So, your long-awaited tropical vacation to Maui has almost arrived. You’ve made it through the dreary days at work by daydreaming about soaking up the sun, watching for whales, exploring every nook and cranny on the road to Hana, and basking in the beauty of the Valley Isle– you hope everything will be perfect.

Unfortunately, the expectation of ‘perfect’ can leave some visitors feeling disappointed. Maybe it rained on their trip, they didn’t see any whales, etc. The only way to truly make your trip to Maui perfect is to adjust your expectations, know that any day spent on Maui is better than a day spent on the mainland, and simply enjoy your time! So, let’s debunk some of the most common visitor assumptions with 13 expectations vs reality:

EXPECTATION:

Maui has perfect weather every day.

Reality: This might be the number one assumption about Maui. After all, Maui is touted as a warm and sunny paradise. But without rain, there are no rainbows, no waterfalls, no rainforest, and the island becomes a lot less appealing. November-April is Hawaii’s rainy season, and you can expect some showers during this time, especially on the road to Hana (hello, waterfalls!). Generally speaking, the North and East facing areas of Maui experience more rain than the South and West facing areas. If you are looking for sun, South Maui will at least give you the best opportunity to catch those sweet tropical rays. You may hear the phrase “just wait 5 minutes” about the rain on the island and many times this is true. The trade winds usually keep the weather moving and showers tend to pass quickly.

EXPECTATION:

You’ll be in the sun, all day, every day.

Reality: Unless you’re from somewhere like Cancun and thoroughly familiar with the power of the sun, you won’t be soaking in those UV rays all day, every day. You just won’t. You can try, but unless you’re extremely careful, a sunburn is bound to sneak up on you. But don’t sweat it; there are plenty of other things to do on Maui that don’t involve that harsh star of ours. For instance, you could spend a day wandering the dark hallways of the Maui Ocean Center or head up to the Upcountry town of Makawao to watch some glass blowing, do some shopping, and grab a bite to eat. Upcountry is a nice area to watch the sunset as well if you want to finish out your day in this area. Most of the parks in the area have amazing views of Central Maui and the western horizon.

EXPECTATION:

Everyone and everything on Maui will be punctual.

Reality: Maui time, brah. Ever heard of it? Things move a little slower out here in the Pacific. It’s all good; just roll with it. If things are moving too slowly for you, flip on the radio and play some island reggae. The slow beat will help you adjust to the pace of the island. Maui is full of beauty, and slowing down gives you extra opportunities to look around. Enjoy it!

EXPECTATION:

You’ll spot whales breaching left and right, even in June.

Reality: If you’re visiting in February or March, this expectation could be a reality. However, whales won’t start showing up until about October/November. Even then, they’re few and far between and not super active after their long journey from Alaska. However, once January rolls around, you’ll see plenty on the island’s south and west sides. The humpbacks seem to like the shallow channels in these areas. You can get some great views of the whales in their natural habitat aboard a top-rated whale watch with Kai Kanani.

EXPECTATION:

You can mosey up to Haleakala sunrise without a reservation.

Reality: Sadly, the days of deciding to see the Haleakala sunrise on a whim the night before are gone. Reservations are required to enter Haleakala National Park between 3 and 7 a.m., and boy, are the sunrise reservations a hot commodity, so book as early as possible. There are other options, however. Take Haleakala EcoTours, for example. You can still enjoy the sunrise, and better yet, someone else drives you through the dark to the summit. The sunset is also nice from Haleakala and you donʻt need a reservation for the park in the evening.

EXPECTATION:

You can rock up to any beach willy-nilly.

Reality: Times are-a-changin’, and some beaches around the state require entry fees and reservations. Reservations are needed to visit Waiʻanapanapa State Park in Hana, and there is a fee to enter Makena State Park, Big Beach. However, since the money goes back into preserving the ʻaina (land) for future generations, I can get behind it.

EXPECTATION:

You have to drive to get to Hana.

Reality: Ah the Road to Hana, one of Maui’s most notorious drives- thrilling for some, harrowing for others. But did you know you could skip the drive entirely? Hana is home to a teeny airport, and there are several daily flights to Hana from OGG with Mokulele Airlines.

But perhaps you are one of those people who find the drive thrilling and are looking to up the ante. Would you consider flying yourself to Hana? I’m here to tell you that it’s possible with Fly Maui. You can take a discovery flight, essentially your first flight school lesson, and learn to fly in the skies above East Maui. You’ll also still be able to take in all of Hana’s best sites, including Kahanu Garden and Waiʻanapanapa State Park, both located in close proximity to the Hana airport.

EXPECTATION:

You’ll be ticking off every item on your overloaded itinerary.

Reality: Didn’t you come to Maui to relax? Take a day off, sheesh. If you don’t see everything, you’ll just have to come back. But seriously, we have lived here for years and still havenʻt done everything there is to do. We are big fans of doing an activity every other day and cruising on the beach or taking it easy on the days in between. You should not need an immediate vacation after your Maui vacation.

EXPECTATION:

You have to spend an entire day on a crowded tour boat to visit Molokini.

Reality: Not true at all these days. Thanks to Redline Rafting, you can nix the crowded boat and six-hour day on the water. Redline Rafting gets snorkelers from Kihei Boat Ramp to Molokini in 15 minutes flat. Here, you can snorkel for a while, see all the sights, and then head back for lunch on dry land. Not to mention, Redline’s speedy raft can only hold a handful of people. Redline Rafting is also the tour company you want to take a Maui whale-watching tour with if you are visiting during whale season (November – April). The vantage point, small group, and the speedy raft will get you right into the action and you won’t have to stand on your tippy toes to see.

EXPECTATION:

The only place worth snorkeling is Molokini.

Reality: While Molokini is a sight to behold, the crater isn’t Maui’s exclusive snorkeling site. The reefs around Kaʻanapali are home to a bounty of color, and lucky for you, Trilogy offers several sailing tours that head directly to the best spots. Across the pond, the neighboring island of Lanaʻi also boasts a network of reefs and a thriving dolphin population.

NOTE: West Maui experienced extreme tragedy in August 2023 as a wildfire devastated the town of Lahaina and the surrounding area. Please be respectful of a community rebuilding after losing many loved ones if you visit this area. Please do not try to access restricted areas, instead volunteer to help.

Additionally, there is a collection of crystalline coves at the base of the ‘Pali’ well worth checking out. The only catch? These reefs are exclusively accessed by boats. However, Maui Custom Charters is in the business of exclusiveness, offering ultra-private snorkeling tours to sequestered coves and other nearby snorkel sites. While snorkeling at a secluded reef is excellent to begin with, the service provided by the Nova crew takes the experience to the next level.  

EXPECTATION:

You’ll forge your own path and find a million secret spots on the road to Hana.

Reality: POV: You were told about this super sweet secret waterfall, but you find a fence and a No Trespassing sign once you get there. What do you do?

Hopefully, you don’t hop over the fence. People, in general, don’t particularly like it when strangers come wandering through their backyard, through their farm, or worse, through their ancestor’s iwi (sacred burial grounds). However, East Maui is huge, and there are still plenty of safe, legal places where you can get off the beaten track. You just gotta know where to go and go with permitted guides. That’s where Hana and Beyond comes in. Their owners and guides ARE Hana locals. These are the trusted guides you want to share about their home.

You may also see signs that say KAPU. Kapu means sacred or forbidden in Hawaii and you should take these signs as a serious warning not to stay away. On top of “no trespassing”, Kapu usually means someone is ready to defend this area in a matter you do not want to encounter. Take this seriously.

EXPECTATION:

The ocean is no more powerful than back home.

Reality: No chance um! Maui is surrounded by thousands of miles of open ocean, and the seas here are more powerful than they look. So pay attention to the warning signs, and don’t swim at places like Big Beach, DT Fleming, and the North Shore. This goes for rocky areas and blowholes around the ocean as well. If the area is wet it means the water could come crashing down and sweep you out to sea at any moment. Sadly, there is usually not enough time to perform a successful rescue if this happens. Stay safe out there!

If you want to hit the waves, go with a Maui surf instructor. They’ll take you to the safest spots and teach you what to look for in the currents and tides. If you’re a little more advanced, most surf schools offer personalized lessons too.

Expectation:

Everywhere on Maui is warm.

Reality: It can get cold, even in the tropics. Haleakala often sees below-freezing temperatures, and the Upcountry area regularly sees temps in the 60s down to the 40s in select areas. We even see snow on Haleakala from time to time and it is a beautiful sight. However, Haleakala National Park usually closes if there is any snow up there due to unsafe road conditions and a lack of guardrails. Even some cool wet air in the evening after a long day in the sun can feel cold enough to want a sweater so definitely pack a light jacket if you are visiting and maybe more if you are planning to visit Haleakala for sunrise.

 

We hope that these expectations vs. realities have you feeling more prepared to visit our beautiful island. We look forward to seeing you around Maui.

Aloha!