Packing for your trip to Maui can be more challenging than you think. Some will tell you just bring a bathing suit, shorts and a couple of t-shirts. This probably won’t cover all the activities you will do on the island. But that doesn’t mean you need to overpack either- some items are easier to pick up once you are here.
There are a few more unusual items you might not think of. Here are our recommendations.
Rubbah Slippahs. Also known as Flip Flops, these will probably be your go to footwear. Waterproof thong sandals are inexpensive, so you don’t mind leaving them unattended at the top of a beach trail, or getting them wet in the foot shower. Leave them outside your condo door to slip on to dash to the barbeque or pool. If you don’t want to pack a pair, stop by Longs or Walmart after you land and pick up a pair. Oh, and by the way, if you are invited to someone’s home, it is tradition to remove your footwear, so leave yo’ rubbah slippahs at the door, brah.
Reusable Water Bottle. You can’t take a full reusable water bottle through airport security, but you can bring an empty one and have the flight attendant onboard refill it with drinking water.
Maui has some recycling limitations, so having your own refillable bottle with you is not only convenient, you help save the environment too by keeping single use containers out of the landfill.
The tap water here is perfectly fine for drinking, and many locations have bottle filling stations.
Closed toed shoes. These are required for some outdoor activities, like ziplining and bicycle tours. You will also want shoes and socks (or hiking sandals) if you expect to spend time exploring Maui trails. Shoes are essential when visiting Haleakala Crater. At 10,000 feet, the summit can be quite chilly, not to mention walking on sharp lava. A good all-around option is a slip-on pair of Sketchers athletic shoe. Lightweight, washable and with a good sole, models like the Summit are available in both men’s and women’s sizes, and have comfy memory foam insoles (men’s Summit pictured). To avoid taking up space in your suitcase, wear them to the airport- they are easy to slip off and on when going through security. Check Sketchers.com for options. Don’t forget to pack a pair or two of socks.
Water shoes. We always want to avoid standing or walking on the reef (coral is a living animal and can cause scrapes and infection). But there is plenty in the sand at the shoreline that is poky too, including broken shells, sea glass, sticks, etc.
Water shoes are lightweight. pack flat, and are super comfortable to wear if you love being in the ocean. We like these from Barerun for their quick dry fabric and grippy tread.
Backup sunglasses and prescription glasses. Glasses, whether for sun protection, vision or both are one of those items that often get left behind, or could even be scratched or damaged while on vacation. A backup pair will save you from spending precious time replacing them. If you want to buy a nice gift for yourself, visit Maui Jim– the amazing sunglasses brand forged on Maui.
A coat! If you think you are traveling to the land of endless sunshine, warm days and balmy evenings, you are mostly right. However, Maui contains 10 of the world’s 14 microclimates, and some of them can get downright cold! Let’s get sciencey for a moment. Within those microclimates, there are six major climates zones, according to the Koppen Climate Classification system scale. These range from the drier, sunny climates around the resort areas on the South and West shores of Maui. There are also tropical moist climates, like you will experience going to Hana. As you travel up the mountaneous volcanos, you will experience moist mid-latitude climates with mild winters, moist mid-latitude climates with cold winters, highland mountainous climates, and even polar climates with snow appearing periodically at the summit of Haleakala!
Point being, pack a couple of layers. A zippered sweatshirt is great for boat rides and cooler evenings. Layer on a light jacket to travel up to the top of Haleakala. You will also want a pair of jeans or long pants for adventures in cooler climate zones.
A Hawaiian sarong. Possibly the most versatile thing you can pack, a sarong can serve as a ladies beach coverup, a beach blanket, an impromptu hobo bag or lounging pillow.
Head to the nearest ABC Store on Maui to pick up an affordable Hawaiian print sarong.
It is most of all a fashion that never goes out of style on Maui, and can take you from beach to happy hour.
A nice outfit. We are mostly casual here on the island. But if you plan to go out to one of our fancier restaurants or a luau, you will want to pack one nice outfit. For guys, that could simply be a pair of chinos, loafers and an aloha shirt. For ladies, a summer dress with a light sweater or a coordinating top and bottoms work just fine.
Everything else you might want to pack is pretty typical for a summer vacation. However, the mask mandates will be with us for quite some time, so you might want to throw in a couple you are comfortable wearing.
Safe travels!
