Arriving & Departing By Air Kahului Airport (tel. 808/872-3894 and 808/872-3830) is efficient and remarkably easy to navigate. Its main disadvantage is its distance from the major resort destinations in West Maui. It will take you about an hour, with traffic in your favor, to get to a hotel in Kapalua or Kaanapali, but only 20 to 30 minutes to go to Kihei or Wailea. However, Kahului is the only airport on Maui that has direct service from the mainland. If you're staying in West Maui, you might be better off flying into the Kapalua-West Maui Airport (tel. 808/669-0623). The only way to get to the Kapalua-West Maui Airport is on an interisland flight from Honolulu, however, since the short runway allows only small planes to land there. The little airport is set in the midst of a pineapple field with a terrific view of the ocean far below and provides one of the most pleasant ways to arrive on the Valley Isle. Three rental-car companies have courtesy phones inside the terminal. Shuttles also run between the airport and the Kaanapali and Kapalua resorts.
Hana Airport (tel. 808/248-8208) isn't much more than a landing strip. Only commuter Aloha IslandAir flies there, landing twice a day from Honolulu (via Molokai and Kahului) and departing 10 minutes later; the morning flight originates in Princeville, Kauai. When there is no flight, the tiny terminal usually stands eerily empty, with no gate agents, ticket takers, or other people in sight. If you are staying at the Hotel Hana-Maui, your flight will be met; if you have reserved a rental car, the agent will usually know your arrival time and meet you. Otherwise you can call Dollar Rent A Car (tel. 808/248-8237) to pick you up.
Maui is part of the world's most isolated chains of islands, so even if you fly directly to the Valley Isle, be prepared for a lengthy flight. From the West Coast, Maui is about five hours; from the Midwest, expect about an eight-hour flight; and coming from the East Coast will take about 10 hours. If you have to connect with an interisland flight in Honolulu, add at least another hour.
Carriers
American carriers flying into Honolulu include the following: United Airlines (tel. 808/242-7911 or 800/241-6522) flies nonstop to Kahului from Los Angeles and San Francisco. American Airlines (tel. 800/433-7300) also flies into Kahului, with one stop in Honolulu, from Dallas and Chicago, and nonstop from Los Angeles. Delta (tel. 800/221-1212) has through service to Maui daily from Salt Lake City, Atlanta, and Los Angeles, and one nonstop daily from Los Angeles.
Maui is the most visited of the Neighbor Islands and therefore the easiest to connect to on an interisland flight. Honolulu-Kahului is one of the most heavily traveled air routes in the nation. Continental (tel. 800/525-0280), Hawaiian (tel. 800/882-8811), Northwest (tel. 800/225-2525), and TWA (tel. 800/221-2000) fly from the mainland to Honolulu, where Maui-bound passengers can connect with a 40-minute interisland flight. Interisland flights generally run about $50 one-way between Honolulu and Maui and are available from Hawaiian Airlines (tel. 808/871-6132 or 800/367-5320), Aloha Airlines (tel. 808/244-9071 or 800/367-5250 on U.S. mainland), Aloha IslandAir (tel. 808/669-0255 or 800/652-6541), and Mahalo Air (tel. 808/833-5555).
Between the Airport and Hotels
By Car. The best way to get from the airport to your destination-and to see the island itself-is in your own rental car. If you're going to need it for the rest of the trip, you might as well get it right away. Most major car-rental companies have conveniently located desks or courtesy phones at each airport. They also can provide a map and directions to your hotel from the airport.
By Shuttle. If you're staying at the Kaanapali Beach Resort and fly into the Kapalua-West Maui Airport, you can take advantage of the resort's free shuttle and go back to the airport later to pick up your car. During daylight hours, the shuttle passes through the airport at regular intervals.
The TransHawaiian Airporter Shuttle (tel. 808/877-7308 or 800/231-6984) leaves Kahului Airport on the hour 8 AM-4 PM (except 9 AM), bound for the Embassy Suites hotel, with stops in Lahaina and Kaanapali; one-way fare for adults is $13, for children $10. You should call 24 hours prior to departure.
By Taxi. Maui has more than two dozen taxi companies, and they make frequent passes through the airport. If you don't see a cab, you can call Yellow Cab of Maui (tel. 808/877-7000) or La Bella Taxi (tel. 808/242-8011) for islandwide service from the airport. Call Kihei Taxi (tel. 808/879-3000) if you're staying in the Kihei, Wailea, or Makena areas. Charges from Kahului Airport to Kaanapali run about $49; to Wailea, about $31; and to Lahaina, about $42.
By Ship Approaching the Valley Isle on the deck of a ship is an unforgettable experience. Watching the land loom ever larger conjures up the same kinds of feelings the early Polynesians probably had on their first voyage-except they didn't get the kind of lavish treatment those on board a luxury cruise ship routinely receive. If this is an option that appeals to you, you can book passage through American Hawaii Cruises (2 North Riverside Plaza, Chicago, IL 60606, tel. 312/466-6000 or 800/765-7000), which offers seven-day interisland cruises departing from Honolulu on the SS Constitution and the SS Independence. Or ask about the company's seven-day cruise-resort combination packages.
Getting Around By Bus Although Maui has no public transit system, a private company, TransHawaiian Services (tel. 808/877-0380) operates a Maui Shopping Express, providing service between the island hubs of Wailea, Kahului, and Kapalua Mon.-Sat. 9:30 AM-7:30 PM and Sunday 9:30 AM-5 PM. One-way, round-trip, and all-day passes are available.
By Car Hawaii's drivers are generally courteous, and you rarely hear a horn. People will slow down and let you into traffic with a wave of the hand. A friendly wave back is appreciated and customary. Be sure to buckle up: Hawaii has a seat-belt law for front-seat passengers. Children under age three must be in a car seat, available from your car-rental agency. Roads and streets, although they may be unpronounceable to the visitor, are at least well marked. Major attractions and scenic spots are marked by the distinctive Hawaii Visitors Bureau sign with its red-caped warrior.
Driving in rush-hour traffic (6:30-8:30 AM and 3:30-5:30 PM) can be frustrating, not only because of the sheer volume of traffic but also because left turns are forbidden at many intersections. Parking along many streets is curtailed during these hours, and towing is strictly enforced. Read the curbside parking signs before leaving your vehicle, even at a meter.
Remember not to leave valuables in your car. Tourists are targets for thieves, because they probably won't be here by the time the case comes to trial, even if the crooks are caught.
Maui has several major roads. Highway 30, the Honoapiilani Highway, goes from Wailuku in Central Maui around the south of the West Maui mountains and up the west coast past Lahaina, Kaanapali, and Kapalua. The road from Kahului to Kihei, Wailea, and Makena is called Highway 311, or the Mokulele Highway. When you reach Kihei, you can take Kihei Road to reach all the lodgings in that town, or you can bypass them on Highway 31 (the Piilani Highway) if you're staying in Wailea or Makena. The latter road is the best on the island in terms of driving because it is wide and less heavily traveled. Another main thoroughfare is the Haleakala Highway (numbered 37, 377, and 378 at different points), which goes between Kahului and Haleakala. Most of the roads on the island have two lanes.
If you're going to attempt the partially paved, patched, and bumpy, and partially dirt-and-gravel road between Hana and Ulupalakua, you'll be better off with a four-wheel-drive vehicle, but be forewarned: rental-car companies prohibit travel on roads they've determined might damage the car, so if you break down, you're on your own for repairs. There are two other difficult roads on Maui: one is Highway 36, or the Hana Highway, which runs 56 mi between Kahului and Hana and includes more twists and turns than a person can count. The other is an 8-mi scenic stretch of one-lane highway between Kapalua and Wailuku on the north side of the West Maui mountains, where you should be prepared to back up to the closest wide spot in the road if you encounter a truck coming in the opposite direction. Take it slow and you should have no problems.
Car Rental
During peak seasons-summer and Christmas through Easter-be sure to reserve your car well ahead of time if you haven't booked a room-car package with your hotel. Although you'll generally pay a higher price in the peak seasons, you'll find Maui one of the cheapest U.S. destinations for renting an auto. Expect to pay about $35 a day for a compact car from one of the major companies. You can get an even more inexpensive deal from one of the locally owned budget companies. For these, you'll probably have to call for a shuttle from the airport since most don't have rental desks there. There is a $2 daily road tax on all rental cars in Hawaii.
AAA Rental Car, Budget (tel. 800/527-0700 or, in Canada, 800/268-8900), Dollar (tel. 800/800-4000 in the U.S. and Canada), and National (tel. 800/227-7368) have courtesy phones at the Kapalua-West Maui Airport, while Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131 or, in Canada, 800/263-0600) and Alamo (tel. 800/327-9633) are nearby. All the above, plus Avis (tel. 800/331-1212 or, in Canada, 800/879-2847), have desks at or near Maui's major airport in Kahului. Roberts Tours (tel. 808/523-9323) offers car rentals through package tours. Quite a few locally owned companies rent cars on Maui, including Rent-A-Jeep (tel. 808/877-6626), which will pick you up at Kahului Airport.
U.K. Citizens
In the United States you must be 21 to rent a car; rates may be higher if you're under 25. You'll pay extra for child seats (about $3 per day), compulsory for children under five, and for additional drivers (about $2 per day). To pick up your reserved car you will need the reservation voucher, a passport, a U.K. driver's license, and a travel policy that covers each driver.
By Limousine Arthur's Limousine Service (283-H Lalo St., Kahului 96732, tel. 808/871-5555 or 800/345-4667) offers a chauffeured superstretch Lincoln complete with bar and two TVs for $88 per hour. Arthur's fleet also includes less grandiose Lincoln Town Cars for $65 per hour with a two-hour minimum.
By Moped You can rent mopeds on the West Side at Wheels Are Us (tel.808/667-7751) for $36 a day. On the South Shore, try Wheels USA at Rainbow Mall (tel. 808/875-1221). Rates are $25 for four hours or $31 until 4:30 PM. Note that helmets are optional on Maui, but eye-protection is not.
By Shuttle If you're staying in the right hotel or condo, there are a few shuttles that can get you around the area. The double-decker West Maui Shopping Express ferries passengers to and from Kaanapali, Kapalua, Honokowai (Embassy Suites area), and Lahaina from 8 AM to 10 PM. The fare is $1 per person each way, and schedules are available at most hotels. The Kaanapali Trolley Shuttle runs within the resort between 9 AM and 11 PM and stops automatically at all hotels and at condos when requested. It's free. All Kaanapali hotels have copies of schedules, or you can call the Kaanapali Operation Association (tel. 808/661-7370).
The Wailea Shuttle and the Kapalua Shuttle run within their respective resorts and are free; schedules are available throughout each resort.
By Taxi For short hops between hotels and restaurants, this can be a convenient way to go, but you'll have to call ahead. Even busy West Maui doesn't have curbside taxi service. West Maui Taxi (761 Kumukahi, Lahaina, tel. 808/667-2605) and Yellow Cab of Maui (Kahului Airport, tel. 808/877-7000) both service the entire island, but you'd be smart to consider using them just for the areas where they're located. Ali'i Cab (475 Ku'ai Pl., Lahaina, tel. 808/661-3688) specializes in West Maui, while Kihei Taxi (Kihei, tel. 808/879-3000) serves Central Maui.
Overview Maui, the second-largest island in the state of Hawaii, with 729 square mi, has some 120 mi of coastline, not all of which is accessible. Less than one quarter of its land mass is inhabited. To see the island, your best bet is a car.
