Daniel & Lauren
Daniel & Lauren
Travel
Maui Overview
The regions of Maui are shown in the map above.
The vow renewal and party are at Merriman's in Kapalua, on the northern end of West Maui. We plan to stay in Wailea in South Maui, which is about an hour from Kapalua. We prefer the beaches and amenities in South Maui to the tourist hubs of Ka'anapali and Napili on West Maui, especially after the loss of most of Lahaina in the 2023 wildfires.
Flights
The code for the main airport in Kahului is OGG. It's accessible on several airlines (Hawaiian, Delta, United, Alaska) directly from hubs and connections on the west coast.
For those traveling from New York, Hawaiian Airlines and Delta offer a direct flight from JFK to Honolulu on Oahu with a short 15-minute connecting flight to Kahului. The direct Honolulu flight our preferred way of traveling; it's one long flight rather than two flights stopping on the west coast that both feel long. Laying over in Honolulu is also a nice way to take in the Hawaiian air as soon as possible.
Delta also offers a nonstop to Honolulu from Atlanta. There are currently no nonstop flights from Florida to Hawaii, Hawaiian airlines discontinued the direct flight from Orlando during COVID-19.
Accommodation Recommendations
We will be staying in the Ekahi Village in Wailea. We specifically recommend staying within walking distance of the long and connected beaches from Keawakapu Beach to Wailea Beach. All the beaches in that stretch are connected with walking paths and greenways, minimizing the need to get in the car wet and sandy.
Numerous accommodation options are available between Keawakapu Beach and Wailea Beach. We typically book a condo on VRBO.com to have a kitchen and washer/dryer available. The Mauna Kai, Wailea Ekhai, and Wailea Elua are all condo complexes near the beach on that stretch and have a variety of units and price points depending on what you are looking for.
Hotels range from the Days Inn to the Grand Wailea and Four Seasons if you want to splurge.
Sadly, our favorite condo building since 2012, Kihei Surfside, will be undergoing renovations and unavailable during this time, but we recommend booking with rosiesrentals.com for a future trip.
Kīhei Rent-A-Car
We typically book a Nissan Sentra with Kihei Rent A Car because we stay on the south shore and they offer pre-worn cars at a lower price. There is a selection of fairly new cars to 2015 models at a lower price. They blend in with the locals and there is less concern of beach wear on a new car. Note that they are not at Kahului Airport and offer a shuttle to/from their location.
The usual selection of corporate rental car companies are available on site at Kahului Airport if you prefer.
Weather
The daytime weather is very consistent on the leeward south and west shores. The mountains in the center of the island cause the trade winds to drop their moisture on the northern and eastern shores. Temperatures in the mid 80s, full sun and a constant (sometimes strong) daytime breezes are typical. The north and east shores experience significantly more rain.
The constant trade winds keep the temperature and humidity from becoming stifling and oppressive compared to the continental US ("the mainland"). The constant breezes and the cost of electricity are the reasons some condos, houses and many public locations (airports, malls, restaurants, etc.) are open air and do not have air conditioning.
The sun is significantly stronger on Maui than anywhere else on the mainland. The latitude is roughly equivalent to Mexico City and the Virgin Islands. Sunsets are often spectacular with the right cloud positioning, keep an eye out around 7:00 PM.
