Wellness Guide To Maui, Hawaii

9 min readFeb 23, 2023

Maui was the last of the Hawaiian islands we visited [ps — check out my guides for Kauai + Honolulu if you’re visiting!]. There was an unseasonable amount of rain when we were there [January], so a lot of outdoor activities we were excited about [surf school, multiple days on The Road To Hana, hikes, beaches] were off the table. Nevertheless, it was an adventure!

The nature in Maui, as expected, was GLORIOUS. Lush tropical rainforest, the most beautiful beaches, + lots + lots of acai bowls. 😋 I serious miss the tress of Hawaii.

Where To Stay:

We stayed in Haiku at an Airbnb… we liked being centrally located, but it was very much quiet, jungle vibes + we had to drive everywhere. We were 10 minutes from Paia [our fav area!]. Next time we go to Maui, we would definitely stay in Paia — it’s a very small, hippie town on the north shore that has a cute “downtown” area.

As I mentioned above, we were there during the rainy season so it was very wet. BUT, the interesting part about Maui is that you can *almost* always drive to a sunny part of the island. We ended up driving to either Kihei or Lahaina every day. These are where most of the resorts are + where the sun always shines!

Coffee

Our favorite was grabbing Vitalitea Nitro Cold Brew Coffee from the local grocery stores!

#1] Akamai Coffee: Cute coffee shop with multiple locations!

#2] Paia Bay Coffee Bar: Cold brew with coconut cream — it’s not on the menu, but ask for it! This spot is adorable, + has incredible food. There are also lots of events + live music, so make sure to check out their calenda.

#3] Maui Kombucha: They have a large selection of cold pressed coffee! I loved the Love Buzz with cold press coffee, house made macadamia nut milk, + coconut sugar. Everything here is raw vegan…. it’s tasty, but not everyone’s cup of tea [after our meal, Isaac said: “I’m a little tapped out on vegan food.”]. Please get the raw bagel just to see how hilariously small it is. I wouldn’t travel here just for this cafe, but wanted to add it on the list because it’s a quirky gem if you are in the area [+ close to the yoga studio we liked!]

#4] Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade: Go for the lemonade [so good!], but they have coffee, too!

Acai Bowls:

Get as many acai bowls as possible while you’re in Hawaii! Try them all + see what’s your favorite. 🥰

#1] Island Fresh Cafe: *MUST. This place is so, so cute + was our favorite little breakfast spot. Amazing vibe in Paia. Paia was my favorite town in Maui. Chances are you will pass Paia on your way to Hana, so make sure that you stop here for an acai bowl.

#2] Choice Health Bar: There are quite a few Choice Health Bars throughout Maui… so you’ll probably find one close to where you are staying! There acai bowls + desserts are so, so good.

#3] Brekkie Bowls: Conveniently located in between two gyms, you can get your workout on AND then grab a delicious acai bowl after.

#4] A’a ROOTS: Vegan cafe with amazing acai bowls… + many other vegan options for breakfast or lunch!

#5] Baya Bowls: Such a cute acai bowl truck.

Cafes:

Our favorite form of cafes = FOOD TRUCKS! They are all over Maui + are so good! Make sure to check the times/days the food trucks are open… we found that many food trucks had pretty limited hours!

#1] Alchemy Maui: *MUST! Don’t be fooled by the “kombucha shop” description — it has incredible eats. The fresh mahi mahi tacos were my favorite tacos in Hawaii.

#2] Food Trucks: *MUST! There are so many food trucks all over Maui! Da Nani Pirates [amazing coconut shrimp], Mediterranean Grill, Uptown [pizza], South Maui Fish Company, Keyakiya [Japanese]

#3] Joy’s Place: If you’re craving a sandwich, go here + get the turkey sandwich. You won’t be disappointed. It smells like “home” in there, too.

#4] Jaws Country Store: This is a fun little spot by the famous surf break, Peahi [“Jaws”]. It’s a popular stop on the Road To Hana.

Date Night Dinners:

#1] Merriman’s: *MUST. Make reservations. Go for sunset! They have a beautiful outdoor dining area by the ocean… it’s breathtaking. The best romantic date night spot. Check out the Kapalua Coastal Trail before dinner… it’s a 2.5 mile out + back paved path!

#2] Mama’s Fish House: *MUST. Make reservations. This is probably the most well known Maui restaurant… it’s definitely an establishment. Typically I don’t like “touristy” restaurants — but this spot is an execption. Get ALL the seafood — macadamia nut crab cakes, stuffed mahi mahi, lobster tails… + of course, the coconut cake.

#3] Nuka: This Japanese restaurant was outstanding — I loved the sushi [of course!] + the Nuka Bowl with ahi. Wow.

#4] Cafe O’Lei at the Mill House: The grounds are what make this restaurant special. Grab a drink + wander the property. We didn’t end up eating here [the food looked mediocre]. Go for happy hour!

#5] nyloS [$$$$]: On my list for next time. Pre-fixe tasting menu! Looks amazing.

#6] Walk down Lahaina’s Front Street: Super cute historic town with lots of art galleries, live music, + restaurants on the water. Sit under the iconic Lahaina Banyan Tree.

For Dessert — Artisan Ice Cream: Super cute ice cream store in Paia. The Sea Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip + Kauai Cold Brew Coffee… wow ❤ ALSO — Ulani’s Shaved Ice [multiple locations!] at any time of day.

For Drinks — Kohola Brewery: Good beer with live music + a food truck nearby where you can bring your own meal in!

Wellness:

#1] Yoga: When we visited, we were really into ashtanga yoga. Ashtanga is super popular in Maui — we absolutely loved Christina Martini’s class. House of Yoga is a very popular ashtanga yoga studio as well, + we went once! For a variety of styles, Maui Yoga Shala looks great!

#2] Temple Of Peace: If you guys want a unique experience… go here + book the Aqualani Spa aka “spiritual day spa.” Don’t ask questions, just do it 🥰

#3] Go to the spa: Check out Maui Massage + Spa or 808 Wellness for deep tissue massages, reflexology, acupuncture, + more

#4] Lumeria: Lumeria is a wellness retreat center. The property is beautiful! You can stay on site, or go for a meal or spa session. The Wooden Crate is their farm to table restaurant.

#5] Grab nourishing food at the amazing local grocery stores + famers markets:

Hawaiian Moons Natural Foods
Mana Foods Natural Grocery
Alive + Well
Farmers Market Maui: Everything here is so delicious. Grab food [or groceries!] to go + eat it at the park across the street or at the beach!

#6] Surf! Maui has amazing surfing for all levels. Check out Maui Surf + Soul. We weren’t able to surf at all because of the weather, but I can’t wait to go back + eventually surf in Maui!

Outdoor Adventures:

Honestly, all the outdoor adventures are MUST in my opinion. There’s just so much to explore + so much nature to see! There’s probably *so* many more adventures that aren’t on this list — I’m excited to go back to Maui!

#1] The Road To Hana: *MUST! Download the app Gypsy Guide for an audio tour itinerary. We found this was super helpful to know where to stop! We had the most amazing time — waterfalls, lush rainforest, black sand beaches, + so much beauty! Just be careful on the windy road + one lane bridges… it was definitely quite scary at times.

#2] Iao Valley: *MUST! It literally looks like you’re in Jurassic Park.

#3] Honolua Bay: *MUST! Oh my gosh. You have to go through the most magical forest I’ve ever seen [+ walk through a river] to get to the bay. It’s so cool! It would be a dream to get married here. Apparently it’s an amazing snorkeling spot too!

Go a little bit further north to Nakalele Point: This ocean blowhole is wild!

#4] Haleakala National Park: Volcano known for its sunrises. It’s supposed to be absolutely magical for sunrise. We went late afternoon, + my biggest tip: check the weather prior… there was a hailstorm when we got to the top, so it was a bit anti-climatic for us lol, but I would love to go again on a clear sunny day.

#5] Waihee Ridge Trail: Incredibly beautiful 4.0 mile out + back hike.

#6] All the beaches! We saw an amazing sunset at Secret Cove Beach. It was so beautiful + felt like a hidden gem. There are SO many beaches in Maui… unfortunately, we really didn’t get to go to many because of the wet season. Check out this article: 10 Best Beaches In Maui.

#7] Take a tour with Trilogy Excursions: This is definitely on my bucket list… they have so many different tours, depending on your interests. From whale watching to sunset tours to snorkeling.

#8] Waiʻānapanapa State Park: Black sand beach on the Road To Hana. You now need reservations to enter! Also, this is apparently an amazing park to camp at — definitely on my bucket list.

#9] Maui Friday Town Parties: Every Friday, there’s a free community street party in a different area in Maui. Live music, food trucks, small local vendors, etc. Check the schedule here!

If there’s only ONE thing you can do in Maui — make it the Road To Hana!

Maui — Travel Tips:

How long? 4+ days. Highly recommend pairing your trip to Maui with multiple islands.
When to go? Any time is beautiful — but November to March is considered the “wetter” season. However, even if you visit during the wet season, you’ll be able to find sun on the island!
Maui is spread out — so you’ll definitely want to rent a car to explore the whole island.
Surprisingly, when we visited, there weren’t really any coworking spaces. It looks like Above The Wave recently opened as a coworking space… which makes me really happy!
Poke, acai bowls, coconut shrimp, + shaved ice = Maui staples!
Take advantage of macadamia nut everything. The Royal Hawaiian macadamia nuts are SO good, + so affordable comparative to how much they cost anywhere else in the USA. We literally ate a bag a day lol.
ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL NATURE 🥰