Our Top 20 Maui Travel Tips for First Time Visitors

Over the last 12 years, we have visited Maui three times, in different seasons and with varying budgets. But throughout them all, we’ve visited pretty much every corner of the island, exploring the best things to do along the way. So we have a pretty well rounded view on what it’s like to visit Maui for all sorts of travel preferences!

And in this guide we’re sharing our top Maui travel tips based on our three visits to the island. Ranging from tips to keep you (and your belongings!) safe, important planning logistics, and ways you can be a respectful visitor to the islands.

1. Respect the locals

Our first, and most important, Maui travel tip is to respect the locals! Unfortunately, some tourists to Maui display some pretty bad behavior, which has left a sour taste in some locals’ mouths. So please do your best to be a considerate visitor to the island.

Here are a handful of easy ways to respect the locals:

• Obey all laws and signage. Do not trespass or enter an area that is not allowed.
• Do not stop in the middle of the road or block traffic to get photos.
• Learn about Hawaii’s history and Hawaiian culture. While Hawaii is technically part of the United States, it has its own culture and language. There are a lot of important historical events that have occurred that have shaped the islands into what they are today.
• Respect the ‘Āina (land). This means no littering, not harassing wildlife, not taking home rocks or sand, and wearing reef safe sunscreen to protect the ocean.
• Support the local community!

2. Do not harass wildlife

Another hugely important Maui travel tip is to NOT harass wildlife! You will likely encounter green sea turtles (honu), monk seals, and other wildlife when visiting the island. Sometimes the turtles will be right on the beach! However, you are legally required to keep your distance from these animals, as well as never touch them or feed them. For sea turtles, you need to stay at least 10 feet away, while for monk seals you need to stay 50 feet away. This NOAA guide has good information for other wildlife as well.

Recently, a tourist threw a rock at a monk seal. And let’s just say, it did not go well for him.

3. It’s very expensive

Prepare your wallet: Maui is NOT cheap to visit! While there are now more flights from the mainland, making them a bit more affordable than what we used to pay years ago, what will get you are lodging and food costs. 

On our most recent trip to Maui (April 2026), we struggled to find lodging at a hotel under $300 a night. Even our private room at a hostel (with a shared bathroom), was $170+ a night. There are some more affordable ways to stay on the island though, like tent camping or a cabin at Wai’anapanapa State Park, but it will be less comfortable. Need help figuring out where to stay on Maui? We’re sharing our top places to stay, across all price points, in this guide!

As for food, expect most meals to cost anywhere from $15-$30 per person at most food trucks and casual restaurants. Even more if you go to a finer dining spot!

4. A rental car is a must

Even if you plan to just hang out at your resort most of the trip, you will want a rental car when visiting Maui. There is very little public transportation and it would be much more of a hassle than it’s worth!

Any type of vehicle works, but many people opt to get a Jeep or a convertible for a more fun ride. Just keep in mind that these will be more expensive, provide less security for your belongings, and you may get rained on. Plus, you won’t be doing any off-roading or going fast, so you won’t really get to enjoy the perks of having one, minus feeling the wind as you drive. 

We have rented a Jeep, convertible, and regular cars during our many trips to Hawaii. And the type of car has never had much impact on our enjoyment of the trip. So if you’re on a budget, don’t feel like you need a more fun car to have a good time! 

5. Do not keep valuables in your car

Unfortunately, car break-ins can be common on Maui. This is especially the case at trailheads, more remote beach parking lots, and along the Road to Hana. So make sure to never leave valuables (or really anything) in your car. And if you have to leave items in the car, we suggest putting it in the trunk before you arrive at your destination. While thieves know that your trunk may have items in it, it’s a little less enticing than having items in the back seat.

If you need somewhere to store your belongings while you explore, we suggest seeing if your hotel can store your luggage. Or you can use a service like Island Locker Life, which we will share more about in a bit!

6. Pack a change of clothes for upon arrival

If you’re coming from the western part of the United States, you may land in Maui in the late morning or early afternoon. And since your hotel room may not be ready for check in, we suggest having your swimsuit, beach clothes, flip flops, and any other items you may want easily accessible in your carry on bag. That way, you can change in the lobby and head to the beach or pool!

This will not only be helpful if your checked bag gets lost, but it will also save you from having to dig through all of your luggage in the lobby to find everything you need. That way, you can begin exploring right away!

7. Weather varies by area

Maui has two different climate zones. The Windward side (North and East Maui)  is where the wind comes off the ocean and creates a more wet and lush landscape. While the Leeward side (West and South Maui) is where wind is blocked by the West Maui Mountains and Haleakalā, creating a drier and sunnier climate.

This means that you can experience vastly different weather conditions depending on where you are on the island. So if you google “Maui weather” before your trip and it says rain everyday, don’t panic! That may not fully apply to where you’ll be and even if you do experience some rain, it’s typically not all day. For accurate weather forecasts for all areas of the island, we suggest checking out Hawaii Weather Today!

8. Explore one or two regions per day

As the second largest Hawaiian island, Maui is quite a bit larger than you may think. And with mountains covering much of the island, slower speed limits, and some windy roads, getting around can take a good bit of time.

For that reason, we suggest sticking to one, maybe two, regions per day to limit your driving. If you need help figuring out how to structure your time on the island, get our ready-to-go 5 day Maui itinerary!

9. Don’t eat out every meal

Like we mentioned, Maui is a more expensive destination to visit. And while there are many delicious places to eat on Maui, one easy way to save a bit of money is to not eat out every meal. Some days we will eat out for breakfast and dinner, but pack a lunch, while others we will only indulge in treats, like shave ice, banana bread, or ice cream.

To make this easier, we suggest staying in lodging that has some sort of a kitchen. That way, you can eat more than just sandwiches. We recently stayed at The Mauian Hotel in Napili Bay, which had kitchens in the rooms, but there are also vacation rentals with full kitchens to consider.

10. Pack snacks from the mainland

To save money on food itself, we suggest bringing some snacks from home. You can bring most food items from the mainland, just avoid bringing any fruits or veggies. 

Once on the island, there are many different grocery stores you can visit, like Safeway, Walmart, and Foodland. Kahului (right by the airport!) also has a Costco, which is another good way to save money on snacks and meals. 

To keep your snacks and food items cold throughout the day, we suggest bringing a small cooler bag or buy a styrofoam cooler and fill it with ice! Need snack ideas? You can see a list of our favorite hiking snacks here!

11. Wear reef safe sunscreen

To help do your part to protect the coral reefs, make sure to only wear reef safe sunscreen while on Maui. Most sunscreens will note that they are reef safe, but if you’re unsure, look at this guide to see what ingredients to avoid. We personally used Thinksport sunscreen. Just keep in mind that these types of sunscreens will give you a bit of a white sheen. 

12. Stay safe while snorkeling 

Snorkeling is one of the best things to do on Maui! However, it is highly recommended to wait at least 24 to 72 hours after landing in Hawaii before going snorkeling to avoid Rapid-Onset Pulmonary Edema (ROPE). So at minimum, please do not go snorkeling right after landing.

Besides concerns of ROPE, you also need to be mindful of ocean conditions before hitting the water. Make sure to sign up for the snorkel report from The Snorkel Store to get daily conditions! You can also rent gear from them.

13. Download GuideAlong

We’d suggest downloading the GuideAlong Maui Bundle audio tour to listen to as you drive around Maui. Not only is this a must-have item for a Road to Hana road trip, but it also will give you lots of information, tips, and history for other areas of the island. And one of the best parts is that you don’t need cell service, it will autoplay based on your GPS position.

14. Stay the night in Hana

Driving the Road to Hana is a must-do for any first timer visitor to Maui. And while most people drive it as a day trip, we highly recommend staying the night in Hana! Not only will you have more time to visit all of the stops, but you will also be able to explore some areas with less day trippers around.

During our most recent trip to Maui we stayed in a cabin at Wai’anapanapa State Park, which is one of the most affordable lodging options on Maui. To learn more about the cabin and how to get a reservation, check out our detailed guide to staying at the Wai’anapanapa State Park cabins.

15. Make reservations in advance

There are a handful of activities you will want to book in advance before getting to Maui. First, if you plan to visit Haleakalā National Park at sunrise, you will need a reservation. These are available 60 days and 2 days in advance.

For those who want to see the black sand beach at Wai’anapanapa State Park along the Road to Hana, you will need a timed entry reservation. These become available 30 days in advance!

We also suggest booking tours in advance, like snorkeling tours, especially during spring break, summer break, and around holidays. 

Want to save some money on this tour or experience? Join Tripadvisor Rewards to earn 5% Trip Cash on any hotel or experience booking made in their app, which can be applied to future in-app bookings!

16. Tip your guides

Speaking of tours, don’t forget to tip your guides! Living on Maui is very expensive and many locals work multiple hospitality and tourism jobs, which rely heavily on tips. This guide outlines tipping etiquette for different situations on Maui.

Also, while some tours now offer digital tips through Venmo or PayPal, make sure to bring cash just in case that’s not possible.

17. Bring layers

While Maui overall is a warm, humid climate, if you visit Haleakalā at sunrise (which is at 10,023 feet!) you will need warm layers. So make sure to pack a puffy jacket (Adam’s, Kathryn’s), gloves, a buff or scarf, and a hat. But even if you don’t visit Haleakalā National Park, we recommend bringing a rain jacket (Adam’s, Kathryn’s) to Maui!

Need more help packing? Get our Maui packing list!

18. Get out early

While getting up early may not sound fun on vacation, there are some big perks to getting out early while on Maui. First, you’ll have a better chance to snag parking for popular beaches and hikes. And second, this is when the water is typically calmest, making it the best for snorkeling. 

19. Safely store your luggage

If you need to safely store your luggage or valuables while exploring the island, we highly recommend Island Locker Life! Located in Kahului, close to the airport, this is a great option if you need to store items before your flight home. You can even pay for them to deliver them to you at the airport!

How it works is that you’ll reserve your spot in advance and then upon arriving, you’ll call or text to let them know you’re there. If you’re like us and arrive very early, they will not be on site, so they will give you door codes to access the storage room. They have surveillance cameras and take a photo of you on the camera, that way they can make sure it’s you when you come to pick up your bag.

Since we hopped around a lot during our most recent trip to Maui, we didn’t have anywhere safe to store luggage during a few different occasions. And Island Locker Life really helped us out!

20. Shower before your flight

Every trip we have taken to Maui we have an overnight flight home. This means we get a full final day to explore, but since we have already checked out of our lodging, we have nowhere to shower the sand and salt off of us before the flight.

But you do have some options! On our most recent visit we showered at Planet Fitness, since we are members. So if you’re a member of Planet Fitness or another national gym chain, like Anytime Fitness, this is a great way to get a free shower. But if that’s not an option, Island Locker Life also offers showers for a fee!