How To Travel Maui On A Budget

If you’re new to our blog, then let me start off by telling you, Jake and I are budget travelers. We love to see new place without breaking the bank! So with that being said, we often camp instead of getting a hotel or rental house. Accommodation is obviously one of the biggest expenses and fastest way to spend a ton of money on a vacation. And we are often content just enjoying the beauty of nature on a trail or beach. In this post, we are going to give recommendations on where to stay and what to do on the island that is budget-friendly and won’t break the bank. Let’s dive in to How To Travel Maui On A Budget.

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Flights To Travel Maui On A Budget:

The next biggest price of the trip is probably going to be your flight. But there are plenty of ways to get a cheap flight to Maui if you’re willing to put in the extra time. First, download Scott’s Cheap Flights and keep an eye out on some deals for flying into Maui. Another idea is to get a credit card with great point benefits. Jake and I used our points from Chase rewards and both essentially flew FOR FREE! Other budget websites to find cheap flights are skyscanner, faredrop, Hopper, etc.

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Camping Is The Best Way To Travel Maui On A Budget: 

One of the easiest ways to travel for cheap is to camp instead of stay in a hotel or rental house. Usually we use the app iOverlander or website freecampsites.net to find where to camp for free in the states, but those aren’t as usual on Maui. And technically there is no “free” camping on the island. 

Different Camping Options Around Maui:

Hipcamp:

Another very helpful resource for finding inexpensive camping in Maui is Hipcamp. Hipcamp is a website for people to offer either places for you to pitch a tent or have inexpensive places for you to stay. Think more glamping style locations. But you can still find some really awesome places to camp for under $30/night. 

Haleakala National Park Campgrounds:

There are two established campgrounds in Haleakala National Park. The Hosmer Grove Campground is near the entrance for the famous Haleakala Sunrise and Kīpahulu campground near the Southeast point toward the end of the Road To Hana. These are great options to stay in Maui, but offer two very different climates. 

Hosmer Grove Campground is located 7,000 feet above sea level, so prepare for colder weather. And Kīpahulu campground overlooks ocean cliffs, so be prepared for harsh sunshine, mosquitos and you will probably experience a random rain shower or two. Do note campsites in National Parks tend to go fast and require advanced planning. Also, if you do plan to do the Haleakala Sunrise, you will still need a permit. 

Book a reservation here: Hosmer Grove Campground & Kīpahulu campground

Wai’anapanapa State Park

Wai’anapanapa State Park offers camping or cabin rentals. This is a very beautiful State Park along the road to Hana. Wai’ananapanapa State Park is home to the famous Black Sand Beach, which you might have seen a picture of when doing any research for Maui! You can make a reservation on the Waianapanapa State Park Website.

Papalaua Wayside Park:

A nice camping spot on how to travel Maui on a budget is along the beach is Papalaua Wayside Park. The cost is $10/night per person and allows 4 consecutive nights. Permits are given on a first-come, first-serve basis. It is also closed every Tuesday & Wednesday for maintenance. For more information visit County of Maui. 

Camp Olowalu:

A private camp just south of Lahaina is Camp Olowalu. They have a few different options for camping such as a campground, tentalows, car camping, or cabins right along the beach. Book a reservation on Camp Olowalu’s Website. 

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Transportation For Traveling Maui On A Budget:

There are a few different ways to get around the island of Maui. Each option is pretty cost effective and allows you to get from point A to point B without breaking the bank.

Rent A Car:

If you want to see some of the best parts of the island, then you are going to want to rent a car. And you are in luck, because Kihei, HI has some of the cheapest rental cars we have ever seen! We rented a car for a whole week from Kihei Rent-A-Car for a total of $211.

The secret to their pricing is that the cars are not very new. So we had a 2013 Nissan Sentra and it was more than good enough to get us around the island. Which is ultimately cheaper than getting an uber or taxi around to all the budget-friendly places we are going to suggest. 

Or you can always check with Kayak to find a good deal on a rental car. But, this time, I’m not even sure Kayak can one-up the incredible deal Kihei Rent-A-Car offers. 

Note: Gas is a bit more expensive than most places in the states, but it was still cheaper than California, which was a win in our book. But, be prepared to pay a little extra for driving around the island. Luckily Maui is a relatively small island and nothing is too far away.

Take The Bus:

If renting a car at a discounted price is still a little steep for you, you are in luck because Maui has a bus that can take you around to most parts of the island minus the road to Hana and into Haleakala National Park. The price is usually $2 per ride or $4 per day. But you will need to be a little more flexible with your trip because the bus runs on a schedule. But if you wanted to get from Kahului Airport down to Kihei or up to Lahaina, the bus route has that covered. 

Rent A Bike:

Another budget-friendly option to get around smaller parts of the island of Maui is to rent a bike. Here are some companies that rent bikes. You can rent a bike starting at $25/day or $90/week. This is a great eco-friendly way to get around a town or city of Hawaii. The downside is you can’t really go too far on a bike, so it does limit you in some ways to getting to some of the free activities for traveling Maui on a budget listed below.  But for traveling locally around the town you’re staying in, biking is a superb option.

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Best Buget-Friendly Activities To Travel Maui On A Budget:

There are tons of great activities to do around the island that can be done on a budget. 

Free Hiking Activities:

Hiking is one of Jake and my favorite free activities to do when traveling anywhere on a budget. It’s a great way to get out in nature, get in some exercise and usually offers some of the most stunning views in the area. Of course you will usually need a car or way of transportation to get to certain trailheads. Two of our favorite hikes on the island are:

Waihe’e Ridge Trail:

Hiking is the easiest way to do Maui on a budget. And this hike was legendary, with views into a lush green valley and turn 180 degrees for a beautiful view of the ocean. The hike is 4.1 miles with 1610 feet elevation change. The hike is a bit of a challenge but I promise it will be worth it!

Waimoku Falls via Pipiwai Trail:

This hike is one of the most famous in Maui. But it is a little harder to get to, and best if you pair this hike with your drive down the Road to Hana. Along this hike, you go through a bamboo forest, lush vegetation, several waterfalls, and finishing at the massive Waimoku Falls, at 400 feet tall. The hike is 3.4 miles with 908 feet elevation change.

Check out other hiking trails in Maui on AllTrails. 

Beach Day:

Really the cheapest way to not spend money while in Maui is to spend the day at the beach. Grab a beach towel, maybe a couple ice cold beverages and head down to soak up the sun. Don’t forget the reef-friendly sunscreen! Our personal favorite beach was Makena Beach (aka Big Beach), but it does cost $10. Although it does look like there is overflow parking along the road that is free. So, you could probably park there and add in a little extra walking if you are doing Maui on a budget. 

For other great beaches on Maui, check out Pride of Maui’s Top 15 Beaches Guide.

Snorkeling:

Snorkeling is one of the most popular activities to do on Maui. It’s definitely popular to book a tour so a guide can bring you to legendary places, but if you are doing Maui on a budget, you don’t need an expert to tell you to snorkel along rocky shores and reefs. That’s where the fish love to hang out. 

There are snorkel rental companies, but in my opinion it’s better to just bring along your own gear, because it doesn’t save you all that much money to rent the gear for a week vs just buying it outright. 

Here are some great snorkel gear options:

Enjoy A Free Hula Show:

Hawaiian Luau’s can be a great way to be enriched in the Hawaiian culture, but they usually come at a hefty price. So to get a snippet of the Hawiian vibes, check out a free hula show at one of these locations listed below. 

Lahaina Cannery Mall: Free Hula Shows every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and every Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.

Queen Ka’ahumanu Center: Free Hula Show every Monday at 10:30 a.m.

Watch Legendary Surfers:

Another great activity to experience Maui on a budget is to watch some legendary surfers. This activity can be done year-round, but the big swell are in different places of the island at different parts of the year. Generally, winter is the best time for big waves.

There is a beach nicknamed Jaws (Pe’ahi Beach) because of the big swells. It can also be a challenge to get to and the big swells only hit at certain times of the year. So seeing some legendary surfers hit these waves is more a game of luck.

If you do decide to take this journey to see surfers, it is suggested to have 4×4 during dry conditions (don’t drive down the road in rainy conditions) or to just hike the 1.67 mile hike down. It’s a windy dirty road that will take you to this location.

You can check the wave conditions before heading to this location to see if the area has any big swells. 

Honolua Bay and Hookipa Beach near Lower Paia are also great beaches to watch surfers during winter season. 

Watch A Sunrise or Sunset:

One of the easiest things to do for free in Maui on a budget is watch a sunrise or sunset. If it’s sunrise, brew a nice cup of coffee before heading out or grab a local beer from the nearest grocery store to enjoy a nice sunset.

Walking Tour:

Another easy free thing to do Maui on a budget is go on a walking tour. Walk downtown either Lahaina or Kihei. But be careful, you may be tempted by storefronts and delicious smells from the restaurants. But if you have a little extra cash to spare it always helps the locals out if you find something you like!

Lahaina’s Banyan Tree:

One of the coolest trees on Maui is definitely the Banyan Tree in Lahaina. The branches of this tree stretch many feet wide and make for a cool spot to have a picnic, read a book or just relax. The branches of the tree travel through the air and eventually take up root of their own, forming a web of “trees” that are all connected.  But don’t plan for complete solitude here, many people also enjoy this spot.  

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Best Ways To Save Money On Food Traveling Maui On A Budget:

Maui is pretty expensive when it comes to food. They are on an island after all, so it’s harder for them to receive food on the island. So you will notice their groceries are a little more expensive then you are used to. But there are ways you can save money when feeding yourself when traveling Maui on a budget. 

Make your own food:

One of the easiest ways to save money on food is to make it yourself. Find some easy meals that won’t break the bank. Some of Jake and my favorite inexpensive meals are pasta, tacos, brats/sausages, etc.

Even the grocery stores on Maui are pretty expensive, but there is a Costco in Kahului (near the airport).  If you are are Costco member, this will definitely be the cheapest place to stock up on groceries.  But since they sell in bulk, you need to make sure you have enough mouths to feed so there’s no waste.

Food trucks:

Maui has a great food truck scene. I like food trucks because you don’t have to sit down in a restaurant and pay for the service. Although you should still tip the cashiers a little something for helping you! But there are a few food trucks that offer food at a reasonable price. 

Happy Hours:

Maui has some great happy hours that offer great deals on food and drink. You might need to eat either a little earlier or later to fit into their happy hour time slot but it can possibly save you a good chunk of money. Check out Maui Happy Hours to find the best deals on food in the area you are staying. They literally break down everything to make it easier to find happy hours around the island. Such as searching by location, time, food items, best deals, etc.

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Check Out Our Other Hawaii Related Attractions:

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Takeaway | How To Travel Maui On A Budget:

Traveling to new places doesn’t always have to be expensive. Some of the best activities don’t cost a dime and can immerse you into the culture. Simply just taking a walk downtown or a hike into nature can give you a good idea of how beautiful this place really is. If you put in a little extra work to find free activities going on in the area, you are destined to find some fun activities to do in Maui. We hope these tips can help anyone experience Maui on a budget, and have more money left over for more travel in the future!

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