3 days in Maui

Day by day

1. Day 1: Haleakalā summit sunrise and Keoneheʻeheʻe (Sliding Sands) Trail

   Haleakalā summit sunrise, Keoneheʻeheʻe (Sliding Sands) Trail and Road to Hāna, then Kāʻanapali Beach and Black Rock in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Haleakalā summit sunrise

      From the summit of Haleakalā at about 3,055 metres, sunrise lights up a sea of clouds and the reddish cinder cones of the vast summit depression.

   2. Late morning

      Keoneheʻeheʻe (Sliding Sands) Trail

      Start in the morning, carry plenty of water and sun protection, and turn back while you still have energy for the climb.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Poke

      Supermarket poke counters and fish markets in Kahului and Kīhei; buy by the pound for a beach lunch.

   4. Afternoon

      Road to Hāna

      The Hāna Highway winds about 85 km from Kahului to Hāna through rainforest with more than 600 bends and dozens of one-lane bridges.

   5. Evening

      Kāʻanapali Beach and Black Rock

      Snorkel Black Rock in the morning when the water is calmer, then come back for the sunset ceremony.

2. Day 2: Waiʻānapanapa State Park and Molokini Crater snorkelling

   Waiʻānapanapa State Park, Molokini Crater snorkelling and Humpback whale watching, then Haleakalā sunrise or sunset in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Waiʻānapanapa State Park

      Walk the coastal trail south from the beach for sea arches and fewer people.

   2. Late morning

      Molokini Crater snorkelling

      A crescent-shaped, partly sunken volcanic crater about 5 km off the south coast, protected as a marine life conservation district.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Plate lunch

      Drive-ins and lunch counters in Kahului, Wailuku and Kīhei.

   4. Afternoon

      Humpback whale watching

      Look for spouts from McGregor Point lookout on the road between Māʻalaea and the west side; the peak is January to March.

   5. Evening

      Haleakalā sunrise or sunset

      Watch the light spread across the clouds from the summit, wrapped in blankets.

3. Day 3: Pīpīwai Trail and Waimoku Falls and Honolua Bay

   Pīpīwai Trail and Waimoku Falls, Honolua Bay and Hoʻokipa Beach Park, then Overnight in Hāna in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Pīpīwai Trail and Waimoku Falls

      In the Kīpahulu district of Haleakalā National Park, south of Hāna, this roughly 6 km round-trip trail climbs past a giant banyan and through a dense bamboo forest on boardwalks to Waimoku Falls, which drops about 120 metres down a sheer rock wall.

   2. Late morning

      Honolua Bay

      Enter from the rocky shore carefully, and only snorkel when the water is flat; skip it after heavy rain, when visibility drops.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Loco moco

      Local diners and breakfast spots across the island.

   4. Afternoon

      Hoʻokipa Beach Park

      Just east of Pāʻia, Hoʻokipa is a world-famous windsurfing and kitesurfing spot, with surfers in the mornings and windsurfers in the afternoon trade winds.

   5. Evening

      Overnight in Hāna

      Stay in Hāna to have Waiʻānapanapa and the Pīpīwai Trail almost to yourselves early in the morning.

Before you go

• Haleakalā summit sunrise: Sunrise visits require an advance vehicle reservation from the National Park Service on top of the park entrance fee; book as soon as your dates are set.
• Waiʻānapanapa State Park: Non-resident visitors need an advance entry and parking reservation for a specific time slot.
• Molokini Crater snorkelling: Reserve a day or more ahead in winter and on holidays; trips may be cancelled for wind.

If it rains

• Swap in Maui Ocean Center (Māʻalaea): Visit on a windy afternoon or a rainy day; it pairs well with a morning boat trip from the same harbour.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Kāʻanapali keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Kapalua and Nāpili ($$$$) suits couples, quiet stays, luxury and beach. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 26–36 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.9 hours in December to 13.4 hours in June.

More or fewer days

• One day in Maui
• 2 days in Maui
• 5 days in Maui

Questions travellers ask