ALOHA!
So below will be a list of among THE top 5 things to do in Maui.
Most of these activities you can do either as a tour or on your own.
There are affiliate links on this page. I may earn a commission from this.
So in case you are looking for just ONE amazing Maui tour, you can decide which Maui activities you want to do on your own, and which Maui experience you want to dedicate to making even better through a tour!
With the best Maui tours listed below, there are reviews that you can read from people who have taken the tour, so be sure to look for that!
Here is the quick list of best Maui tours:
- Road to Hana tour
- Haleakala National Park sunrise tour
- Molokini Crater snorkeling tour
- Maui catamaran sail + snorkel tour
- 2 island helicopter tour
Be sure to look for the reviews!
And now…
Best tours on Maui + The absolute TOP Maui adventures that you MUST consider!
1. Hana Highway
The Hana Highway is one of the most famous tourist activities in Maui. The Hana coast was even featured by Gordon Ramsay on his show Uncharted.
You may better know this as the Road to Hana.
The Road to Hana is a drive along the Hana Highway to the town of Hana (and beyond).
The Road to Hana is a trip to the lush and very green East Maui.
Most people do this as a day trip, and the Road to Hana is all about the small stops to make along the way.
You’ll be driving with mountains on one side and ocean on the other side.
There are opportunities for stops to walk into a rainforest, as well as stops with grand ocean views.
The Road to Hana is also known for being able to see many waterfalls.
There are truly sooooo many things to do on the Road to Hana that planning for it might start to feel overwhelming! (I spent one week along the Hana Highway!)
So if you want to leave the planning of the Road to Hana highlights to someone else (and learn about the small coastal East Maui towns and Hawaiian culture while you’re at it), that’s when you might love a Road to Hana driving tour.
This will allow you to get a deeper Hana experience to give you further knowledge of the Hana coast.
Aside from driving the Road to Hana and making several stops as a classic Road to Hana driving experience, you can also choose to experience what Hana offers in another way.
Take your pick to experience Hana from land or to experience Hana from the skies!
The best Maui tours to get an epic Hana experience
- Driving the Road to Hana tour: This will give you a more classic Road to Hana experience, without having to plan anything on your own!
- Guided East Maui waterfall hike through a rainforest: Learn about Hawaiian plants and culture as you hike through the rainforest, and have a chance to safely go jumping and swimming at waterfalls
- Hana rainforest helicopter and ranch tour: See the lush East Maui landscape and Maui waterfalls from above, and then go for a guided tour on a Hana ranch
- Molokai and Maui helicopter tour: See some of the world’s tallest sea cliffs and Maui’s tallest waterfalls from above
See more about doing this Maui activity on your own:
2. Haleakala National Park
Haleakala National Park is Maui’s only national park, and one of 2 national parks in Hawaii.
The views you can get from near the Haleakala summit are among the most famous Maui views.
If you drive all the way to the summit (which you can do on your own), you will be standing above 10,000ft.
If you are looking for hiking on Maui, THE hike you must do in the national park is the Haleakala crater hike.
Even if you won’t be hiking at all, you can get the famous red crater views from overlooks.
It is also very popular to go to Haleakala National Park in time to see the Haleakala sunrise.
This means you need to wake up REALLY early. Like, maybe 2am or 3am. (Or earlier!)
You can do the Haleakala sunrise on your own (with an often difficult to obtain sunrise permit), or you can leave the driving up a winding mountain road to 10,000 ft in the dark up to someone else!
If you do go for a Haleakala sunrise tour (or even if you do it on your own), you may be better off scheduling this for earlier on during your trip so you have jet lag on your side if you are coming from elsewhere in the US!
It won’t feel as early because of the time change! For example in some months throughout the year 3am Hawaii time is 6am PT is 9am ET. Hawaii doesn’t have daylight savings time, by the way.
If waking up early isn’t how you want to spend your time on Maui, no matter the epic experience that awaits, then you can also visit the Haleakala summit during the day.
If you want to leave the planning and driving up to someone else, there are also daytime tours to Haleakala National Park.
You can make it a hiking focused Haleakala tour, or you can make it a tour that visits Haleakala along with other places of interest on Maui.
The best Maui tours to get an epic Haleakala experience
- Sunrise and breakfast tour to Haleakala National Park (hotel pick-up included from popular hotels)
- Guided hike of Haleakala crater with lunch (hotel pick-up is not included)
- Tour of Haleakala, Iao Valley, and Central Maui (hotel pick-up is included from popular hotels)
See more about doing this Maui activity on your own:
3. Kaanapali Beach
Kaanapali Beach is one of the most popular beaches in West Maui.
And being a popular Maui resort area, there you can also start an amazing tour from Kaanapali Beach.
Get out on the water to sail the ocean off the shores of Kaanapali!
The best Maui tours to get an epic experience near the shores of Kaanapali Beach
4. Molokini Crater
One of the most popular things to do in Maui is snorkeling.
And the Molokini Crater is one of the most famous snorkeling destinations in Maui.
This location is one of 3 marine life conservation districts in Maui County. This means that it’s a protected area for the colorful fish and turtles.
Molokini Crater is a small little island (partially submerged crater) that’s located off the shores of Maui.
The ONLY way you can go to Molokini Crater is by boat. So to go snorkeling at Molokini Crater, you need to go on a snorkeling tour.
For example, take a looking at this popular Molokini boat tour.
And although this is one of the few locations the fishies and turtles you want to see are protected, it’s not the only spot that you can go snorkeling on Maui.
There are many snorkeling spots in Maui that you can access on your own from the beach.
So, if you want to go snorkeling in Maui, you don’t NEED to go on a snorkeling tour to do so.
Still, some sort of snorkeling tour is one of the epic Maui experiences that you should REALLY consider!
Because aside from snorkeling, a snorkeling tour can also be about getting a day out on the water sailing the ocean!
There are different types of boats and watercraft, so look out for that as you are browsing through the snorkeling tours, since one type might appeal to you more than another.
For example, if you’re going for a snorkeling tour, maybe you want the experience of sailing on a sailboat while you’re at it!
Or, maybe an epic snorkeling experience for you to do your own rowing! You can kayak the ocean as you go in search of those famous Maui sea turtles.
And then, you actually don’t need a tour to take a ride across the ocean. You can also DIY it by planning a day trip to Lanai. There is a ferry from West Maui to Lanai and you can book tickets on your own!
Also keep in mind, that snorkeling tours are subject to weather (ocean) conditions.
And, fish and turtles are wildlife (marine life) and they do what they want!
While your chances to see fish and turtles are greatly increased by going to the snorkeling spots known by the Maui snorkeling tour guides, just also keep in mind that this is the vast ocean with no guarantees.
Also, when you book your tour, note whether or not snorkeling gear is provided.
You may want to bring your own snorkeling gear to Maui.
And, to help the ocean, remember to check that the sunscreen you bring to Hawaii doesn’t have the sunscreen ingredients that are considered to be harmful to the ocean environment!
Many people wear rash guards when going snorkeling.
The best Maui tours from Maalaea Harbor to get an epic snorkeling experience off the shores of Maui
- Molokini and Turtle Town snorkeling tour with lunch
- Catamaran sailing trip to Molokini Crater (sail + snorkel day!)
- Afternoon snorkel to Molokini Crater OR Coral Gardens
See map location of Maalaea Harbor, near Maui Ocean Center. There is a bus stop near the Maalaea Harbor. See how to get around Maui by bus. Google maps public transit option is a reliable way to take the Maui bus… notwithstanding delays… which are possible! See example of google maps public transit. There is uber on Maui.
See more about snorkeling in Maui on your own:
- Best Maui snorkeling spots from the beach (sailing the ocean NOT included! 😜)
5. Waianapanapa State Park
Waianapanapa State Park is where you can find another one of the most famous Maui views. This is the location of the famous black sand beach of Maui.
Waianapanapa State Park is located in Hana, so the only way to get here is by driving the aforementioned Hana Highway aka Road to Hana.
There aren’t tours that go to ONLY Waianapanapa State Park. Instead, this may be a stop that’s a part of a Road to Hana driving tour.
Most people make a visit to Waianapanapa State Park as a short stop to see the black sand beach from the overlook and walk down to the black sand beach for a bit, before moving on for more of the Road to Hana.
But if you are into hiking, it’s possible to spend 2 hours or more here too! There’s the Waianapanapa Coastal Trail that extends along the coastline of the state park.
This is an epic Maui hike with ocean views across old lava flows!
See more about doing this Maui activity on your own:
- Things to do in Waianapanapa State Park
- How much time do you need for hiking Waianapanapa State Park?
Plus…
Surfing lessons in Maui
Hawaii is a world-class surfing destination, and you can learn to surf in Maui too!
Sunset cruise in Maui
A sunset cruise is a thing in Hawaii so you can also experience sunset out on the water with a Maui sunset cruise!
And those are some of the best Maui tours that you should really consider!
For the rest of your time on Maui, also see:
- Maui to Lanai ferry
- Best of Maui hiking
- Best of West Maui
- Best of South Maui
- Best of Haleakala hiking
- The Maui bucket list!
HAPPY TOURING MAUI!
There are partner websites included in this post. I may earn a commission.