Top 10 Maui Outdoor Activities

Without a doubt, the most popular attraction on Maui is the plethora of gorgeous beaches. From the black, salt and pepper, brown and red sand beaches of Hana to the sprawling golden-white sand beaches of Makena, we can’t recommend Maui without suggesting you spend some time exploring, enjoying and most importantly, relaxing, on the beaches. Keep in mind that although it may only be 75 degrees outside, the sun is intense. Make sure to bring lots of water, SPF and protective clothing!

Instead of eating out every night, pick an evening to enjoy a simple picnic in paradise with your family or friends. Many beaches and parks on Maui are equipped with grills, picnic tables, and grassy lawns, so pick up your favorite food items or grab a plate lunch to-go and bask in a relaxing, low-key meal by the ocean. Weekends are a popular time for locals and visitors to barbecue, so choose a weekday for a less crowded experience.

The great thing about the sunrise and sunset is that if you miss it, there will be another one along shortly. No worries! While strolling the beach or enjoying a cocktail on your lanai are perfectly acceptable ways of watching the sunset, we recommend making the drive 10,023 feet above sea level to the summit of Haleakala Volcano for an experience unlike any other.

Grab your sneakers and head out! One of our favorite activities on Maui is exploring outdoors and enjoying unbelievable scenic views. Head to centrally-located Iao Valley, where you’ll enjoy high altitude views of the West Maui Mountains, Iao Needle, a flowing freshwater river and the ocean.

While you may not be ready to paddle out to some of the best surf spots with the locals, we do recommend surf lessons on your next trip to Maui. There’s nothing quite like riding your first wave in the place where it was invented! Instead of bringing back yet another vacation t-shirt or shot glass, bring back a new skill.

Whether it’s snorkeling at Molokini Crater, a volcanic atoll offering 180+ feet of visibility, or Turtle Town, where many of the Hawaiian green sea turtles live in the reef and surrounding caves, we highly recommend taking one of our boat tours to do it right.

The Road to Hana is an absolute must for nature-lovers. With winding roads through dense Maui rainforest, including several stunning waterfalls, hiking trails, swimming spots, beaches, gardens, sea arches, lava tubes and more, we recommend continuing the drive around the back side of Haleakala for an even more memorable trip.

Alright, alright. So while a luau certainly isn’t the most outdoorsy or adventurous thing to do on Maui, remember that there’s only one place on Earth to see an authentic Hawaiian luau, and that’s in… wait for it… Hawaii! Plus, who doesn’t have fun sipping cocktails, trying fresh local Hawaiian food and watching extremely talented hula dancers?!

Very few visitors to Maui consider camping, but we highly recommend it for a unique and relaxing island experience. Pack your camping hammock—with mosquito netting and rain tarp if possible—and choose from one of the many great campgrounds available on Maui, including Hosmer Grove Campground in the cloud belt of Haleakala, Kipahulu Campground beside ‘Ohe’o Gulch and Pipiwai Trail in East Maui, Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area in the Kula Forest Reserve, Wai’anapanapa State Park in Hana and Kanaha Beach Park close to the Kahului Airport.

If you plan on coming to Hawaii between December and April, don’t miss out on some of the best whale watching in the world! Each year, more than 10,000 humpback whales make the swim from Alaska to Hawaii to birth and nurse their young in the shallow, warm water surrounding the Hawaiian islands.