Guide
What I tell people to do with the rest of the trip.
Clients ask this constantly, usually while standing on a beach at 6:45 in the morning. This is the list.
From someone who lives here
Nine things, and the practical caveat on each.
None of this is affiliate-linked and nobody paid to be on it. It is the same answer I give when a family asks what else they should do, filtered through twenty-five years of living here and ten of working on the water.
The caveats matter more than the recommendations — most of these are wonderful at the right time of year and disappointing at the wrong one.
The list
Worth your day.
- 01
Haleakala National Park
Sunrise reservations sell out well in advance and the summit is genuinely cold before dawn — bring more layers than feels reasonable. Sunset needs no reservation and is far easier on a family with young kids.
- 02
The road to Hana
A full day, not a half. Start early, stop less than you want to, and accept that you will not see everything. The waterfalls near Twin Falls are the most reliable stop if time is short.
- 03
Snorkelling at Honolua Bay
Best in summer when the north swell has gone quiet. In winter the same bay becomes a world-class surf break and the snorkelling is off the table.
- 04
Black Rock, Kaanapali
Easy, accessible snorkelling straight off the sand, and the cliff-diving ceremony at sunset is worth timing your evening around. Note that photography is not permitted on the beach itself.
- 05
Wailea Beach and the coastal path
The path from Wailea toward Polo is one of the better morning walks on the island, and it passes several of the beaches I shoot on.
- 06
The Kapalua Coastal Trail
Ironwoods, the sea cliffs, and Kapalua Bay all sit along it. If you want to see the West Maui locations before you choose one, walk this.
- 07
Whale watching, December to April
Humpbacks in the channel, and from the right beach at the right time of year you do not even need the boat.
- 08
Iao Valley State Monument
Short, green, and dramatically different from the coast. Reservations required for out-of-state visitors, and it rains — which is part of why it looks like that.
- 09
A luau or a sunset dinner
Book it for a night you are not also doing a sunrise session the next morning. I have watched more than one family try both.
Coming soon
Waterfall sessions near Twin Falls.
I have been in contact with a landowner near Twin Falls — the closest genuinely beautiful waterfall to town — about running photo sessions there. It requires a separate permit and it is a longer drive, so it will be priced as a premium session when it opens.
The plan is to offer it on its own or paired with a beach session, in either order. If that is something you want, mention it when you enquire and I will tell you where it stands.
Next step
Tell me where you are staying.
I will come back with a beach, a time and the reason for both — usually inside the hour.