Areas on Maui
So you've decided to vacation on Maui - great choice! Now where to stay on the island?
To tourists, Maui is best known as the West Side, the South Side, Upcountry and the North Shore.
The West side includes Ka'anapali is best known for Black Rock, then there's Napili and Kapalua. The West side is a bit cooler than the South side and experiences a few more rain showers; most are pretty brief but this is where you'll see most of Maui's rainbows! The west side is known for Kaanapali Beach, Black Rock, Napili Bay, and Kapaula Bay. See more about the West side here.
The South side of Maui includes the relaxed coastal town of Kihei, the upscale area of Wailea, and rugged Makena. Known for being hotter than the West side and with a much drier climate, Kihei is the second most popular area on Maui to find condo rentals. While still busy with tourists in Kihei, parking is easier at the shops and at the beaches. The best time to hit the beaches on the South side is in the mornings as the wind usually picks up in early afternoon most days. Famous Secret Beach and Big Beach are found on the South side. See more about the South side here.
Upcountry Maui includes Kula, Makawao, and the summit to Haleakala National Park. There are a few vacation home rentals Upcountry, but for the most part these are areas to visit with great things to see like Ocean Vodka, Surfing Goat Dairy, and Maui Wine. Upcountry is quite a bit cooler than both the West and South sides, especially if you go up to the Haleakala Summit where it will likely be less than 50F and you will need a coat! Kula and Makawao are a bit of old time Maui with some newer residential neighborhoods, some great bakeries, shops, and galleries. Great for a day trip! See here for more about Upcountry Maui.
Central Maui stretches from Kahului to Ma'alaea. When you fly to Maui you will land at OGG Airport in Kahului. Here you can find the only Costco on the island, as well as Walmart, Target, several restaurants, and regular shops. I'ao Valley and the Maui Tropical Plantation are in the center of Central Maui, and Ma'alaea can be found in West Central Maui. Ma'alaea has a boat harbor where if you are staying on the South side you will likely take your snorkel, dinner, or whale watching cruise out of and the Maui Ocean Center is also here. You have probably heard of Sugar Beach and it can be found near Ma'alaea stretching to North Kihei. There are several condo rental buildings on Sugar Beach with views of the bay, and the beach is great for long walks or a jog in the morning. See more about Central Maui here.
The North Shore of Maui is rugged with some beautiful beaches and great surfing areas for experienced surfers. This area includes Pa'ia where you will find cute shops, galleries, and more great restaurants. Mama's Fish House is nearby and is very popular requiring reservations weeks ahead of time. Baldwin Beach and Ho'okipa Beach are beautiful with great views of the Eastern shoreline and mountains. Wind surfing is very popular at Ho'okipa Beach, and just up the road is Jaws - the world renowned surfing location, albeit a bit hard to get to! Pa'ia is also the start of the Road to Hana when coming from the West or South side. You can find a few vacation rentals here and a couple regular hotels. Pa'ia is a great area to stay if you want to feel like you are in a surfer town with a local vibe! See here for more about the North Shore.
Hana is also on the East side of Maui, along the Road to Hana. While most people drive the Road to Hana in one day, some visitors choose to stay in Hana for a night or two allowing them to explore the drive more slowly and to spend more time in the lower entrance to Haleakala National Park. There are a couple places to stay in Hana and they book up quickly! Definitely don't plan to stay in Hana for your entire trip and use it as a base to explore the rest of the island, it's too far out of the way to do that. See here to see more about the Road to Hana.
So to sum it up, the two best places to stay on Maui are the West side and the South side. Choose Pa'ia if you are on the island just to do some serious surfing or windsurfing.
To tourists, Maui is best known as the West Side, the South Side, Upcountry and the North Shore.
The West side includes Ka'anapali is best known for Black Rock, then there's Napili and Kapalua. The West side is a bit cooler than the South side and experiences a few more rain showers; most are pretty brief but this is where you'll see most of Maui's rainbows! The west side is known for Kaanapali Beach, Black Rock, Napili Bay, and Kapaula Bay. See more about the West side here.
The South side of Maui includes the relaxed coastal town of Kihei, the upscale area of Wailea, and rugged Makena. Known for being hotter than the West side and with a much drier climate, Kihei is the second most popular area on Maui to find condo rentals. While still busy with tourists in Kihei, parking is easier at the shops and at the beaches. The best time to hit the beaches on the South side is in the mornings as the wind usually picks up in early afternoon most days. Famous Secret Beach and Big Beach are found on the South side. See more about the South side here.
Upcountry Maui includes Kula, Makawao, and the summit to Haleakala National Park. There are a few vacation home rentals Upcountry, but for the most part these are areas to visit with great things to see like Ocean Vodka, Surfing Goat Dairy, and Maui Wine. Upcountry is quite a bit cooler than both the West and South sides, especially if you go up to the Haleakala Summit where it will likely be less than 50F and you will need a coat! Kula and Makawao are a bit of old time Maui with some newer residential neighborhoods, some great bakeries, shops, and galleries. Great for a day trip! See here for more about Upcountry Maui.
Central Maui stretches from Kahului to Ma'alaea. When you fly to Maui you will land at OGG Airport in Kahului. Here you can find the only Costco on the island, as well as Walmart, Target, several restaurants, and regular shops. I'ao Valley and the Maui Tropical Plantation are in the center of Central Maui, and Ma'alaea can be found in West Central Maui. Ma'alaea has a boat harbor where if you are staying on the South side you will likely take your snorkel, dinner, or whale watching cruise out of and the Maui Ocean Center is also here. You have probably heard of Sugar Beach and it can be found near Ma'alaea stretching to North Kihei. There are several condo rental buildings on Sugar Beach with views of the bay, and the beach is great for long walks or a jog in the morning. See more about Central Maui here.
The North Shore of Maui is rugged with some beautiful beaches and great surfing areas for experienced surfers. This area includes Pa'ia where you will find cute shops, galleries, and more great restaurants. Mama's Fish House is nearby and is very popular requiring reservations weeks ahead of time. Baldwin Beach and Ho'okipa Beach are beautiful with great views of the Eastern shoreline and mountains. Wind surfing is very popular at Ho'okipa Beach, and just up the road is Jaws - the world renowned surfing location, albeit a bit hard to get to! Pa'ia is also the start of the Road to Hana when coming from the West or South side. You can find a few vacation rentals here and a couple regular hotels. Pa'ia is a great area to stay if you want to feel like you are in a surfer town with a local vibe! See here for more about the North Shore.
Hana is also on the East side of Maui, along the Road to Hana. While most people drive the Road to Hana in one day, some visitors choose to stay in Hana for a night or two allowing them to explore the drive more slowly and to spend more time in the lower entrance to Haleakala National Park. There are a couple places to stay in Hana and they book up quickly! Definitely don't plan to stay in Hana for your entire trip and use it as a base to explore the rest of the island, it's too far out of the way to do that. See here to see more about the Road to Hana.
So to sum it up, the two best places to stay on Maui are the West side and the South side. Choose Pa'ia if you are on the island just to do some serious surfing or windsurfing.