Maui

Maui is pure magic. We visited in 2019 and can't wait to go back. The island offers a perfect mix of relaxing beaches, city attractions, and immersion in nature. Continue reading for more on the best time to go and some of our favorite Maui sites, bites, and delights!

When to go

We recommend visiting Maui in January or February for a few reasons:

1. Post holiday rush, while it's still peak timing, points and miles booking availability increases immediately after New Year's.

2. Whale watching, whales migrate south to the warmer waters to begin breeding. A sunset boat cruise catered to whale watching was the highlight of our trip. We set sail on the Calypso departing from Ma'alaea Harbor and highly recommend it.

3. Contrasting weather, for those of us in the Northern hemisphere it's Winter time and despite being the coolest (relative) time in Hawaii, it will feel nice to have a little sun.

How to get there

Turkish Airlines for 7.5k points each way

For 7,500 points, you can get a one-way economy flight to Hawaii through the Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles loyalty program. Business class seats go for 12,500 points each way. We recommend searching for award flight availability on United.com and ensuring that the flight is marked "saver award" as those are the only ones that qualify for this low rate. Once you find availability for your preferred dates, call Turkish Airlines to confirm they can see the same flights and help you book**.

**A few notes:

• You may have to call several times to get an award flight booked (we've experienced this with other award programs including Virgin and ANA)

• Transfers to Turkish may take 1-2 days for the miles to show up in your Turkish Miles & Smiles account

• We highly recommend calling to put the award flight(s) on hold before you transfer points to Turkish Miles & Smiles

Getting around

Unless you're staying put in the same area for the duration of your trip, a rental car is essential to see everything Maui has to offer and have the most flexibility during your visit. Jeeps are the most common cars you'll see among fellow renters, and they're ideal for Maui's terrain. 

Thankfully there are some great credit card benefits for rental cars: 

The Capital One® Venture X Rewards Credit Card card offers Hertz President’s Circle elite status for primary cardholders and authorized users, which includes guaranteed car upgrades, 50% bonus on Gold Plus Rewards points on all qualified rentals, and more.

Note: Be sure to book the full cost of your rental with the Capital One® Venture X Rewards Credit Card since this will get you access to their Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) coverage which is insurance for damage and theft on most rental cars worldwide. As an added bonus, if you book directly through the Capital One Travel portal, you’ll receive 10x Venture miles for the purchase.

Hotels

In terms of neighborhoods to stay in, Paia (surf town home to plenty of shops and our favorite restaurants) and Wailea (luxurious resort town with golf courses and beach access) are both great options. Below are some recommendations across price ranges. We typically lean towards Hyatts given their great point redemption values and the ease of earning points through Chase (see below). 

• Top Tier

  • Hyatt, Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort

  • Hyatt, Hana-Maui Resort

  • Napili Kai Beach Resort (an exception to our chain hotel recommendation given the fantastic happy hour, service, and views)

• Mid Range

  • Marriott, Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa

  • Marriott, Residence Inn Wailea (includes free grills, a huge pool, and is a 15 min walk to the ocean) 

Card recommendations

Based on current offers available, we recommend the following cards as you plan your trip:

Chase Sapphire Preferred®

• Chase Sapphire cards offer best in class insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and valuable points for Hyatt, United and many other travel partners. You may only have one Sapphire card at any given point in time, and the lower annual fee of $95 makes the Preferred my suggestion for those getting started in the world of points.

Capital One® Venture X Rewards Credit Card

• If you already have a Chase Sapphire card and you’re looking to take your points game to the next level, it’s hard to compete with the value offered by the Venture X. Not only do you get $300 of your $395 annual fee reimbursed when you book any travel in the Capital One portal, but you’re also awarded 10,000 miles each anniversary year (equivalent to at least $100 when redeemed or transferred), and of course the $100 Global Entry / TSA Pre-check reimbursement. Last but not least, access to Plaza Premium lounges, including my new favorite lounge in NYC, the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse.

Eat & drink

The seafood and fresh fruit selection can't be beat. Here are some of the Maui spots that we can't forget:

• Maui Brewing Company - A beautiful hilltop location with unique brews including coconut and pineapple

• Kihei Caffe - The macadamia nut pancakes and their classic fried rice are spectacular

• Coconut's Fish Cafe - Get the Mahi Mahi fish with mango salsa 

• Paia Fish Market - Local wild caught fish over rice with a side of onion rings

• Tasty Crust - A no frills diner from WWII. The pancakes are iconic!

• Miso Phat - Great sushi - both sashimi and rolls 

See & do

Beaches

Maui has a mix of white and black sand beaches from volcanic eruptions. We weren't able to snorkel during our trip but it's high on the list given the abundance of beautiful fish. Below are some beach highlights:

• Oneuli Beach - On the north edge of the Maluaka Wetlands in South Maui, Oneuli is mostly frequented by locals, experienced scuba divers, and naturalists

• Charley Young Beach - Go in the morning when the ocean is at its calmest

• La Perouse Bay - Explore the lava-rock covered bay and check out the famous nearby Kings Hawaii trail

Whale watching

This was by far our favorite part of the trip. We booked a whale watching sunset cruise that included dinner through Tripadvisor. Despite the captain's disclosures that there was no guarantee we'd see any whales that night, we were in for a show. There was a full family of whales that swam and played around our boat for close to 1 full hour. Needless to say, it was an incredible experience that we can't wait to share with friends and family during our next trip.  

Goat farm

Another must do is a visit to the Surfing Goat Dairy. A 20-minute drive from the OGG airport, it's a great activity to do on your way in or out. We were able to say hello to some adorable goats and sample a selection of the farm's amazingly fresh cheeses.