Ok, so we're done with the booking part of our honeymoon (End of July). We've been reading a lot of posts on this site, and have an idea of what activities we're interested in. But we need help with the itinerary and how many things we can accomplish in a day.

We've got 5 days on Maui and want to incorporate the following:

Haleakala
Road To Hana
Old Lahaina Luau
Iao Park
Shopping in Lahaina
Kaanapali

What else are we missing and how should we put this all together - we are lost!! Please help!!

aloha and congrats on your upcoming nuptials! we are going to maui next week for 5 days and had a similiar list of things to do...we are not honeymooning so we don't mind being "on the move" a lot...be sure to schedule in some 100% r&r time.

I guess it also depends on where you are staying...but this is what I would try to do.

we are doing mt. haleakala the first morning to see the sunrise, on the way back to our hotel in kapalua we are going to stop in the kaanapali area and have lunch at the hula grill..that would take care of #1 and #6 on your list in one day with still time to relax back at your hotel before dinner.

road to hana is our day #2, this is a full day. I think you may be able to combine the iao park on the same day as the road to hana...so possibly crossing off numbers #2 and #4 on your list.

shop in lahaina in the afternoon before the luau, #3 and #5

I think it would be possible to do all this in 3 days and then have 2 days to relax...

have fun!

Congratulations! You are going to have a great time on the honeymoon! Here's my stab at the itinerary:

Assuming you meant 5 full days on Maui, so I'm not including arrival and departure days, let us know if that's wrong.

Day 1: Get up early--drive up Haleakala for sunrise--stay and hike around the crater. Back to hotel--enjoy the beach/pool and relax a little--you may be tired from the early morning. (But day 1 is the best day for Haleakala because you'll still be on mainland time).

Day 2: Shopping in Lahaina/Kaanapali--you could have a leisurely day and still get these both in. End the day at the Old Lahaina Luau.

Day 3: Road to Hana--get up relatively early--leave around 8:00 a.m. Stop in Paia at the beginning to shop at the quaint little shops and pick up a picnic lunch. The drive will take you as long as you want--it depends on how many times you stop along the way. You could definitely make it to the black sand beach by lunch time and have the picnic there. If you take all day (many stops), you should stop at Mama's Fish House near Paia for dinner. Try to get there while it's still light out--the view is great!

Day 4: Iao Park--My husband and I did this and only spent about a half-day there. There are many paved trails, but we managed to find a "real" trail and hiked in a little further. It was a lot of hiking through dense forest, but we ended up with a great view in the end. We just happened upon the trail, but I'm sure you could ask a park employee for some routes.

Day 5: Open. Finish up anything you missed, or I would recommend a snorkeling cruise out to Molokini if you wanted another activity. You could just spend it on the beach or at the pool and spa.

You could probably switch any of those days around, but I would definitely do Haleakala on your first day there if you want to see the sunrise. You can really play it by ear for the most part when you get there. The only thing you really need to book ahead is the Old Lahaina Luau.

Have fun and let us know if you need more ideas!!

Thanks for the ideas.
Well, first of all, do you suggest doing the Haleakala at sunrise or sunset? Do you think it would be possible to go to Lahaina and spedd the rest of ther afternoon there and then the Luau. Or would that be too much in one day??

Also, what exactly are things to do in Kaanapali?? How much time do you think we should set aside for just Kaanapali?

ANd what about Lahaina - what can you do there and how long do you need to stay?

Things are definitely starting to come together! Thanks! Well we are staying in the Maui Prince Hotel which is south of Wailea so that will affect getting around since we are so "out there". I was told that there are som botanical gardens and a winery near Haleakala - is that something we can do after Halekala??

Another thing - the entire honeymoon is 10 days of which the first 5 are on Ohau. The last 5 are on Maui - so for now, I am concentrating on Maui activities. So - do you think it will still be easy to stay up for sunrise - 6 days after we arrive??

I'd also like to know about what there is to do in Kaanapali and Lahaina and how long it would take to spend time there.

I think travelisfun has a nice schedule for you. I should note that we stay in Wailea as well when we go to Maui and do not even go to the Lahina/Kapalua side at all on some of our trips. If you have been to Ohau I am not sure why you would want to shop in Lahina. The drive from the Maui Prince to Lahina will take about a hour or so. Pick up a copy of Maui by Paradise Family Guides for a good review of what to do in Maui.

micro-manage a wedding, okay.... but micro-manage a honeymoon? don't do it. especially not for a destination like maui, where, like most other tropical destinations, the best reasons to go there are experienced from a chaise lounge on the beach or through the lens of a snorkel mask.

As for kaanapali, the whalers village area is a great 1/2 day. The area boasts black rock for snorkeling( in front of the sheraton) and hula grill,also some of the best shops to explore all in a great setting. Actually Lahaina was ok for shoping but after a while they all look the same. So go a couple of hours before your luau. You will not want to miss a snorkle trip( morning advised- less wind ) and i would do morning bike to haleakala then wait one day to snorkle. Road to hana is a full 12 hour day especially if you drive all the way arround( and i did and yes it was worth every mile). so you have a great plan now tweek it and yes leave some r& r time. nick

I know a lot of people will disagree with me, but with only five days in Maui, I would not spend a whole day doing the Hana drive. The traffic is horrendous and there are so many other things you could do instead that would be leisurely. This drive is not leisurely. Don't miss Haleakala and by all means snorkel if you can and do go to the Old Lahaina Luau, but my husband and I just felt our full day to and from Hana was such a waste when we could have relaxed.

By the way, Old Lahaina Luau is between Lahaina and Kaanapali so I would do any shopping before the luau.

I guess I'm just getting old but it seems to me there is just too much planning going on.
A twenty-something coworker just returned from a tightly planned and activity oriented trip. They had a good time but spent so much money on activities they had to shorten their stay by one full day.
Imho much of the joy of Maui comes from splashing in the sea, seeing the turtles swim under you and watching sunsets.
I am puzzled by people who would rather spend their days shopping for trinkets when there is so much natural beauty on the island.
Oh well, to each his own.

Great comment, logandog.
We honeymooned on Kauai and Maui (quite a few years ago) and returned to Hawaii 2 more times before we drove to Hana or went up Haleakala or took a helicopter ride, etc.
Everyone has different vacation style, but when we go to Hawaii we like to relax, drink in the easygoing lifestyle and attitude, and come home refreshed rather than weary from being tourists.

I will be on my honeymoon at the Maui Prince also but the beginning of August. If you happen to take some pictures of your room or the grounds please message me. Also buy a copy of the entertainment book. You wont regret it 2 of the restaurants in Maui Prince are in their for a buy one get one free dinner it will save you guys $50. Also I have lots of great Maui info if you wanna email me.

I know for some people this may sound like I am micro-managing the honeymoon. But I am the type of person that can not lay around on the beach for more than an hour. We decided that we wanted a combo of relaxation and adventure which is why we chose Hawaii over the other islands - Not only is it BEAUTIFUL and romantic - there are a million things to do BESIDES lay on the beach and therefore we want to make sure we will do each and ever one of those. If we wanted to just lay on the beach - we could've done that locally on the east coast or gone to a less expensive island.

Anyway - so thank you everyone for all your input. It has really helped me put together a brief itinerary. Ofcourse, it is not planned minute by minute - but I wanted to plan 1 activity a day and make sure I don't miss something that I will regret later.

So I gather from you all that Kaanapali and Lahaina are 1/2 days each? So we can just spend a relaxing day total for both locations?

Hey hawaiihoneymoon,

Don't think you're micromanaging at all. The first paragraph from your last note could have been written word for word by my wife and I when we were recently planning for our honeymoon in Hawaii this past February. We're really not beach people either, so we needed a nice combo of relaxation and activity, and we definitely found it in Maui and Kauai.

I'm jealous of your upcoming trip .... can't wait to go back!

Enjoy! You'll have a great time!

could have been written by myself as well...I agree with you 100%!

Congratulations...I got married on Oahu and then honeymooned on Maui and Kaui and just returned last year for our 6th Anniversary trip back to Maui (plus one day at the Big Island).
I recall spending a lot of time doing activities on Maui (which we loved) and then crashing at the Hyatt on Kaui.

Our favorite activities on Maui pretty much match your list and I think Travelisfun had some excellent plans...however, I'd like to add a few things to your list - Go see Warren and Annabel's Magic Show in Lahaina, it was excellant. Unfortunately, you probabably can't do both the Luau and the magic show on the same night.
One thing we did discover on our 2nd trip was that we stayed in Wailea and ended up traveling back to the Lahaina area several times...but Wailea is a very nice and relaxing area.

If you like snorkeling...We did the Pride of Maui and Rainbow Chaser..I think I prefer the RC...more private and a nicer boat (catamaran). We also did the PWF (Pacific Whale Foundation) but if you like boats with a lot of people, I's suggest Pride of Maui.

We made it to Haleakala on our second trip...just couldn't seem to get up that early by the time we got to Maui on our first trip.

Also did Road to Hana both trips. If you love waterfalls, then this is a definate...my husband found a guide book with "unknown" areas that made it quite an adventure at times locating the falls and Lindberg's Grave. By the time we made our 2nd trip, they weren't as unknown.
We did a helicoptor ride on the morning of our first trip to Hana and ate at Mama's Fish House...didn't do the helicoptor our 2nd trip - a bit overrated for the price I thought. Barely made it back to our hotel by nightfall the 2nd trip due to all the "side" trips off the road. Just be forewarned, the dirt road portion should be driven when there is still some daylight...you just might see a cow in the road Also, definately take a picnic lunch or snacks with you - there are very few places to eat in Hana (we ate bologna on hawaiian sweet bread from a local grocery) and it can be a long day.

As for shopping at Lahaina and Whalers Village...they are both nice partial day visits that can be done on same day with the Luau. If you like a fun "bar type" atmosphere...try Moose McGillicuddy's for lunch or dinner...it is in Old Lahaina.

As you can probably tell 5 days is just not enough time to do everything you'd like and have a relaxing honeymoon, so just pick out a few things you really want to do and plan a return trip on your xth year anniversary.
Hope you have as great of a time as we did on our honeymoon and ENJOY IT!

P.S. we "micro" managed our honeymoon (in fact all of our trips) and it works best for us...it just depends on your lifestyle. We do leave room for some flexibility (i.e., weather can change your plans in a heartbeat.)

I just wantedt to Ditto Warren and Annabel's! If I were you, I'd skip the Luau and hit the show instead. I know it sounds a bit cheesy, but seriously it is a lot of fun!

As for the road to Hana, I thought I'd put in my $.02. If you have a good guide book, and like hiking, getting a little dirty and just puttering around then the road to Hana will be a lot of fun. The thing to keep in mind is that there is NOTHING in Hana. The journey there is what you are supposed to be enjoying.
Have a great time!

Thanks Doug, Bogart, dwenviro, and Marci_77 for agreeing with me!! I know I'm not the only one who's got these views on vacationing!

anyway - So this is what I have put together from your responses - mostly from travelisfun(THANKS!!):

Day 0 (relaxing day): arrive mid day (from Ohau) so doesn't count as full day. It is my Fiance's b-day on this day - so relax on the beach and have an extra nice dinner. Take in the scenery - possibly just watch the sunset.

Day 1 (adventure day): Early morning - sunrise at Mt. Haleakala/Haleakala National Park. If time permits - whatever catches our eye on the drive back to Maui Prince, Makena.

Day 2 (relaxing day): Shopping in Lahina/Kaanapali, taking in culture and whatever else it has to offer! Old Lahaina Luau in the evening.

Day 3 (Adventure Day): Early morning - stop at Paia on the way to our journey on the Road to Hana. I know you recommended Mama's Fish - but I don't eat fish or any seafood for that matter .

Day 4: (Semi-Busy): Spend 1/2 the day at Iao Park. Go over to Lahaina and watch the Warren and Annabel's magic show.

Day 5: (Relaxing Day): Possibly go snorkeling, do something we might come across, discover, or hear about while we are there. Repeat something we enjoyed. Have an amazing dinner as our last day of the honeymoon!

Yeah, no helicopter rides for me - I've never been on one - but I can tell that I will not appreciate it for what we will pay. So now the part that is left is figuring out nice restaurants we want to try. We both love Thai and Italian food. So that is the next step!

Also - do you recommend us changing our reservations to something that is closer to Lahaina/Kaanapali - since we are so "out there" and will end up travelling hours ever day to get anywhere?? Or do you think after staying on Waikiki beach (Hyatt) for 5 days we will want to be on the more isolated part of Maui towards the end of the trip?????

oh - just remembered - another thing I wanted to do is see some pineapple, coffee beans, or other type of orchards. Have you been to any or recommend?

Also, I know there is a winery near Haleakala - is that worth spending some time there?

I was also told about a couple of botanical gardens to visit - but wasn't given the location or names. Any thoughts recommendations on these??

Hi hawaiihoneymoon! I'm glad you've got a good itinerary worked out! You will have a blast. In answer to your last questions--I don't think you need to change your reservations. We stayed in Wailea (not quite as far as Makena, but close) and didn't mind the drives at all. The drive to Lahaina is right along the water and very scenic--just get a Jeep or convertible and enjoy! Plus, you are a little closer for Haleakala and the Road to Hana, so it's a trade off.

For restaurants--not liking fish may be a slight problem, but you'll defintely find some great places. I would recommend Pacific O in Lahaina--Pacific Rim cuisine, David Paul's in Lahaina--fancy, GREAT food, and Nick's Fishmarket at the Kea Lani. Most restaurants focus on seafood, so I would double check that there are enough non-fish options for you before you go (when you call to make a reservation). There is also a great Italian place in Kihei, but I can't remember the name of it. And a good place for lunch is Sea Watch at the Wailea golf course. It has a nice view of the water and Wailea area--a variety of food--I remember having a great barbeque pork sandwhich there.

I can't help you with the pineapple plantation or winery, but I know that I heard about those two things, too. If you don't find out enough about them before you get there, I'd ask the concierge! Have a great time!