Simply Exploring Maui

We just got back from Maui! Though we had to quickly jet off to NYFW, this vacation was the perfect way to get away and relax with a few of our friends. We’ve never been to Maui before and we loved it! Unfortunately there was a hurricane around the time that we were there, so we didn’t get the chance to explore the island. We spent a lot of time on the beach and snorkeling and we hope to come back one day and do some hiking and adventuring!
Since it was our first time in Maui and wanted to be able to relax, we decided to stay at a resort. Though it was absolutely beautiful, I think next time we’ll stay at an AirBnB so that we can have an entire house to ourselves!

Where To Stay:

Andaz Wailea Resort in Maui— We stayed at the Andaz in Maui. It was right on the beach, but to be honest, it was a little pricey. They didn’t serve food or drinks on the beach and we wished that we could have enjoyed a few meals near the water!

Wailea Hotel— We haven’t stayed here ourselves, but have heard really great things about this resort!
The food was one of my favorite parts about Maui—it was absolutely out of this world! We pretty much ate fish for both lunch and dinner for all five days! In Maui you really don’t need to eat at high-end restaurants to find good food, we were impressed with the food everywhere we went!

Where To Eat:

Mama’s Fish House— A few of you recommended Mama’s Fish House and it did not disappoint. Not only was the food amazing but also the service was really good and the view was incredible!

Monkeypod—This was a great casual restaurant in Wailea. Their large menu has something for pretty much everyone!

5 Palms Restaurant—The pokè at 5 Palms was some of the best we’ve ever had and the view is absolutely amazing! We were able to catch the sunset over the water as we ate dinner.

As I mentioned, the hurricane prevented us from doing a lot of the activities we had planned around the island. Luckily, we were able to rent snorkel gear near our hotel, so we spent most of our days snorkeling, hanging out on the beach, and exploring Wailea. There were so many cute coconut stands and I loved the local market there!

What to Do:

Road to Hana— We had originally wanted to take a day to do the famous Road to Hana, a beautiful drive along the Maui coast, but were told that the conditions might be dangerous due to the hurricane. Along the way there are waterfalls, hikes, and gorgeous views!

Bamboo Forest Hike— This was another day trip that we weren’t able to do because of weather, but it looks amazing! Along this hike you can see lots of waterfall and walk through a bamboo forest. (Make sure to check the conditions before you go, this area around this hike is known for flash floods!)

Boat Tour—One activity that we did manage  was a boat tour. Maui has lots of boat tours available, and we loved being able to see the island from the sea! Our boat tour was such a fun day of snorkeling and relaxing on the boat. I definitely recommend one!

Lahaina—We were able to do a little exploring nearby towns including Lahaina, which was one of my favorites. There were so many adorable little shops and restaurants. We got shaved ice and I did a little bit of shopping—I ended up with a cute one-piece bathing suit. (which you may have seen on Instagram!)

Since Maui has such a casual beach atmosphere, you really only need a few relaxed pieces. I mostly wore bathing suits, light dresses, tee shirts and some shorts and jeans. I brought heels to wear to dinner but I felt overdressed! Even though it said that the weather might be cold while we were there, I never unpacked the sweaters I brought. Wailea has a desert climate so it was beautiful and sunny for most days. One essential to bring is sunscreen. I had to reapply  every few hours!

We were sad to leave at the end of our trip—we only stayed for five days! Next time I would definitely stay for at least a week. We loved staying in Wailea, since it was such a nice town and there was really everything you could possibly need there!

Have you ever been to Maui? What was your favorite place to visit?

Photos via Mama’s Fish House and Andaz Wailea.