Maui Bucket List: A Budget-Friendly Itinerary

Where to stay. What to drive. What to do. – An ULTIMATE Maui Bucket List for budget-friendly adventure lovers!

Hawaii has been on my bucket list for many years. When I started researching, I became overwhelmed with the different islands and options. I finally narrowed it down to the Big Island and Maui.

I then consulted my favorite Google Flights and found the best flight deal to Maui. We booked this trip very last minute (two weeks in advance) and still only paid 500 round trip for each ticket. Yay Google Flights!

Throughout this 5-day Maui itinerary, you will find the very best hikes in Maui, activities, and beaches to add to your Maui Bucket List! Surprisingly enough, it was a very affordable (yet bucket list-worthy) Hawaiin vacation!

This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. There are only products included that I truly love. I APPRECIATE your support!

Table of Contents

Maui Quick Facts

Maui is the 2nd largest of Hawaii’s eight main islands. It covers over 700 square miles and is known for its BEAUTIFUL beaches, scenic highways, and diverse landscapes.

Area: 727 square miles
Population: 160,000+
Yearly Rainfall: 35.3 inches
Sunny: 276 days

When to Visit?

We went towards the end of November (over Thanksgiving) and the weather was great! During the hikes (up in the mountains) it typically was cloudy at 75, and at our condo/beach it was close to 85 and sunny the whole time.

Check out the average Maui temperature below (Temperatures are Fahrenheit)

January: 79/65
February: 79/65
March: 80/65
April: 81/67
May: 82/68
June: 84/70
July: 85/71
August: 86/72
September: 86/71
October: 85/70
November 82/69
December: 80/67

Average temperature taken from currentresults.com

Rain: November-February are the wettest months. The west side of Maui (Hana area) sees the most rain, but it leads to the BEAUTIFUL lush green scenery that you will see. Try not to change travel plans based on the forecast because it can change SO much depending on location and time. It did not rain once during our trip in November!

Other things to note: The temperatures will differ depending on your location on the island and elevation. See Haleakala tips and pictures below for an example 🙂

Where to Stay?

Booking.com

We rented a condo on the beach, but I think you would be happy wherever you stay. Everywhere we looked was beautiful with beaches on every corner.

As you may already know, I love adventure vacations so we were constantly on the go. With this being said, we spent very little time at the condo and could have saved money on our accommodation.

We stayed in Kihei which was a perfect home base. It is about 25 minutes from the airport and in the middle of both the west and east side attractions. If you like a home base to return to, I would highly recommend staying here.

Booking tip::: Use this HotelsCombined search engine below to find the BEST DEALS on hotels in Maui!

What to drive?

We debated back and forth between a jeep and a convertible. We wanted to go with a convertible, but I was a little worried we would need a jeep.

After looking at options and prices, we went for a convertible. It wasn’t much more expensive than a regular car and so worth it (I don’t think we ever drove with the top-up). Even driving the narrow roads and driving to the trails, a jeep was never needed.

5-day Maui Itinerary

Day 1: Road to Hana

Because of the time difference (5 hours earlier in Hawaii), we figured the day after we arrived would be great for an early. We packed snacks, sandwiches, and a lot of water and headed out to the Road to Hana (a definite item on your Maui Bucket List).

Tip:::Make sure to download Gypsy Guide while you still have wifi (you will not have service on the way). It’s an app you can download for only 7 dollars and so worth it. The guide points out all the stops along the way while giving a history of the island. He was funny and made the trip less stressful knowing you wouldn’t miss the best stops.

We jumped in waterfalls, hiked the coolest trail I have ever seen (A BAMBOO forest?!?), swam at a black sand beach, and tasted the best banana bread. You can read more about this HERE!

Tip #2:: (This is the backpack I used the whole trip. You can fit 2.5L of water, and there is still a lot of room for snacks. It was comfy to hike and SUPER AFFORDABLE as well!)

Read My Road to Hana Post for all the Must Stops and Important Tips

Day 2: Beach Day and Sea Turtles

two people at Ho'okipa Beach with sea turtles behind them.

After our busy 1^st day, we decided to go on a hunt for the best beaches to “relax” on. Because we know we aren’t good at relaxing we stopped at a rental shop (you’ll see them all over) before heading out. We rented two boogie boards- I believe we only paid 15 dollars for each for the entire week.

We asked the employees what beach they would recommend for the best ways and they pointed us towards “Big Beach”, but warned us the waves are sometimes dangerous there due to the shore break.

When we arrived, the waves were a decent size, but not good for boogie boarding as they formed too close to shore. We spent time relaxing and ate our picnic lunch.

As we were relaxing we saw people walking across the beach and over a large hill. We decided to investigate and see if maybe the waves were better over there.

Wellllll we made it over the hill and discovered it was a completely nude beach. This beach is called Little Beach. Some locals told us that they even have nude drum circles on Sundays. Unfortunately…we didn’t get to see this.

Beach tip: Make sure to try tacos from one of the many food trucks by the beaches!

After our beach day, we decided to head back to the town of Paia for dinner and to see the sea turtles at Ho’okipa Beach Park. The waves at this beach were HUGE. The lifeguard was giving constant warnings to stay away from the water, but we did see a couple of crazy surfers.

Day 3: Waihee Ridge Trail/ West Maui

Waihee Ridge Trail is a 4-mile hike with INCREDIBLE views the entire time. The road up to the trail is dirt, but our convertible didn’t have any trouble making it up.

The first part of the hike is through the woods, but you are soon rewarded with great views in each direction. You will likely pass the cloud line if you make the hike to the top.

Once we made it to the top, it was completely white. You could not see a thing. We watched other hikers, make it to the top, and immediately turn around due to this fact.

We took out our snacks and waited for the clouds to pass. Within 15 minutes we were rewarded with the view from the top. So make sure to be patient! I needed a break anyways, I was dying on the way up!

Tip::: The parking lot is small, so make sure to arrive early to get a spot, otherwise you have to park at the bottom of the hill and it would add another mile of road to your hike.

West Maui:

After this hike, we decided to drive the other way around the island (west side) to try to find the Nakalele Blow Hole and heart-shaped rock.

Update: Unfortunately, the heart-shaped rock has been broken by the waves, but it is still worth visiting to see the blowhole.

Anyways…The drive was TERRIFYING.

We did this after Road to Hana and I didn’t think they could make roads more narrow, but I was wrong once again. The roads on the west side of the island were the worst! I definitely had to close my eyes multiple times.

There were one-lane roads with a cliff on the other side of you. Thankfully, most of the other drivers we ran into were respectful and pulled over to wait. Sooo, if you take this route please go slow and pull over (if you have a safe place) when you see another car.

Andddd make sure you have someone who is comfortable driving….because I would have never made it.

Take your time on this drive and pull off at different viewpoints! It is beautiful and full of hidden hikes!

Tip::: These are my favorite hiking shoes for muddy/warm hikes. They provide plenty of support and are still extremely comfy when wet.

Day 4: Snuba Dive and Haleakala National Park

Maui is known for some truly amazing snorkeling, so we knew we had to check out the underwater world.

While looking to book a snorkeling tour, I saw many companies offered Snuba as an add-on at the Molokini Crater. I figured this was the perfect time for me to try out Scuba diving. I have snorkeled before, but never 15 feet below. When you snuba dive, the air tank is on a floaty above you so you do not need to worry about the equipment on you.

We booked with Maui Classic Charters. I read that it was best to book snorkeling tours in the morning due to the wind in the afternoons. Ours was scheduled for 7 am- 12 pm.

On the boat ride to Molokini Crater (about 3 miles offshore), we were given breakfast and the instructors showed us the tricks to Snuba Diving.

When we arrived, we were led to the back of the boat and told to jump. It was crazy how scary the water looked from above, but once under it was a whole new world. I had never seen water so blue.

After Snuba diving, we snorkeled around for a bit and returned to the boat for a hot BBQ lunch.

Tip::: We brought our own go pro. While on the boat they told us that a red filter will make our pictures much more clear. We went ahead and rented one for 50 dollars. It was worth it for sure, but definitely cheaper to buy one beforehand that you can use more than once.

Haleakala National Park:

After our morning of snorkeling, we decided to be extra adventurous and drive to Haleakala National Park. It was about a 2-hour drive to the top from Kehei. It is a 10,000-foot Dormant Volcano with trails and amazing sights.

Most people come here for the sunrise (you need a reservation for this), but I am not a morning person so we decided to try the sunset (it did not disappoint).

To watch the sunset, you DO NOT need a reservation (perfect for flexible travel), but I would try to get there a bit early to get a parking spot.

Once we arrived, we put on some warmer clothes (the temperature was in the 30’s up here) and took the trail that is right next to the main parking lot. We hiked down into the crater a bit. It looked like an easy trail…but looks can be deceiving. It was pretty steep. Or I am just really out of shape. I think both.

We made it back to the top to watch the sunset. The parking lot area seemed to be the best and most popular spot for this. Skip the sunrise and add a Haleakala Sunset to your Maui Bucket List!

Day 5: IAO Valley State Park

Typically I am the queen of all rule followers. I am always scared of getting in trouble for some reason. I have always been this way.

While researching I read a lot about the Iao Valley hidden trail. The pictures looked beautiful and I knew I wanted to try it. It is a closed trial, so I am not going to encourage or discourage it, but just make sure you know the risks. It is not officially maintained and I would not suggest doing it after rain.

Once we got there, we found the entrance. It is blocked by a barrier, but you can tell it is a well-trafficked trail. We stepped over the barrier and we were on our way. It wasn’t a terribly hard trail until we got to the end. At this point, you have to walk (or climb) up a very steep section. Be prepared to be completely muddy by the end of this one, but definitely WORTH IT!

We ended our trip with one last trip to the beach before boarding our departure flight. I am extremely happy with everything we were able to do and see in just 5 days!!

In just five days we were able to…

Drive the Road to Hana
Explore different beaches
Boogie Board
Snorkel/Snuba
Hike (5 different times)
See Sea Turtles
Watch the sunset at Haleakala National Park

Additional Tips for your Maui Bucket List trip…

Stop at the grocery store on your arrival day. We didn’t find the food to be much more expensive in Hawaii than in Texas. We stocked up on some hiking snacks and sandwich materials for picnics.
Bring a GoPro and film everything! There are beautiful sights everywhere you look! I currently use the GoPro Hero 6 with a portable tripod/handle to take pictures.
Enjoy your Maui Bucket List Vacation!