfers are, Paia, Wailea etc. Great locations for hiking is Haleakala, the Road to Hana (lots of places to stop), Iao Valley.

The traffic jam comment caught me by surprise. The road to Hana is of necessity very slow because if your attention is diverted you will end up in a taro field.

Thanks so much for all your help with this.
Best wishes
Steve

I would do Haleakala and Road to Hana. However, remember it is very cold on the summit of Haleakala so you'd need to bring warm clothing. There are many different hikes up there, but not sure if you wanted to hike in the cold.

If you go on the Road to Hana, enjoy the journey there, then past Hana is the Oheo Gulch (Seven Sacred Pools). There are several hikes there, including one that takes you through a bamboo forest. I am not a hiker but several of my friends are and they loved it! I believe it is called the Pipwai Trail. http://mauiguidebook.com/adventures/...waimoku-falls/

Either way, I think booking tours would be best because of your limited time.

sf7307 beat me to it. Seeing Haleakala was the highlight of a one week Maui trip for me.

I drove the road to Hana last summer. I left early in the morning and hit no traffic whatsoever. It would be a long roundtrip in one day. I loved the Pipiwai Trail that tifa2276 referred to, but I don't think you can do that if you are driving RT in one day, and you certainly could not do it on a bus tour. I also LOVED sunset at Haleakala. Truly incredible. I loved the Iao Valley, too.

I think the key to getting the most out of a cruise to Hawaii is to take tours. I saw people from a ship sitting in a park near the dock. It is one of the least attractive, least interesting places on the entire island--and that was their glimpse of Kauai (which in my opinion is the most beautiful of the islands). But those who did tours to Waimea Canyon or the North Shore got to see some of the highlights.

Enjoy!

I'd save the helicopter tour for Kauai (or maybe Big Island) if you had plans to do one.

On another forum, I have already advised Steve to spend all his time on Maui reselling dinners from Da Kitchen as a way to reduce the pain of the UK currency collapse. However, I must step in and say the Helicopter tours on Maui are awesome. imo- better than Big Island, almost as good as Kauai

Now that I have entered the discussion, I cant silence myself. Why? Why take a cruise in Hawaii? Pick an island and stay there. I understand the benefits of cruising, but not for Hawaii. With that said, my two cents, do the volcano before the road to Hana

I'm too chicken for whirlybirds.
As stated above you should rent a car. Try driving halfway to Hana, you will certainly get the feel, hike at the botanical gardens in the rain.

<Why take a cruise in Hawaii?>

Because they want to see all the islands and don't have a lot of time.

Unless you've taken a cruise in Hawaii - you should not offer an opinion without revealing you have no first hand experience.

Ive been on plenty of cruise ships, and no question more vacations to Hawaii than anyone on Fodors, so I have unmatched first hand experience. Why anyone would waste their time and money on a cruise ship so close to paradise, I have no answer

I'd jump off the ship, swim to Molokai and live on spam and rice than be that close to eden and have just a cruise ship type day

However, remember it is very cold on the summit of Haleakala so you'd need to bring warm clothing

Haleakala is only cold before sunrise (it's actually freezing then). We have hiked into the crater late morning/early afternoon and it was incredibly hot. Bring lots of water, wear a hat and don't forget sunscreen!

Picking up on Songdoc's comments, IMO, what you do on Maui may depend somewhat on your plans for Kauai. Haleakala is unique to Maui, so you it should be on your to-do list there, but I'm not sure I'd say the same for the Road to Hana. IMO, Kauai's north shore is equally (or more) beautiful, and about 1/3 of the distance.

Full disclosure: We'd visited and stayed on Kauai's north shore several times before going to Maui. Having read/heard that the RTH was a must do, we started out on it but turned around a bit over half way, thinking it over-hyped, and wondering if those who committed an entire day to it had ever visited Kauai.

So, if you decide against the RTH, after sunrise at Haleakala, consider a snorkeling excursion from Lahaina or Kaanapali. The sights underwater are just as marvelous as sights above it, and Maui might be your only chance to enjoy them. Snorkeling is actually better on the Big Island (Hawaii), but you'd justifiably want to spend most of your time there visiting Volcanoes National Park.

Sunrise at Haleakala can be (and often is in our experience) an overcast washout. Sun<u>sets</u> are more predictably spectacular, and they don't require getting up at 2:30am. :)

As for the Road to Hana, we've heard the same feedback from a handful of others, either a) drivers who wish they could have been looking at scenery rather than driving, b) Type A personalities who wouldn't dream of stopping the car to explore anything, or c) people who simply waited too long to start and wound up stuck in traffic on the road. Traffic and heat can easily combine to ruin the experience. Go early. :)

> However, I must step in and say the Helicopter tours on Maui are awesome. imo- better than Big Island, almost as good as Kauai

That's our precise order as well. Molokai ranks between the top two.

<should not offer an opinion without revealing you have no first hand experience.>

I have never taken a Hawaiian cruise.

But I'm all for people doing what THEY want to do with their vacation time.

You can go to Haleakala mid-day, no need for sunrise or sunset either one. It's still spectacular.

Haleakala at sunset was unforgettable. It would have been pretty at any time of day--but now that I've seen that red sunset from above the clouds--and the colors of the caldera as the sun began to sink, I don't think I'd do it other than at sunset. I never imagined anything could look like that. But it was indeed FREEZING!!!

I "liked" the RTH--but I didn't "love" it. The black sand beach with the caves (just before you reach Hana) and the Pipiwai trail/Seven pools were the RTH highlights for me -- and they can't be seen unless you go all the way.

I'm surprised no one else is suggesting the Iao Valley. I thought it was magical and the tragic history is fascinating, too. The added bonus is that it's not an all-day commitment.

For me, nothing beats Kauai's North Shore, Waimea Canyon, and Kalalau Lookout (not to be confused with the Kalalau Trail).

I mentioned Iao Valley, not least as it is not that far from Kahului.

"As for the Road to Hana, we've heard the same feedback from a handful of others, either a) drivers who wish they could have been looking at scenery rather than driving, b) Type A personalities who wouldn't dream of stopping the car to explore anything, or c) people who simply waited too long to start and wound up stuck in traffic on the road."

Then there are those of us who simply didn't find RTH unique and/or interesting and/or beautiful relative to what we'd seen on other Hawaiian islands.

If you're still with us, Steve, and planning to do RTH, do your research. There are many more places to stop and "explore" than you'll have time for, so choose wisely.

> Then there are those of us who simply didn't find RTH unique and/or interesting and/or beautiful relative to what we'd seen on other Hawaiian islands.

If you didn't venture from the road, not much is visible from it, relative to what's in the area to explore (Keanae Peninsula/Garden of Eden, parts of HNP etc). If you did visit these sites and still weren't impressed, you've got a much higher standard of satisfaction than most visitors. :)

One other note to Steve, if your rental car has a CD player (or you have a portable), excellent self-guided (and, obviously, self-paced) audio tours are available. Listen as you drive for info about the road, and your options for exploring off of it. Highly recommended.

"If you did visit these sites and still weren't impressed, you've got a much higher standard of satisfaction than most visitors."

We did in fact venture from the road, took a few short hikes/walks, bought banana bread, and walked around on Keanae Peninsula, etc., but I think you missed the point of my first post in this thread. Otherwise, can I assume you haven't been to Kauai?

FaceInTheCrowd, we've been going to Kauai regularly since 1962. So no, it's not a good assumption. IMO you obviously don't know as much as you think you do about Maui, since parts of the island easily match or beat anything Kauai has to offer, except (arguably) Na Pali and Waimea Canyon. As a matter of fact Maui has as many uniquely gorgeous areas (Iao Valley, HNP etc) as Kauai.

Well I haven't been going to Kauai that long, but many times, as well as many times to Hana. I've never understood the comparison game. I can honestly say that I've loved the Road to Hana, the to Hanalei and beyond north shore of Kauai, Maui's West end drive, Molokai's East end drive, and the mule trail to Kaluapapa, Hamakua Coast drive. Mountain Road, Island of Hawaii, Government Beach Road in Puna district, the drive down thru pines in Lanai to the beach adjacent to shipwreck beach. . it's all good! They're all winners. To me there is no best or better. It's all been amazing life journeys for us.

> Hamakua Coast drive.

I agree with everything in the last post, especially this bit. Those gorges along the Hamakua Coast also qualify as among the most stunning in the state. Basically the wet sides (N and E) of all the islands offer these lush paradises, one of our best friends lives on the slopes of Mauna Loa and because of the elevation (4500') and surrounding mountains, at his house there is absolutely no way to tell it's Hawaii and not the hills of Malibu. Simply amazing lack of humidity and cooler temperatures etc.

Also, in regards to Ioa Needle/Valley, I never recommend it and appreciate Songcocs dual takes. To me it was beautiful, but the weight of the blood of the past was overwhelming to me. A very heavy experience. I've never been comfortable sending people to one of the bloodiest battles in Hawaii history as a beautiful place to visit. I think a lot of people don't read when they visit and miss the historical importance of this sacred land.

Well according to that logic, do you have problems visiting Civil War sites in our country? I admit it is a bit disconcerting, eating lunch on a field in PA and then being told it was a mass slaughter site during this war. The general consensus is that flowers grow better in these areas.

No, not at all fdcarlo. If you told me to go to a place on a field to be the most beautiful field in PA, and didn't tell me that it was also the site of one of the bloodiest battles in the Civil War, I would arrive with anticipation and leave deflated.