Here is my Maui Vacation Rental story. My family and I spent 10 days between Oahu and Maui last year. We were able to book an amazing vacation rental home in Lahaina for the last 7 nights of our trip.
How we booked our Maui Vacation Rental
Our trip was booked directly through the vacation rental management company, A Perfect Vacation Rental. I try to book directly through the property manager like this to save money and avoid booking fees charged by vacation rental listing sites. It does require a bit more effort and you need to research the company you are booking with.
A Perfect Vacation Rental was easy to work with. They took our booking over the phone and emailed us everything we needed to know. They did have an on-call person on Maui, but we didn’t need any help during our stay.
Getting to our Vacation Rental in Maui
First we flew into Honolulu from Houston, which was a little less than a 9 hour flight. We planned to spend the first 3 nights on Oahu. Visiting Pearl Harbor has always been on our bucket list, and I highly recommend it. It is a very sombering experience seeing the USS Arizona Memorial. Allow yourself at least half a day to do the whole tour and take everything in.
We were also lucky enough to catch the Billabong Pipe Masters surfing competition on the North Shore of Oahu.
The Polynesian Cultural Center is a place not many people think of visiting in Oahu. We spent a day here and really enjoyed it. It is a great cultural experience and you can stay for the evening Luau.
Next we hopped on an Inter-island flight from Oahu to Maui. We rented a car when we reached the Maui airport. Maui is definitely a destination where it pays to have a rental car. Our vacation rental was about 30 minutes from the airport.
Where We Stayed
Our vacation rental in Maui was located in Lahaina. Lahaina was once a historic whaling village, but is now a tourist hot spot. The town is located on the western side of Maui. Lahaina still maintains much of it’s rustic charm, but has all the modern conveniences you would expect. The downtown area offers plenty of restaurants, shopping and nightlife. There are also several grocery stores in the area.
Our Vacation Rental in Maui
We stayed in an ocean front 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom property in the Puamana Community. Puamana is close enough to walk to downtown Lahaina. There were 3 community pools, one of them ocean front. There is also a tennis court area and the grounds were immaculate.
The biggest reason we booked this property was obviously the view. Open the sliding doors and you are literally steps from the Pacific Ocean, with the view extending to the neighboring Island of Lanai. The property was well-maintained and clean. We purchased items from the local Safeway grocery store and cooked several meals in the vacation rental. The kitchen was well equipped.
We had 6 guests in total, including myself, and we were very comfortable in this vacation rental.
Things to do in Maui, Hawaii
Nakalele Blowhole
Getting to Nakalele Blowhole is a bit of a trek, but well worth the effort. Seawater gets trapped inside the the underwater lava tube, causing a natural geyser as often as every few minutes.
I will caution you that getting too close to the blowhole can be very dangerous. It is best to keep your distance and enjoy the show.
The Road to Hana
This is one of the must-do items while in Maui. It is slow going, with countless twists and turns. You will also want to stop several times along the way to enjoy the numerous waterfalls. I recommend renting your own Jeep and making a day of it.
Enjoy the beaches
This is one of the main reasons to visit Hawaii. Isn’t it?
The best beaches are generally located on the western part of each section of the island. Kaʻanapali Beach and Makena Beach are probably the two most popular, and you can’t go wrong with either.
Haleakala Crater
Haleakala is a dormant volcano that makes up most of the eastern part of the island of Maui. At 10,000 feet above sea level, it is the highest point on the island. Here you can enjoy breathtaking views of how the Hawaiian Islands were formed.
One of the best ways to experience Haleakala is at sunrise. Make sure you leave early and bring warm clothes. It can take 2 hours to drive to the top and the temperature can be 30 degrees colder than at sea level.
Try the Hawaiian cuisine
There is no shortage of good food to enjoy while in Maui. Enjoy Loco Moco for breakfast, a plate lunch in the afternoon and fresh seafood for dinner. I also highly recommend ordering some Hawaiian Shave Ice. I know we have it in the States, but there is no comparison to the real deal.
Snorkel at Molokini Crater
We booked a snorkeling trip with Boss Frog’s and it was absolutely one of the highlights of our trip. Molokini Crater is a partially submerged volcanic crater that forms a natural habitat for dozens of species of marine life.
The crater is about 3 miles off the coast and visibility is over 100 feet almost year round.
Recommendation
This was a much needed vacation for a hard-working property manager. It’s no secret that a vacation in Maui is one of those once-in-a-lifetime type experiences. Maui is simply one of the most beautiful places on Earth. You owe it to yourself to visit Maui at least once in your life.
Obviously paradise doesn’t come cheap. The flights can be expensive and spending money can add up quickly. That’s why I highly recommend a vacation rental. Having a kitchen will save money on meals. Also we paid less than $500 per night for our rental during the peak season. For 6 people, that is a much better value than a similar hotel in the area.
