Maui
One island, one zone — unlike Oʻahu and horseshoe-shaped Kauaʻi, Maui doesn't split. Kāʻanapali to Kīhei is a genuine ~40-minute drive, one legitimate road trip covering Lahaina and Kāʻanapali/Napili/Kapalua on the west side, Kīhei and Wailea on the south side, and Paʻia as the North Shore gateway to the Road to Hāna. Up front, honestly: Lahaina is reopening, not “back.” Front Street reopened to vehicle traffic on 1 August 2026 — Pāpalaua to Shaw, plus Dickenson and Prison streets — while Market Street, Papelekane Street and Mokuhinia Place stay closed for the state's ongoing harbor dredging. This page treats that as a fast-moving, dated fact, not settled history. 78+ vendors, past this site's 60-vendor floor.
Straight talk: Some links on this page are affiliate links — if you book through them, Secrets of Surf Travel earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only link places and people we’d use ourselves, and coverage is never for sale. Those commissions are what keep this site running and fund the next trip.
Some vacation-rental search links on this page (marked “Search Vrbo rentals,” “Search Booking.com stays,” or “Search Agoda stays”) are affiliate links. Every vendor link below is still a plain courtesy link. As more partnerships come online, more links may earn us a commission; the promise above holds either way.
Four real hub areas, one functioning ring road, no ferry or flight required between them. Lahaina is West Maui's historic town and the one still mid-recovery — a genuine commercial return is underway, but this page lists only what was affirmatively confirmed currently open. Kāʻanapali is the resort strip immediately north of Lahaina town proper — physically separate from the burned core and never itself part of the fire zone, with Napili and Kapalua further up the coast. Kīhei is South Maui's condo-and-food-truck corridor, the island's deepest mid-range lodging inventory. Wailea is South Maui's luxury resort cluster just south of Kīhei. Paʻia, on the North Shore, is a genuine waypoint worth including — the real gateway to the Road to Hāna and a legitimate windsurf/kitesurf culture hub — but it reads as a day-trip town on this page, not a fifth full hub with its own lodging bench.
Getting There & Around
Kahului Airport (OGG) is the island's gateway, with a consolidated Rental Car Center reachable by a 6-minute tram ride from the terminal and all major agencies present (Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, Dollar, Sixt). A rental car is effectively required to cover this zone's hubs in a day — the same framing as this site's other Hawaiʻi zones.
Shuttle & transfer
- SpeediShuttleKahului Airport ↔ Kīhei, Wailea, Kāʻanapali, Napili, Māʻalaea, LahainaIsland-wideShared/private shuttle to every hub covered on this page. Map
- Robert's Hawaiʻi Maui Express ShuttleKahului Airport ↔ resort areasConfirm on the groundAlternative shared-shuttle operator. Map
- Amstar (Worldstar)Kahului Airport transfersConfirm on the groundShared and private transfer service. Map
- Maui Bus (County of Maui)Island-wide fixed routesPublic transitReal fixed routes exist (Upcountry/Haʻikū Islander routes serve the airport on 90-minute headways) but aren't built for a surf-gear-toting visitor covering multiple hubs in a day. Map
When to Go & What to Pack
- Whale season, roughly November–April, is the marquee reason many visitors time a Maui trip — Maui is one of the best humpback-viewing locations on Earth. Book whale-watch operators in advance during peak (January–March).
- Surf season on the South Shore (Kīhei/Lahaina) runs closer to year-round than Oʻahu's North Shore for beginner-friendly water — Maui doesn't carry the same single dramatic winter/summer inversion.
- Pack mineral sunscreen only, no exceptions. Maui County bans the use, not just the sale, of any non-mineral formula — see Good to Know below. This is this page's single sharpest departure from the rest of this site's Hawaiʻi coverage.
- Road to Hāna: budget a full day, start early. Don't plan a same-day Haleakalā sunrise plus Hāna drive — they're on opposite sides of the mountain, and both deserve their own day.
- Post-Hurricane Lala freshness note: if traveling in the days/weeks immediately after this page's research date, check current road-closure status for Hāna Highway and Upcountry roads before departure — several segments had storm-related closures as of 16-17 August 2026.
Good to Know — the Lahaina status, the storm, the sunscreen law, and wildlife law
Lahaina recovery status — dated, and worth re-checking before a trip. Front Street reopened to vehicle traffic on 1 August 2026: Pāpalaua to Shaw with no restricted hours, plus Dickenson and Prison streets. Still closed: Market Street, Papelekane Street and Mokuhinia Place, due to ongoing work including the state's dredging of Lahaina Harbor. A real commercial return is underway — ʻUlu o Lele Marketplace (an interim retail-and-food-truck project) and Kimo's restaurant are both named as returning in press coverage — but neither was confirmed open as of this page's research date: ʻUlu o Lele was reported “opening this fall” in a July 2026 article, and Kimo's operator had only signed a letter of intent as of mid-July 2026. Fleetwood's on Front Street is explicitly still rebuilding. This page does not list any of the three as open, bookable businesses. Treat “reopening” language you see elsewhere as directional, not a same-day fact, and re-check Lahaina specifically before a trip given how recent the Front Street reopening is.
Hurricane Lala (mid-August 2026) — status as of mid-August 2026, verify current conditions before a trip. The storm primarily hit the Big Island, not Maui. Maui took real secondary impacts: as of the storm's peak, roughly 26,200 Maui customers were without power across West Maui, Upcountry, South and Central Maui, Haʻikū, and parts of Lānaʻi/Molokaʻi. Several Upcountry/Haʻikū roads — Kauapakalua Road, Hāna Highway near mile markers 13.6 and 19, Haleakalā Highway near mile marker 2, and Piʻiholo Road — had storm-related closures from downed trees, power lines and flooding. South Kīhei Road saw coastal flooding that was receding as the storm passed south of the island. The storm has moved off as of this page's research date, but treat any Upcountry, Haʻikū, or Hāna-corridor tour or business status as needing a fresh check before publish/travel, given the outage and closure window was only 1-2 days old at research time.
Sunscreen — Maui County is genuinely different from every other Hawaiʻi zone on this site. Maui County Ordinance No. 5306 (Bill No. 135, 2021), effective 1 October 2022, bans the sale, distribution, AND USE of any non-mineral sunscreen countywide (Maui, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi) — mineral meaning zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide as the active ingredient(s). Non-mineral sunscreen may only be used with a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider. This is far broader than the statewide HRS §342D-21 rule used on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, which bans sale only, not use. A reader who packed “reef-safe” sunscreen for a prior Hawaiʻi trip may still be carrying a non-mineral formula that's fine on Oʻahu but not legal to use here.
Wildlife approach distances (statewide, same as this site's other Hawaiʻi zones):
- Humpback whales — 100 yards, ACTUAL FEDERAL LAW (50 CFR §216.19), year-round, anywhere in Hawaiian waters. Maui's whale season (roughly November–April) is when this law matters most in practice, given how close whales come to shore here.
- Spinner dolphins — 50 yards, ACTUAL FEDERAL LAW (50 CFR §216.20).
- Hawaiian monk seals — 50 ft (150 ft with a pup) is NOAA/DLNR GUIDANCE, not a numeric statute (actual law, HRS §195D-4, prohibits “take”/harassment generally with no distance written in).
- Sea turtles (honu) — 10 ft is NOAA GUIDANCE, not law, under the same take/harassment framework. A visitor was cited for touching/lifting a turtle at Kāʻanapali in 2021 — the concrete consequence, same as this site's North Shore page.
Rock stacking / cultural sites: same statewide framing as this site's other Hawaiʻi pages — don't build new rock stacks or ahu; real ahu and heiau are protected structures (HRS §6E-11, penalties up to US$20,000 per violation per day). Don't remove lava rock or sand (HRS §205A-44/§171-58.5).
Surf Guides & Schools
Vocabulary note applied throughout: this page uses “surf guides” and “surf tours,” never the L-word as generic description, except inside a business's own literal proper name — “Goofy Foot Surf School” is one such name, used verbatim below. Honest gap: this bench is real but thinner than Oʻahu North Shore's — Maui's surf-school economy concentrates almost entirely in Kīhei/Lahaina's protected beginner water, with no comparable named school bench verified for Kāʻanapali or Wailea specifically this pass.
- Goofy Foot Surf SchoolLahaina, 505 Front StEstablished 1994, 30+ years teachingLahaina's longest-running surf school; storefront address is on the reopened stretch of Front St, confirmed via the business's own contact page and current 2026-dated review activity. Map
- Maui WaveridersKīhei & LahainaMulti-hubInstruction in both hubs, 1.5-hour format, private/semi-private/group tiers. Map
- Maui Surf LessonsKīhei, 27-C Halekuai StPrivate-only model“Stand up on your first lesson or the next is free” guarantee. Map
- Surf Club MauiKīheiFamily-run, 30+ yearsDaily instruction plus multi-day courses and kids' camps. Map
Surf Shops, Rental & Board Care
Honest gap, flagged in real time: West Maui Ding Repair (724 Luakini St, Lahaina) shows temporarily closed as of a June 2026 Yelp listing — not included as an active vendor, named here only to warn against citing it as open. Use Gramp's Rock'n Chair or Di Surfboards Hawaiʻi for ding repair/shaping instead.
- Hi-Tech Surf SportsKahului, Kīhei & Paʻia (3 locations)Maui-wide chainLongtime Maui-wide surf retail/rental chain. Map
- Auntie Snorkel — KīheiKīhei, 2439 S Kīhei Rd #101AOpen daily 7:30am–5pmBoard and beach-gear rental. Map
- Auntie Snorkel — LahainaLahaina, 335 Keawe St #220Open dailyNear Kāʻanapali resorts. Map
- 808 BoardsLahaina/West MauiFree deliveryLargest surf/SUP rental selection cited for the west side. Map
- Maui Surf (mauisurf.com)Lahaina–Mākena deliveryFree island-wide deliveryDelivers anywhere from Lahaina to Mākena. mauisurf.com
- Paia SurfPaʻiaFrom ~US$30/daySoft-top rental fleet. Map
- Boss Frog's Snorkel, Bike & Beach RentalsNapili, Kāʻanapali, North Kīhei, South Kīhei, Wailea, Lahaina (Front St) — 6 locationsIsland-wide chainSnorkel/bike/SUP/bodyboard/chair/umbrella/cooler rental at every hub this page covers. Map
- Di Surfboards HawaiʻiLahainaShaper Duane Ignacio, since 1993Local Maui shaper, a real custom-shaping resource, not just rental. Map
- Gramp's Rock'n Chair Maui Ding RepairMaui, island-wide (contact via Facebook)Fiberglass/epoxy repairDing repair for surf/SUP/sailboards. Map
Stays
Honest framing up top: no in-town Lahaina-town-core property was affirmatively confirmed open this pass, and none is listed below as bookable. Everything here sits in Kāʻanapali, Kīhei or Wailea, none of which sit in the burned town core — including Royal Lahaina Resort, which despite its name sits in the Kāʻanapali resort strip, not the recovering town itself, worth stating plainly since the name alone will read as risky.
Kāʻanapali
- The Westin Maui Resort & SpaKāʻanapaliLuxuryFull-scale beachfront resort. Map
- Outrigger Kāʻanapali Beach ResortKāʻanapaliMid–luxuryEstablished beachfront resort. Map
- Aston Kāʻanapali ShoresKāʻanapaliMid-rangeCondo-resort option. Map
- Royal Lahaina Resort & BungalowsKāʻanapaliMid–luxuryDespite the name, this property sits in the Kāʻanapali resort strip, not the burned Lahaina town core. Map
Kīhei
- Maui Coast HotelKīheiMid-rangeKīhei's central hotel option, not condo-style. Map
Wailea
- Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria ResortWaileaLuxuryOne of Wailea's flagship resorts. Map
- Wailea Beach Resort — MarriottWaileaLuxuryFull-service beachfront resort. Map
- Hotel WaileaWaileaAdults-oriented boutiqueMap
- Four Seasons Resort Maui at WaileaWaileaUnder renovation 1 July–15 December 2026Do not book for a 2026 trip without checking the reopening date first. Map
Vacation-rental note (same convention as this site's other Hawaiʻi zone pages): individually named Airbnb/Vrbo listings churn too fast to cite as fixed vendors. Treat Kīhei, Wailea and Kāʻanapali as search areas rather than promising named rental units, and treat any Lahaina-area rental listing with particular caution given the ongoing rebuild.
Search rentals by town
Food & Drink
Lahaina entries below are deliberately conservative — every one was confirmed via the business's own current listing or a same-month (August 2026) roundup describing it as open on the reopened stretch of Front Street or at Lahaina Cannery Mall; none require Market, Papelekane, or Mokuhinia streets, which remain closed. Several Front Street businesses beyond the ones below are reported as “returning” in press coverage but weren't independently confirmed open this pass — re-check Lahaina specifically closer to a trip date.
Lahaina
- Mala Ocean TavernLahainaConfirmed openOceanfront sit-down. Map
- Honu OceansideLahaina, 1295 Front StConfirmed openMap
- Coco DeckLahaina, 1312 Front StConfirmed openMap
- Sale PepeLahaina, relocated to Kupuohi StConfirmed open, post-fire relocationA genuine displaced-and-reopened story — the Italian restaurant moved off Front Street to Kupuohi St after the fire. Map
- Star NoodleLahainaConfirmed openLong-running Lahaina noodle house. Map
- Aloha Mixed PlateLahainaConfirmed openLocal plate lunch. Map
- Leoda's Kitchen and Pie ShopOlowalu, just south of LahainaConfirmed openBakery/café. Map
- Old Lahaina LuauLahainaConfirmed open, operatingMap
- Lahaina Cannery Mall dining clusterLahainaMultiple, confirmed openMall-based restaurant cluster. Map
Not listed as active businesses, and why: Kimo's (letter of intent only, as of 17 July 2026 reporting), ʻUlu o Lele Marketplace (targeted “this fall 2026,” not open at research date), Fleetwood's on Front Street (explicitly still rebuilding).
Kāʻanapali / Napili / Kapalua
- Roy'sKāʻanapaliSignature Hawaiʻi Regional CuisineLong-running. Map
- Son'z SteakhouseKāʻanapaliConfirm on the groundThe only dedicated steakhouse in West Maui. Map
- CJ's Deli & DinerKāʻanapaliCasual, reasonably pricedMap
- Gazebo RestaurantNapili BeachBreakfast/lunch institutionBeachfront. Map
- Ulu Kitchen by MerrimanKapaluaChef-drivenBeachfront. Map
- Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi BarKapaluaAward-winning sushiMap
Kīhei / Wailea
- South Maui GardensKīhei16-vendor food-truck hubMap
- KitokoKīhei, South Maui GardensGourmet food truckMap
- Da KitchenKīheiLocal Hawaiian comfort foodMap
- Maui Fish & ChipsKīheiLocally caught fishMap
- Kraken CoffeeKīhei, Azeka Shopping CenterFood-truck coffeeMap
- Vidad's Local Kine GrindzKīhei, AzekaFilipino-Hawaiian fusionFood truck. Map
- Tsunami BurgersKīhei, AzekaFood truckMap
- Sol Brothers BBQKīhei, AzekaBBQ food truckMap
Honest gap: a standalone surf-commerce or dining bench specific to Wailea beyond Boss Frog's rental storefront wasn't verified this pass — Wailea's food scene concentrates in its resorts.
Paʻia (North Shore, Road to Hāna gateway)
- Mama's Fish HousePaʻiaMaui institutionOceanfront, reservations essential. Map
- Paia Fish MarketPaʻiaCasual, high-volume seafoodMap
- Café des AmisPaʻiaCrepes, long-runningMap
- Flatbread CompanyPaʻiaWood-fired pizzaChain outpost. Map
- Anthony's CoffeePaʻiaLocal coffee roaster/caféMap
- Mana FoodsPaʻiaThe town's grocery anchorWorth flagging for anyone provisioning up the coast. Map
- Cafe MamboPaʻiaGlobal-fusion sit-downMap
Medical
Maui Memorial Medical Center is the island's only full hospital and 24-hour ER — worth stating plainly, same “know this before a bad day” framing as this site's other Hawaiʻi zone pages.
- Maui Memorial Medical CenterWailuku, 221 Mahalani St24-hr ER, only hospital on the islandER entrance is temporarily relocated on-site for construction; care itself is unaffected. Map
- Doctors On Call Maui — West MauiLahaina, Times Market, 3350 Lower Honoapiʻilani RdWalk-in urgent careServes Lahaina, Kāʻanapali and Kapalua — the currently-operating alternative since Urgent Care West Maui (below) is closed. Map
- Minit Medical Urgent CareLahaina, Kīhei & Kahului locationsWalk-in urgent care + PTMap
Flag — do not recommend: Urgent Care West Maui (2580 Kekaʻa Dr, Lahaina) shows temporarily closed as of a February 2026 Yelp listing. Not listed as an active vendor.
Beyond the Surf
This is genuinely deep on Maui — whale watching, Molokini, the Road to Hāna, and Haleakalā sunrise all have real, verified vendor benches.
Whale watching (roughly November–April season)
- Sail MauiDeparts LahainaMid-Dec–March 31 seasonTop-rated humpback focus. Map
- Makai AdventuresDeparts LahainaSmall-group & privateMap
- Maui Ocean AdventuresDeparts LahainaSmall, locally women-ownedMap
- Maui Adventure CruisesDeparts Māʻalaea, Slip #414 daily, early Dec–early AprilMap
- Aloha Blue ChartersDeparts Māʻalaea30-passenger catamaranMap
- Alii NuiDeparts Māʻalaea, Slip #56Two daily departuresMap
- Quicksilver MauiDeparts Māʻalaea, via Boss Frog'sBookable through the Boss Frog's storefrontMap
Molokini crater & snorkel tours (mostly Māʻalaea-based)
Molokini access is genuinely a Māʻalaea/Mākena story, not a Lahaina one — Molokini is too far offshore from Lahaina for a direct run. Don't expect a Lahaina-departure option.
- Trilogy ExcursionsMāʻalaea/LahainaTwo catamaransWell-known breakfast-inclusive format. Map
- Kai Kanani MauiDeparts MākenaClosest departure to MolokiniOf any operator on this page. Map
- Maui Reef AdventuresDeparts MāʻalaeaSmall-group, early-morningMap
- Maui Snorkel ChartersDeparts Māʻalaea4-hour morning tourMolokini plus up to four other sites. Map
Road to Hāna guided tours
- Hāna & BeyondMaui-wideNative Hawaiian, family-ownedStrongest cultural narration cited. Map
- Hāna Tours of MauiMaui-wideDeluxe small-group tierMap
- Temptation ToursMaui-wideLong-running, award-winningMap
- Valley Isle ExcursionsMaui-wideExperienced-driver guided vansMap
- Maui Tour CompanyMaui-widePrivate small-groupAlternative to bus tours. Map
Haleakalā sunrise & bike
- Bike MauiMaui-wideAuthorized Haleakalā National Park concessionerThe only bike company with this credential — the one that matters here. Map
- Maui Mountain RidersMaui-wideSunrise-viewing + downhill bikeMap
Flag: Maui Sunriders discontinued its Haleakalā sunrise tours as of this pass — don't cite it for sunrise specifically; it may still run other Haleakalā-area bike products, unverified.
Local Secrets
Eight things about this island that change how a trip here actually runs.
- “Kāʻanapali is Lahaina” confusion runs both ways Worth addressing directly
Kāʻanapali's resorts sit outside the burned town core and were never part of the fire zone — don't avoid booking there out of misplaced caution. But don't assume a “Lahaina”-branded business, like Royal Lahaina Resort, is inside the recovering town itself, either.
- Sale Pepe's relocation is a real displaced-and-reopened story Moved to Kupuohi St after the fire
Worth telling honestly rather than treating the restaurant's current address as trivia — it's a genuine post-fire business story.
- Molokini access is a Māʻalaea/Mākena story, not a Lahaina one No Lahaina-departure option exists
Worth stating plainly so readers don't expect a boat tour to Molokini leaving from where they're staying in West Maui.
- Maui's sunscreen ban is the strictest on this site alongside Hawaiʻi County's Ord. 5306, effective 1 October 2022
Bans the use, not just the sale, of any non-mineral sunscreen countywide — a genuine trap for repeat Hawaiʻi visitors who assume the softer Oʻahu/Kauaʻi sale-only rule applies everywhere.
- Paʻia is a real waypoint, not a fifth full hub Road to Hāna gateway + windsurf/kite culture
Worth including even though it's not one of the four headline hubs — but no lodging bench was verified there this pass, so it reads as a day-trip town on this page.
- Maui Memorial Medical Center is the island's only hospital Wailuku
Serves the entire island — the honest answer to what happens if someone gets hurt on a bad day, same framing as this site's other Hawaiʻi zone pages.
- Don't plan a same-day Haleakalā sunrise plus Road to Hāna drive Opposite sides of the mountain
Both deserve their own full day — a genuinely common trip-planning mistake this page flags directly.
- Bike Maui holds a credential no competitor has The only authorized Haleakalā National Park concessioner
Worth knowing before booking a Haleakalā sunrise bike tour with anyone else.
Questions people actually ask.
Is Lahaina open to visit?
Partially, and freshly so. Front Street reopened to vehicle traffic 1 August 2026; some businesses (Mala Ocean Tavern, Star Noodle, Aloha Mixed Plate, and others above) are confirmed operating on the reopened stretch. Others frequently mentioned in older or generic coverage — Kimo's, ʻUlu o Lele Marketplace — were not open as of mid-August 2026; verify current status before building a trip around them.
Is Maui's sunscreen rule the same as the rest of Hawaiʻi?
No — Maui County bans the use, not just the sale, of any non-mineral sunscreen, a stricter rule than the statewide law that applies on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi.
Did Hurricane Lala affect Maui?
Not as severely as the Big Island, but yes — temporary power outages (tens of thousands of customers at peak) and several Upcountry/Haʻikū/Hāna-corridor road closures in the 16-17 August 2026 window. Check current status before travel if this is recent.
Where do I see the Nā Pali-equivalent cliffs on Maui — is there a boat tour like Kauaʻi's?
Maui's Molokini crater tours (Māʻalaea/Mākena departures) are the closest parallel, but the geography is different — Molokini is an offshore snorkel crater, not a coastal cliff tour.
Is Kāʻanapali part of the Lahaina fire zone?
No. Kāʻanapali's resorts sit outside the burned Lahaina town core and were never part of the fire zone — a normally operating resort strip. Don't avoid booking Kāʻanapali out of misplaced caution, and don't assume a “Lahaina”-branded property is inside the recovering town itself.
Disclosure & how this page works.
Straight talk: Some links on this page are affiliate links — if you book through them, Secrets of Surf Travel earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only link places and people we’d use ourselves, and coverage is never for sale. Those commissions are what keep this site running and fund the next trip.
Today, the “Search Vrbo rentals” and “Search Booking.com stays” links on this page are affiliate links — every vendor listing link is still a plain courtesy link. As partnerships with these local businesses come online, more links may earn us a commission, and this page will keep saying so plainly. Coverage is never for sale: nobody on this page paid to be here, and nobody can. Every “Map” link on this page is a constructed Google Maps search query built from a vendor's name and town, not a hand-verified pin.
Where this page is deliberately hedged. No dedicated stand-alone surf-shop bench was verified specifically for Wailea — Boss Frog's has a Wailea rental storefront, but no independent surf school or shop beyond that chain location. Kīhei/Wailea/Kāʻanapali condo and vacation-rental inventory is treated as a search area, not named units, same convention as this site's other Hawaiʻi zone pages. No specific stand-alone snorkel/dive shop bench was built out beyond the Boss Frog's/Auntie Snorkel rental chains — a dedicated dive-charter operator list wasn't researched this pass. Paʻia's own surf-school bench (distinct from windsurf/kite) wasn't independently verified — only Paia Surf's rental operation was confirmed. And the Lahaina food/vendor bench above is deliberately conservative given how recent (17 days old at research time) the Front Street reopening was — re-check Lahaina specifically closer to a trip date.
Every listing was researched in August 2026 and is being verified in person. Lahaina-area businesses specifically were cross-checked for current-open status given the town's ongoing fire recovery, and businesses that failed that check were dropped rather than listed with a caveat. And per the No-Reveal Code: you will find no named surf breaks on this page, ever, even though Maui carries some of the most famous named waves on Earth. Towns and hubs by name is where it stops.