Maui is one of my favorite destinations to visit. For me, it’s my second home. I’ve been visiting this beautiful island consistently since I was one year old. “The Magic Isle” or “The Valley Isle” has something for everyone — breathtaking scenery, historic towns, and upscale resorts all commingle harmoniously creating an unforgettable vacation. With an island that has it all, there are plenty of locations to get some fantastic pictures. This post goes through my top eight most Instagrammable locations on the island.
1) HALEAKALĀ VOLCANO
Haleakalā Volcano is a great place to climb. Reach the summit at 10,023 feet is no easy feat. But once you reach the top, you feel like you’re on another planet, instead of the tropical paradise at the bottom of the volcano. The landscape is unlike anything else I’ve ever seen on Maui — richly colored, desert-like, and vast. On a clear day, it’s amazing how far you can see. Catch a sunrise if you can (book ahead of time) or if you’re a night owl catch sunset and stay to see some of the best stargazing in the world.
2) ROAD TO HANA
The Road to Hana is 52 miles long, with 617 hairpin curves and 59 bridges — most of which are one lane. But don’t be deterred. You can find some amazingly beautiful Instagrammable spots on the Road to Hana. There are numerous picturesque waterfalls, a small bamboo forest (this is different from the Pipiwai trail), and breathtaking beaches.
Pro tips: Do your research ahead of time so you have a plan. If you see no trespassing signs, please obey them. Bring some snacks, water, sunscreen, and good hiking shoes with you, and be prepared to make this an all-day event.
3) KULA FARMS
The cute little Kula Farms stand sells some of the freshest produce and locally made products on the island. What it’s famous for, however, is its annual pumpkin patch, which is open the entire month of October. This is the only place I know of where you can get breathtaking views of the island and a pumpkin patch in the same picture, making it totally instagrammable.
4) SUNSET ON KA’ANAPALI BEACH
Three miles of beautiful white sand and crystal clear water makes Ka’anapali Beach the perfect place to snap some amazing pictures during the day. But actually, sunset here is even more beautiful. The sun sets behind, or sometimes between Lāna’i and Moloka’i. Be prepared for breathtaking cotton candy skies and catamarans sailing on the ‘Au’au Channel making for the perfect sunset pictures.
5) MAUI’S FAMOUS SURFBOARD FENCE
If you aren’t looking for it, you might just miss it. This fence is located right off the Hana Hwy. It was started in 1990 by Donald Dettloff as a place to keep his boards secure from the approaching hurricane. Now, it has over 800 boards and has become a surfboard graveyard. In 2009, the fence made it into the Guinness World Records for being the largest collection of surfboards. It’s located in a residential area so please be respectful of the area and other cars on the road when taking your pictures.
Address: 66 Kaupakalua Rd. Haiku, HI
6) SUNFLOWER FIELD
Located at the corner of Honoapi’ilani Hwy and Kuihelani Hwy, this 115-acre sunflower field was once a sugar cane field. Now, it is home to a beautiful field of sunflowers that will be harvested to make biofuel. As this is located on the side of a major highway, please be careful if you get out of the car and be respectful of the crops. It only takes one person to ruin this experience for everyone.
7) ‘IAO NEEDLE
Located in the ‘Iao Valley, this state monument, the ‘Iao Needle, is an erosional feature that rises 1200 feet from the valley floor. It was used as a lookout point during the battle of Kepaniwai, where Kamehameha I conquered the Maui army in 1790 during his campaign to unify the islands. This historical site also has a paved walking trail and plenty of native flora of which to snap some pictures.
8) HO’OKIPA BEACH
Ho’okipa Beach is a world-renowned windsurfing and surfing destination, making this an ideal spot for getting those perfect surfer pictures. This isn’t the best place for swimming but it is a great spot for catching sun-bathing honu on the beach. Depending on the time of day, you can catch up to 50 turtles either sleeping or sun-bathing here. Just remember to stay behind the rope fence and be respectful of these amazing sea creatures.
QUICK TIPS
Now that you know some of the most scenic spots in Maui to snap some photos, you’ll likely need to next figure out transportation. Here are some tips to help you navigate the island and make the most of your time.
1) GETTING AROUND MAUI
There aren’t a lot of public transportation options on the island. In all the years I’ve been traveling to Maui, I’ve never seen many taxis or city buses on the streets. It’s best to rent a car so you can do what you want, when you want, without depending on a tour company or public transportation’s timetables.
2) GETTING TO MAUI
There is one major airport in Maui: Kahului Airport. Depending on where you are staying on the island, it might take anywhere from 25-45 minutes to get to your hotel or condo. If you are staying in Lahaina or Ka’anapali, you will take Highway 30. This highway goes down to one lane, and during rush hour it can take a bit longer to get into town. So take that into consideration when planning out your days and trip back to the airport.
There are so many breathtakingly spots that are Instagram-worthy on the island. These are just a few of them. Have you been to any of these spots before? If you haven’t, I hope I’ve convinced you to add them to your Maui bucket list.
Have you been to Maui? If you have any additional tips for our readers or questions please leave these in the comments below.
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We Are Travel Girls Contributor Melina Ponder of CoffeeFernweh.com
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