Is Maui expensive? Yes. Can you travel Maui on a budget? Absolutely. Just because you are traveling to an expensive place doesn’t mean that you have to spend your life savings. There are ways to save money while traveling Maui without having to sacrifice the experience. I am a frugal person by nature but I know when and what to splurge for.
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Table of Contents
Maui on a budget
Cheap Flights to Maui
Getting to Hawaii in general is expensive. I mean the Hawaiian Islands are the most isolated island chains in the world what do you expect, but if you keep a look out you can get some great deals which makes traveling to Maui on a tight budget very possible.
Southwest Airlines has recently started flying to the Hawaiian Islands and offer cheaper prices to get here and also inner island. Airlines like Hawaiian, American and Delta all fly direct to Maui. Bye bye connecting through Oah’u 👋.
I always use Skyscanner to search for my flights. Skyscanner is great if you are flexible and/or want to find the cheapest way possible. Pick your departing city and destination and choose to search based on cheapest month. Voila you’ve gotten your flight.
Other sites I like to check when looking for flights are Kayak, Momondo and email’s from Scott’s Cheap Flights.
When to go to Maui
When is the best time to travel to Maui? Honestly there’s never a bad time to vacation on Maui. An average temperature of 80 degrees all year round is one of the many perks and positives of living in Hawaii.
Are there preferred months to travel…yes. Whale season runs mid December to mid May. When I have friends or family that are planning to visit me, I always tell them to come during whale season.
Every year thousands of humpback whales begin the trek from frigid Alaska to the warm shallow waters of Hawaii to have their young. Going on a whale watch is a real treat and something I would want to specifically travel to Maui for. It is one of the best ways to enjoy Maui on the water.
The holiday season (Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years) also coincides with whale season and the busiest time in the islands. Being the busiest also means that accommodations are more expensive at this time. If you want to see whales but stick to Maui on a budget I’d recommend coming in February or March. A negative to coming during these months is rain, it rains more in these months than any others.
Winter months are pleasant to visit. Winter in Hawaii is guaranteed to better than where you came from. If you plan on coming during the winter, even tho it’s Hawaii don’t forget to pack a light jacket and pants. It does get cold on Hawaii especially at the summit of Haleakala. Last year it snowed on top and stuck for on the ground for days.
Summer time you can find cheaper budget accommodation on Maui and cheaper flights to Maui. Kihei and Lahaina are the hottest parts of the island especially in the summer time. Lahaina in Hawaiian is translated as cruel merciless sun so prepare for summer temperatures to be in the mid 90’s and no shade when you are cruising around town.
Getting around Maui
Maui’s transportation system is very limited so renting a car is necessary. This is an expense you can’t cut out. Driving around the island with the top off of your rented Jeep Wrangler is touristy but super fun. Driving around West Maui, exploring the back side to Hana or the road to Hana, one of Maui’s top attractions are best experienced when you have your own four wheels.
An average cost for renting a basic economy car is around $500 for a week in Maui. This is a great deal but you must book your vehicle in advance to get a good deal like this.
Traveling with another couple or with a group of 4 through Maui can help cut a lot of costs. Splitting the vehicle and hotels 4 ways cuts down two of the most expensive expenses drastically.
Where to stay in Maui on a budget
One of the biggest expense you will occur while traveling through the Hawaiian Islands is the cost of housing. Of course it would be wonderful to live luxurious for the week that you’re here but sometimes the budget rules.
Airbnb’s & VRBO’s
Airbnb’s & VRBO’s are usually cheaper than hotels and come with a kitchen. This way you can cook some meals in and save money instead of eating out. Check out what’s available here.
READ: Where to Stay in Maui on a Budget for a longer list
Camping
If you really want to cut down the cost of hotels, camping is a great option when traveling around Maui. There are a handful of campgrounds around the island that will cost about $25 dollars a night to rent a spot in a campground for the night.
Wai’napanapa State Park
There is an iconic black sand beach here that it a highlight of things to do in Maui. Here you can camp in the camp grounds or rent out a cabin. Sunrises here are stunning.
Haleakala National Park
Inside the Kipahulu side of Haleakala National Park, about 20 minutes past Hana is where you can camp. There are tons of adventures to have in Hana, including 400 foot waterfalls and cliff jumping.
Since it is camping inside the National Park it costs $20 to enter or use your National Park pass that is good for a year for entrance to any National Park in the USA. This is by far the best deal especially if you visit several National Parks throughout the year.
Inside is also where the famous Pipiwai Trail starts, about a 5 minute walk from your camp site.
Camp Olowalu
Not into renting your own gear? Stay in your own tentalow at Camp Olowalu. Image a tent and a bungalow have a child, voila the Tentalow. This is a great option if you want a privacy and do without the resort atmosphere.
Each tentalow comes with 2 twin beds, a sink, solar powered lights, open closet space and a private outdoor shower. The bathrooms are campground style but assigned 2 tentalows per bathroom so you’ll only be sharing with a 2-4 people.
Budget hotels in Maui
If you plan on staying in West Maui these are cheap hotels in Maui.
Royal Lahaina
I love the stretch of beach that this resort sits on. The Royal Lahaina has a small pool and bar on sight but you come here to lounge on the beach. Plus it’s close to all the best things to do in Ka’anapali and all the best restaurants.
Not only is this strech of beach never that busy buts it is one of the best beaches on Maui. This is also one of the oldest resorts on Maui and one of the best resorts for a Maui honeymoon.
Napili Kai Beach Resort
Located on the beautiful Napili Bay, about 20 minutes North of Lahaina town. This bay has world class snorkeling. You will never want to leave this resort. This is one of the best cheap hotels in Maui on the beach.
The Sea House Restaurant on Napili Bay has one of the best happy hours on the island.
Cheap stays in South Maui
These are cheap Maui budget options for hotels in South Maui.
Maui Coast Hotel
Renovated and great location in the middle of Kihei across from Kam Beach Park. There is an outdoor pool and hot tubs on site. This cheap Maui hotel is also walkable to the beach and close to all the best things to do in Kihei.
This is a great value for your money and sticks to your Maui budget.
Luana Kai
If you’re looking for a luxury beachfront rental then you’ll love the Luana Kai. This is one of the most affordable hotels in Maui. Located in South Maui the Luana Kai Resort is walking distance to some of Maui’s best beaches including Kam III.
This Maui resort has all the best amenities including a swimming pool, hot tub, 2 saunas, shuffle board and a tennis court. There are several beachfront rentals available at the Luana Kai on Airbnb so if you have a larger party you can get a 2 or 3 bedroom that would be more suitable.
This specific condo is 1 bedroom and only cost $155 a night.
In order to get the most out of your money stay here for 3 or 4 nights. Plus there’s tons of things to do in Kihei that will keep you busy and on the go your whole vacation.
Budget Maui | Cheap places to stay Upcountry
Upcountry Maui is a term that is used to describe the area on the Haleakala side of Maui away from the shoreline. Stay here for cheaper accommodations, if not the night before you hike through Haleakala Crater. You’ll get an early start with less of a drive.
Kula Star Dome
This stay takes glamping to another level. This luxury tent has lets you sleep under the stars with unobstructed views. Comes with many amenities like breakfast and showers. You won’t be able to get closer to the stars if you tried.
Suite Van Maui
Van life is all the rage right now and what better way to explore Maui than in a home on wheels. The Suite Van Maui is a fully equipped van that comes with everything you need including a kitchen, a shower and a toilet!
The best part about this tiny home on wheels is how eco friendly it is. The van is solar powered and has a water filtration system on board to minimize the use of plastic bottles. The van also comes equipped cookware, beach towels, beach chairs and even a portable grill on request. Did I mention it also has WiFI?!
If you’re short on time but want to get as much exploring in as possible the Suite Van Maui is the way to go. It’s easy to drive, even on the iconic road to Hana or on the West Maui loop where you can visit places like the Olivine Pools or the Ohai Trail.
Maui has several scenic campgrounds all over the island including Camp Olowalu, Waianapanapa State Park, and Hosmers Grove perfect parking over night.
Maui on a Budget North Shore Stays
The North shore is more laid back and a slower speed than the rest of Maui. Explore Paia town and the less traveled town of Haiku. Surf, solitude and nature.
Kuau Plaza
This is another cheap stay in Maui on the North shore. The Kuau Plaza is a charming vacation rental that has a fully equipped kitchen, washer and dryer, BBQ and all your modern amenities you would expect to have in an apartment.
The location is perfect and walkable to several of the North shores top attractions including the iconic Mama’s Fish House. The Kuau general store is walking distance (which is always handy especially when you are cooking your own meals). Hookipa Beach park is a short drive away which is an amazing spot to watch the wind surfers float around on the waves.
Paia town is also a short drive away which is filled with cute boutique shops and delicious restaurants. A few of my favorites are Flatbread Pizza Company and Paia Fish Market. Haiku town is also 10 minutes away.
Best places to stay in Hana for cheap
Hana town in East Maui has limited options due to its size and distance from the rest of Maui. This is a magical part of Maui and should not be missed. If you need a bigger selection of where to stay in Hana check out this article.
FISHER’S HALE
If you are looking for cheap places to stay in Hana, the Fisher’s Hana Hale is easy on the wallet and puts you in the perfect location to explore Hana. The Fisher’s Hana Hale is walking distance to Hana Bay, Hana town, the infamous Red Sand Beach and all the places to eat in Hana.
You’ll want to book multiple nights as there’s so much adventures to have in Hana like the beautiful black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park and the Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls inside Haleakala National Park.
Find out about the pros and cons of each area of the island and the best part of Maui to stay with the guides below.
Food & drinks
Food along with everything else on Maui is expensive. An easy and fun way to stick to Maui on a budget is by searching for happy hours.
Of course buying food from the grocery store and preparing your own meals will save you money. Buying at the local Farmers Market will be the cheapest, freshest produce around.
Best happy hours ↓
FLEETWOODS
- $1.25 Oysters
- Half off all beer & wine
- Live Music
- Variety of food on the pupu menu
- On Friday’s all day happy hour at the only rooftop bar in Lahaina.
DOWN THE HATCH
- Longest happy hour on Maui
- 15% off all appetizers
- Aloha drinks (Mai Tai’s, Pina Coladas etc) on special
- Live music
THREES
- Huge selection of pupu’s on the happy hour menu including sushi.
- $4 Margaritas & Mai Tai’s
- They also have a late night happy hour
THE SEAHOUSE
- Cheap wine
- Lots of choices for food and for $7 and under
- Beautiful view over looking Napili Bay
- Outside seating
MONKEYPOD
- They have a regular and a reverse happy hour.
- The poke tacos are out of this world
- Huge selection of beer
- Flatbread pizzas 😋
Cheap tasty eats ↓
- Down the Hatch
- Prison Street Pizza
- Eating Local
- Star Noodle ⭐️ Top Pick
Nightlife
Unfortunately Maui doesn’t have much of a night life. I’m not complaining but a lot of people I meet that are visiting Maui are always surprised at the lack of bars and clubs to go at night.
Most restaurants close at 10 pm and since I am writing this post in June a lot of bars and restaurants are still closed due to the 14 day quarantine imposed on travelers coming from over seas or the mainland.
When it is safe to travel again here are some of my favorite bars that offer great nightly specials and a fun atmosphere.
- Down the Hatch – Lahaina
- The Dirty Monkey – Lahaina
- Sensei’s on Thursday’s & Friday’s – Kapalua
- Fleetwoods – Lahaina
- Ale House – Kahului
- Dog & Duck – Kihei
- Casnova’s on Wednesday’s – Makawao
- Charleys – Paia
- South Shore Tiki Lounge – Kihei
Things to do in maui on a budget
What you do on your trip to Maui is what traveling is about. Of course there are high ticket items like taking a helicopter ride to view the islands from above or night diving with the manta rays on the Big Island. But there are also lots of affordable Maui activities that are much more pleasing to your wallet.
- Surfing – $85 for group lessons
- Sunsets/Sunrises – FREE
- Hiking – At most $30 for the entrance fee into Haleakala National Park or use your National Parks Annual Pass
- Beach days – FREE. All the beaches in Hawaii are open to the public so you have plenty to pick from.
- Snorkel – $12-$18 a day for mask & fin rental
- Chase waterfalls – FREE. Although places like Twin Falls kindly accept donations.
- Paddle boarding – $50 board rental
- Cliff jumping – FREE
- Kayaking – $65 kayak rental
- Go on a Whale Watch
Traveling Maui on a budget tips in a nutshell:
- Buy a National Park pass, if you follow my 7, 10, or 14 day Maui itinerary you’ll be visiting Haleakala National Park 2 or 3 times so getting the park pass basically pays for itself.
- Tap water is safe to drink. Bring a hydro-flask or reusable water bottle to fill up with water at your hotel or the sink.
- Traveling with a group of 4 splits vehicle and hotel costs 4 ways
- Search for happy hours, eat, drink, enjoy, repeat.
- Search for flights based on whole month and be flexible on the days that you leave and return.
- Buy reef safe sunscreen for less before you land.
Headed to Maui? Inspiration below ↓
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Love that you note the safety of tap water on Maui and encourage reusable water containers!
Yes I’m all about helping the environment in any way possible!