Welcome to Backpacker’s Boutique. Every Sunday, this spot will feature a new travel blogger. Some weeks it will be a really fun interview about packing, fashion, and fitness so you can snoop inside their bags & lives a little bit and other weeks it’ll be a detailed luxury guide to a city the featured blogger/expat knows very well. E-mail me if you’d like to be featured.

A Luxury Guide to Kihei

Tell us a little about yourself and tell us why you’re an expert on luxury travel in Kihei in Maui?

I’m a journalist who loves to travel. Thankfully, my fiancé does too. This past year we lived in Florida, California, and Georgia. We’ve visited Maui three times since 2010 and always stay in Kihei.

What makes Kihei a perfect destination for travelers seeking a glamorous trip?

Beautiful sunsets, amazing food, luxurious hotels, and a long list of beautiful beaches make Kihei a glamorous destination.

What 5-star hotel is the best in Kihei?

The Waldorf Astoria’s Grand Wailea is our favorite 5-star hotel in Maui. It is less than five minutes from Kihei. Click here for rates and availability. 

What about boutique hotels in Kihei, of them all, which would you send your friends or family to stay at?

Kamaole Sands is a condo complex that is run like a boutique hotel. The beach is just across the street, and they have an excellent selection of rooms. Click here for rates and availability. 

Are there any fun activities for the adventurous traveler in Kihei?

Our absolute favorite adventure activity is watching the sun rise or set at Haleakalā National Park. Taking a whale watching tour is also a great option for the months of December to April.

What about adventurous travelers wanting to get in the water?

Take a day cruise from Kihei to the “Disneyland of Snorkeling,” more commonly known as Molokini Crater to swim with more than 250 species of fish and marine life.

Where are the best hangouts during the day in Kihei?

Charley Young Beach is the best place to be during the day. 

If you have a big date night, what are the most delicious restaurants in Kihei and what are their best dishes?

The 5 Palms Restaurant at 2960 S Kihei Road is the perfect date night spot. Make a reservation for just before sunset and order the 5 Palms Filet Oscar.

Let’s talk desserts- what place makes the best?

Shaved ice is very popular in Hawaii. Check out Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice.

Tell us all the hot shopping spots; who’s carrying the trendy local designers in Kihei?

The Kihei Kalama Village has more than 40 shopping kiosks selling various items from local artists. We also love the Shops at Wailea, which feature the Maui Clothing Company, Tiffany & Co., Maui Dive Shop, and many more high-end and local retailers.

What are a couple of the best salons and spas in Kihei?

The Hidden Spa at 993 S. Kihei Road has several massage options we love. Locals like J Meier Salon for cuts and color.

Time for a great sunset view in Kihei… where would you go? 

Kama’ole Beach parks have the best spots to watch the sunset. Travelers and residents travel to the beach to watch the sunset almost every day. 

Now that the sun’s gone down fill us on the best places to go for some evening drinks or a great pre-gaming spot.

Check out Three’s Bar & Grill in Kihei’s Kalama Village for cocktails and live music.

If you end the night at a fancy club, which one do you head towards?

Visit the elegant Botero Lounge at the Grand Wailea. For the late night party, visit Ambrosia Maui Martini Lounge.

Jerriann Sullivan is an award-winning journalist. The L.A. Times, Chicago Tribune, and NBC News have published her work. She is the travel editor for Being Abroad. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Google+.

The post Luxury Guide to Kihei first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Luxury Guide to Kihei appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Ben and I talk about Hawaii a lot. We even want to move there! But no worries, India is still home. When we were leaving I asked Ben of all the things to do in Hawaii, what his favorite bits were about Hawaii and they were pretty similar to mine, which I want to share here. There are a lot of guides out there saying what you should do, like the “Road to Hana”, but when I ask friends about their vacations, I just want their best memories, not a guide book answer.

10 Favorite Things to do in Hawaii

1. Surf Classes with Nancy’s Surf Clinic

I loved surfing! I really want to do more of it. It was such a rush. I remember when I got obsessed with learning to snowboard years ago, and this is kind of like that. I know I’ll be surfing again. Read more about my lessons in this article: 10 Adventures to have in Maui.

2. Staying at the Modern Hotel

It is one of my favorite hotels ever! It was so cool to have a suite and such a great view of the ocean. The hotel was pricey and I reviewed it for this blog. I know it’s not in everyone’s budget for a suite, but the standard rooms are really nice too and around $300 which is the norm for Waikiki. Read my review of Modern Hotel here.

3. Old Lahaina Luau

Ben and I both loved the laua! I didn’t think it was tacky or too overly touristy. I mean, yes it was full of tourists but it was such a beautiful show. It was right on the beach, there was a stunning sunset and delicious food. Read more about this in my Guide to Maui.

4. Flying in a helicopter with Air Maui

I got chills and almost “happy tears” while flying with Air Maui. While in the helicopter, they went over to the waterfalls in the valleys of the green lush mountains. They got so close to the water! It was incredible and there was this cool soundtrack playing in our headphones. Read more about my time with Air Maui there if you want.

5. Living like a local in Spreck’s Plantation

I loved the last two nights when we stayed at Spreck’s Plantation house. It was just 10 minutes from the airport so was good to get all our shopping down and close to the rental car drop off. It was by far the most affordable place we stayed and they had bicycles, laundry, and snorkling equipment you can borrow. For more info check out my Guide to Lodging in Maui.

6. Snorkling in such clear Maui water

Snorkeling here was better than anywhere I’ve done, which used to be Ko Tao as the best. I had a blast out with Alli Nui on a catamaran. It was a 6 hour tour with a local Hawaiian lunch and other snacks. You can snorkel on our own as well and there are rental places just about everywhere. If you want more information on Alli Nui check out this article: 10 top adventures in Maui.

7. Having freedom of a rental car

Normally I don’t rent a car when I travel, but I guess most of my big trips were outside the US. Having a rental car in Maui let us see the whole island while we were there- I’m talking all over the place! When we had no plans we went for a drive and found things to do. Of course the road to Hana was one. I wrote about the car companies we used in my Guide to Maui.

8. The views: sunsets, rainbows, beaches

I used to think India had some of the best sunsets, but that was because I hadn’t seen Hawaii’s! I mean, every day we saw a rainbow… I think because of all the mist in the air? Maui is one of the wettest places on earth, and one of the windiest! The views on the road to Hana were great, but actually the route from Lahaina south had amazing views, many of which are whale watching points which sadly wasn’t in season while I was there.

9. Eating in hippie Paia town

We liked Paia so much that we ended up staying at the Paia Inn in the center of town. Many of the top foods in Maui are in Paia from the fish market to the cafes and a little Mexican place. I particularly loved the sandwiches from Mana Foods! Check out my guide to food and shopping in Paia for more.

10. The massage I got at Montage Hotel

This was a life-changing massage. I’m not kidding: lomi lomi Hawaiian style with hot stones done by a woman that could read my mind. There were saunas, steam rooms, and waterfall outdoor showers. I loved every second of this spa. I did check out 3 spas in Maui, but this was the best.

The post My Favorite Memories | 10 Things to do in Hawaii first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post My Favorite Memories | 10 Things to do in Hawaii appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Maui is a stunning island in Hawaii! I spent a few weeks in Hawaii and wrote a number of articles about my time, but wanted it to be kind of all together in one article. There are links throughout this guide to Maui so you can read more.

Which Area to Stay in Maui:

I’ll start out with a little map I made to show the areas of Maui. This can help you choose which area to get a hotel.

When you fly in you’ll land in Kahului at the top center. As you can see, Lahaina is a high-end area with great beaches, similar to Kapalua which is a little north. Paia is the hippie town which starts the road to Hana and Makawao in the middle is cowboy land called “upcountry”. Kihei is touristy and has a bar area called The Triangle. 

I stayed in four different areas and wrote about that plus reviews of specific hotels:

• Guide to where to stay in Maui (reviews of hotels near airport & staying in a small house/apartment)
• Staying in Ka’anapali Maui at the Sheraton
• Paia Inn | A Hippie Chic Must in Maui

Here are a couple of photos from “upcountry”:

Renting a Car in Maui

Once you figure out where to stay, you have to find out what you want to do with your time! Keep in mind that parking is really expensive, but so are Ubers and random taxis. We rented through Budget and actually didn’t take the car because it was so dirty.

We used Dollar once and Thrifty once and it was fine. For the smallest “compact” car they have either little chevy’s or Mazda’s. Because we came from out of country without insurance, we needed to take out the full insurance. Keep in mind that you don’t have to do this through the company your rent from.

Tip: If you rent from an international website, the name you enter has to be a FOREIGNER of the USA and the main driver. For example, Ben found a website in India, that was Indian. Luckily he is British, or our reservation wouldn’t have worked and we would have lost the money.

If you want to see Maui in-depth, you need to rent a car! Plus, the road to Hana is one of the biggest attractions in Maui and you’ll need a car for that. Update: since writing this post, I have found rentalscars.com and use them since they compare all the other sites.

What to do in Maui

There is so much to get up to and some that is very affordable, so that you’ll never go bored here. First up I’ll talk about adventure since I’ve already written about it. Check out:

• My Top 10 Adventure Activites in Maui (catarmarn sailing, zip-lining, and more!)
• and a detailed post on a helicopter ride over the island: Seeing the Island Differently with Air Maui

There were a few more things I wanted to try but didn’t have time. One was blown art classes at Hui No’eau visual arts in Upcountry and the famous Elvis show. They also put on a show about Hawaii, but we’d already done the Luau so didn’t go. Another option is a day at the aquarium (Ocean Center) which is near Maalaea Port in the South.

Tip: for something different drive NW from the airport- it’s a gorgeous ride but no cars like the road to Hana! On the way is a ranch called Mendes that has horseback riding. I didn’t have time to try! You can also see places they filmed Jurassic Park

Beaches & watersports:

You’ll want to spend a lot of time at the beaches! On the North West you have Ka’anapali where all the fancy resorts are. This has some of the best snorkeling and is called “Black Rock”. We could see the catamarans come in to the rocks to snorkel from our hotel window.

This is Ho’opika where they come to windsurf! The professionals come here and it’s the best in the world. This is the first stop on the Road to Hana, don’t miss it!

you’ll see this view driving the southern route from the airport to Lahaina

Money saving tip: Just hire equipment from a random place and bring it to Ka’anapali. You don’t have to be staying in a hotel to get to the beach, nor do you have to come on a big catamaran. Just walk on in! Makena beach above and below

Down near Kehei, we searched for snorkeling and had no luck. Makena beach in Kehei is a shore break so you can’t even boogie board here without maybe getting an injury. It’s cool to come watch the locals skim board and boogie board here though because it takes so much talent to do. According to the lifeguard, they have neck and spinal injuries more often than you’d think.

Also checked for snorkeling in Wailea, but couldn’t find anything worthwhile. Better to just go for Lahaina.

Up near Paia, the water is rocky and a bit dangerous. You have to make sure to only go in water that has signage saying to do so, and never go in murky water. There was a shark attack one week before we went which was fatal. My surf instructor said he has seen two tigers while surfing.

Spa treatments in Maui:

Maui has amazing spas, most of which are located in fancy hotels. If you have a lower budget you can also get treatments at places which stand alone.

I got my nails done at the Kaahumanu Queen Mall at Le’s Nails for $15 USD and it wasn’t great, ha but was cheaper than buying clippers, a file, and polish myself. I had a few massages (all in the name of research) and a facial which I wrote about here:

• Absolute Bliss at 3 Top Spas in Maui

Secret local waterfalls:

There are falls on the Road to Hana like Twin Falls which can be crowded. We had a local take us to some secret waterfalls. It was a little pricey, but worth seeing these cool spots that had NO tourists. We had the place to ourselves and could swim up to these waterfalls, swing on vines, and if you’re me- fall down and scrape your leg up. Be sure to wear mosquito spray.

Having the “local secrets of Maui” is worth paying for a tour (if you can find one). You can ask around to surf instructors as they might do tours on the side. Getting off the beaten path in Maui is what we remember the most about our trip!

Check out a luau:

You can’t go to Maui and NOT see a luau. We went to Old Lahaina Luau which is the most famous in Hawaii and known as the best.
There was free parking (rare in Hawaii) and we were greeted with drinks on entry. You’re free to wander and get photos will they prepare the pig, Hawaii style:

The guys were funny and people were all crowded around taking photos with selfie sticks. After the big reveal, everyone chills and drinks until your table is called for food. There is SO much food it’s insane! Here are mine and Ben’s plates.

There was the typical kalua pork, sweet bread, mahi-mahi Maui style, salad, Pulehu steak, rice, island style chicken, sweet potato, taro salad, more pork wrapped in banana leaf (laulau), veggies, ahi poke, and this yummy guava butter (so good). After dinner was served the Luau started. I was surprised it wasn’t just dancing and singing it was a story: the whole story of Hawaii and it was very cool. It was one of our favorite things looking back on the trip, that we did in Hawaii. With India being so conservative it was just refreshing to see another culture that is so open – didn’t hurt to look at all the eye candy either!

Details: Old Lahaina Luau, 1251 Front St, Lahaina, HI 96761, United States. Phone:+1 808-667-1998. You MUST make reservations in advance. Tickets are $109 USD.

Food & Shopping in Maui (By Area)

Old Lahaina:

• There’s an outlet mall here. It was great but had Coach, Michael Kors, Gap, Tommy, Calvin Klein, and more.
• The main strip has lots of shops! My favorite was LUSH where I got solid shampoo and facial masks which are all natural. You can buy local art here. It’s quite pricey. Also at Island Sole you can get all brands of flip-flops. I got new reefs! Also famous: Lahaina Tub and Scrub.

• The main gelato shop wasn’t impressive, but the Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice was so good and worth the wait. It’s the #1 place to eat in Lahaina and it’s just ice!! lol I got lemonade, fruit punch, and blue raspberry.

• Check out the Honolulu Cookie Company there are delicious samples so you can decide what to buy.
• To eat: Longhi’s, Spanky’s for live music and booze, Hard Rock Cafe, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Bubba Gump, Ruth Chris, and Lahaina Grill (famous & pricey) which is right next to the Lahain Inn. Round Table Pizza delivers and was very good!

cheeseburger in paradise

• Some hotels in Ka’anapali have shuttles to here.
• The luau I went to was here (information above).
• There is a HUGE Banyan tree, one of the biggest in the world in Lahaina. Don’t miss checking it out- but then it’s pretty hard to miss!

Kehei:

• Check out the shrimp truck pictured below! The tacos were the bomb!

• The triangle is here. It’s called that I guess based on the Bermuda triangle, you drink and get lost in all these bars!
• Tiki’s Bar had really good live music and happy hour deals:

• Great spot to chill out and watch surfers and drink!
• There is shopping in the main area. It’s mostly self run shops like a market and I found a couple I loved. One was Re-Psyched “sea the beauty” where this girl was making designs from beachy stuff like shells and sea glass. I got a hook for keys made from driftwood and a seaglass magnet as my only souvenirs in Maui!

that girls cute shop!

Paia:

I have a whole guide on Paia which includes best food and shopping. Make sure to check it out because some of our BEST MEALS were in Paia!!

• Guide to Paia Food and Shopping

Makawao:

• Market Fresh Bistro was all I had time to try. If you’re going to Makawao for zip-lining which is why many go, head there early to explore the town.
• There are many cute shops in Makawao. I got a very cute druzy stone bracelet by Rue Belle at the shop Mercantile, which was a lot at $50 USD but it’s the only big purchase I made in Maui. There are about 10 shops all together. Give yourself about 1-2 hours here.

Kahului:

• I won’t lie we spent a lot of time eating fast food while staying here! This is the airport area and it was kind of our relax and not play tourist place.

sorry!!! but yes that’s me eating pizza hut, taco bell, and McDonalds. we had just landed from India!

• check out famous Da Kitchen for local favorites. There is a famous ice cream place called Guri Guri, which only has two flavors.
• The mall here is Queen Kaahumanu Mall and it isn’t bad. There’s also a Target and Walmart if you need to stock up on things for say, a camping trip!

Pin these adventures in Maui off the beaten path for later:

The post My Little Guide to Maui | Beaches, Food, Lodging & MORE first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post My Little Guide to Maui | Beaches, Food, Lodging & MORE appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I spent three awesome weeks hopping around Maui, and we managed to cover all the main areas of the island! It’s a pretty small island, so it’s not hard to do. Rather than just tell you the hotels we stayed at, I want you get an idea of where to stay in Maui in terms of the best areas!

There are a lot of different towns and some might fit you better depending on what you’re looking for. It could be a more hippie vibe, like in Paia or something for honeymooners, like the high-end resorts to the west.

Where to Stay in Maui: A Map

Here’s a little map. I added in words in purple so you know what I’m talking about later. I’m generalizing a little bit, but this is the gist.

To drive, you can see the roads go around the island because there are parks in the middle. It took about 20 minutes from North (Paia) to Kihei (touristy). Then for example, Kihei to Lahaina will take 40 minutes, and Kahului (airport, middle north) to Lahaina 45 minutes.

Best Areas to Stay in Maui

Kahului Airport: Where to Stay in Maui for Arrivals & Departures

When I went, there were only 3 hotels near Kahului Airport. One is the Marriott right next to the airport, one not worth mentioning, and one called Maui Seaside. We stayed here twice actually between flights to and from Honolulu.

It’s not a bad hotel at all and on a budget, you could stay here. It’s not ideal for a nice vacation though. It’s only 15-minutes to Paia, 45 minutes to Lahaina, and 20 to Kehei. The hotel was on the ocean but at a port and there was a nice, freezing cold pool and very nice staff. Parking here is only 5 dollars a night, a steal on Maui.

Check prices for Maui Seaside here

Compare hotels near Kahului Airport here & Airbnbs here

Ka’anapali: Where to Stay in Maui for a Honeymoon and with Family

There is a strip of hotels all next to each other, and it’s designed to be the main resort area for the island. You can even find a mall in this strip, so you really never have to leave. Some never do.

There’s a Westin, Sheraton, Ka’anapali Beach Hotel, Hyatt, Aston, and more. They share the same strip of beach, which is known for the best snorkeling in Maui. The water is so clear blue and it really is a great view. This is where the “black rock” is.

We stayed at the Sheraton. Read a full review of the Sheraton Maui here. I had two days free in exchange for a review, but we ended up paying to stay longer because we did love it AND it is the best value for money. Only the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel was a little cheaper but didn’t look nearly as nice.

Check prices for Sheraton Maui here

I also had spa treatments at the Westin, and that property was amazing. It was more expensive than the Sheraton, but was more for couples and a bit fancier than the Sheraton, which was more family oriented.

Check prices for the Westin here

Compare hotels in Ka’anapali here & Airbnbs here

Kapalua: Where to Stay in Maui for Luxury

A little north, about 15 minutes from Ka’anapali is the quieter area Kapalua. Here is the famous Montage Hotel. They have these in California as well. It’s one of the 15 most expensive hotels in America. I had a massage here and saw the grounds. Absolutely stunning.

Check prices for the Montage here

I also checked out the Ritz-Carlton for a spa treatment, and it was an amazing property as well. Again, the hotels here are all near to each other.

Check prices for the Ritz-Carlton here

Compare hotels in Kapalua here & Airbnbs here

Lahaina and Kihei: Where to Stay in Maui on a Budget

People staying in Ka’anapali head to Lahaina for dinner and shopping. Kihei is more chilled out, younger crowd with cheaper food options. Both are filled up with tourists, not as quiet, and not as known for snorkeling. For those reasons, we didn’t stay here but just drove here to spend time.

Compare hotels in Kihei here & Airbnbs here

Makawao: Offbeat Area to Stay in Maui

This is “upcountry” Maui, and there are some hotels/retreats here. They were all booked during my visit. The town is very cute. You’re secluded but not far from anything. I think it’d be cool to stay here, but not for the whole trip. This is where I did zip-lining and where you can horse-back ride at the Ranches.

Compare hotels in Makawo here & Airbnbs here

Paia: Where to Stay for Hippies

Paia is THE “hippie” town of Maui. Willie Nelson has a bar here. Most of the locals surfers live in affordable housing just outside the town. It’s small with only one stop light, and there used to only be one inn, Paia Inn. This was a very charming old hotel that’s done up in chic style. We loved it, see a full review of Paia Inn here.

Check prices for Paia Inn here

Check for more hotels in Paia here & Airbnbs here

Spreksville: Our Favorite Place to Stay in Maui

Just 10 minutes away between Paia and Kahululi (the airport) is a little town called Sprecksville, which seems to just have a nursing home. There is a small place called Spreck’s Plantation which has 4 little studio houses. We stayed in the Plumeria room. Actually, this was the ideal place to stay in Maui. It was the cheapest place we stayed, was a great location, had scuba equipment, big TV, WiFi, bicycles, a kitchen, was fully stocked, comfortable beds, and was a quiet neighborhood. They even had Shantaram laying around.

If you’re traveling as a family or a honeymoon on a budget this is great. There isn’t a pool, but you have a patio with a grill and it’s 5 minutes from a quiet beach and a 15-20 minute bike ride to Kahana Beach. We loved staying in big hotels and fancy digs, but when it comes to practicality and budget this was the #1 choice.

It’s like having your own apartment and especially if you’re staying long term it’s great. Another time to stay here is the few days before you leave to go home. It’s got laundry so Ben and I did all our shopping for India in Kahului from here, did our laundry so back in India we didn’t have to, and just chilled a few days to end our trip. Bonus here, no resort fees and free parking.

Hana: One Last Option for Maui

The “road to Hana” does indeed lead to Hana. We didn’t stay here but there were a few options. It didn’t appeal to us, as if I were going to stay off the grid, I’d rather be in Makawao then so far away from everything

Compare hotels in Hana here & Airbnbs here

I hope this guide was helpful in deciding where to stay in Maui! I explored a lot of the island in the few weeks we had and we stayed in many different areas. This is just a quick look and I’m sure there is much more to explore.

More Maui Travel Guides

• My Little Guide to Maui | Beaches, Food, Lodging, & MORE
• My Top 10 Adventure Activities to Do in Maui Hawaii
• Absolute Bliss at 3 Top Spas in Maui

Pin for later!

The post Where to Stay in Maui: A Guide to the Best Areas first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

The post Where to Stay in Maui: A Guide to the Best Areas appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Maui is not a place to sit around on the beach. It’s a place to go play and be active! Everyone else around will be, so why not join in? Even if you have a budget of 20 bucks you can rent a SUP (stand up paddleboard) and look into the clear blue ocean for turtles! And remember, you can always kill two birds with one stone. For example, in whale watching season don’t book a whale tour. Book a snorkeling tour instead, and you’ll see whales while you’re out there. Here are my 10 favorite adventure activities to do in Maui Hawaii.

Tips for Visiting Maui, Hawaii

• For flights to Maui, check out Kiwi to get the cheapest options. I use it now for all my flight bookings (you can see a full post here), whether it’s domestic or international.
• If you’re not a US Citizen, make sure you check out any visa requirements to visit. I use iVisa for everything related to tourist visas.
• Also, US Healthcare is expensive (take it from a former nurse!). One small, broken ankle could wind up costing more than your whole trip if you don’t have insurance. I highly recommend World Nomads while you’re here, especially with these activities. You can easily get a quote in the box on my sidebar or clicking here.
• For a full guide to Maui beyond these activities, check out my little guide here.
• If you want to look through all the tours you can do, Viator has a huge list!

10 Adventurous Activities to do in Maui Hawaii

1. Helicopter Ride over Maui

My tour with Air Maui really topped the charts of “coolest shit I did in Hawaii.” I think it’s absolutely worth the money. The trip is short and sweet, takes up hardly any of your day, and you get to see a glimpse into so many areas of the island. You can even do the Road to Hana by helicopter in an hour rather than drive it which takes all day.

Check out Helicopter Tours on Viator here

2. Canopy Zipline Tour

I’d only ever been once before back in Ohio at Hocking Hills with my parents. If you’re an Ohioan, the ones in Maui are a little bigger but no scarier. I chose Piiholo Ranch Zipline. It’s located in the cowboy town of Makawao (779 Piiholo Road) in what they call “upcountry Maui”; I suggest going early to the town, exploring and having lunch before your tour.

See all similar Zipline tours here

Tip for Families: If you’re looking for free activities to do in Maui Hawaii, or things to do with kids, this is free for kids under 12 with an adult accompanying them. They have a couple different options and both seemed pretty in the middle on a scale of hiking to skydiving.

There was a drop after one zip where you have to just walk off the platform and a suspension cable will catch you part way and slow you down to the ground – with this part, I got the same adrenaline as bungee jumping! So, pretty cool.

This is the drop part that I loved, and below you see the staff pulling another zipper (is that a word) in. He was a blast as a tour guide! 

The ranch itself goes back all the way to 1830 when missionaries came. During the tour, you’ll hear stories and see the forests of Haleakala. I did the 5 line which was $190 USD. You must wear closed-toe shoes, long pants work best, you can take a camera with a safety strap, and you must be over 8 years old and over 50 pounds (max 275). Tours are rain or shine. I had some rain; they gave us coats and I actually enjoyed the showers.

3. Snorkeling from a catamaran

You HAVE to go snorkeling while in Maui. The coral reefs are cooler than any I’ve seen in places like Thailand, and the water has such good visibility. I chose “luxury sailing charters” Alii Nui and was not disappointed.

See similar snorkeling tours here

When we showed up, it seemed like there were too many people for the boat and they said: “just wait until we’re out and you’ll see there is loads of space…” They were right. When you arrive, it’s early, cold, and breakfast is piled high for everyone, so of course, people jam into the bottom of the boat to eat. As soon as we took off, people spread out over the trampolines and outside the edges of the catamaran. They never take more than 60 people.

Other than the snorkeling being amazing (we went to two locations, gear was great, and wetsuit tops provided), staff was funny and helpful, they were fully stocked with sunscreen, towels, blankets, and fresh water hoses to rinse off, and the FOOD was amazing – even though goPro’s don’t do it justice.

Granted, I just got in from a year in India, but I devoured everything. Full breakfasts with bacon, eggs, croissant, bagels, fruit and more), to snack time (one of my favorite times of day lol) which were veggies, pita and dips, and cookies, to a yummy Hawaiian lunch of pulled Kalua pork, macaroni salad, and more. It was a six-hour tour which was just right to snorkel, lay out and enjoy the boat, eat and mingle. You can also scuba or huka dive from the boat at an extra fee.

I did the morning snorkel deluxe. Arrive at 6:30 am at Ma’alaea Harbor (slip #56, parking is free). The cost is $165 USD and you can book online through the link above.  Tip: bring clothing for COLD weather. It was freezing in the morning. Also, yes, booze is included in the price!

4. Surf like a local!

I really wish my photos would have turned out better for this, but sadly most are blurry as the zoom was messed up on my camera, or actually, I think I just need a new camera.I went surfing with Nancy Emerson Surf Clinic. She is a pro surfer herself and has been a Hollywood stunt double. She has schools in Oahu, Maui, and the Gold Coast. She’s not only the first school to open in Maui, but she focuses on safety and teaching people about the ocean instead of just throwing loads of people in the sea on boards and collecting cash.

It’s individualized attention from the pros and the most there would ever be are 5 people if you choose the least expensive option. My instructor was huge and could probably have blocked a wave for me with his body if he tried haha, but he was like a lifeguard and also gave me a push for each wave since at first people can’t really paddle hard enough to catch the fast waves.

If spots are booked up during your stay, check out more surfing places here

sad these are blurry :(

We had a land lesson first then spent over 2 hours in the water even though my lesson was only two hours (my instructor was a really good surfer, and I think just loved being in the water so neither of us was keeping time). We only stopped because I literally couldn’t paddle anymore. My arms were so tired and my legs were shaky. But, thanks to snowboarding almost my whole life, I got up on the first wave and by the third was turning. It was amazing, and I’ve been daydreaming about surfing ever since.

Their lessons were one of the most memorable parts of my trip, and I highly recommend taking lessons through her clinic. Lessons start at $95 for two hours. Also, while doing land lessons I looked over and saw THIS GUY:

5. Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) & Kayaking

Something that anyone can do! You just need to get used to balancing on the board and start out in really, really calm water. We saw a turtle go by and since the water is so clear, you can see all the cute fish underneath. It’s also a great workout! Renting was once as cheap as $10 so it’s easy to just do on a whim anywhere. One well-known company to rent from is called Hawaiian Paddle Sports who you can also get kayaks from.

make sure to wear sunscreen!

If you want some more guidance, check here for SUP lessons

6. Road to Hana

This road starts near Paia and goes up to the small isolated town of Hana on the east coast. We weren’t in AWE of the road to Hana, but it was very cool. Luckily, our hotel Paia Inn gave us a printed out personalized guide of what to stop and see because the signage isn’t great. Alternatively, you can buy CDs that explain the stops along the way. You’re going to need something to tell you which mile markers to slow down at. Also, they make it out like you need a lunch, and there’s NOTHING on the way, but there were loads of stalls selling food. Still, we took a lunch because we didn’t know. Mana food is amazing and has delicious sandwiches and salads. For car rentals, check rentalcars.com; they compare all the major car hire sites.

If you’d prefer, there are tons of different tours for the Road to Hana.

We stayed in Paia, but if you aren’t, then save time to see this cool little town. Also, go to Ho’okipa to watch the kite-surfers (most famous windy surf place in the world). The first bits are Twin Falls, a Bamboo Forest, and painted Eucalyptus trees. Basically, after that, we just drove. We didn’t stop for, well anything until we got to Hana Bay. To be honest, it was raining and all the cars were driving slow, so we got kind of bored. The views were covered by clouds. We’re used to Indian traffic, and it was exhausting not to be able to pass people ;)

You need 3 hours to drive out there. If you make stops, then you need a whole day dedicated to this drive and you should get started early in the morning.

7. Bike to the beach

I hadn’t ridden a bike since I was a kid, and Ben sort of hates riding bikes, but we did it anyways ha! Our apartment at Spreck’s Plantation had a few lying around so we went to the beach, and it was really fun. There are bike rentals all over the island and bike lanes making it safe.

If you want, you can even go on bike or mountain bike tours

(and now a few things we didn’t do, but are great options for your trip to Maui!)

8. Horseback riding

I really wanted to do this but didn’t have time. I was looking at Mendes Ranch because it is in the mountains and views of the ocean too. Most of the ranches in Makawao don’t have sea views.

Check out other horseback riding tours here

9. Scuba diving

We didn’t have it in our budget to do it while out on our Alli Nui tour, but you could on that boat or you can use a variety of companies. Actually, if you want to snorkel, but with a smaller group of people, like 6-8, you can look into Snorkel Safari, a company I wanted to try but didn’t have time.

Here are some scuba diving tours

10. Drive up and hike Haleakala

This is a volcanic crater that’s famous to see at sunrise, and it’s a drive… which means waking up at 4:30 am. I’d just been to Bandung seeing huge craters that were amazing, and we didn’t want to get up early, so skipped. I know people will think that’s crazy, but sometimes when you travel you have to do what you feel like. I have a feeling I’ll be back and able to do this another time. You can mountain bike down from this!

Check out the different Haleakala tours here

If you’re going to be on the island a while, it’s worth taking the time to read up on the local secrets in Maui and find some ways to get off the beaten path – we hired a local guy one day to show us some secret places and it’s one of our favorite memories. You can read my whole guide to Maui here.

Pin 10 Maui Adventures for later so you never run out of things to do in Maui while you’re there!

Disclosure: Some of these activities invited me in exchange for a review and exposure on my blog- all opinions are always my own! This post also contains affiliate links.

The post My Top 10 Adventure Activities to Do in Maui Hawaii first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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Paia is this cute town 15 minutes from the airport. It’s on the North coast of the island, and as Hawiian’s will tell you, the North coast is always the chilled hippie coast of an island, like North Shore in Oahu. This is the “start” to the road to Hana and some tourists just pop in for a packed lunch in the morning. You should take time to actually stay in Paia! Look no further than Paia Inn.

Where to Stay in Paia Maui | Paia Inn

It’s smack dab in the center of everything but does have parking so you don’t have to parallel (10 bucks to park 3 shops down, or 20 bucks to park in the back lot) and it’s on the beach. It’s a historical site used as the only hotel back in the plantation days (used by Japanese in the 20’s) and now mixes that historical look with modern chic charm.

The rooms are a little small but that’s because they didn’t tear apart the original building. They have comfy beds that take up most of the space, mini-fridge filled with snacks, Apple TV (you can log in to your HULU and Netflix), spa like toiletries, safes, iPod dock, and surfer artwork (more on that later). The floors look like typical hardwood but are bamboo!

The staff are these little hippie Joni Mitchell girls that were so sweet. The lobby is adorable with shell chandeliers and leather couches. Complimentary breakfast included, wait for it…. POPTARTS! so clearly I was happy. There were other things to like coffee, biscotti, fruit, oatmeal and nutrigrain bars.

If you walk out the back you can chill on the beach side patio where they have towels, chairs, sunscreen, boogie boards, and a freshwater shower. The waves here can be rough and the beach is small (maybe Ben should build a reef here) so you have to be careful and aware of the rocks. There are lawn chairs so I just laid out and read. You can even rent a bike from them complimentary.

So, the artwork I mentioned is in every room and is really cool. It’s by this guy Avi Kiriaty and I saw it in some shops to purchase. They have his art in the lobby and in each room. It’s Polynesian style surfer pieces. Very cool!

It’s a 1-2 staff to guest ratio during the day, which is really nice since most hotels and resorts in maui are so big. So, there’s someone to help with bags, help you decide where to have lunch, and make sure you have what you need for the beach! The only moment we wavered at the Inn was around midnight when the AC wasn’t cold enough and no one answered the “night” number on the phone (we were going to ask them to turn it colder in our room, as you don’t have personal access). Although with a small 10 bedroom Inn, we understood why no one stayed awake in reception.

details of the Paia Inn

The smallest rooms are $199, our room was “standard” which go for $239 and up, and the suites go from $259-$999, while the extra 3 bedroom house on the back starts at $1199 and up. As stated, parking is extra at $10 or $20 per night depending on where you choose to park. Breakfast and WiFi are free and you can contact them on their website or email info@paiainn.com & call 808.579.6000

Food & Bars in Paia

Some of the top restaurants in Maui are located in Paia town. One of the most famous is owned by the one and only Willie Nelson!

1.  Charley’s Restaurant & Saloon

This is the one owned by Willie. It serves pizza, is crowded is as the night goes on they start to charge a cover.

2. Flatbread company

This is right next to the Inn and was pretty good. We got sausage pepperoni and veggies but it was really expensive with each topping an additional few dollars. There’s usually a short weight, and a 16 inch was too big for me and Ben.

3. Rock & Brew

We actually weren’t that impressed with this. I think the mac n cheese was microwaved… turkey sandwich was good!

4. Paia Fish Market

Really famous, really tasty, and not that expensive. I got fish tacos and two was too many. We also got seafood soup and Ben got the fish n’ chips. It was all really good. Everything closes early so be there by 8 at least.

5. Mana Foods

We went in here a few times and it was so good! It’s a grocery store with a deli counter (hot and cold). Ben loved the turkey meatloaf, and I was crazy about the deli turkey sandwiches and salad bar.

6. Ku’au Store

Kind of like Mana Foods, just past the town, this place had SUCH good sandwiches and hot dogs with coleslaw as well as healthy snacks that obviously I didn’t try ;) I loved the lemonade and homemade cookies.

One we didn’t try that are famous: Mama’s Fish house (too expensive to try), Cafe de AMIS, Ono Gelato, Cafe Mambo to hang out, and mexican food at Milagros. There was also the Hana Bay Picnic Company, but we liked Mana Foods so kept going back there.

Shopping in Paia

There are lots of cute boutique shops along the street. It’s just one (Hana Highway) and the intersection at Paia Inn were you can find a few more shops down that lane. They are very expensive and I didn’t anything to buy; not to say the stuff wasn’t cute, it was!

Some that stood out were: Wings Hawaii who has lots of local designers like dream catchers by Nana’s vintage dreams and littlest birds, then there was Puka Puka and lots of art stores. I liked Maui Hands for homemade items, particularly work by Mario Amata.

-I was a guest of Paia Inn, but absolutely loved it and all opinions are my own!

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I am just addicted to massage. I mean, I give Thai massages, but usually after I give one I tell people OMG I need one myself now. In India they aren’t that expensive so you could get one for $10 bucks & weekly if you felt like it.

In Maui they are a little more expensive, but I knew I wanted to try their style. I love trying different styles when I travel, like the Indian Ayurvedic, the Balinese, or yoga massage. I even have a salon and spa link on my blog dashboard. When I came out to Maui, a few hotels invited me to try their spa and there’s no chance in hell I was going to pass that up. I scheduled them immediately! This is possibly the #1 perk of being a travel blogger.

There are all big luxury hotels and resorts that have highly ranked spas in Hawaii. You can choose from any and you won’t be let down, I know it’s a lot of money to spend- if you want to budget for only one on your trip to Maui, you can take a peak at these three and see if one suits you. Originally, I was going to tell you the pros and cons, but honestly there weren’t any cons so I’m just going to share about the different styles I tried.

1. Montage Kapalua Bay

The Montage is ranked the #1 spa in America! It did not disappoint and even more than that, it was THE best massage I have ever had in my life. I got the “body bliss”. It was hot stone but she added some traditional lomi lomi (Hawaiian with long strokes by their forearm, very stretching).

I was sore from surfing and she was a magician. It was like she could read my mind, that wonderful Norwegian Dutch woman!  I bet you could request her but I don’t know name.. maybe nationality will help :) If you have never had a hot stone massage, I highly suggest this one.

Special bits:

• You can pick your oil scent from Hawaiian smells (coconut for me!)
• The resort is incredible and you can use spa all day
• They use like Egyptain cotton sheets and the softest pillows under your legs and do part of that massage with your head raised.
• Neck-stretching.. whatever it is, was amazing.
• There’s a sauna, steam room, shower waterfall, cafe, gym and more!
• They have the the Mauka to Makai (mountain to sea) experience were you can pick where you’d like your massage. I had mine outside and it was to die for.

To contact you can check the website: Montage Kapalua Bay or call 808.665.8282.

2. Westin Maui Resort & Spa

You get to walk past flamingos on your way into this spa! I got the “Heavenly massage” for 50 minutes which just flew by. It was very relaxing, calming, and used heat.

I also got a facial here which was just the coolest thing ever. It’s a machine that just sucks out all your blackheads instead of the therapist having to scrape them out. Painless and works better plus they do all the other stuff like cleansing and exfoliation but in only 25 minutes. My face was radiant after! But, do NOT go with a sunburn or they can’t do it. As the website states it “stimulates the fibroblasts to produce more broad spectrum collagen/elastin proteins”.

Special bits:

• They have you pick a stone with special wording to focus on during massage. I chose grattitude since I was already feeling very grateful.
• they are the only ones in Maui with the Hyra-facial (and if you book online you get a discount).
• They give you chocolate after, hellz ya!
• The spa makes their own lotion products, called Hualani a pineapple and passion fruit scent. Yum, I even got some to take home and love the sugar body polish.

“Hualani, meaning “Heavenly Fruit” in Hawaiian language, was designed using locally-grown pineapples and passion fruit as well as the moisturizing oils from macadamia nut, coconut and kukui nut.”

• You can use the steam room, sauna, showers, whirlpool and such all day.
• AMAZING views and during season you can whale watch from here.

To contact you can check the website: Heavenly Spa by Westin or call 808.661.2588.

3. Ritz-Carlton

You know nothing can be bad at the Ritz ;) Here I got a plain Lomi-lomi massage which ended up having hot stones too, which I may now be addicted to. There are all these add-ons you can do for just $25 bucks to amp up your massage as well.

Special bits:

• Get there early and enjoy the amenities: food, snacks, cucumber for your eyes or drink, hot tub, sauna and spa.
• Kick-ass robes! no joke
• You pick a saying at the end in Hawaiian and they tell you what it means.
• Choose from 5 different lotion scents
• The steam room has such intense Eucalyptus I felt like a new person when I got out.

To contact you can check the website: Ritz Spa

The post Absolute Bliss at 3 Top Spas in Maui first appeared on Hippie In Heels.

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I was meant to stay at the Sheraton in Maui for only two days, but the night before check-out when I was meant to leave and explore a new hotel to tell you about… I searched and searched for best value for money hotels in Maui, and quickly realized that I was already there.

The first two nights we stayed in a deluxe ocean front, which was amazing but out of budget to stay longer. We ended up booking two extra nights in a more basic room facing the garden, but the girl at the desk ended up upgrading us so we didn’t have to switch rooms because no one was checking into ours. That’s some customer service there – and she didn’t even know I was a blogger!

view from the room!

Ocean Front Room at Sheraton Maui

On Ka’anapali beach which is the “it” place to stay on Maui, there is a famous point called black rock. Our room looked our over this! It was pretty cool to look out and see people snorkeling, the occasional turtle, and cliff-jumpers. There’s actually a really famous cliff diving ceremony that includes information about local culture that I unfortunately missed.

view from the room

I became obsessed with Sun Bum while here! & yes, that’s a turtle! Seen from our balcony

The rooms have everything you’d imagine at a fancy hotel chain like this: fluffy towels, huge comfy beds, refrigerator, microwave, big flatscreen TV, balconies with furniture, and high quality toiletries.

These rooms were on the other side of the 23 acre property, so it’s good to figure out where everything is when you check in. You can ask someone to show you around. Ben downloaded an app (yes, they have a resort app!) but all we ended up using it for was to change channels on the TV, ha.

Sheraton | food & poolside, and more!

There’s a variety of restaurants in the Sheraton, a few of which are out by the pool: Cliff Dive Grill, Mai Tai Bar, and Hank’s Haute Dogs. We had burgers and pulled pork with Asian slaw by the pool when we checked in and I was so hungry and it was so good I didn’t even remember to take a photo.

We had hotdogs a few days later. Hanks is pretty famous in Hawaii and has been visited by Diner’s Drive In’s and Dive’s and Man Vs. Food. I am a hotdog lover – seriously it’s one of my favorite foods so I got the chili dog and obviously loved it. Ben got a fried bacon wrapped dog, which is so not surprising.

For dinner there is Black Rock Lounge, a Luau, and Tappen-Yaki Dan which is where the guy cooks Japanese food in front of you; something I hadn’t done since I was a kid. We went for that! It is pricey I have to say, but so freakin’ delicious! Our guy actually tried our for Top Chef and was really friendly.

I love eating with other people because you’re forced to talk and open up. We met a nice couple from Sydney who’d been on the island a while and gave us some tips.

One the last night we just stayed in, watched a movie and ordered pizza from a local place called Round Table pizza. It’s nice to just enjoy being in the room sometimes.

Because the hotel is SO big, they do a card swipe for towels. I think so that people from the beach don’t come up and steal towels. We chilled at the pool and I thought it was pretty cool when staff went around giving everyone popsicles! Very cute.

There was a spa but I didn’t get a chance to check it out. We snorkeled out near the rocks but didn’t see too much, which was strange because from my hotel room looking down I could see through the clear water! It’s actually a really famous place to snorkel and SUP.

You can go kayak with dolphins or scuba. We saw catamarans docking with tour groups coming to black rock to snorkel, so it was pretty cool that we could just walk out and do it anytime we wanted to.

You can also rent a tennis court for $20. We should NOT have done so, as Ben found out what I’ve hidden for over two years… I have no hand eye coordination. He was astounded by how bad I was and ended up just practicing his serve.

If you want to splurge on an ocean front room, it’s really nice to look out at the view. Ben couldn’t get over how blue the water was. We really looked around for another hotel before checkout, not because I wanted to leave the hotel but because I wanted to review more places for the blog. In the end, we wanted to stay at the Sheraton longer and actually I wanted a couple days of no reviews or work.

The Sheraton is such a nice place and not as expensive as the rest of the hotels on the strip so it made sense to stay longer. There were a lot of families and honeymooners. If you take an ocean front room, you’ll be in a very quiet area at the far end of the hotel which was very nice.

The Sheraton Maui Contact & Booking

• To book, click over to this link. If you want to check out the IG and twitter, both are @sheratonmaui.
• Hint, if you check in early and you’re room isn’t ready you’ll get a coupon for 35% lunch and 2 complimentary drinks while you wait. Hellz ya ;)
• There is a parking garage to use, but where I stayed at the end had a lot to park in. There are resort fees here on $35 USD per day that will be added to room charge.
• If you’re curious about the Sheraton on Oahu (Waikiki), my parents stayed at it and really liked it… I know you don’t know my parents lol but you can definitely trust their opinion.
• If you’re renting a car, Ka’anapali is close to Lahaina town making it the best area to stay.

*I was a guest of the Sheraton the first two nights in Maui, but found it was the best value for money hotel in Ka’anapali so ended up booking two more nights on my own dime, so as always opinions are my own!

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I am just cutting to the chase and saying: I loved everything about my helicopter tour with Air Maui, so if you’re looking for an Air Maui review, I’m giving it two thumbs up! I got so many great photos that I wanted to share and a few tips to help you enjoy your ride to the fullest.

First off, getting there. Air Maui is at the heliport at the Kahului airport. Actually, ALL of the helicopter tour companies are lined up next to each other. You need to take 5 dollars exact change for the parking, arrive 30 minutes early (it’s easy to find on Google maps), and wear black so there is no reflection on the windows. I went the morning after I flew into Hawaii and didn’t have a single black thing in my bag, so ugh on that one! The pictures turned out okay though.

You can’t take anything on the helicopter with you except a camera. They will weigh you, and if you’re over 240 pounds you’ll have to get an additional seat.

If you think it’s a bit scary, it’s not at all! It was a smooth ride and even though the glass is right in front of you so you can see everything, it never made me nervous looking down. I think because you’re going fast, it seems like a ride.

I felt like a super lame-ass taking this pic, but ya know, instagram.. then it didn’t really turn out showing my bracelet has the quote so didn’t even make it on Instagram! The things I do for blogging.

You’ll wear headphones and not be able to talk to the pilot because he’s dealing with air traffic control at first, but he can talk to you into his little microphone. There’s also a playlist going with some sweet music.

It’s hard to not push the buttons. Good thing Ben is afraid of heights and didn’t come, because he would have touched at least one.

How crazy that the couple behind me has family from Goa and Kerala!? They were on their honeymoon. I made besties with this fellow solo traveler on the left.

The ride I did was the West Maui / Molokai (another island), was 40 minutes long and cost $253 USD. If you’re solo like me, you get a discount! I’d be curious to try the road to Hana one as well, but loved the one I did. If you’re a millionaire reading this, then you might like to know they do private charters starting at over 2,000 USD per hour.

Our dude was really cool and flew right up next to some waterfalls, one of which was going sideways because it is so windy here with the “trade winds”. Here’s the sideways waterfall:

When the pilot took us into the valley of the mountains, and up near the waterfall I almost got happy tears again, which hadn’t happened since a very touching Budweiser commercial involving a horse a puppy.. takes a lot for me! Our pilot told us some cool stories about the island while we flew around.

One was about how the islands came to be. He said one local story is that there was only one, the Big Island, and a kid was fishing there. He caught a the smaller islands but while pulling in the line broke leaving them halfway out, how they are now. He also pointed out the mountain goats on the side of the cliffs which was crazy! They have no predators, so kind of overtake everything.

I was a guest of Air Maui on this tour, but all opinions are always my own.

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