Maui Adventure Guide
Guests in a four-seat side-by-side on the Maui Off Road Adventures course in the hills above Lahaina

Written on Maui by people who live here

Maui's top adventures, picked by locals

We live on Maui's west side and spend more days on Kaanapali Beach than anywhere else. These are the trips visitors actually rave about, with real prices, what to expect, and the honest fine print.

See the top adventures Explore the island map
25+ yrson Maui's water, not a mainland desk
★ 4.8+average rating of every pick
11adventures, zero filler

The list

Top-rated things to do on Maui

Ranked by what guests rave about, not by who pays the most. Every pick has thousands of reviews behind it and a crew we would send our own family out with.

Get your bearings

Which side of Maui are you on?

Maui is bigger than it looks. The resorts sit on two coasts 40 to 50 minutes apart, and most adventures leave from one or the other. Tap a pin to jump to that adventure.

Map of Maui: West Maui, Central Maui, South Maui, Upcountry, North Shore and East Maui LĀNAʻI MOLOKAʻI KAHOʻOLAWE Haleakalā summit10,023 ft WEST MAUIKapalua · Kāʻanapali · Lahaina CENTRALKahului · Wailuku · airport SOUTH MAUIKīhei · Wailea · Mākena UPCOUNTRYKula · Makawao NORTH SHOREPāʻia · Hoʻokipa EAST MAUIRoad to Hāna Kapalua Kāʻanapali Lahaina Kahului Pāʻia Kīhei Wailea Mākena Hāna Molokini Crater 2Parasailing, Kaanapali Beach 3Jet ski, Kaanapali Beach 9Whale watching, Kaanapali Beach 5Sunset cruises, Kaanapali Beach 7Snorkel tours, Kaanapali Beach 4ATV tour, above Lahaina 10Haleakala downhill bike tour, from Paia 11Road to Hana private tour 1Molokini raft tour, from Kihei N
  • Thrill rides (May 16 to Dec 14)
  • Snorkel, raft & whale trips
  • Sunset cruises
  • Land adventures

West Maui

Kapalua · Kaanapali · Lahaina

Calm, sunny leeward coast with the island's best beach-launched adventures. Parasailing, jet skis, snorkel sails, sunset cruises and whale watching all leave right off the sand at Kaanapali Beach.

West Maui guide →

South Maui

Kihei · Wailea · Makena

Driest, sunniest coast and the launch point for Molokini Crater. The Kihei Boat Ramp is where the fast rafts leave from, and Wailea has the luxury resorts and the beach path.

South Maui guide →

Upcountry & East Maui

Haleakala · Kula · Road to Hana

Volcano sunrises above the clouds, the famous downhill bike ride, and the all-day drive to Hana with its waterfalls and black-sand beach. Plan these as full days from either coast.

Upcountry & Hana guide →

Timing matters

Two seasons, two very different Mauis

Hawaii protects its humpback whales with a rule most visitors never hear about until they try to book: fast "thrill craft" stop running while the whales are here.

May 16 to December 14

Thrill season

Parasailing and jet skis run daily off Kaanapali Beach. Water is at its warmest and calmest from July through October.

December 1 to April 30

Whale season

Thousands of humpbacks fill the channel off West Maui. Small rafts get you to them fast, and every sunset cruise doubles as a whale watch.

Year round

Always running

Some of the best days on Maui do not depend on the calendar. These run in every month, rain or shine.

Why trust this guide

We are not a booking site pretending to be a blog

Most "things to do in Maui" lists are written by people who have never stepped on the sand here. We know the crews behind every company on this list, and we have been out on every trip.

25+

years around Maui's water-sports world, from the boat decks and the beach, watching which operators guests come back raving about.

11

adventures on the list. Each one is the top-rated option in its category, not a paid placement.

4.8+

minimum average rating across thousands of verified guest reviews for every operator we feature.

$0

extra when you book through this site. Operators pay us a referral fee, which keeps the guide free and the opinions ours.

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