3 Months on Maui

• The obvious one-beaches! Maui has over 80 named beaches.
  
• Drive the winding road to Hana.
  
• Go whale watching.
  
• Visit a tropical plantation.
  
• Visit different areas like Paia, Kehei and Lahaina
  
• Snorkel with the colorful marine life.
  
• Eat roast pig at a luau.
  

Quick Tips:

If you need a guide for Maui, you have come to the right place. After 3 months on the island, I will try and provide you with as much information as I can. I spent my time there exploring as many incredible parts of Maui that I could.

Best Way To Get Around:

I love Maui but their transportation system is a nightmare. There is no bus system to speak of and the only way to do it is by getting a rental car. If you are visiting Maui on a package, get one that throws in a car and it will make all the difference. You will see trucks crammed with people in the back quite often-hitching is very common on Maui. If you are walking places, you will find people will stop to pick you up. There's nothing like the aloha spirit!

The Northshore Inn is a popular hostel with windsurfers who come to Maui for a few months. I worked for them while I was there in exchange for accommodation. There are single, double and dorm rooms available. Amenities include a kitchen, free morning coffee, a large storage locker that can fit windsurfing gear and a TV lounge. The downside is that it is very far from everything. If you are not planning to get a car, this is not the place for you. The hostel is located in the suburb of Wailuku and not near beaches or other sights. It is cheap though and I met life long friends while staying there.

After 3 months of living at the hostel, I wanted to spend my last few days with a bit more luxury. The Maui Vista was perfect. I didn''t have a lot of money to spend and it was everything I wanted.

The condo complex is located right across from Kamaole Beach Park I. It has six tennis courts and three swimming pools and when I was there, often we were the only ones at the pools.

The unit itself had a nice size balcony, a living room, bedroom, kitchen, washer and dryer and an upstairs loft. There was a dining area with a table and 4 chairs off of the kitchen and the living room had a TV, couch and coffee table. It was extremely clean and well taken care of.

I would not hesitate to go back!

Cheeseburger in Paradise is famous for yes, you guessed it, their burgers. Enormous, juicy burgers that will fill you up for the rest of the day. Located in one of Maui's most popular towns, Lahaina, Cheeseburger in Paradise won't let you down. There are two levels with a great view of the water. I personally like to sit on the top level, when possible. They do have other things besides burgers however. They serve breakfast 7 days a week, starting at 8am.

There is a huge selection of breakfasts ranging from the Macadamian Nut Pancakes to the Chili Cheese Omelets. Prices range from about $5-$7 per breakfast.

Lunch and dinner menus include burgers, shrimp, soups, salads, chicken, sandwiches and more. Prices for these range between $6-$11 per meal.

Ka'anapali beach is located in the resort area about two miles north of Lahaina. It is a popular area for hotels and is nice to walk around as well. I found Ka'anapali beach to be one of the best for snorkelling-and in 3 months, I went to a lot of beaches! Try down at the very end of the beach by Black Rock. Many people see turtles down there but I never did. Don't touch the turtles though - that comes with a stiff fine! You will definitely see streams of gorgeous marine life. Fish in every color of the rainbow will flock to you if you buy a little packet of fish food from one of the stands. You can rent snorkeling equipment from these stands as well on a 1/2 day, full day or hourly rate. The beach itself is nice, even if you aren't interested in snorkeling. Due to it being a resort area, there are lots of places to eat and gardens to stroll through.

When my mother came to visit me on Maui, she wanted to see some sights. We decided on the Tropical Plantation and both enjoyed it. You board a tram that takes you around the planation where you see everything from sugarcane, bananas, pineapples to macadamia nuts. Your guide will narrate as you go along and tell you all about Hawaii's crops. You can watch as weavers create baskets out of leaves and learn the correct way to smash open a coconut. After, you can visit the gift shop and purchase delicious Hawaiian souvenirs.

Maui's Tropical Plantation is located one mile south of Waikapu on Honoapilani Hwy (Hwy 30).

Maui is a prime place to go whale watching, especially in winter and early spring. About 2,500 to 3,000 whales come to Hawaii around November and leave about May.

Choose a morning trip if you can. The water is calmest in the morning and it is easier to see the whales this way. Plus, if you tend to get sea sick this is a good option.

Sailboats vs. fast boats is a debatable topic. While fast boats tend to get you there faster giving you more time to see the whales, sailboats are quieter. For the more adventurous, you could try the rafts.

Expect to pay about $25-$40 dollars for a few hours worth of whale watching.

Bring binoculars if you have them!

The drive to Hana is challenging, with 52 one lane bridges and 617 hairpin turns in the road. You have never seen a road like this! It is often called "Divorce Highway" because of the driving obstacles it faces! That said, it is some of the most beautiful coastline you have ever seen. There are many places to stop along the way, where you can get out and see panoramic views and gushing waterfalls. The falls are best seen after a rain fall, where they are they most active. Stop off at Haleakala National Park, Tedeschi Winery or Black Sands Beach if you decide you need a break. The trip is not about arriving in Hana, it's more about the journey along the way.

Spreckelsville Beach, usually just called Sprecs, is where the more advanced windsurfers go to show off their moves. It is a fantastic beach if you enjoy watching impressive windsurfing and is located just before Paia. Waves can get up to 20 feet and the windsurfers will pull out their best tricks. It isn't a beach used for snorkeling; the water gets a bit rough for that. Also, the wind can pick up making it a bit sandy. Don't let that discourage you though; it is beautiful display to watch.

Makena Beach is also known as "Big Beach". If you wander down the beach far enough, you will hit "Little Beach", which is clothing optional. It's a beautiful, unspoiled beach that draws crowds as it's somewhat sheltered from the trade winds. It's great for body surfing but a bit choppy for snorkeling. One thing to note however, is that there is nowhere to buy food or drinks near by. If you are planning on spending the day, make sure you pack some snacks and drinks. In addition, there are no lifeguards. The beach closes in the evening when they lock the outer gates.

To get to Makena Beach, head to Kihei on the Pi'ilani Highway. When it ends in Wailea, head down towards the resorts to the right. Turn left on Makena Ala Nui road. Once you pass the Maui Prince hotel, it's about a mile and a half. You will see a paved parking lot on the right hand side.

Lahaina's name means "Merciless Sun" due to the fact that it can be raining on other parts of the island but the sun will still be shining in Lahaina!

What once was an old whaling town is now a popular spot to spend the day. Visitors come to browse its shops, art galleries, resturants and walk along the ocean front sidewalk.

If you are interested in historical sights, start at the Baldwin House and they will give you a map of other historical sights.

Make sure to stop by and check out Lahainas Banyan tree, planted in 1873 by the sherrif of Maui. Artists and merchants set up their goods underneath it.

If you are looking for nightlife, Lahaina is the place to go. This is where you will find Maui's most upbeat pubs and bars like Moose McGillycuddy's, Longhi's and Maui Brews. Cheeseburger in Paradise also has nightly entertainment.

This story is about how sometimes you just have one of those days...

After I had been on Maui a few days, I met some friends and we decided to rent a car for the day to do some sightseeing. Being the frugal travellers we were, we called around and decided to go with the cheapest place we found.

When we arrived, the car looked run down and shabby-but hey, it was cheap! We hopped in and headed on our way.

Five minutes into the ride, the side mirror on the car flew off. We pulled over to the side of the road and the driver of the car got out to rescue it. Right when he was nearing the section of the road where it was laying, a semi trailer truck drove over it, crushing it to pieces.

Refusing to let this spoil our day, we carried on and headed to the small community of Paia for some lunch. We pulled in and everyone got out...except for me.

"Guys...my seatbelt is stuck."
"Quit joking around, let's go!"
"No-I don't think you understand-MY SEATBELT IS STUCK!"

Yes, I was stuck in the backseat, held in by my seatbelt. After my friends had wiped the tears of laughter off their faces, they tried to wiggle the buckle to release me. Ten minutes later, it finally gave and I was free!

I was so happy to be out and we all slammed our doors, ready for lunch. But...where were the keys? Yes, we had locked them in the cursed rental car. This time, some locals that were sitting outside at a cafe came to our rescue. For some unknown reason, they had a coat hanger handy and easily flipped up the lock on our quality vehicle.

We spent the day in the sunshine on beautiful Maui. Later, we pulled into the car lot to return the car-side mirror in hand. I was in the backseat again and as everyone climbed out...

"Guys...my seatbelt is stuck."