When planning a vacation to Maui, there are many expenses to consider. The following tips can help make the perfect Maui vacation affordable, even on a budget.
1. Buy a well-written travel guide.
Browse through the travel section at your local bookstore. Books like Maui for Dummies or Hawaii for Dummies run for about $20 each and give you all the information you need to begin your vacation planning. They include reviews of restaurants, accomodations, and activities and even show how much you should expect to spend on their recommendations.
2. Plan your trip during the off-season.
The most popular time to visit Maui is in the winter, since travelers are looking to escape the cold weather at home. Christmas is an incredibly busy time to go. Summer is also popular since school is not in session and families vacation during this time. If possible, plan your trip to Maui during spring (mid-April to mid-June) or fall (September to mid-December). Prices on accomodations and flights will be lower due to a decreased demand, and the island will be less crowded, making for a more enjoyable vacation all around.
3. Skip the packaged flight/accomodation/car rental deals.
There are a number of travel packages available online for Maui which claim to save you money. By booking together, you will save money on your flight, hotel/condo room, and car rental when compared to the price for each of these separately. However, there are not many options with this method because you can only choose from a select few possibilities for accomodations, most of which are overpriced. Think about it–someone has to be making some money by making this so easy for you. The choices available to you are based on who has paid the travel sites to offer their accomodations as part of a packaged deal (i.e., the more expensive resorts and condos). It makes sense that you can save more by doing some research and finding the best deals yourself.
4. If possible, be flexible with your flight plans.
Plane tickets are probably going to be the most expensive part of your Maui vacation. You can save a lot by using a website such as Hotwire (www.hotwire.com) to book your flight plans. The more flexible you are, the more you save. You can choose not to know the time of departure until after you book, or not to know the specific airline you will be flying with, and save hundreds of dollars.
5. Keep in mind that the most convenient airport may not be the cheapest to fly in and out of.
Check prices for all of the airports in your area. It may be worth it to drive a little ways further than the closest airport for your departing flight. Also consider flying to Honolulu and then taking an inter-island flight to Maui rather than flying direct to Maui. It is a lot more expensive to fly to Maui from the mainland than to Honolulu, and inter-island flights are running as low as $39 per person each way. Just be sure to give yourself plenty of time to re-check any luggage you might bring.
6. Opt for a condo or vacation rental with a kitchen as opposed to a resort.
Not only will you save money on your reservation, but you will also save money on meals by shopping at local Maui grocery stores and preparing your own food. Many of these places also include snorkel and beach gear, discounts on activities, and may even be stocked with breakfast items. Your travel guidebook should be able to point you to a variety of websites with private rental listings, as well as give you many condo options to choose from.
7. Rent your car through Discount Hawaii Car Rentals.
I don’t know how they do it, but this online car rental reservation service offers amazing rates on rental cars. You can choose to rent a “Brand X” car, which means that you don’t know which of the top car rental companies you are renting from, and save up to around $15 per day. If you are under 25 years of age, the underaged driver fee that pretty much every rental car company charges is waived if you book through Discount Hawaii Car Rentals, which is a HUGE savings. You can find out more at www.discounthawaiicarrentals.com.
8. Remember that some of the best activities on Maui are absolutely free.
There is no shortage of beautiful beaches on the Maui coast, so be sure to schedule in some free time to explore and relax on the sand. Browse local craft stands and experience some of the Hawaiian culture. Take a drive over to the Iao Valley Park and enjoy the scenery. Spend a morning lounging in bed. Maui is all about relaxation, so don’t be afraid to spend a large chunk of time doing absolutely nothing. This will allow you to splurge on a few things while you are there.
I hope these tips will help you as much as they have helped me. I was able to plan a weeklong vacation in Maui with my husband for only about $3,000, and could have spent even less. It was the best vacation I have ever had and I cannot wait to go back! Don’t be discouraged by the high prices on a lot of the accomodations and activities in Maui, because with a little time and effort you too can plan (and afford) your own perfect Maui vacation.
