10 Day Itinerary @ Andaz Maui, Hawaii

Hawaiian Islands are popular destination on everyone’s travel list. When traveling to Hawaii, the first question that arises and baffles most people is what island(s) to visit. To start you off, the state of Hawaii consists of eight main islands: Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe and the Big Island of Hawaii. To learn more about each of these islands read this article.

We visited Hawaii during the month of September for 10 days and decided to keep our stay to one island only, at Maui. Some people visit two islands on a 10 day stay, but we wanted to explore everything that the island had to offer at leisure and still spare enough time for personal relaxation.

Where to stay – Wailea or Ka’anapali?

We were contemplating our stay between Andaz Maui at Wailea resort and Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa at Ka’anapali. Based on our research and interests we decided to stay at Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort for our 10 day voyage. 

As we explored the island, we found Ka’anapali to be a more convenient location as it has a large assortment of hotels, restaurants and bars, within a walking distance along a beachfront strip. It is also located closer to Lahaina which is popular port of departure for excursions and the area is richer on commercial activities.

Wailea, on the other hand, was more upscale and less crowded than Ka’anapali. It is a community of luxurious resorts with staggering ocean views. The area radiates a sense of privacy, serenity and freedom. Restaurants, shopping and nightlife costed more money than Ka’anapali and are not in a walking distance. Most resorts in Wailea offered free transportation within Wailea. The area is not very rich on activities so we drove to Lahaina for most of our excursions, which was an hour drive from the resort, which we did not mind as it was a nice scenic route.

The famous hallway to Andaz Maui resort!

Andaz Maui Resort Information

• There is no self-parking option at this resort so we had no choice but to pay a $35 valet parking fee per day, in addition to the $40 per night resort fee (We were able to avoid the resort fee, more details on that in a later post).
• Tipping was very common at the resort for all kinds of services such as valet, beach bed set up, kayaking etc.
• The following activities/items were provided by the resort, free of charge:
  • Everyday
    • Single and tandem bike rental
    • Free photo session – photo session and only 1 photo copy is complimentary
    • Sunburn lotion – Found throughout the resort
    • Fruit infused water – Found throughout the resort and 2 water bottles were provided upon check-in
    • Go pro rental – provided on a first come first serve basis and they go fast
    • Free mini bar – Refilled daily with chips, juices and cookies
  • Friday
    • Stand up paddle board yoga class
  • Saturday and Sunday
    • Stand up paddle board lesson
    • Guided kayak tour

The resort also had daily guest entertainment activities in the evenings such as live music, karaoke, fire dance show etc. The fire dance was the most entertaining and popular activity.

 

We rented a convertible Ford Mustang via Hertz, at $240 for our 10 day voyage, which was a steal deal.

Our 10 days Maui Itinerary

Day 1 – Check-In and Relax
We arrived the resort around 4:30 PM and were welcomed with a Hawaiian garland made of fresh aromatic flowers. The valet team handled our car parking and luggage, as we were shown to the front desk area. A front desk staff member readily attended to us to assist with the check-in process. We were served a refreshing lemonade while the staff member prepared our check in documents and briefed us on the resort amenities, restaurants, guest entertainment schedule and other relevant information.

After the check in formalities, we were shown to our room and shortly after our luggage arrived too. It was a beautiful corner room with a hammock in the garden behind. We quickly settled in and rushed to glimpse the stunning views of the sunset while savoring the ethnic Japanese food of Morimoto restaurant, found at the resort.

After dinner we strolled around the resort and enjoyed the relaxed holiday atmosphere!

Day 2 – Maui Aqua Ball venture and Lahaina self-touring
We don’t know if it was the excitement or the jet lag but we woke up really early at 5:30 AM on our second day and were full of energy. We decided to go for a run at the beach and we were so glad we did! The revitalizing smell of sea water, sound of the waves crashing on the beach, and the feel of the cool breeze running through our veins made this one of the finest run we’ve ever had. We loved it so much that we repeated this activity couple times throughout our stay.

It was a great start to the day with so much more fun ahead! We had a 9:00 AM tour at Maui Dragon Fruit farm for the aqua venture. We left for the farm at 8:00 AM as it was a 45-minute drive from the resort. We left a little earlier to account for traffic but fortunately there was none. Parking wasn’t an issue either as there were plenty of free parking spots at the farm.

We were welcomed with some locally grown fresh fruits and a beverage, followed by a 1 hour guided farm tour and finally the best part, the Aqua Venture 😀

The aqua balls were filled with about 50 gallons of water and included two trips per person, rolling down a 450 feet long course in a gigantic wet and slippery aqua ball. Each trip was about 50 to 55 seconds and even though that sounds too little, it actually felt longer when we were inside the aqua ball. We loved the experience especially because we had never done a zorb before and it was on our bucket list.

Tips:

• Book the tour online via Costco Wholesale store for a discounted rate. Upon payment, you will receive an e-ticket that is easily accepted by the farm.
• You can include zip lining to the tour, if interested. It is short and kids friendly. We did not sign up for the zip line.
• Book the tour as early as 9 AM to avoid the crowds. It starts getting crowded around 11 AM.
• Farm tour gets really hot so pack your sun glasses, hat and a bottle of water.
• Running will make the aqua ball roll faster.

Maui Dragon Fruit farm is in Lahaina so it was convenient for us to tour Lahaina afterwards. Our first stop, at a 15 minute drive, was the front street which is Maui’s hub for restaurants, shopping, commercial attractions and nightlife. Due to the popularity of this area, it was difficult to find free parking. Street parking was full and the free parking lot was not easy to locate. We finally parked at a lot that charged $10 for all day parking.

Tips:

• If you get lucky, you may find a street parking on the further end of the street.
• Lahaina Center, Whaler’s Village and Wharf Cinema Center offer free parking with validation, usually in the form of purchasing something from one of the surrounding businesses.

By the time we sorted out our parking situation, we were famished! We walked to India Express Authentic Cuisine for lunch. We then wandered along the street visiting local shops and trying the famous Hawaiian Shave Ice, which is a must. There were several shave ice joints along the street – we had ours at Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice, it was so pleasing!

Walking along the street under the burning sun got exhaustive and we needed a break. We walked for another 4 minutes to Lahaina Banyan Court Park, home to the oldest living and largest Banyan Tree not only in Hawaii but all of United States.

We could feel the gentle breeze and hear flocks of birds chirping. It was the perfect spot for relaxation!

A few steps from the park were Maui’s historic landmarks – Old Fort and Old Lahaina Courthouse.

Finally, we visited a Buddhist temple on Ala Moana St, which is at a 5 minute drive from the park. Luckily, there were a couple free parking spots outside the temple so we did not have to pay for parking twice. We visited around 3 PM and the temple was closed but its beautiful architecture was worth the visit.

At 4 PM we left for the resort and relaxed for the rest of the day.

Day 3: Helicopter tour and Private Dinning
There are a few route options for Maui helicopter tours. For us, it came down to choosing between Hana/Haleakala and West Maui/Molokai route. We were going to be visiting Hana (Day 4) and Haleakala (Day 6) later during our trip so it was an easy decision for us. We opted for the West Maui/Molokai tour through which we got to explore an additional Hawaiian island, Molokai and experienced breathtaking views of cascading waterfalls and spectacular valleys. It was incredible!
Our tour was at 11:45 AM with Air Maui, booked via Costco. The overall experience was for 3 hours but the actual flight time was for 65 minutes.

Tips:

• Book this tour via Costco Wholesale Store to for some great discounts.
• Book the tour on the initial days of your trip, so that you may have an opportunity to reschedule in case of cancellations.

The absolutely stunning 1,250 foot waterfall located deep within Molokai’s Papalaua Valley, surrounded by lush emerald green scenery. They are tremendously gorgeous!

Views of the Lahaina Harbor at Ka’anapali shores.  

Our third day on Maui was also my husband’s birthday. I surprised him to a Floating Cabana Candlelight Dinner hosted at Wailea Beach Marriott Resort. I decided to have it at the Marriott because I found it to be one of the fairly priced resorts in the area for a similar dinner experience. The dinner included a 5 course customizable menu and a personal server. We were very satisfied with our experience, it was totally worth the 542 USD charged per couple.

Tips:

• Our resort offered complimentary pick up and drop off services to Wailea Beach Marriott Resort.
• The cabana is located at the center of the resort’s main pool and was crowded during sunset time. Book your dinner later around 6:30 PM for more privacy – the crowds started disappearing as it got dark.

Day 4: Road to Hana
Planning a DIY Road to Hana excursion was very time consuming. It was like planning an entire trip on its own. There is so much information we would like to share with you about this excursion but it is impossible to include everything here as this post will get really long. Based on our adventure, we have put together a list valuable tips/recommendations, along with information on mile markers associated with each of the alluring stops on the Hana Highway. Check out the full itinerary here!   

Day 5: Spa and Beach Time
Wow! The 12 hour excursion to Hana had us cramping from the meandering drive and rigorous activities.

We were in need of a nice soothing massage that would help ease our muscle stiffness and were excited for our 11:00 reservation with The Spa at Black Rock located in Sheraton Maui Resort, in Lahaina. The spa had a range of spoiling treatments from which we picked the Pu’u keka’a Hot Stone Couples Massage. The warm, smooth stone was perfect for melting away our muscle tensions.

This was an 80 minute experience that generally costs $190 per adult but we were able to buy $100 gift cards for $79.99 via Costco wholesale store which ended up being a great deal.

We headed back to our resort after the spa and laid by the beach. It felt good to bake under the sun and simmer down. We also went for snorkeling later that day and got to see diverse marine life by the reef, including sea turtles.

Day 6: Sunrise at Haleakala National Park
One of our most memorable experience on the island of Maui was the gorgeous views of the sunrise from the Haleakala summit which is almost 10,000 feet above sea level. Just like everything else good, this adventure also required a considerable amount of planning to make the it worthwhile.

Watching the sunrise from the Haleakala summit is a popular activity among tourists visiting Maui. Therefore, the national park has enforced entry by reservation only, to limit the crowds and make the experience more personal. A reservation is only required between 3:00AM to 7:00AM to enter the summit district and view the sunrise. We were able to make our reservation 60 days prior to our visit at a $1.5 fee. In addition to that, we had to pay a $20 per vehicle park entrance fee on the day of the visit.

We visited in September 2017, during which period the sunrise was at 6:14 AM. We left our resort really early at 3:30 AM as the park was 1.15 hours from our resort. We had accounted for traffic possibilities closer to the summit due to the popularity of this activity and were glad we left a little earlier.

Internet connection got poor as we got closer to the park. Luckily for us, we did not have to worry about losing GPS connection as we had downloaded the Shaka Guide app. The app provided precise navigational instructions to Haleakala summit and shared lots of intriguing Hawaiian legends that made our overall experience so much more fun and interesting. This app is available for IOS and Android.

Upon entering the park, we drove an additional 30 minutes to the summit. We reached the summit early enough to get a parking spot and set up a comfortable sitting arrangement against a large rock with disposable towels. We were there for almost 3 hours in freezing conditions so it was important that we were comfortable and cozy to enjoy the sunrise in contentment.

 

We watched the first beam of ray hit the dull morning sky. It was a spectacular view as the golden rays turned into a big ball of fire changing from dark orange to dark yellow. It was absolutely dazzling!

Views of the sun over the horizon!

Planning Tips and Information:

• Book your sunrise reservation as soon as the 60 day window opens up as the spots get filled up really fast. You cannot make a reservation earlier than 60 days prior to your visit.
• Be sure to check the sun rise times as it varies by month.
• Reach the park an hour before the sunrise time to enjoy the entire sunrise view and also to guarantee a parking spot
• Although it is Hawaii, temperatures can get below freezing and it gets really windy as you will be 10,000 feet above sea level. Wear long trousers, carry jackets, scarves and a shawl to enjoy the sunrise in comfort. Make sure to check out the weather conditions during the time of your visit and carry a rain jacket or a poncho if needed.
• No restaurants or cafes will be open that early and you will get hungry. Plan ahead and bring along some breakfast, coffee and water.
• The park is very dark and there are no public lights so you will need a flashlight to navigate around the park.
• Bring extra disposable towels to sit on and pick a spot against a large rock so you can have back support and enjoy the sunrise in comfort and warmth.
• Internet conditions get very poor as you get closer to the park. Ensure to download an offline GPS map so that you don’t get lost.
• We bought our Haleakala National Park tour from the Shaka Guide app at $4.99 and we loved it. Make sure to download the entire tour while you have internet connection so that the tour doesn’t stop halfway when connection is lost.

After the Sunrise

We stayed a little longer after the sunrise to appreciate the beautiful views and morning freshness.

The crowds cleared out 30 minutes after sunrise and it was very peaceful.

On our drive down from the summit we made a few stops at the following overlooks, in the order below:

• Sliding Sands Trail
• Kalahaku Overlook
• Leleiwi Overlook
• Halemau’u Crater
• Hosmer Grove
• Viewpoint of Kaho’olawe

There were also several hiking trails on the way down.

After this we headed back to the resort and relaxed for the rest of the day.

Day 7: Beach time and Teralani Dinner sail
For the first half of the day we enjoyed the resort amenities and activities such as kayaking and snorkeling.

In the afternoon, around 2:30 PM we headed to Lahaina Harbor for our dinner sail. The reporting time was provided as 3:30 PM but we started boarding the catamaran at around 4 PM. The sail included a dinner buffet with vegetarian and non-vegetarian food options along with an open bar.

Buffet style menu included: Homemade chips and salsa, vegetable crudités, Caesar salad, Chipotle citrus rotisserie chicken, grilled Ono with a creamy pesto sauce and sun dried tomatoes, Ratatouille, spinach and leek rice pilaf, French bread with herb garlic butter, and brownies with a mixed berry sauce for dessert.
Open bar included: Wine, champagne, beer, mai tais, vodka, gin, rum and mixers, sodas, tropical juices, lemonade and water.

It was a nice laid back experience for 2.5 hours.

Tips:

• It can get breezy in the evenings so carry a light cardigan
• All guests have to be over 21 and carry a valid picture ID
• You have to take off your shoes/slippers when boarding the sailboat
• Book your tickets via Costco wholesale store for a better deal

Day 8: The Honua’ula Sunset Luau
Enjoyed at the resort for the first half of the day and then started getting ready for our luau feast which was scheduled from 5 PM to 8 PM. We booked our luau experience via Costco wholesale store. The schedule said that seating opened at 4 PM however, there was a really long queue for the entrance. We waited almost 35 minutes under the scorching sun to be seated which was unpleasant. The luau included an open bar and a buffet menu with a large variety of options. Follow this link to view the full details of the luau activities, schedule, buffet menu and beverages.

This was the female crew of the luau dance performers.

All into the Hawaiian Luau zone!

Day 9: Dolphin Encounter Tour
For our second last day, we scheduled a dolphin encounter tour to the shores of Lanai, a neighboring island of Maui. Most tour companies marketed their sites as a 100% guarantee to encounter dolphins but unfortunately for us, we did not see any dolphins ☹. Our tour was from 1pm to 4pm and the raft sailor tried to find dolphins for three hours at various spots but I guess it wasn’t our day.

The tour company representatives told us we could go again for free on the next space available from their scheduled tours however, our biggest regret was that we had this activity scheduled for the last day. Since we did not encounter any dolphins and could not reschedule either, we called the company and asked for a refund which was granted without any concerns.

Tip:

• Book this tour on the initial days of your trip so you can reschedule, if needed
• If you are visiting in the months of December to April, you can go for the whale watching tour instead of the dolphin tour

After the tour we visited the “The Shops at Wailea” which is a mall with more than 70 shops, restaurants & art galleries, with regular evening entertainment.

Day 10: Return
This was our last day at Maui. We enjoyed the beach and pool for the last time and then checked out at 11 AM for our flight back to the US.

 

Restaurants we visited: 

• Morimoto Maui, Japanese Restaurant – Kihei, HI
• Indian Express Authentic Cuisine – Front St, Lahaina
• Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice – Front St, Lahaina
• Monsoon India – Kihei, HI
• Kamana Kitchen – Kihei, HI
• Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar – Kihei, HI
• Round Table Pizza – Kihei, HI
• Local Boys Shave Ice – Front Street, Lahaina