Self Drive Day Tour. Maui ex Lahaina, feedback sought!

Hi all we are docking (or tendering) at Lahaina for the day, schedule 0800am to 9.00pm.

I was planning to hire a car and take the family to Iao Needle for a quick look, then was looking at backtracking slightly to possibly Kihei or further down for a bit of time at the beach , something to eat etc. Now I was then considering of hitting Haleakala crater...either mid afternoon or even timing things so we were up there for sunset just after 6pm. This would still give me just on 2 hours to get back to Lahaina, do an after hours drop off of the car, grab a taxi back to the pier to grab one of the last tenders back to the ship....Phew! I've mapped it out in google maps and the driving times seem reasonable.

So I was wondering for those that are a little more experience than me (1st time to Maui!) is the itinerary overall too aggressive? Or is the sunset option a bit too risky, or should be fine if I'm happy for a long day and driving Back in the dark etc? And the BIG question is it even worth it to hang out for the sunset up at Haleakala..as I've heard mostly the sun rise is to die for....

I am ok with driving and really want to make the most of our 1 day in Maui, without feeling we see are madly rushing about trying to squeeze too much in. lol I was looking at the road to Hana as well at one point and that's when I said woah boy!!

A completely different option is to head over to Lanai island doe some snorkelling, but we wil be doing a lot of that in Oahu,and then on Tahiti in between all our sea days back to Australia so thought staying on land would be a good idea!

Thanks for any and all Input!!

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If sunset is just after 6 and the ship sails at 9, it's cutting it too close for comfort. You need to allow 2 hours to drive back to Kaanapali (where the car rental agencies are) - and that doesn't give you any leeway for traffic delays. If everything went according to plans, you might make it, but you'd probably be a little anxious about it the whole way back from Haleakala.

A better plan IMO would be to go to Iao Valley and then Haleakala (otherwise, you're backtracking by going to Iao Valley, south Maui & Haleakala). Haleakala is spectacular to see in the daytime, and you get to drive both ways in daylight, rather than one way in the dark. Kula Lodge is on the way to Haleakala .. a great place to stop for lunch. Or you could go to a restaurant in Paia instead.

After Haleakala, I would head to beaches north of Kaanapali for swimming/snorkelling (and not try to fit in S. Maui). There are several good beaches to choose from; you'll be able to relax without the worry of the long drive and potential traffic issues getting back to the rental agency. There are lots of places to eat at between Kapalua and Lahaina ... all types of food, in all price ranges.

Having lived in Maui & many visits as a tourist, I agree with 'Susan-M' that it would be too much for me to do in one day. I've been to Haleakala for sunrise & sunset and to me sunset wasn't great. Another thing to consider about a drive to Haleakala is that many times the crater becomes obscured in clouds around midday. The summit is at 10,000 feet so anyone with health issues should consider that fact.

An alternative to consider would be to go directly to Haleakala if you want a better chance to view the crater without hiking into it. The Tedeschi Maui Winery in Ulapalakua (upcountry near Kula) is a fun stop to sample their wines including one from pineapple. The Kula Lodge is an enjoyable but not inexpensive spot for lunch with a great view & a garden to wander filled with local plants.

Then you could either go to one of the many easily accessible South Maui beaches in Wailea & Makena or follow Susan's suggestion to return to the Lahaina area for a West Maui beach visit. There's only a 2 lane road to & from the Lahaina area & from central or south Maui a 45 minute drive. If traffic is bad or there is a traffic accident there is no good alternative & the drive can easily take twice as long. So don't leave yourself too little time getting back to the ship & it's why Susan's suggestion to return to the West Maui area (Ka'anapali/Napili/Kapalua) may be best. I'd hate to see you miss the ship & to me it'd be less worrisome to enjoy time in that area. Even Lahaina is a fun town to walk about with shops, dining & historical sites. During the Hawaiian monarchy Lahaina was the capital & it was also a major whaling center.

With only a day that would be my suggestion & to not go to I'ao Valley which is nice but would be too much for me to do in one day. I don't know your "must see" spots & thus not suggesting what you should do. To me too many visitors try to see too much in a short period of time & see many things from their car. This may be a once in a lifetime visit for you but I'd recommend seeing fewer things & have more time to more fully enjoy them...Aloha. :D

Well thank you both Astro Flyer and Susan-M to have replied so quickly! I think I needed that reality check lol

I am normally not one of those that trys to see to much, remembers too little but the beauty of Maui seems to have got the better of me! I am keen to visit the Iao Valley but we might then head up to Haleakala straight after during the day...then we have the whatever time left to chill out and visit a beach or have a look around Lahaina town itself.

The suggestions for lunch and winery visit have been duly noted for inclusion in the itinerary also;):p

Aloha!

Another vote for not trying to cram too much into any port. It is a tender port so that's a major consideration, especially as you won't have first priority on the tenders unless you're high up on the list (in high category cabin, high on the loyalty levels, etc.).

My first time to Hawaii was one of those three islands in nine days (which included travel, so really less) and the tour company took care of driving, etc. We had a couple of days in Maui which included a trip up to Haleakala. That's a bit of a trek uphill and it could be hard for some people because of the altitude. My hubby's rule on cruises is no renting of cars as he wants to relax, which means leaving the driving to others. An even bigger rule is always be back on board an hour early as trying to catch up with the ship at another port will be stressful (and actually would be illegal for some Hawaiian itineraries as you might violate the PVSA).

You never know if you can return to any port, but often things work out that you can and do the things you didn't have time or didn't know about the first time. Our last three cruises were the Hawaiian RTs on Princess because we love this cruise.

Well thank you both Astro Flyer and Susan-M to have replied so quickly! I think I needed that reality check lol

 

I am normally not one of those that trys to see to much, remembers too little but the beauty of Maui seems to have got the better of me! I am keen to visit the Iao Valley but we might then head up to Haleakala straight after during the day...then we have the whatever time left to chill out and visit a beach or have a look around Lahaina town itself.

 

The suggestions for lunch and winery visit have been duly noted for inclusion in the itinerary also;):p

 

Aloha!

Have a great day in Maui & maybe you should return again to explore more of the Valley Isle. :)

Our Melbourne cruising friends...Russell & Louise...recently went to Oahu & they want to go again. I'm trying to get them to stay with us in Maui and hopefully it happens. Each island has their strong points but I have to agree with the Hawaiians who say "Maui No Ka Oi"...Maui is best. :D

Just in case it's not obvious, cruising & Maui are high on my list of travel options and don't hesitate to ask any question...G'day!

QE2Fan.. I think you'll really enjoy your revised itinerary...Maui is a wonderful island to explore on your own and that amount of driving in the time that you have is manageable. As well, it makes sense to be back on the ship well ahead of sail time, with Tahiti as your next stop 6 days later.

Iao is a quick stop (you could make it longer if you visit the Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens, but if you do, I would only do a quick walk through...it's right next to Iao Valley Needle parking area, and it's free - the only cost at Iao Valley is the $5. parking charge.)

Visiting a south Maui beach after Haleakala would get you to a beach a little quicker than going back to Kaanapali, but from Wailea to Kaanapali is an hour's drive, so I would keep both options open (Wailea and Kaanapali/Kapalua beaches) and see how your timing goes that day.

Enjoy!

Thanks again guys!! We will have had a week in Waikiki prior to the cruise, and I have had to do up a schedule to work out what spare time we have lol! We are so excited as I've been to Hawaii before but first time for the rest of the family. I fell in love with her back then and know the family will feel the same! My wife is already taking about a 'regular' trip...so next time defiantly more time on the Islands!! I'm happy with the revised itinerary and yes can keep the afternoon leg a little more flexible...although as the car drop off is in Kaanapali it makes sense to make our beach stop up that way also. I have been looking at Napali Bay for a bit of a snorkel and leisurely swim. But if we are back in that area we can change our minds and do any of a few ideas....as you say at lest we will be nearby and ready to head back to the ship nice and early! I def don't want to miss her and have to find my own way to Tahiti!! So thanks again and ALOHA!!

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Thanks again guys!! We will have had a week in Waikiki prior to the cruise, and I have had to do up a schedule to work out what spare time we have lol! We are so excited as I've been to Hawaii before but first time for the rest of the family. I fell in love with her back then and know the family will feel the same! My wife is already taking about a 'regular' trip...so next time defiantly more time on the Islands!! I'm happy with the revised itinerary and yes can keep the afternoon leg a little more flexible...although as the car drop off is in Kaanapali it makes sense to make our beach stop up that way also. I have been looking at Napali Bay for a bit of a snorkel and leisurely swim. But if we are back in that area we can change our minds and do any of a few ideas....as you say at lest we will be nearby and ready to head back to the ship nice and early! I def don't want to miss her and have to find my own way to Tahiti!! So thanks again and ALOHA!!

There is a "Revealed" series of guidebooks for each island ((Maui Revealed, etc) which led me to discover new places to visit. As long as you heed their warnings about checking weather conditions you'll have a great time. It's probably more information than you need for a one-day visit however if you return I would highly recommend these guidebooks.

On the north end of Ka'anapali Beach is the area they call Black Rock which when the conditions are right is an excellent spot to snorkel. In the middle of Ka'anapali Beach is the outdoor Whalers Village shopping center which contains retail shops and restaurants plus a free whaling museum. That's also where the public parking lot is located & many of the restaurants validate to give you a couple hours of free parking. There is a public parking lot for Black Rock near the Sheraton hotel however it's much smaller and more difficult to find a parking spot. One of our favorite places to eat is Hula Grill's Barefoot Bar where you sit at tables in the sand under umbrellas across from the beach. Sometimes even during the daytime they have free live entertainment & it's a fun spot to eat and have drinks.

Sounds like a great plan & having enough time to be flexible and to comfortably get back on the ship. If you want to enjoy Hawaiian music tune to KPOA 93.5 & if there's a major accident you may learn about it to adjust your plans accordingly.

My vote would be to skip the beach, go to Haliakala first, then to IO valley

One thing that I didn't see any of the posters mention is, how how you going to get back to Lahaina after you turn in your car? These are not large agencies, and, when I did this, the last shuttle back to Lahaina was at 4pm. Of course, we had the advantage of staying overnight in Lahaina, so, it wasn't a big deal. On the 2nd day, we went snorkling in the morning, goofed off in Lahaina until noon, turned in the car, and were back to the ship by 4pm

...how you going to get back to Lahaina after you turn in your car?

...do an after hours drop off of the car, grab a taxi back to the pier to grab one of the last tenders back to the ship....Phew!

QE2_Fan posted how he's getting back to the tender which is why the other posters didn't mention it.

There is a "Revealed" series of guidebooks for each island ((Maui Revealed, etc) which led me to discover new places to visit. As long as you heed their warnings about checking weather conditions you'll have a great time. It's probably more information than you need for a one-day visit however if you return I would highly recommend these guidebooks.

 

On the north end of Ka'anapali Beach is the area they call Black Rock which when the conditions are right is an excellent spot to snorkel. In the middle of Ka'anapali Beach is the outdoor Whalers Village shopping center which contains retail shops and restaurants plus a free whaling museum. That's also where the public parking lot is located & many of the restaurants validate to give you a couple hours of free parking. There is a public parking lot for Black Rock near the Sheraton hotel however it's much smaller and more difficult to find a parking spot. One of our favorite places to eat is Hula Grill's Barefoot Bar where you sit at tables in the sand under umbrellas across from the beach. Sometimes even during the daytime they have free live entertainment & it's a fun spot to eat and have drinks.

 

Sounds like a great plan & having enough time to be flexible and to comfortably get back on the ship. If you want to enjoy Hawaiian music tune to KPOA 93.5 & if there's a major accident you may learn about it to adjust your plans accordingly.

Wow I must say thanks again for the insider tips!! It's what makes this place such a great place to share information!

The hints for guidebooks is great (we have downloaded the GyPSie app for this trip) and particular regarding parking is awesome as appreciate in many instances there is little public parking, particularly around the more built up resort areas.

And the tip on Whalers Village...I am hoping my lovely wife will be shopped out from Waikiki else she might request a one way shuttle straight to the shops!! Lol! If we don't drop off the car earlier to get the last shuttle back to Lahania then sounds like some nice spots for our last meal on land for a week!! KPOA 93.5 will get programmed into the radio prior to leaving the car lot [emoji2]

The car hire shuttle is great but yes as the last one is quite early in the afternoon (our ship doesn't leave until 9pm) I did not want our days plans to be restricted by that so checked they are good with late returns and booking a taxi to take us back into town. But now with our revised plans it could even work out for the best where we hang out on lovely Lahaina town for a couple of hours. I'm happy now that we have the flexibility to change our minds whereas I appreciate our earlier plans were rather restricted and time sensitive.

Thanks again!! Matt

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My vote would be to skip the beach, go to Haliakala first, then to IO valley

 

Iao Valley tends to get socked in with clouds by mid day ... better to go early for good views of the needle.

Thanks for all the excellent info and advice. We are on Pride of America, so have two days on Maui and I appreciate all this information.

Mahalo!

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Hi everyone was just reading the information on here and was wondering for any info you would like to share. We done a cruise last year and Maui was one of the stops. We met some fantastic people, and are now going there for 6 days to meet up (we are all from Australia) and celebrate a 60th. I want to hire a car (Mustang Convertible) and take in all the wonderful sights of Maui. Would love any recommendations of places, too see and eat that you have experienced!

thanks in advance

Hi everyone was just reading the information on here and was wondering for any info you would like to share. We done a cruise last year and Maui was one of the stops. We met some fantastic people, and are now going there for 6 days to meet up (we are all from Australia) and celebrate a 60th. I want to hire a car (Mustang Convertible) and take in all the wonderful sights of Maui. Would love any recommendations of places, too see and eat that you have experienced!

 

thanks in advance

G'day! What types of things I like to do may be much different than what you like to do which makes it difficult to make recommendations. I've lived in Maui & have also spent a lot of time there as a tourist & both can have different perspectives about what to do on the Valley Isle. In my opinion the best guidebook to use is "Maui Revealed".

Things such as the Road to Hana or a drive from sea level to the 10,000 foot summit of Haleakala can be long days but still enjoyable. I prefer the South Maui beaches in Wailea & Makena because of their accessibility & combination of beach options including snorkeling. If you haven't experienced a luau, I agree with experts who recommend the Old Lahaina Luau as the best one in Hawaii. Also in Lahaina is the Feast at Lele which is a sitdown table service all-inclusive meal & Polynesian show on the beach. Each show has 4 performances & food from different Polynesian cultures...Maori, Tahitian, Samoan & Hawaiian. Lahaina is the former capital of the Hawaiian monarchy & a former major whaling center and a fun walk-about with shops and restaurants. Our favorite place to eat local style 'grindz' is Da Kitchen which is always full of locals enjoying their food. They have two locations...one just outside of the airport has table service & the other is an order at the counter and sit at the table location in Kihei...both are Ono-licious! :D

That's just a quick summary & if any of these interest you don't hesitate to ask and myself or others may be able to provide you with some useful information.

Aloha! :)

Azudo ... what time of year will you be there, and are you staying in West or South Maui?

Just to add to AstroFlyer's good advice, suggest that you also research on Cruise Critic's 'sister-site', Tripadvisor. Here's a link to the Maui forum. On that page, the "Top Questions" on the right side of the page has links to a lot of useful information that should be of help with your trip planning. Scrolling through the first few pages of threads should also reveal some topics of interest to you ... and if you post there, you'll get lots of helpful feedback.

Hey Azudo!

You are in good hands here to get some great tips and ideas as I have been lucky to receive!

But as Astro Flyer suggest it will depend to a large degree on what you want to get out do the visit. Go and do some research on the sites and guises they've suggested and then get a feel for the activities or sights you may want to include. Being their overnight you have the luxury to also do some activities that we had to miss being there only for a day. A sunrise or sunset at Haleakala crater would be awesome, or so,e nightlife on Lahania, a Luau etc are all options. Good luck with getting your itinerary on order, rest assured you won't run out of things to do!!

Thanks for all your help! We are staying at the Sherraton to the North of the Island and will be there early September. I will look up the sights you have listed, thanks again!

That's a nice resort and location - it's in West Maui. This map is included in the Driver's Guide that you'll get when you pick up your rental car - lots of useful information it it, and you can browse through it on line prior to your trip by clicking on the 'contents' link at the top.

Thanks for all your help! We are staying at the Sherraton to the North of the Island and will be there early September. I will look up the sights you have listed, thanks again!

The Sheraton is located on the north end of West Maui's Ka'anapali Beach. There is a good snorkeling spot at the lava point called Black Rock which I've scuba dived at night. The Whaler's Village shopping center is in the middle of Ka'anapali Beach with many shops & restaurants plus a free whaling museum.

The Sheraton is located on the north end of West Maui's Ka'anapali Beach. There is a good snorkeling spot at the lava point called Black Rock which I've scuba dived at night. The Whaler's Village shopping center is in the middle of Ka'anapali Beach with many shops & restaurants plus a free whaling museum.

Hi Frank,

Just found some very useful info from you, thanks. This will be our 4th time to Hawaii and this time we thought we'd just browse around Lahaina instead of renting a car. Is there a way to get to a daytime Luau that you recommend without renting a car? Would there be A shuttle? A cab? Would I need to make reservations ahead of time?

Warm regards,

Eileen

There is bus service from behind the wharf shopping center in lahaina to Whaler's Village in Kaanapali Beach. The bus leaves on the half hour and returns on the hour. It costs $2 per ride or you can buy a day pass for $5. The day pass is good if you plan to transfer and continue to Kapalua.

There is lots to do both in Lahaina and Kaanapali. Enjoy you carless day on the west side!

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There is bus service from behind the wharf shopping center in lahaina to Whaler's Village in Kaanapali Beach. The bus leaves on the half hour and returns on the hour. It costs $2 per ride or you can buy a day pass for $5. The day pass is good if you plan to transfer and continue to Kapalua.

There is lots to do both in Lahaina and Kaanapali. Enjoy you carless day on the west side!

I've read posts that say it's very busy when a ship is in port which can result in delays getting on the bus there & at Whaler's Village SC.

Hi Frank' date='

 

 

 

Just found some very useful info from you, thanks. This will be our 4th time to Hawaii and this time we thought we'd just browse around Lahaina instead of renting a car. Is there a way to get to a daytime Luau that you recommend without renting a car? Would there be A shuttle? A cab? Would I need to make reservations ahead of time?

 

 

 

Warm regards,

 

Eileen[/quote']

 

Aloha Eileen!

 

So now you've discovered my other travel passion besides cruising...Hawaii & particularly Maui. :D

 

We usually walk around Lahaina & as posted there's an inexpensive shuttlebus to Whalers Village although it may be very crowded. I've read that Aloha Mixed Plate is owned by the same people as the adjacent Old Lahaina Luau (http://www.alohamixedplate.com). So you could sample some luau food & if you look at their website they're just across from the beach. It's located across the street from the air condition Lahaina Cannery Mall and according to Google it's 1.2 miles and a 23 minute walk or a 5 minute car ride.

 

If you want to email me use my CC name with an underscore _ between the words plus at msn dot com