Outdoors · Maui · United States
8 best outdoor things to do in Maui
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: 293.xx.xxx.xx, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Haleakalā summit sunrise, Road to Hāna and Waiʻānapanapa State Park. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 22–31 hours across 7 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 22–31 hours
- Areas
- Haleakalā National Park, East Maui and Hāna
Outdoors in Maui
Viewpoint · Haleakalā National Park
1.Haleakalā summit sunrise
Bring warm layers, a hat and gloves; if you miss sunrise, sunset and stargazing at the summit are equally striking and need no reservation.
- Time needed
- Half a day including the drive
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Nature
- Photo spot
- Couples
Experience · East Maui
2.Road to Hāna
Leave by 7am, fill the tank in Pāʻia, pull over to let locals pass, and never park in or walk along the narrow road.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Nature
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Beach · Hāna
3.Waiʻānapanapa State Park
Walk the coastal trail south from the beach for sea arches and fewer people.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Nature
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Island · South Maui
4.Molokini Crater snorkelling
Book the earliest departure, when the sea is calmest; many trips add a second stop at a turtle site.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Kids
- Nature
- Active
Experience · Māʻalaea and South Maui
5.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.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Kids
- Nature
- Couples
Nature · Haleakalā National Park
6.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.
- Time needed
- 3–5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Active
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Views
Nature · Kīpahulu
7.Pīpīwai Trail and Waimoku Falls
Allow 2–3 hours, wear shoes that can get muddy, and check flash-flood warnings; streams rise quickly in heavy rain.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Active
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Nature · Kapalua and Nāpili
8.Honolua Bay
Enter from the rocky shore carefully, and only snorkel when the water is flat; skip it after heavy rain, when visibility drops.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Active
- Outdoors
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Haleakalā National Park | Haleakalā summit sunrise and Keoneheʻeheʻe (Sliding Sands) Trail | Half a day including the drive + 3–5 hours |
| East Maui | Road to Hāna | Full day |
| Hāna | Waiʻānapanapa State Park | 1–2 hours |
| South Maui | Molokini Crater snorkelling | Half a day |
| Māʻalaea and South Maui | Humpback whale watching | 2 hours |
| Kīpahulu | Pīpīwai Trail and Waimoku Falls | 2–3 hours |
| Kapalua and Nāpili | Honolua Bay | 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 free, 4 low cost, 1 mid-priced, 1 expensive. Book ahead for Haleakalā summit sunrise, Waiʻānapanapa State Park and Molokini Crater snorkelling. The longest visit is Road to Hāna; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- 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.
How to fit them into 7 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Haleakalā National Park): Haleakalā summit sunrise, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Haleakalā National Park): Keoneheʻeheʻe (Sliding Sands) Trail, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (East Maui): Road to Hāna, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Hāna): Waiʻānapanapa State Park, at least 1 hour.
- Half-day 5 (South Maui): Molokini Crater snorkelling, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 6 (Māʻalaea and South Maui and Kīpahulu): Humpback whale watching → Pīpīwai Trail and Waimoku Falls, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 7 (Kapalua and Nāpili): Honolua Bay, at least 2 hours.
The best months to be outside
- June: highs of 30°C (86°F), about 3 rainy days, busy crowds. Dry, sunny and calm on the west and south shores; summer holiday crowds start to arrive.
- May: highs of 29°C (84°F), about 5 rainy days, moderate crowds. Sunny and calm, with lower rates; a good month for snorkelling and the Road to Hāna.
- July: highs of 31°C (88°F), about 4 rainy days, very busy crowds. Warm and dry with family crowds; Honolua Bay snorkelling is usually at its best.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Kāʻanapali — Planned resort strip on West Maui's main beach with a shoreline walkway
- Kapalua and Nāpili — Quieter bays, condos and the island's northwestern resorts
- Pāʻia and the North Shore — Former plantation town turned surf hub with wooden shopfronts
- Hāna — Remote East Maui village of taro patches, rain and red- and black-sand beaches
More of Maui
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Maui?
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.
+Which of these are free in Maui?
Road to Hāna and Honolua Bay.