my wife and i spent a bit of time there and loved it. Here is a top 10 (12) list we put together for some friends that were going:
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1) If you're allowed to bring two suitcases on the airplane do it. Fill one with your clothes, toiletries, etc. and fill the second one with food. Yes, that's right, food. Spices, granola, rice, pasta, granola bars, peanut butter, saran wrap (yeah, I know it's not food, but you're going to need it to pack your lunches), etc. You won't believe the prices at the grocery stores in Maui. You'll think this idea's strange until you get there... then you'll thank us. (To get groceries, go to Costco on the way in from the airport if you have a Costco card, or go to Safeway in Lahaina. It would be worthwhile getting a Safeway card if you don't have one... we didn't have one and watched others save a ton after using their card.)
2) Go see Warren & Annabelle's magic show in Lahaina (but make sure that Warren, not a guest, is performing). Tips: Go to the late show, but don't pay for the dinner... pay for just the show. While check in is at 7:30pm, you'll have cooked dinner and, therefore, will arrive around 8:00pm after most of the theatre goers have finished dinner. Order cheesecake (share one... they're huge) and then you'll head into the actual show along with everyone else. Don't spend too much time reading the web site. It will spoil the surprises. You should get your tickets when you first arrive in Maui as the show typically sells out a week in advance http://warrenandannabelles.com/
3) Visit the Ono Gelato Company in Paia!!! www.onogelatocompany.com Get a scoop of the Ferrero Rocher and another scoop of coconut and think of me... yum! A well spent $15 Canadian. Heck, it's not like you're going to be eating out once you see the dinner prices on the island.
4) Oh yeah, and go to Paia! Paia was our favorite town. Very eclectic! We heard that there was a great health food store there, but didn't visit as we'd already bought our groceries http://www.paiamaui.com/
5) Drive the three roads that the rental car companies tell you not to drive (you only live once): (1) Drive beyond Big Beach in Makena http://www.honolulupublishing.com/MauiMaps/maui_map_south_3-a.html to the lava fields at the southern most point on the island. And, while you're there, go to The Aquarium!!! Supposedly The Aquarium is the best snorkeling on the island... but, when we were there, there was a sign and a fine (a big one) if you crossed over into it before the summer of 2009. But, we missed the sign anyways (yes, please Phil, put us on the Amazing Race) and, like lemmings, followed everyone else down a different trail. Of course, we had to get to the front of the lemmings and proceeded to hike an hour or so before winding up at a... wait for it... lighthouse. Yes, not the best hike ever... but, we can now say we hiked on lava, I guess. Plus, when we arrived back at the parking lot some 2-3 hours later realizing that we had wasted precious time taking the wrong trail and NOT swimming in The Aquarium, we saw the closed sign. Thank heavens for small miracles. (2) Drive West Maui. Yes... drive between Honokohau and Wailuku. Our favourite day was driving from Napili around the western portion of the island in a clockwise direction... very important. More on West Maui in a sec. (3) Drive between Kipahulu and Nuu during your Hana hell day. It may be one of the longest drives of your life (well, second to some of those bus rides you've taken in foreign countries), but well worth the bragging rights the next day when someone tells you they did the road to Hana and turned around at Kipahulu (the Seven Sacred Pools). "Ha ha", you'll say, "Didn't you know that you could have circumvented Haleakala without turning around." What you won't tell them is how much your butt hurt after miles of unpaved road.
