South Maui in the Wailea, we have placed links to accommodations in the" Travel" section.
Maui is a great mix of Oahu and Kauai. It can be relaxing, while also having shops, dining and nightlife available without the 1 million people on Oahu. Visitors enjoy snorkeling Molokini Crater or Lanai and seeing dolphins and whales. Maui is also known for the Road to Hana which is a windy road on the coast of Maui. Visitors also go to Maui to watch the sunrise on top of Haleakala. If you want to visit Hawaii during whale season, Maui is one of the best Hawaiian Islands to whale watch on! Visitors can also take a ferry over to Lanai from Maui for an easy day trip.
• Hawaii is very casual. I'll provide you with a suggested packing list before your vacation, but sundresses, shorts, sandals, etc., are the norm! • The resorts often have soap, shampoo, hair dryers, etc available. • Many public spaces like lobbies, some restaurants, and bars are open-air spaces with no A/C, so you'll want to dress accordingly. You will have A/C in your room. • You can pack sunscreen, bug spray, as well as aloe vera gel and anti-itch medicine to treat both sunburns and bug bites, or you can buy them on the island. U.S. Destinations will have Walmart, Costco, Walgreens, etc. • You will need reef-safe sunscreen, as Hawaii has banned the ingredients oxybenzone and octinoxate, as they bleach the coral. You can look at the ingredients to make sure these two are not in them. Mineral sunscreen with zinc is considered reef safe and is the best one to use if you'll be snorkeling. You can buy it on the island. Some people can have a reaction to mineral sunscreen or it might not work as well as regular sunscreen. You may want to bring an SPF long-sleeve shirt with you. It can help keep you from getting burned while letting you enjoy the Hawaiian sun. • It is recommended to pack a small first aid kit with medication you may need. This may include anti-diarrhea, hydrocortisone cream, swimmers' ear drops, Tylenol, Pepto-Bismol, Bonine, and anything else you might need if you're not feeling well. • If you're planning to be on a boat (catamaran, snorkeling, etc.), helicopter, or windy roads, you may want to consider anti-nausea medication. Some boat companies recommend packing Motion Sickness Medications like Bonine or Dramamine. Take it 1 hour before your excursion to assist with nausea. If you do become sick on the boat, tell the crew. Ask for ginger ale, sit at the back of the boat, on the bottom if it's 2 stories, look at the horizon, and stand if possible.
• The Resort will have towels you can use for the beach or pool. • Jeans or heavy sweaters aren't needed in Hawaii. It's often 85 degrees and sunny, and a light cardigan is more than enough in the evenings. • Hawaii is part of the USA, and a Passport is not needed for American Citizens. • High Heels- Hawaii is very casual. Pack comfortable shoes.
•ELECTRONICS Phone / Charger Kindle / iPad and Charger Headphones Camera / Charger Portable Charge Pack Drone or GoPro •MISCELLANEOUS TASKS Backpack/Beach Bag Snorkel Set Sunglasses Medications (2 weeks worth) First Aid Kit Umbrella/ Rain Poncho Rain Jacket Sandals/Comfy Dress Shoes Toothpaste/Tooth Brush Mouth Wash Sunscreen Hat •CLOTHING Shorts / T-Shirt / Tank Top Pajamas Dresses / Dress Shirts / Dress Pant Dress Shirts Sweater / Cardigan Socks / Underwear/Bra/Swimsuits •BEAUTY/HAIR Blow Dryer / Iron / Straightener Hair Products / Hair Gel Razor / Shaving Cream Deodorant Shampoo / Conditioner Body Wash / Face Wash
Purse / Wallet Driver's License / ID Debit / Credit Cards Cash in smaller bills for tips
• Remember, there is a time change in Hawaii. They are on HST, which is 3 hours earlier than the West Coast and 6 hours earlier than the East Coast during Spring Forward or 2 hours/5 hours during Fall Back when the time change occurs. Hawaii doesn't change time.
The closest airport near Maui Wailea is Kahului/Maui (OGG). OGG is located approximately 16.0 Miles from the resort and hotel. This is where you will want to book as your destination.
• You can check in for your flight up to 24 hours before going to the airport. We recommend arriving at the airport 3 hours before your boarding time if you don't have TSA Pre-Check, or 2 hours if you do have TSA Pre-Check. This does not include the time you need to park or drop off your rental vehicle. • Most airlines charge fees for checked baggage - verify via the airline website - many times, you can pay these during online check-in| • Once you arrive in Hawaii, you will get off the plane and will need to walk to baggage claim. If you have transfers and/or a lei greeting, they'll meet you at luggage claim (the directions will be on your travel documents). • If you are renting a car, once you collect your luggage, you will need to follow the signs for car rentals. Make sure you only get on the shuttle with your car rental name on it. There will be many shuttles for different car rental agencies coming
For those looking into options other than car rental, we have noticed that most of the hotels so far do not provide shuttle service. Alternate Airport Transportation: SpeediShuttle - Reservation Required: +1 877-242-5777
Yes, rideshares like Uber are popular and readily available on Maui, particularly between the airport (OGG) and major resort areas like Wailea. However, relying entirely on rideshares has limitations. The island is vast, and relying exclusively on Uber is not always practical: • Service Limits: Rideshares are less reliable for extremely early mornings, late nights (past 10 PM), or very remote areas (like driving the Road to Hana or up to the Haleakalā summit). • Spotty Coverage: You may encounter cell service dead zones in certain parts of the island, which can make calling a return ride difficult. • Cost: Because Maui is large, taking an Uber across the island can quickly become more expensive than renting a car for the day. • For shorter, in-town errands and resort-to-resort trips, rideshares are highly efficient. If you plan to explore the entire island or visit more remote spots, it is highly recommended to rent a car for at least part of your trip
• Most cell phone providers work in Hawaii. The resorts will provide free Wi-Fi if you need to connect.
• It is not recommended to leave your patio door open, as it can cause the room to get very humid and damp. • It can be common in Hawaii to see bugs and ants, so try not to keep open food in your room, and don't be alarmed if you see some ants or even small roaches or other bugs in your room. The resorts spray their resorts, and I've never seen a bug at any of the resorts I've been to. • In Hawaii, the sense of time is not the same as in the US. Be patient with restaurant and bar service, as many places are on Hawaiian time. • Be sure to STAY HYDRATED! The sun is really strong in Hawaii, and it increases your need for frequent fluids. Drink lots of water, but also make sure you're getting enough sodium through Gatorade or other drinks. I like liquid IV. It can be bought at Costco, Safeway, etc., and can be added to water for 3x hydration per drink. I drink it when I hike or am at the beach all day. • If you're going to be on a boat, helicopter, or windy roads, you may want to consider anti-nausea medication. Some boat companies recommend taking Bonine (meclizine). They recommended taking it one hour before your excursion to assist with nausea. • Do not leave anything valuable in your rental vehicle. Vehicle break-ins are VERY popular in Hawaii. Even the smallest item left in your car, can warrant someone breaking your window to see if its worth taking. If you do need to leave anything in your vehicle, leave it in your trunk. Please don't get to your destination and then move the items into your trunk; someone could be watching. Always put anything you're going to leave in your trunk into the trunk before you get to your final destination/the parking lot.
• DO NOT TAKE LAVA ROCKS OUTSIDE OF HAWAII - IT IS BAD LUCK!! It's related to Pele, the goddess of Volcanos. While it is a Legend, it's one that you don't want to mess with. • Respect all signs, especially on trails. Do not break rules trying to get that perfect picture. Being a Respectful Visitor goes a long way. • Never approach, feed, or touch Sea Turtles or Monk Seals. Always stay at least 10-15 feet away from Sea Turtles and 50 feet away from Monk Seals or 150 feet if a Monk Seal has a baby. • When driving, it's common courtesy to let others merge when you drive, and honking is a big NO NO, so please don't honk your horn! It's also common to wave at other vehicles when they let you in and to let others merge in front of you, too. • You will need reef-safe sunscreen, as Hawaii has banned the ingredients oxybenzone and octinoxate, as they bleach the coral. You can look at the ingredients to make sure these two are not in them. Mineral sunscreen with zinc is considered reef safe and is the best one to use if you'll be snorkeling. You can buy it on the island. Some people can have a reaction to mineral sunscreen or it might not work as well as regular sunscreen. You may want to bring an SPF long-sleeve shirt with you. It can help keep you from getting burned while letting you enjoy the Hawaiian sun. • Please be careful around coral reefs and rocks in the ocean when swimming. Hawaii has coral reefs where fish love to swim and feed, which makes good snorkeling just off the beach possible. Be careful not to harm the reef by standing on it or breaking off parts of it, as well as stepping on sea urchins! • "Travel Pono" means to explore with care, offering your kokua (help) to preserve natural resources, cultures, and communities. It's recognizing responsibility while gaining a deeper connection to Hawaii. Do your part to travel Pono as you go from aina (land) to kai (sea) in Hawaii.
Most popular drinks: • Mai Tai (rum, lime juice, orange curaçao, orgeat syrup, dark rum) • Blue Hawaiian (vodka, rum, blue curaçao, pineapple juice, sweet-and-sour mix) • Lava Flow (strawberries, banana, coconut cream, pineapple juice, rum) • Chi Chi (pineapple juice, vodka, cream of coconut) • Pina Colada (coconut cream, pineapple juice, rum) Food to try in Hawaii • Malasadas are similar to a donut but are Portuguese. They are fried dough that comes out hot and is rolled in sugar. They can also be filled with custard. • Shave Ice is NOT the same as a snow cone in the USA. Shave Ice is finely shaved ice covered in flavored syrups. Popular flavors are lilikoi/passionfruit, lychee, coconut, pineapple, mango or any tropical flavor with natural not artificial flavors. You can also order it with ice cream on the bottom and sweetened condensed milk on the top (snow cap). • Plate lunches are popular in Hawaii. Many of them include Kalua pig, rice, macaroni salad and a green salad. •Poke is raw Ahi Tuna. It is often seasoned with flavors. Enjoy it as a snack or appetizer (pupu) before your meal. •Spam Musubi somewhat looks like sushi. It is rice, with fried spam on top, wrapped in seaweed. A popular spot to grab one at is 7/11!
• Call your credit/debit card company/bank to let them know that you'll be traveling outside your state, so charges aren't blocked as fraud. I recommend buying an RFID wallet or purse to keep your debit/credit card in to prevent fraud while traveling. • Check the expiration dates on your card(s) to ensure it is valid at least one month beyond your travel dates. This is a good time to ask about transaction and ATM withdrawal fees, as there are only local banks in Hawaii. • When you use an ATM, you may be charged a withdrawal fee Tipping: • It's recommended to have some cash for tips in small bills. • Tipping is not required on excursions or tours, but it is appreciated. • It's good practice to tip the bellmen or anyone else helping you with your bags $1-2 per bag, and tip the transfer driver the same, depending on how many bags you have. • If you're ordering drinks at the pool or beach from the bar, tipping $1-2 per drink is recommended for the bartender. • For excursions, It is recommended to tip $5-10 per person as the crew will usually split the tip.
• Lock anything important in the safe provided in your room. • LEAVE YOUR JEWELRY AT HOME! Unless you need your jewelry for some reason essential to your trip, leave it all at home. Wearing jewelry could be an open invitation for theft. The ocean also likes to steal wedding rings off your finger! Many people lose their rings while surfing or having fun in the ocean. Only carry what is necessary while traveling. If you are going to snorkel, it's recommended that one person stay on the beach with your items, or that you leave anything valuable in your safe in your room. **ALWAYS USE THE HOTEL ROOM SAFE FOR ALL VALUABLES WHEN YOU ARE NOT IN YOUR ROOM AND KEEP THE DOOR & PATIO CLOSED** • Do not leave anything valuable in your rental vehicle. Vehicle break-ins are VERY popular in Hawaii. Even the smallest item left in your car can warrant someone breaking your window to see if it's worth taking. If you do need to leave anything in your vehicle, leave it in your trunk. Please don't get to your destination and then move the items into your trunk; someone could be watching. Always put anything you're going to leave in your trunk into the trunk before you get to your final destination/the parking