Maui is one of the most popular islands for tourists to vacation. There are tons of unique attractions that draw many tourists to the island each year. This means there are tons of awesome Maui tours and excursions. From scenic drives, to whale watching, or swimming with tropical fish, there are local activities for everyone.
Maui is the second largest Hawaiian island with so much variety. Most tourists tend to stay in the popular locations of Lahaina and Kihei. And while we are big fans of sunny days at the beach, Maui has so much more to offer than that.
There are many tours to help you explore the island to the fullest. You can choose Maui tours that are close to your accommodation or venture to other beautiful areas of the island.
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Road To Hana:
One of the most famous Maui Tours is driving the scenic Hana Highway. There are tons of different tour companies that will take you on this epic journey and stop at all the best locations.
The Road To Hana includes epic viewpoints, black sand beaches, botanical gardens, and what feels like endless waterfalls. Some stops require advanced permits and reservations. Oh, and there’s practically no cell phone service. For those reasons, it’s a bit of a challenge to visit all the best stops in one day.
So booking one of these Road to Hana Maui Tours is the best way to not miss a thing, and let someone else handle the planning and driving.
For example, Waianapanapa State Park which is where you will find the famous Black Sand Beach, requires advanced reservations. Permits can be reserved up to 30 days in advance. During peak season, permits often sell out far in advance.
A more relaxed trip exploring the wonders of the Road to Hana will generally be best done with a tour company. But, you can also forge your own adventure.
We rented a car and drove the road to Hana to get in as many hikes, waterfall views, and cliff edge viewpoints. (Actually, we’ve driven the Road to Hana 3 times now).
Read our in-depth guides for the best waterfalls on the Hana Highway and additionally all the best stops along the route.
Get A Self-driving Audio Tour:
A fun, less expensive guide for the Road To Hana is to download a self-driving audio tour for your drive. We used this for one of our earlier visits and it was awesome. The audio tour guide can follow your journey via GPS tracking on your smartphone. So even without cell service, you can always learn about each stop along the way.
The audio tour guide will give you a brief history as you pass by popular stops on the famous road. Additionally, the guide can help you decide which stops to make or not. Kind of like a choose-your-own-adventure tour.
We personally enjoyed this because we never felt rushed and could take the road at our own pace.
Do note: many rental car companies do not allow driving along the south portion of the Road To Hana, making it an out-and-back drive. Most tours will also do an out-and-back unless stated otherwise.
This Road to Hana Jeep Tour does the trip in reverse and has the capability to drive the south part of the island.
Here are some great options for Road to Hana Tours:
Book a Road To Hana Tour that leaves from Kahului (near the airport)
Here is a Hana tour that leaves from Lahaina
Or this tour that picks you up from nearly anywhere around the island
There is even a crazy tour that takes a small group down the scenic road to Hana and at the end, guests can hop on a helicopter and take a scenic ride back to the start. If budget isn’t an issue, this Maui tour would be epic!
Whale Watching:
Whale watching is one of the most popular activities to do on the island of Maui. It’s the best Hawaiian Island to spot humpback whales just a short distance from the shore.
There are tons of tour companies to choose from offering different experiences overall.
Boat tours range from small inflatable rafts to full-blown ships that can fit over 100 people. If you want a small-group tour and the opportunity to touch some humpback whales, then an intimate raft boat offers one of the best tours.
If you don’t want to be near the water and don’t mind large groups, then you might enjoy large charter boats.
There is even the option of spotting humpback whales from the air on this private air tour.
Most tours can guarantee at least one whale sighting. But if you get unlucky, almost all tour companies offer a free voucher for another tour in the future.
Plus most tours have special underwater microphones (hydrophone), so you can hear the whales talking to each other. Whale watching in Maui might be one of the coolest experiences!
Most tours will leave from Maalaea Harbor or Lahaina Harbor.
Choose from the wide variety of Whale Tours:
Snorkeling:
Snorkeling is another very popular Maui tour. Tourists can witness amazing coral reefs, colorful fish, green sea turtles, and more.
Maui’s location is one of the best Hawaiian islands to reach the Molokini Crater. A popular snorkeling spot that has pristine visibility and is a hot spot for thousands of fish.
Turtle Town is another popular stop for snorkeling tours, where of course, you are likely to spot turtles.
Morning is generally a better time for snorkeling. The water tends to be calmer and less boat activity to scare away marine life.
While tourists can try their hand at snorkeling themselves, Maui tour operators will always know the best snorkeling spots.
Snorkeling tours can be done in many different ways and in many different locations around the island. Guests can jump on a large charter boat that brings tourists to different parts of the island, hop on a small raft, and even find some epic snorkeling spots from a kayaking adventure.
Of course, you can always group together some of the other tours with a snorkeling adventure. Such as whale watching and snorkeling. Or this self-guided eBike, Hike, and Snorkel Excursion.
Choose from many different Maui Snorkeling Tours:
Scuba Diving:
Whether you’re a beginner or an expert scuba diver, there is a scuba diving excursion for all ability levels.
A beginner lesson will teach you the basics for how to breathe underwater in shallow waters. Local guides will make sure you feel safe and comfortable during the duration of your session.
For expert scuba divers, guests can hop on a boat and head to the neighboring island of Lanai. Here guests will find caverns, arches, lava shoots, and more. During a tour, divers can use up to 2-tanks.
Submarine Adventure:
Probably one of the most unique Maui Tours is to go underwater on a submarine adventure. There are a few different tours that take you deep into the sea to witness awesome marine life.
The submarine tour descends over 100 feet (30m) underwater. Guests can have the opportunity to see reef sharks, whales, colorful reefs, indigenous fish, and more. Near Lahaina, there was a shipwreck in 2005, where an old whaling ship went down and now serves as an artificial reef for marine life.
If you are looking for a Maui tour that is off the beaten path, this is by far the most unique experience. And of course, this is the best way to spot sharks without the danger.
Luau:
For a true authentic Maui experience, sign up to attend a local Luau. Enjoy dinner, drinks, authentic Polynesian dances, fire torch shows, and live music. There are various locations to attend a luau around the island.
This Maui Luau has a fresh farm-to-table experience providing one of the best meals on the island.
If you are staying near Lahaina, there is the Maui Nui Luau at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa.
For visitors staying in the Kihei area, there is the Te Au Moana Luau at The Wailea Beach Marriott Resort.
Or if you want a unique experience of a Luau on a cruise ship, there is the Luau out of Ma’alaea Harbor on the Pride of Maui.
Sunset Dinner Cruise:
Instead of sitting on shore looking out to the ocean, reverse the trip and sit on a fancy boat with a luxurious dinner looking ashore. And what could be a more romantic time than during sunset?
There are a handful of Maui tours that offer a romantic sunset cruise with a gourmet meal and drinks included.
Book a sunset sailing diner cruise on Viator
Book Maui dinner cruises with Get Your Guide
ATV or UTV:
For a more rugged Maui tour, try your hand on an ATV excursion or UTV tour. Witness breathtaking landscapes from the top of the valley.
Splash around in the tropical rainforests, and later ride down on the shoreline.
Zip Line:
Another rad Maui tour is a zipline adventure above and through the lush rainforests. There are many different courses located around the island. Ranging from 5 to 8 lines and platforms.
Along the zipline tour, learn about the local flora, fauna, and Hawaiian culture from local tour guides.
Helicopter Tour:
Maui is an epic island to fly over due to its lush mountain peaks and interior valleys. It is called the Valley Isle after all! Exploring deep into the West Maui mountains and the Haleakala Volcano is a special treat.
Along the helicopter ride, guests can witness hidden waterfalls that are inaccessible on foot. Additionally, Maui helicopter tours fly to the neighboring island of Molokai which has the tallest sea cliffs in the world, at 3,000-4,000 feet tall!
Haleakala Sunrise:
Another famous stop on the beautiful island of Maui is Haleakala National Park. A popular thing to do here is reach the summit and watch the sunrise over the Haleakala Crater.
This dormant volcano stands 10,000 ft above sea level. So make sure you bring layers with you because it’s cold!
My personal favorite travel item is my super packable Get Out Gear Puffy Blanket. I even brought this to Maui for this exact tour, and it was a lifesaver!
While tourists can choose to do this Maui tour themselves, it can be super nice to have a tour guide drive you up to the summit as you catch a few more zzz’s.
The road up to the summit is very steep and windy as well. Most Maui tours will pick guests up from their hotel or accommodation.
Book a Haleakala Sunrise tour with Viator
Book a Haleakala Sunrise tour with Get Your Guide
Downhill Bike Tour:
After witnessing one of the best sunrises of, maybe your life, try a fun and unique way to get back down to sea level.
One of the best Maui tours is a bike ride downhill from the top of Haleakala Volcano. The best part is you don’t have to ride the long trek up to the top, as the tour drives everyone to the top in an air-conditioned van.
There are about 29 switchbacks over the span of 15 miles. Enjoy the stunning views, stop for photos, and enjoy the National Park at your own pace.
There are two different unique downhill bike tours to choose from. You can get up early and head to Haleakala for sunrise, or get a later start and skip the sunrise.
Indulge in a Juicy Pineapple Tour:
Pineapples in Hawaii just simply taste the best! I know it might seem like hype, but it’s true.
On this pineapple tour, guests will head toward the historic plantation town of Hali’imaile. Tourists walk around the farm and learn the growing cycles and cultivation process of pineapples.
Of course, you get to sample some pineapple, and you even get to take one home (airport-ready & approved).
Enjoy The Views On A Horseback Ride:
If you enjoy horses, roam the countryside on horseback. On guided tours, guests will have the opportunity to witness breathtaking landscapes of the coast and lush valleys.
There are a couple of different horseback riding tours located around the island offering slightly different experiences.
Take A Surf Lesson:
Hawaii is known for some epic surf breaks. Luckily no matter what island you visit, there will always be some locals offering surf lessons. Tourists can choose a private lesson or join fellow surfing enthusiasts in a group lesson.
Whether you are just starting out or want to advance your tricks, there are lessons for all skill levels. There are mellow waves for beginners on the leeward side, right up to world-class big-wave surfing on the windward side.
Rappel A Waterfall:
For the real adrenaline junkies, rappelling a waterfall is one of the most extreme Maui Tours. Guests will roam the jungle cliffs that lead to waterfalls in a private rainforest canyon.
Tourists will get briefed on safety and how to descend down a roaring waterfall, then be guided along on a tour.
If you are looking for a way to get off the beaten path in Maui, then this grand adventure is sure to kick in your adrenaline.
Kayak:
There are tons of unique kayaking Maui tours to choose from. Whether you want to explore the ocean in a clear see-through kayak to witness colorful reefs or venture to turtle town to swim with turtles, there is a fun kayaking adventure for everyone.
Choose a Kayaking Adventure in Maui:
The Kings Gardens Private Waterfall Tour:
If you’re looking to beat the crowds consider a waterfall hike off-the-beaten-path. This hike must be done with a tour guide as it is on a private estate. Plus the hike passes cacao groves, which later guests get to sample.
Book this waterfall tour with chocolate sampling
Take A Ride On A Sea Scooter:
If you want to take your snorkeling adventure up a notch, join a small-group tour on a Sea Scooter. There are a few different e-scooter tours located around the island.
Get from point A to point B much faster, opening the opportunity to see more marine life.
These tours take guests to the Mala Wharf which was a pier once used back in the day for the island’s pineapple and agriculture. But a hurricane wiped out the pier and it now serves as a reef for marine life.
Here are a few e-scooter tours around the island of Maui:
Photoshoot:
What better place to capture amazing photos than the magic of Hawaii? Whether you’re traveling with your family, partner, or solo, a photo shoot can be a fun way to remember your Maui vacation.
Tourists can choose a more traditional photoshoot, or try to capture yourself with a sea turtle. Or pretend you’re a mermaid in the sea down under.
Choose a fun Maui photo shoot:
Maui Food Tour:
Maui has some fresh and unique cuisines to try when traveling around the island. So why not indulge in a food tour to try various different restaurants and cuisines?
Because Maui has many different tourist destinations, you can join a tour of the different parts of the island. Food tours in Maui can be found in Kihei, Lahaina, Makawao, Paia, Kahului, Wailuku, etc.
Two different companies offering food tours in Maui are Local Tastes of Maui and Tasting Maui.
Segway Tour:
Roam the sidewalks of Maui to witness the island’s coastal beauty. Tour guides will take guests along the coastal shores and brief visitors on Hawaiian Culture and history.
Waterbike tour:
Ever dream of walking on water? Well maybe you can’t walk on water but with this Maui excursion, you can bike on water…
Water bike tours leave from Makena Bay and venture around the coast to different beaches learning history about the island from a local tour guide. Each guest can operate their bike and go at their own pace.
Brewery Tour:
Maui has an awesome craft brewery scene for the size of the island. Tourists can join a guided brewery tour or go on their own self-guided Maui brewery tour. Of course, only if they have a Designated Driver (DD).
This brings me to the benefit of going on a brewery tour. Tours will drive guests around to the different local breweries.
Unfortunately, they don’t pick up or drop off guests from their hotel or accommodation. So tourists will need to book an additional rideshare or taxi to the first meet-up location.
But it’s still a great way to indulge without worry.
Tours leave either from Kihei or Lahaina. Guests can join a small group tour or request a private tour.
Book a Brewery Tour in Lahaina
Save These ‘Maui Tours’ For Later
