Things to do in Maui

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To close out my 2019 in style I booked a trip to Maui Hawaii. Hawaiian Airlines had a special on discounted flights back in November so it only made sense. My travel buddy and her son joined me to create new memories of our first ever experience in Hawaii together. Maui Hawaii is a beautiful place and for some, it can be overwhelming figuring out things to do.

Booked the flights so now I had to figure out lodging arrangements. Typically as a Hilton Honors guy, I usually just find the nearest Hilton Brand Hotel and book a room. For this trip, I decided to finally give Airbnb a try and I must say I am now a fan. More on Airbnb Maui later.

Day 1: Things to Do in Maui – Arrival

5-hours after departing San Jose, I touched down at Maui Airport in the afternoon. I caught a Lyft to the Airbnb which was located on the Kihei Southwest Maui side of the island. The Airbnb condo at which we stayed was right across the street from Charley Young Beach. There are a few beaches along the street up and down the coastline. Easily accessible within walking distance or a vehicle when we wanted to venture out further.

Airbnb Maui

This Airbnb condo was amazing. Check it out here -> Across the Street from the Beach! In addition to being right across the street from the beach. It was also near grocery and convenient stores (like ABC Stores which we stopped in daily), restaurants and minutes away from Wailea. There are plenty of things to do in Maui in the Kihei area alone. The host Kathryn has all the amenities that one would ever need for the beach. From beach chairs to blankets, towels, snorkels, beach umbrellas, sunscreen, and bug repellant. She also has everything needed to cook and have meals. This came in handy for breakfast and small lunches on days where we had huge dinners planned. I definitely give this Airbnb Maui condo a 5-star rating.

First Meal in Maui Monkeypod Kitchen

Travel buddy had arrived about 30-minutes before me. We decided to have our first meal at the Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman in Wailea since we were both starving after our flights.

Airbnb Maui

First Meal in Maui Monkeypod Kitchen

Travel buddy had arrived about 30-minutes before me. We decided to have our first meal at the Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman in Wailea since we were both starving after our flights.

Located in the Wailea Gateway shopping center. It has a nice vibe, with good music sometimes live music, craft beers and a menu that would satisfy any foodie’s cravings. The menu has vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.

We started out with the Monkeypod Mai Tai for drinks then Kauai Shrimp & Hamakua Mushroom Potstickers along with Wood-Roasted Chicken Wings. The Mai Tai and potstickers tasted amazing. For the main entrees, Travel Buddy went with the Bulgogi Pork Tacos. I had a bite and it reminds me of Korean BBQ style meat in a taco. It was delicious but the star entree and most delicious dish was the Fresh Island Fish Sandwich. OMG!!!! Mariah our waitress was great at letting us know what was popular on the menu. She said that their fish is fresh and caught daily. You can definitely taste the freshness. It has to be in the top 3 best fish sandwiches I’ve ever had. I immediately had to order a Kohola Brewery, Lokahi Pilsner to compliment the sandwich and complete the meal.

For our first meal in Maui, it was simply amazing and Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman started us off right! I definitely recommend it. Overall rating on a scale from 1-5, I have to give it a 3.8. The Fish Sandwich is a solid 5 on its own.

First Night’s Maui Sunset Charley Young Beach

The adjacent picture of the Maui sunset is stunning however still doesn’t capture how amazing it was to watch. Charley Young Beach is a beautiful beach and we made it a point to visit it first thing in the morning to start our day. The waters at this beach were clear, nice and calm. Minimal waves perfect for families with small children. The beach is clean, however, I recommend bug repellant because there are flies and they were relentless the first morning when I didn’t spray Off! I learned my lesson afterward and the next few mornings, I was able to read my book in peace.

Day 2: Things to Do in Maui – Beach Day

Charley Young Beach

I started every morning at Charley Young Beach reading a book with a nice bottle of Fiji water. The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss is an excellent book for those looking to get out of the rat race and travel more. Fitting that I close out the year on vacation with this book. I also used the morning as an opportunity to write my goals for 2020.

The weather was in the low 70’s and the ocean water felt great in the mornings. A couple of hours is the perfect way to start the day.

Makena Beach State Park (Big Beach) Maui

Makena Beach is another beautiful beach. The one thing about this beach is it was fun to get in the ocean but the waves hitting shore were rough. The waves literally knocked me off my feet repeatedly. This was fun and a bit scary for two reasons. One – I can’t swim… I can barely float on my back to survive so although it was thrilling the few seconds where I lost my orientation and direction as it shook me up just a bit. Two – sand got everywhere… I was shocked to see how much sand from the beach came back to the condo with me. It was hilarious but again just shows the force of the waves slamming me down in the sand. All in all, it was a great time.

Coconut’s Fish Cafe

For lunch, we decided to have a quick bite at Coconut’s Fish Cafe in Kihei. There are two locations both located on S Kihei Road. The staff there is ultra pleasant and very courteous.

As for the food. I was starving (again) so I had corn chowder, coconut shrimp and fish tacos. Delicious!!!

Ohana Seafood Bar & Grill

For dinner, we chose to eat at Ohana Seafood Bar & Grill. Two words, “so good!!!!” Our waiter Sean was awesome, he’s really a good dude. He was patient and very informative about the menu options. So many great options on the menu and I believe as Sean told us “you really can’t go wrong with anything” on the menu.

I’ll cut to the chase and let you know that Ohana had the most delicious meals out of all the places we ate during our trip. The Seafood Pasta was definitely our favorite, it was so rich and creamy with a good amount of shrimp, scallops, and fish. So much so, that I literally tried to poach the leftovers that Travel Buddy and her son had. It was so good, they did not let me have a single bite of their leftovers. Hilarious but true. I personally recommend that my readers check this place out.

Day 3: Things to Do in Maui – Twin Falls (Hike & Water Falls) and Grand Wailea Luau

Twin Falls Maui

To expand the range of our Maui experience, we decided to go on a hike with nice views of waterfalls. Twin Falls Maui became our destination of choice. It’s located on the other side of the island in Haiku Maui. Unfortunately, a portion of the trail was closed so we did not get an opportunity to hike or view all of the waterfalls.

It’s a relatively easy hike for the lower falls. The hike becomes more difficult if you plan to view the upper falls. Travel buddy had a blast swimming in the lower falls. Of course, I can’t swim (working on resolving this issue) so I had to watch in envy.

Ho’okipa Beach

After leaving Twin Falls we decided to stop at the beautiful Ho’okipa Beach. This is the beach where the giant sea turtles come to shore to lay eggs. Beautiful views from high and crashing waves down at the beach. Plenty of surfers were having a great time but the ocean waters were too rough for us to get in.

Right before sunset every day these giant sea turtles come and beach on the shores on this rocky area of the beach. On this day there had to be approximately 15-20 turtles.

Grand Wailea Luau

The Grand Wailea Luau was located at the Grand Wailea Waldorf Astoria Resort in Wailea. The Luau from 5 pm to 8 pm, was entertaining and an enjoyable 3 hours. It includes a buffet of appetizers & salads, entrees, island-style desserts, and a hosted bar. Pre-show activities include the lei greeting, Hawaiian lawn games, ukulele lessons, Polynesian tattoos, lei making, photos, and the Imu ceremony.

A Polynesian Extravaganza Luau Show

The Luau tells a story about the voyages of La’amaikahiki and Mo’ikeha who first came to the island of Honua‘ula .

Day 4: Things to Do in Maui – Whale Watching

Pacific Whale Foundation

The first official day of the Humpback Whale season we saw 9 humpback whales on this gorgeous Maui day. Pacific Whale Foundation offers several whale-watching packages. We settled on the 3-hour WhaleWatch Deluxe tour out of Ma’alaea.

Right out of the harbor within 10 minutes we saw a couple of whales. Later, we then encountered a group of four whales. Finally seeing the three whales having a competition as shown in the video and photo above.

Whale Sighting Ma’alaea Bay Maui

Ocean Guardian

Maui Teriyaki Maui FishNChips

For dinner, I had a craving for Hawaiian BBQ so we set upon Maui Teriyaki Maui Fish’N Chips. L&L Hawaiian BBQ will never satisfy me the same again. This is the BEST Hawaiian style Teriyaki that I’ve ever had and the Potato Mac Salad is a creation in itself. The absolute best!

Ate the Half & Half Mochiko Chicken Breast and Thighs White Rice, Red Potato Mac Salad, & POG Passion Orange Guava drink! AMAZING!!! If you’re in Maui and want a quick bite that is delicious and not too filling then you should eat here!

Day 5: What to do in Maui – Keawakapu Beach & Mama’s Fish House

Keawakapu Beach

Keawakapu Beach in Kihei is a wonderful beach. I went in the ocean this time with some goggles and for the first time actually floated in the ocean without sinking. A first and great experience. The beach is clean, the water is clear and you can see tropical fish in the water all the way up to the beach.

A family owned restaurant since 1973

Mama’s Fish House is an absolute favorite thing to do in Maui. It is on the pricey side but worth the experience in my opinion. Definitely reference my Yelp! review for additional details.

Day 6: Things to do in Maui – Departure

All good things must come to an end. I spent the last morning at Charley Young Beach and it was so peaceful and relaxing. I definitely took the time to take it all in and just enjoy it.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this list of things to do will provide the readers with some ideas. Especially first-time travelers to the island. The people were great, the energy was right. Vacation Frequency closed out 2019 with a bang and Maui in December may become an annual trip event. I’m looking forward to next year.

If you’ve traveled to Maui or any other island, what activities or areas to visit do you recommend? Drop a comment below to share with our readers!

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Things to do in Maui

Jump to section:

Day 1: Things to Do in Maui – Arrival

Airbnb Maui

First Meal in Maui Monkeypod Kitchen

Airbnb Maui

First Meal in Maui Monkeypod Kitchen

First Night’s Maui Sunset Charley Young Beach

Day 2: Things to Do in Maui – Beach Day

Charley Young Beach

Makena Beach State Park (Big Beach) Maui

Coconut’s Fish Cafe

Ohana Seafood Bar & Grill

Day 3: Things to Do in Maui – Twin Falls (Hike & Water Falls) and Grand Wailea Luau

Twin Falls Maui

Ho’okipa Beach

Grand Wailea Luau

Day 4: Things to Do in Maui – Whale Watching

Pacific Whale Foundation

Maui Teriyaki Maui FishNChips

Day 5: What to do in Maui – Keawakapu Beach & Mama’s Fish House

Keawakapu Beach

A family owned restaurant since 1973

Day 6: Things to do in Maui – Departure

Conclusion

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