Maui is an absolute paradise, but it’s not without surprises. For the first-time visitor, you need to know a few things before you stick your toes in the sand.
- It’s Open for Business
- Rent an SUV
- Mineral Sunscreen is a Necessary Evil
- Food Costs are High
- Weather Dictates Activities
Maui is Open for Business
When fires ravaged the town of Lahaina, killing 100 people, the entire state of Hawaii and the island of Maui was understandably devastated. There are still many families without homes. Yet mixed messages from officials made it sound like no one should go to Maui. That’s not the case. Visitation is down about 30 percent, and you can feel it. We took a 67-person boat for a snorkel tour, and we only had 18 people on board. The pineapple and sugar cane plantations are long gone, and the island runs on tourism. Just be respectful and avoid Lahaina.
Rent an SUV
I’m cheap, and I typically rent a crappy little sedan with pitiful clearance. This kind of car does not do well on islands. I learned that in Puerto Rico and Maui. If you can afford it, get a Jeep or something similar because there are certain roads, like the Hana Highway, where you might just want to use that extra clearance. Also, the roadside fruit stands are not to be missed, but they typically are off the pavement. Sometimes those drop offs will rip the crappy bumpy right off your Nissan Altima.
Mineral Sunscreen
Regular sunscreen is outlawed on Maui. Apparently, it has chemicals that are detrimental to the island’s spectacular coral reefs. After being on a snorkel tour and seeing how many boats bring hundreds of snorkelers to the same reefs twice each day, I can see why it could be a problem. But there is a downside. Mineral sunscreen does not like to rub in. Instead, you look like some sort of Japanese geisha girl in a snorkel mask. One upside is that I put the stuff on my legs, and it didn’t come off for three days.
Food Costs are High
The cost of flights to Maui are not outrageous right now. The vacation rentals by owner (VRBOs) in Kihei and Wailea were a tad spendy. And the food costs were just crazy. If you’re going to feed a family for a week, stop by Costco or Walmart near the airport before you head to the beach. At grocery stores in town, we paid $5 for a half-gallon of milk, $10 for a bag of coffee, and $7 for a bag of chips. Restaurants aren’t any cheaper, especially if you want a cocktail, which will run you $14 on average.
Weather Dictates Activities
I made my family get up at 0500 to get on a boat that would take us to snorkel at the world-famous Molokini Crater. After spending nearly $700 for the four of us to take the Lani Kai out to the crater, the captain told us the bad news. The winds were straight out of the north, which turns the crater into a washing machine for any would-be snorkelers. We turned around and found shelter on the leeward side of a few other spots. We were bummed, but weather, wind, and waves are king. There is nothing you can do but accept it and move on to something equally awesome. And on the island of Maui, awesome is not something they are lacking. If you want a fun snorkeling experience, check out mauisnorkeling.com.
