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4-day Maui itinerary

So you want to spend 4 days in Maui? I’ve got you covered!

You’ve probably seen a lot of people (including me!) saying to spend as much time as possible on each island.

Although I do recommend staying on each island for 5-7 days, I know that it isn’t always possible. I’ve also personally spent less than a week on all four major islands multiple times.

Sometimes your vacation days are limited, or you want to see multiple islands. No matter what the case, it’s possible to have a fantastic experience in Maui in just four days. You’ll also want to check out The Best Happy Hours in Maui for some drink and appetizer specials during your stay!

If you have a bit longer, check out my 7-day Maui itinerary.

How to spend 4 days in Maui

Maui is shaped like a lopsided figure eight. There are mountains on both sides and one main road that loops around the island.

Getting around Maui is relatively straightforward, and the airport in Kahului is centrally located. Most visitors tend to stay in resort areas of either South Maui (Kihei/Wailea) or West Maui (Lahaina/Kaanapali.)

There isn’t a wrong place to stay in Maui, it’s a small island, and you can stay anywhere and still access the other areas of the island easily.

Check out my post on the 10 best resorts in Maui if you’re still trying to figure out where to stay. If you’re planning a honeymoon or special anniversary, you might want to check out the top 5 luxury Maui resorts.

Now, let’s move along to the 4-day Maui island itinerary.

Day 1: Snorkel Molokini Crater

I recommend snorkeling Molokini Crater on your first full day in Maui. You won’t need to wake up as early as you would for some of the other things, but honestly, you’ll probably be up very early anyway!

Hawaii has at least a 2 hour time difference from the West Coast, at least fours from the Midwest, and at least five hours from the East Coast.

Hawaii does not participate in daylight savings time, so there may be an additional hour difference depending on the time of year.

This means you’ll probably wake up well before dawn. You can choose to snorkel in either the morning or afternoon, and I recommend the morning for the reasons listed above.

Choosing a morning snorkel also means that your breakfast and lunch will be taken care of for the day. Easy peasy!

Not a great swimmer? That’s okay! Most snorkeling tours are very accommodating. You can read my Molokini Snorkeling Tour Review here or book your own.

Hawaii travel tips, snorkeling Molokini Crater in Maui, captured with our GoPro.

Maui luau

If a Maui luau is on your bucket list (it should be!) this would be a great day to do it. I have a blog post about the best Maui luaus, so check it out and choose your favorite.

If a luau doesn’t sound fun to you, consider having a nice dinner at Mama’s Fish House. Mama’s Fish House is the most popular restaurant in Maui, so make sure to get a reservation well in advance.

Mama’s Fish House is located in the cute little surf town of Paia. You can do some shopping around town before or after dinner.

Day 2: Road to Hana

The road to Hana is a journey, not a destination. I recommend planning a full day for the Road to Hana. You can learn more here in the ultimate guide to the Road to Hana.

You’ll want to start early in the morning because there will be plenty of crowds. I recommend circling all the way around instead of driving one way and then back.

Yes, the road past Hana can be kind of sketchy (worse than the road to Hana) but drive slow, and you’ll be fine. We have done it in a car (vs. an SUV) with no problem.

Do I need a rental car in Maui?

You’ll definitely need a rental car in Maui, even if you skip the Road to Hana. I recommend Discount Hawaii Car Rental. You’ll find the best prices on rental cars in Maui.

Trust me, you don’t want to wait and pay “tourist prices” at the airport, or worse, the resorts. The resorts have courtesy car rental stations for tourists who didn’t know to bring a car. The service comes at a premium.

Hawaii travel agent | road to Hana leave only footprints

There are plenty of apps and guidebooks for the Road to Hana. Researching ahead of time is key to seeing everything you want to see.

Also, if you’re prone to motion sickness, consider this a warning. I have motion sickness and I found the Hana Highway to be worse than being on a boat.

Take some ginger or whatever helps you, and just know that the Road to Hana is worth it!

The Road to Hana needs a blog post by itself (and I have one,) here are some of my favorite stops.

Ho’okipa Beach Park
Twin Falls
Keanae Peninsula
Wailua Valley State Wayside
Pua’a Ka’a Falls
Hanawi Falls
Nahiku Marketplace
Wai’anapanapa State Park
Hana town
Hamoa Beach
Wailua Falls
‘Ohe’o Gulch (Seven Sacred Pools)

You have to see at least one black sand beach while you’re in Maui. I mentioned Wai’anapanapa State Park, but did you know that Maui has several black sand beaches?

Many of the Maui black sand beaches are along the Road to Hana. I wrote a blog post about the black sand beaches in Maui so check it out and choose which beach you’d like to visit.

4 day Maui itinerary | 4 days in Maui

Day 3: Haleakala Sunrise + beach day

Another day to wake up bright and early, but I promise it’s well worth it! Remember that it’s cold on Haleakala, so bring a jacket.

You can choose to take a tour or drive yourself. The drive is moderate, and if you’re used to driving on hills or mountains, you’ll be just fine. If you worry about driving, no worries, you can take a tour instead.

If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can even bike down Haleakala!

Finish your day relaxing on the beach. Maui has so many fantastic beaches; you really can’t go wrong!

If you didn’t get enough snorkeling on day 1, here are some of the best beaches for snorkeling in Maui:

Honolua Bay
Napili Beach
DT Fleming Beach
Black Rock on Kaanapali Beach
Kahekeli (Airport Beach)
Baby Beach
Kamaole Beach (1, 2, and 3)
Polo Beach
Wailea Beach
Big Beach

You might also enjoy The best airline for island hopping in Hawaii.

Day 4: Helicopter Tour

If you’re be visiting The Big Island or Kauai, I’d recommend skipping the helicopter tour in Maui and doing it on one of those islands.

If not, splurging on a helicopter tour is a must. I recommend Blue Hawaiian and the West Maui and Molokai Tour.

You probably won’t have a chance to visit Molokai or Lanai if you’re only spending four days in Maui, so this is the perfect way to see parts of Molokai from the air.

A helicopter tour is a perfect way to experience a little piece of The Friendly Isle (Molokai.) Molokai has the highest sea cliffs and the tallest waterfall in Hawaii. You won’t want to miss it.

You can also use day 4 to add anything that you may have missed on the previous days. Check out the 7 best things to do in Maui for some of my favorites.

4 days in Maui

What did you think of my 4 day Maui itinerary? Feel free to pick and choose your favorite activities. I have a post with 50 things to do in Maui for even more ideas to mix and match in with this short Maui itinerary.

More Maui Travel Ideas

If you’re looking for more Maui travel tips, check out the rest of my Maui blog posts.

4 days in Maui

I hope that this guide will help you make the most of your 4 days on Maui. If you like seeing these island itineraries, let me know! I have a few more if you’re planning trips to the other islands:

Although I am a Hawaii Travel Agent, I am only taking on a few clients per month in 2021. If you’re interested in learning more you can contact me.

Otherwise, I recommend getting started on Expedia to check prices for the dates you’ll be in Hawaii. Expedia has all of the resorts, hotels, and even vacation rentals in Hawaii. You can also save $55 on your first Airbnb booking using my link.

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