So you’ve decided to move to the Valley Isle. Right on! But where on Maui do you want to live? Believe it or not, it makes a giant difference. Although you may only live 15 miles away from your job, those 15 miles may take you 2 hours depending on lots of factors… one lane, winding, uphill, slow speed limits, traffic, etc. The terrain on this island changes dramatically in a matter of minutes, which makes it incredibly difficult to tell how far things are just by looking at a map.
Before moving here, we had really only explored the west side of Maui, so we really had no concept of how large the island was or the benefits of living in certain areas as opposed to others. I figured I could easily live on the west side and work on the south side, no problem. And while you could do that if you absolutely had to (and Peter has), no one in their right mind would recommend it. Let’s explore.
Where You Should Live on Maui
West Maui
Lahaina, Ka’anapali, Honokawai, Kahana, Napili, Kapalua
Pros: Short walk, drive or bus ride to many of the island’s nicest beaches and best shops, restaurants, and events. Small to medium surf breaks, good snorkeling, beach camping, nice scenery of West Maui Mountains, sunsets and neighbor island of Lana’i. Great area for whale watching from December to April. Great area for finding jobs, especially in hospitality and service industry due to high number of resorts, retail shops, art galleries and high end restaurants. Good deals on rent in shared houses. Lots of young people.
Cons: Very touristy, always one of the most crowded areas of the island. If not working on the West side, lengthy and frustrating drive to get anywhere else on a daily basis. Hard to find affordable rentals outside of shared houses, condos, apartments. Far drive to Costco if you plan on making frequent, large-scale grocery runs. Restaurants tend to be upper-end due to large number of tourists.
Live here if: You get a job on this side or want to live somewhere convenient, you plan on spending lots of time on the beach, you want to meet people or enjoy going out past 8:30pm.
Why we like it: Since we rarely go to this side of the island, it always feels like a vacation. Napili Bay and Ka’anapali Beach (aka Black Rock) are gorgeous and events like the Halloween Celebration on Lahaina’s Front Street are the closest thing we’ve experienced to a real party since moving here.
South Maui
Maalaea, Kihei, Maui Meadows, Wailea, Makena
Pros: Short walk, drive or bus ride to our favorite beaches and best low-key restaurants, bars and events. Great snorkeling, swimming, water activities and fairly easy to escape the crowds as you go further South. Great area for whale watching from December to April. Great area for finding jobs, especially in real estate, hospitality, service industry and small businesses due to high number of resorts, vacation rentals, retail shops, and bars and restaurants. Good deals on rent in shared houses, ohanas and 2+ bedroom apartments. Best variety of budget choices when eating out. Nice scenery of Haleakala, windmills on the West Maui Mountains and sunsets. Fairly close proximity to Kahului and Wailuku, where most big business offices, concert venues and movie theaters are located.
Cons: Very touristy, always one of the most crowded areas of the island – budget travelers flock to Kihei while luxury travelers and celebrities flock to Wailea’s high end resorts. Sugarcane burning causes ash to cover parts of North Kihei on occasion, and red dust is everywhere. Hottest area of the island, not good for growing much of anything. Hard to meet people outside of vacationers. Slightly older crowd than West Maui, mostly retirees and families.
Live here if: You get a job in South or Central Maui and want to live somewhere convenient, you plan on spending lots of time on the beach, you like to be walking distance to most attractions and activities, enjoy the laid-back, beach-centered island lifestyle.
Why we like it: We live across the street and up the hill from Kama’ole III, one of the nicest beaches in the area, and are only a short drive to our favorite beach, Big Beach, where we spend lots of time on the weekends. Crowded but fun vibe, great place to live if you like most big city amenities without living in a big city.
Central Maui
Waikapu, Kahului, Wailuku, Waiehu, Waihee
Pros: Extremely close to best amenities, like big shops, banks, grocery stores, Costco, restaurants, movie theaters, concert venues, etc., and only a short drive to get to most other places in North, South and Upcountry Maui. Nice beaches for windsurfing. Some of the cheapest deals on rent. Wailuku has charming coffee shops, music stores and mom and pop restaurants and is close to beautiful Iao Valley hiking spots.
Cons: Unless you live in higher elevation or away from the town center of Kahului, the views and scenery are not what you’d expect when you think of Maui. Kahului, where the airport is located, is very commercial and by far the ugliest part of the island. Not within walking distance to any nice lounging beaches since they’re all very windswept and the water is rough. Traffic sucks.
Live here if: You get a job here and REALLY value being close to work or you score a spot in a higher elevation area of one of the above-mentioned towns that start with a W.
Why we like it: Great for getting things done, but unless we found a cabin or private ohana for rent near Iao Valley, we would never personally live in this area. The only large concert venue and the closest movie theaters from our apartment in Kihei are here, but other than that, meh.
North Maui
Spreckelsville, Paia, Kuau, Haiku
Pros: Short walk, drive or bus ride to many of the island’s best surf spots. Surrounded by great local health food stores and restaurants, eclectic shops, art galleries and cute coffee shops and cafes. Beautiful beaches that are great for surfing, windsurfing, kite surfing, boogie boarding and body surfing. Low-key, relaxed, hippie vibe, lots of locals and a great place to meet people. Younger crowd that is really into water sports, yoga and being healthy. Great area for growing vegetables and fruit. Less crowded and touristy than other areas of Maui. Good deals on rent and great option for singles, couples and families who want to live on their own small piece of land (many places in Haiku sit on their own acre of property). Close proximity to Central and Upcountry Maui. Willie Nelson, Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson all live down the street.
Cons: Since most of these towns are really small, you will definitely need to drive to Kahului (4-15 miles) every now and then to get basic things you can’t find or accomplish on the north shore. While the beaches in this area are great for water sports, South Maui is way better for lounging, swimming and snorkeling. Hard to find places for rent due to high demand. LOTS of rain, which can make everything you own damp and moldy if you’re not careful. Roosters are definitely going to wake you up in the mornings. And the middle of the night. And the middle of the day. Residents can be slightly pretentious when it comes to living all-natural.
Live here if: You surf or do lots of surface water sports, are into health, good coffee, and no-shoes living. You like small live music shows, worldly food, smoke lots of weed or want to plant your own garden.
Why we like it: I work in Paia and love it. Everyone is really artsy and beautiful and into Hawaii, which rocks. The weather is slightly cooler and everyone is a little less congregated than in most other areas of the island. Great variety of food options, whether it’s sushi, Mediterranean, Italian, Thai or Indian. One of the best places to meet locals and other recent mainland transplants that aren’t just on vacation.
Upcountry Maui
Makawao, Pukalani, Olinda, Kula
Pros: Cooler temperature and beautiful, high elevation views. Surrounded by cool local restaurants, shops, art galleries and small coffee shops and cafes. Doesn’t rain nearly as much as north shore Maui but enjoys the same perks. Great area for fruit trees and vegetable gardens. Panoramic scenery of ocean, mountains and rolling clouds. Not overly crowded or touristy. No big resorts, less street and road traffic. Rentals usually come with a small piece of land. Close walk or drive to most amenities. Home to the island’s only winery and vodka distillery. Short(ish) drive to the summit of Haleakala. You live on the side of a volcano! And Oprah lives down the street.
Cons: Far drive from nice beaches, due to no bypass road from Kula to Kihei (even though there’s only a 2 mile gap, you have to drive an hour and a half the long way around to get there). Not a good place to live if you plan on making it down to the ocean several times a week. Small towns, so you might have to drive to Kahului to do things you can’t get done here. Hard to find rentals because there are no apartment complexes, competition is stiff and things mainly go by word-of-mouth. And Oprah lives down the street.
Live here if: You like cooler weather and find a job in the area, or don’t mind driving a far distance on a daily basis. You’re an artist with work in a local gallery and want room to work and live. You value beautiful scenery and are moving here to retire, or you’re house-sitting for Oprah.
Why we like it: It’s really, really beautiful. If there were a bypass road from Upcountry to Kihei, we would totally live here. The weather is nice, chameleons hang out in the area and the even the drive to the grocery store is beautiful. Great options for live music events in Makawao.
East Maui
Keanae, Wailua, Nahiku, Hana, Kipahulu
Pros: It’s gorgeous. All of it. Imagine a paradise rainforest wonderland. Now imagine living in it. Waterfalls, sea cliffs, lava tubes, bamboo forests, freshwater pools, whatever, the east side has it all as far as nature is concerned. By far the most Hawaiian place on Maui, from the people down to the way of life. Great place to find work trade opportunities. Nice variety of red, black, and salt and pepper beaches.
Cons: You are FAR. Far from everything… mainly stores and restaurants open past sunset and any type of entertainment that isn’t outdoors. Hana is surrounded by long, winding roads and there is no easy or short exit if you feel the need to get away for the day.
Live here if: You get one of the very few jobs available and it happens to be enough to live on or you don’t need a job at all. You’re on a work trade program and will only be here for a couple months before moving somewhere else.
Why we like it: It’s an escape. Life is slower, simpler and way more relaxing. You get places when you get there and you do things when you do them. The amount of things to do outdoors is insane and there is a real sense of Hawaiian pride here. It’s just too bad it’s so. damn. far.
When it comes to where you should live on Maui, especially if you are new to the island, the best thing you can do is be informed, sign a short lease and remember… somewhere is always better than nowhere. It’s still Maui, after all.
Kelsey,
Awesome article. It really helps to have this kind of information. We’re planning a move to Maui in 2016 after I retire. My wife, who is a retail manager, is going to continue to work. We’re thinking the Kihei area may be best for us because of the number of retail shops either in Kihei or in Wailea. We’re coming back to Maui in May of next year to do some serious scouting for areas to look at. We’re going to rent a condo and live like we’re locals rather than on vacation to try to get a grasp of what living a “normal” life in Maui might be like. As I said, your articles are really helpful. It means a lot to hear it from someone who has actually made the move rather than someone who is spouting off things they heard about living in Hawaii without actually doing it. Thanks again and keep em coming.
Regards,
Mike W.
Thanks, Mike! It’s nice to know what each town offers before you move. I love living on the South side, but there are so many great places here depending on what you like to do on your days off. Making a trip before you move is always a good idea if you can swing it. Thank you for reading and hope to see y’all next year!
Thanks for the great info. My husband and I are planning a possible move in mid May 2016. We will be there in November on a scouting mission! 🙂
Excellent, glad to hear it! Best of luck with your scouting, I’m sure you’ll love it. Aloha!
Dear Kelsey:
Thank you for your greatly documented, informative, and well written article-guide.
I am seriously planning to move and semi-retire in 2016 to Maui, which I am sure is so incredible beautiful and will perfectly fit my love for nature and a simple, relaxing life.
Currently, I live with my wife and one of my grown-up sons (27), in Anaheim, Ca.
I am not pretentious or rich, and I would like to live in a small house with its own small piece of land.
As I tell my wife Sandra: basically I only need two palm trees, a hamoc, and a cold drink. Anything else, will be a fringe benefit.
I hope that you would give me more directions and recomendations. Thank you…
Sincerely,
George Frank Carrillo
[email protected]
Aloha, George! Great to hear from you. Semi-retiring sounds amazing, and Maui is the place to do it. My recommendations for a house with a small piece of land (that won’t require too hefty a bank account) is Haiku, Waihee/Waiehu (my friend found an ohana with 3 acres here and it’s beautiful), or Upcountry, most likely somewhere in Makawao/Pukalani area. Those are your best bets, in my opinion. It might be hard to find something before you arrive, so start with a short lease/sublet somewhere else and look for your dream place after you arrive and have time to go browse in person. Best of luck, and let me know if you have any more questions. Cheers, and here’s to hammocking in paradise!
Dear Kelsey:
It has been a while since you kindly responded to my first request for help and information on August 5, 2015. Wow..!!! It has been more than one year since then…
Well, I am getting very close to start the necessary actions to make my dream of living in Maui a reality.
Again, thank you so much for your great article with invaluable detailed information on the subject, which I am re-visiting today, finding my original comment (August 5, 2015), and your kind and encouraging response.
Yes, I would like to live in a small and very simple house in the middle of a small piece of land, as you have recommended in your response.
It will be only myself, because my wife is planning to retire at the end of this year, and go and live with her mother who needs her.
I am already on Social Security. Monthly benefits are $1,100. Not much, but I definitely want to find employment there. I am a professional with lots of business and technology experience.
I just became 70, in great heath, and I am planning to enjoy the rest of my life there.
I would appreciate your recommendations and orientation.
Best regards,
George Frank
[email protected]
Hooray! Congrats on the follow-through, George! Happy to hear you’ve stuck with your plan to relocate. I still think your best bets for housing will be in the Haiku, Waiehu/Wailuku or Upcountry areas, and with some searching you should be able to find what you’re after for $1,500 or less per month, on average. Wailuku would be a great area to look that’s convenient both for living and working, and to get to the beaches quickly while still living in a gorgeous, jungle-like, not overly cramped location. Cheers, and thanks for checking back in! Best of luck with your move. I’m sure you’re going to LOVE it!
Did you make the move?
We’ve been to Maui twice in the last three years. We stayed in Kaanapali both times. We haven’t spent any time on the South side, so it should be fun. We’ve heard Kihei is warmer than the other parts of the island but we live in Texas so I’m guessing we can handle it.
I love this write up. I’ve been to Maui twice, both times to the Kaanapali area. My husband and I are always on the lookout for where we would like to retire to and Maui is on the list. Thank you so much for writing this article!
Hi, Valerie! Glad you enjoyed reading. We love telling people about other areas so they don’t get stuck in a routine and have the same experience every time. Maui would be awesome for retirement! Cheers and thanks again.
Hi Kelsey!
I love all of your articles! I wrote an email several months ago, but i’m not sure if you received it.
My husband and I are moving to Maui on April 1st, and I would love to get some firsthand advice from you, if you have some time to spare of course.
Hope to hear from you soon!
Aloha, Alizee! I’m so sorry, I don’t think I ever received it. I’d love to send you some advice! Is there anything in particular you’d like to know? Congrats on the upcoming move! We’ll have to meet up when you get here and chat. Cheers!
Hi Kelsey!
Thank you so much for getting back to me.
Kyle and I both have a hospitality background, and we’ve seen that most resorts are on the west or south side of Maui. I’m also very passionate about music, and that’s something I currently do on the side, until I can sing and write full-time. Kyle also has experience with medical marijuana (we currently live in Denver), scuba diving, deep sea-fishing. How is the job market up in North Maui? I remember reading that you work in Paia.
I would love to meet up and chat when we get there! 🙂
PS. how’s your afternoon floaty club going?
Not a problem, Alizee! Y’all sound like our kind of people. Awesome interests! North Maui is gorgeous but a hard place to find a job unless you work in a restaurant, retail shop, art gallery or one of the couple boutique hotels in Paia. Paia would be a wonderful place to live (I love working there and it’s really convenient to central and Upcountry Maui), even if you work on the south side (not west, that’s too far), but any further north into Haiku would be a really far commute. And ugh! I’m such a slacker with the floating lately. I have so many interested people and not enough time to float! I have GOT to start it soon. Keep us posted and email me when you get in or if you have any more questions before your move!
Hi Alizee! My wife and I are moving from Denver in June. Are you still in Maui?
Hi Kelsey! That’s just what I thought you’d say about the jobs up in North Maui…I’m a big believer in letting things work themselves out, and there’s definitely a solution to everything. I’m sure you’ll find the time to get your float club started!
We will definitely keep you posted! 🙂 If you’d like to chat outside of the blog..here is my email and cell #
[email protected]
786-972-2261
Thank you SO much!
Hi kelsey..!! I must Admit…this article is by far the best article about maui i’ve ever read…!!!
Mahalo, Kevin! That’s quite the compliment and I’m glad you enjoyed. Thanks for reading!
Aloha Kelsey! Mahalo for the great article. We move to Maui in (drum roll) TWO MONTHS!!!
My 15-year-old son loves writing and illustrating graphic novels, making YouTube videos and would love to make his own Nickelodeon TV show one day 🙂 He is quite the artist, and although I prefer the westside, affordable places are few and far between and I’m thinking it would be better to keep him closer to an artist community. The thing is, I love the beach and warm weather. Ideas? Mahalo again!
Hooray! Congrats, Yvonne. I’m sure y’all will love it here.
How neat, that sounds so cool! In that case, I’d recommend Paia Town if you can find a good spot. Close to great beaches, and there are many artistic folks doing cool things in Haiku, Makawao and Wailuku, all just a short drive away. Best of wishes, and keep me posted if you have any more questions. Aloha!
Hi there looking into moving to paia one of these days with my 14 yr old daughter ,are the schools close by and where could I work or would it be possible to open up a cute little boutique shop there and would it be expensive to do ..I have dreams and loved it there in the way to hana two years ago .
Hey Lisa, I honestly have no clue about schools in the area. There aren’t many options for work outside of galleries, boutique shops, the single grocery store and a few restaurants in Paia – and it’s fairly competitive since it’s so small – but there are plenty of nearby options in Kahului, Wailuku and even Haiku. It would most definitely be expensive to open a shop on Maui, and especially in Paia since the real estate is so limited. My guess is that there’s already a waiting list of businesses ready to take over the next shop to close down, but once again, I could very well be wrong. You’re better off contacting a real estate person directly, or even talking to a shop owner in the area, to get a better idea of what kind of budget you’d be looking at. That being said, if it’s your dream, it’s always worth a try!
Great article, well written and really informative! I spent last Xmas in Kihei and hope to move there within next two years. I work in hospitality (restaurant and hotels) and have been thinking about where to live. I first considered Honolulu then realized…what for? After reading and visiting Maui I realize it’s my best bet and your article hit key points that only reinforced my choice of Kihei! Mahalo!
Nice, Eric! Mahalo for reading, and yes, Maui’s the way to go. Everyone who has lived here for a long time kind of hates on Kihei (it’s hot, it’s crowded, it’s dusty, blah blah blah), but I love it here. You can’t really go wrong anywhere on Maui, in my opinion. You’ll have lots of luck in those fields of work on this side of the island. Best wishes, and happy travels!
By far the most useful article I have found on living in Maui, so thankyou SO much for your commitment to writing it! Much appreciated 🙂
We are thinking of making the move (we are Aussies currently living in New Zealand), as my husband may have a job offer in kihei….we would LOVE to live in paia, and raise our little 13 month old boy in the gorgeous vibes you have described. Any good suggestions for hunting rental properties? Or is it more something we will find once we move?
I see you are moving to Bali next – wow, enjoy, it is such a spectacular part of the world!!!
Aloha, Haley! Well thanks for reading! Paia is a great place to live – it’s just freakin’ tiny. Honestly, you’ll have better luck once you move. Keep an eye on Craigslist right before you get here (and widen your search to include Kuau, which is right down the street), and once you arrive, talk story with as many people as possible and check out the boards in front of Mana Foods in Paia – sometimes there are rental properties listed there as well. If you don’t mind more of a commute, you could start out in Haiku (45 minutes to an hour to Kihei) or Wailuku/Waiehu (20 minutes to Kihei) and go from there. And wow, New Zealand! That’s on our list for sure, we’ve heard amazing things. Can’t wait for Bali – thank you for the reassurance! Cheers, happy travels, and let me know if you’ve got any more questions. Aloha!
Looking for a long term room rental in or close to Iao Valley. Got any ideas or contacts? Photography student coming back to Maui. Need help finding reasonable rental.
Sorry, Rosie! Don’t know of anything at the moment. I’ll keep you posted if I hear of any openings. Aloha!
So happy you wrote this! It just confirms Haiku is for me! Im coming in Dec 6-14. Know a good realtor to call? This 60 yo water baby is so excited!Thank you again 🙂
Hi Deborah! You’ll love Haiku, I’m sure. It’s such a beautiful part of the island. Yes, try my friend Mike – 808.280.3673 – best of luck!
Did you ever make the move Deborah? I’m coming Christmas week and will be looking for a winter rental. If I like it I’ll buy a house. Tell me everything about your transition. Is it all you hoped it would be. Do tell.
This article is awesome! Unfortunately I have always been such an indecisive person. I was hoping maybe you could narrow down my search of a new place to live. I am 21 years old and enjoy snorkeling, surfing and spending lots of time on the beach and in the water while also hiking and enjoying the beautiful views of Hawaii. I would like to also have the occasional night out and experience a fun, positive atmosphere out on the town. I plan on continuing to attend college on Maui as well. Where would you recommend is the best place for me? Thanks so much!
Aloha, Hayley! I’d say either Kihei or Lahaina. Kihei has nice beaches, occasional nice surf (check out the Cove), and is a fairly short drive to campus. Plus there’s a decent amount of nightlife. Lahaina offers a few more popular surf spots along the highway to get there, as well as nightlife that you could easily walk to if you find a central place to live, but kind of a far way to drive to campus if you plan on going more than a couple days a week. Overall I think Kihei might be your best bet, but if you really value close surf spots and don’t plan on having a vehicle, Lahaina might be the way to go. Cheers and hope I helped! Thanks for reading.
Kelsey, your blog is fantastic. So much great, straightforward and useful advice on the pro’s and con’s. Did you ever get island fever living on Maui? We love Hawaii and are ready to leave the mainland crazy materialistic life and live a much simpler life, with our girls. I’m just wondering if Island life would get to a 10 and 14 year old, or if there’s still plenty to do and experience. Have you met families with kids, who don’t look back and just love the island life style? Anyways, thanks for the great insight. You guys rock!
Aloha, Claudia. Thanks so much, that means a lot! I, nor did anyone I know, ever get rock fever while living on Maui. I actually wrote another blog post about that here – https://travelinfools.com/avoiding-rock-fever/. There are so many things to do, especially if your kiddos enjoy the outdoors, that I don’t think it would ever bother them living on an island. My boss has raised his two children here (both younger than yours, but still), and I think it absolutely gives kids a different perspective about nature, exploration and life in general, all in a positive way. I think you’ll be fine – make the move! Cheers, and thanks again for reading.
Aloha Kelsey. Great blog I was looking for something like this! Thank you… Okay so long story short, I am moving to Maui within a montheadset after being in live with Hawaii all my life. I’m 27 and I work from home so that isn’t an issue and will have car shipped. I want to be near snorkeling and meet people. Alone in paradise would not be fun. Could you help me out in anyway?
Aloha, Shane. Sounds lovely! I would suggest Lahaina or Kihei, as those are the best places to meet people, and especially those in your age range. There’s lots of excellent snorkeling near Lahaina in Olowalu or further up near Napili and Kapalua, and Kihei has tons of great snorkeling and is only a short drive from Wailea and Makena. I’d suggest checking out both places before signing a lease, and keep in mind that Kihei is generally more convenient if you plan on going to other, more centralized areas of the island often. There are lots of great people in both places, though! Best of luck, and enjoy your move to Maui!
Aloha!! Omg thanks so much for writing this, it’s awesome!! I just moved here with my dog from Oregon and I’ve never been to Maui before!! I was coming back from Australia last year and decided to move to Maui, so here we are… Me and my dog and our van hahaa!! I’m currently in Kahului waiting for my van to arrive and creating a bit of a plan of where to explore, surf, and look for work! I really like what I’ve heard of Paia! But also Im under the impression that the north shore gets pretty blown out all summer with the wind, but I feel like there must be protected coves and surf spots even with the wind? Or do people zoom over to the south side? Or maybe everybody just cruises around the island all the time depending on conditions?? :p I was also thinking maybe Lahaina? Mostly because I want to be close to honolua :p And I heard Kehei has a fun dance club? I’m going to explore around, but if you have any thoughts… I’m looking for most consistent surf, girl surfers, surf scene, barefoot yoga hippie vibe, and queer social scene… I like to dance! And I don’t like to wear shoes! Also I work as a biologist but that’s secondary to everything else hahaa!! Mahalo for any advice you may have and have fun in Bali, that’s on my list as well!! 🙂
Hi, Claire! I’m actually moving to Australia next month – funny! You’re going to love Maui. My recommendations would be Paia or Haiku. There are more housing options in Haiku and it’s a really beautiful, jungle-like area with plenty of hippie vibes and no shoes living, while still being close to good surf spots like Ho’okipa. Don’t worry too much about wind – it does get blown out some days, but not all, and usually doesn’t pick up till the early afternoon hours. Lahaina is cool, too, and is near smaller, maybe even more consistently nice surf conditions than the north shore, but a little less of a yoga vibe than Paia or Haiku. I also love Kihei, but there’s not much in the way of surfing there most days, except at The Cove, though summer will bring some swells that direction so it might be a good place to start out. As for a “dance club,” use those words lightly haha. There is Ambrosia, which has the smallest dance floor in the world, but still a fun place to dance and meet people.
Spend some time cruising in your van – that’s the perfect way to see the island! – and keep me posted if you have any more questions. I think you’ll most likely find your jam on the north shore, though. Have a blast, and thanks for reading!
Claire, how long did it take for you get to your dog? I’ve heard that most animals have to be quarantined for up to 6 months. I don’t know if that is true or if I could handle that. I love my doggies way too much! 🙁 Help!
Allison, I have some doggie info for you 🙂 I just moved to Kihei last week, and because I only knew I was relocating for work about a month ahead of time, I did not bring my dogs with me – yet. There are 2 options (that I know of) for the 120 mandatory quarantine for all dogs coming to Hawaii: 1) you can bring them with you and you will have to leave them in quarantine for a minimum of 120 days. They will have to be in Honolulu, in separate cages and it will cost you over 1k per dog. 2) -The much, much better option -You can have a rabies titer test done on the mainland, and 120 days after that is done they can be cleared to go to Hawaii. There is a lot that goes into this option as far as paperwork, needing a certain number of vaccines in a certain amount of time before the test and before leaving the mainland as well, so I suggest finding a vet who is familiar with the process, and it is still going to cost you some money. I am super lucky, I had a great vet and my mom was kind enough to keep my pups for me in FL until they are cleared and then she is flying with them out to me in August. It definitely sucks being without them, so if you can plan ahead that is best. Good luck to you!
Amazing article.
Thank you very much for writing it.
Its going to help our move immensely.
Excellent, Dani. Thanks for reading, and best of luck with the move!
Outstanding !!
Thanks for your post Kelsey! I originally thought I wanted to be in Kihei, but now you have me thinking about Paia or Haiku…
I was wondering if you had any tips on where to look for a place, especially something pet friendly. My work has a place set up for me in Kihei for a month, but I will need a long term solution after that. I have 2 very small dogs (4lbs and 5lbs), but everything I am seeing on places like Craigslist seems to be adamant about no pets. Do you know if typically people will budge on that once meeting you, or if it is a smaller pet? Any info you could give me would be great appreciated. Thank you so much!
Thanks for reading, Megan! Unfortunately I am aware that people on Maui are strangely anti-dog, especially with their rental properties. However, I think areas like Wailuku, Haiku and Upcountry Maui (Makawao and Kula) are typically more lenient. Since you have small dogs that should help as well, but it’s all about meeting the right person. Best of luck with the move and your future dog-friendly home!
Thanks for the awesome info Kelsey!I just got a job offer a few days ago in Kihei and I’m running all kinds of pros and cons to decide if I want to make the move. Your articles have been very helpful and much appreciated! Something that I have been concerned about though, is how most people say it’s tough to meet new people on Maui, especially around Kihei. I would be moving out there by myself, so it’s a pretty big concern of mine. Any advice or experiences that you’ve had that could help a newcomer like me start to make a friend group there? Thanks!
P.S.
A little about me: I’m in the Agricultural industry, an avid outdoormans (Hiking, fishing, surfing, camping, etc.) and in my late 20’s.
Hi Zach! Glorious plan, I’m sure you’re going to love Kihei. It did take us a while to make friends – about a year to meet our best friends on the island – but it is not too difficult as long as you make an effort to get out and talk to people. Plus, interests like hiking, surfing and camping will be great for that! There are a lot of tourists in the area, so meeting people who actually live on Maui can seem kind of challenging, but my suggestion would be to start talking to everyone as soon as you get there. Play beach volleyball, find surf and hiking buddies, ask anyone if they know of cool camping spots, etc. and you’ll meet people in no time. Cheers, and best of luck!
Thank you Kelsey for your time and effort for this blog on Maui. It was so helpful for me. I am planning to move in the fall 2017 with my two kids, 9 and 15. I want to live near families. I am a photographer and will probably have to commute between hotels to photograph weddings. What area would you suggest? Thanks again for your help. Love you blog 🙂
Hi Shannon, thank you for reading! It depends on your budget, but I would suggest Kihei/Wailea or the Lahaina area. Hotels are mainly concentrated in the south and west areas, but Kihei would be an easy middle ground to get to both relatively quickly. Paia is also great for families, but makes for a much longer commute if you plan on having photo shoots often. Hope that helps!
Thank you for this. We plan to move there after my Grams passes (probably a few years, but she is 90) and this helped give us some direction. I have always love Hawai’i, and I find Maui, most of all. We’re going to look most in Kihei, or upcountry. In the unlikely event we can move before my kid graduates high school (he’s only in 7th, but Grams is fairly spry) what can you tell me about the schools? And if possible, IEP’s?
Aloha, and thanks for reading! Sounds like a great plan. I love Kihei, and Upcountry is beautiful as long as you don’t mind a drive to the beach. Unfortunately I don’t really know anything about the schools on Maui, or the IED’s. I know Seabury Hall is supposed to be great, but I really can’t tell you anything beyond that. Best of luck!
Hello!! Your blog was great and very informative – so thank you!! My best friend and I are from Canada and travelling to Kahului for the first time! We are very excited, however after reading the blog I am worried we choose the wrong part of Maui! I am sure we can make the best of it, but do you have any suggestions on where we can go snorkelling or see the best beaches/views???
Thank you soon much!!!
Jess!
Hi Jessica! I’m sure wherever you chose will be just fine. It doesn’t take too long to drive to where you want to hang out for the day. As far as beaches and snorkeling, my favorite beaches are Big Beach, Chang’s Beach, Keawakapu Beach, Ka’anapali Beach, Napili Beach and Baldwin Beach. For snorkeling, the Kamaole beaches in Kihei are great, as is Ka’anapali, Kapalua Bay and Honolua Bay on the west side. Enjoy!
Trying to move to Maui from mainland but cannot find any house or condo rentals? can you please send me some info? Thanks
Hi Mike! The best place I know to send you is Craigslist, though it will be hard to find long term accommodation until you arrive on island and can meet the agent/owner/renter in person. My advice is to book an inexpensive condo or airbnb for the week you will arrive, and spend lots of time going to see places in person once you get there. Best of luck!
Great article and thank you so much for writing it! Moving to Maui in the next 60-90 days and this helps a lot. Probably leaning toward the Kihei area as that’s where I’ll be working. Any other specifics about the Kihei area that you haven’t already mentioned?
Cheers!
Aloha! Thanks for reading! Ooo, that’s exciting. I’m sure you’re going to love it in Kihei. That’s all I can think of, though I’m sure you’ll find more points to add to the list after living there a bit yourself 🙂 Cheers, and good luck with the move!
Hi there!
I’m moving to Maui in November of 2018. I’m interested in living in the North as I am passionate about wellness, health and growing my own garden. I have some money saved up and am debating whether I should find a job once I get to the island followed by finding a place to live, or if I should start beforehand? I am also considering wwoofing first and then transitioning into living permanently. Any advice is greatly appreciated!!
In peace,
Makie
Hey Makie, thanks for reading! Early start… I like it! As far as finding a place to live, it’s usually best to wait until you arrive, as almost no one will rent to you unless they meet you in person first. I happened to luck out with finding a job (online) before I moved to Maui, but I’d say that’s probably rare. Working on a farm, however, you might be able to secure something before you arrive, so I’d say you’re best bet is contacting them before you arrive and also asking them about accommodation at the same time, as they might know someone with an open space or have some local suggestions for you. In either case, it’s really just luck of the draw whether it works out or not to plan ahead. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help, but best of luck!
Hi.i live in Chicago and i would love to move to Maui.kahului looks more affordable and not far from kihei or makena where beaches are fenomenal.
Hi Romulus! Kahului is definitely more affordable, but in my opinion if you’re coming all the way to Maui, it may be worth it to pay a little more to live in Kihei. There are some affordable spots in North Kihei, but you’ll have to be quick to grab them! Best of luck with the move!
Which sites woulb be the best to look for places to buy or rent?redfin,trulia,craigslist?these are my favorites….maybe are more there…thx.for 2 bedrooms simple fee what price you consider good deal in north kihei?thx a lot and i hope i ll see at floating club.
Hey Romulus, I actually live in Australia now (soon to be New Zealand), but I hope you start your own Floating Club! 🙂 I’d definitely recommend Craigslist more than anything else, and timeliness is key. Places go quick on Maui! Two years ago we were paying $1,275/month for an unfurnished 2 bed/2 bath apartment in South Kihei. I’d say you could find something similar in North Kihei.
Any recommendations for someone with a toddler who loves clean air, amazing fruit, the idea of someday growing a fruit garden, the beach, & plenty of sun? Is it feasible to forage for coconuts & other fruits in Maui? Thanks so much! Emily
Hey Emily, I’d recommend Paia/Kuau first, and Pukalani/Makawao if you can’t find anything in Paia. Not too far from the beach with plenty of sunshine and room for a garden. You can definitely forage for plenty of fruit on Maui – just make sure you’re not trespassing haha 🙂 Cheers! Thanks for reading.
Thanks so much for your fast response! I’m concerned about potential mold in north Maui & VOG on Maui in general. Thoughts? Where can I live with the best air quality? Emily
No worries. Mold is everywhere on Maui, unfortunately – our apartment in South Kihei had a nasty case of black mold while we were living there, so the best thing you can do before moving into any house or apartment is a thorough inspection before you move in, and also ask the landlord if there’s been any mold issues in the recent past. Also VOG is inescapable, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it either. Now that they’ve stopped burning sugarcane on the island, the day-to-day smoke has likely gone WAY down, so that’s good news. For the best air quality, you’re probably better off the higher up the volcano you go – Makawao, Kula, Olinda, etc. – though you’ll have to sacrifice being closer to the beach. It is gorgeous up there, though!
Would be helpful for you folks to update the section that talks about can burning causing environmental problems; that may have gone away now and hopefully will not return any time soon!
Good suggestion, Paula. The problem is that we don’t live on Maui anymore so it’s difficult to say what it’s like now. If you know anything, keep us in the loop!
Thank you so much for this article! We’re moving to Maui Meadows in March. Love to buy you guys a beer and talk about paradise!
Aloha, David! Thank you for taking the time to read. Ooo, Maui Meadows is amazing, and you will absolutely love the views from there. Unfortunately and fortunately, we currently live in New Zealand, so a beer might be a hard task, but keep in touch and please let me know if you have any more questions or just want to chat about Maui for a bit. Best of luck with the move!
I really appreciate this summary of the Maui regions. I’m considering a job in the Upcountry for about $50,000/year after taxes. I have a wife and 6 children (Ages 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13). We are homeschooling our children and have lived abroad in some unique places, currently Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We even lived for 2 years in a remote Alaskan village off the road system less than a mile from the Bering Sea, so we have learned to adapt to adventurous situations and to stretch a dollar (especially in Alaska where cost of living is even higher than in Maui). Do you think we’ll be able to find housing for a price we could afford? Under $2,000/month would be nice. We could definitely make 3 bedrooms and 1 bath work (lots of bunkbeds). Would we be crazy to attempt this? I’ve seen some rental homes on Craigslist that we could work with in the area, but it appears it’s a landlord’s market and was wondering how hard it would be to convince someone to take a chance on a crazy large family with no Hawaii rental history.
Aloha Jonathan, thanks for taking the time to read! And wow, sounds like you guys are already well-versed in the long term travel game. NICE! I would say $2,000 for a 3 bedroom is a bit of a stretch to find these days, but not necessarily impossible. My suggestion would be to look in the Wailuku (and surrounding) areas, as there are more homes than rental apartments in that area and they aren’t quite as overpriced as similar sized homes in Kihei/Lahaina. Also maybe try Pukalani or Makawao for similar reasons, or maybe even Haiku if you get lucky. In the end it’s a total luck of the draw situation with landlords willing to take on brand new resident tenants on Maui, though. My advice is to rent a starter place for a week or two while you have time to go look in person once you get there – being on island is the only real way to show landlords and rental agents you’re serious about living there, unfortunately, but it’s still a small enough island where you could luck out quickly by talking to people once you arrive. Best of luck, and I’m sure you and your fam are going to love it!
Thank you for writing this wonderful article! I just found it on Pinterest, and it couldn’t be more timely. I’m looking to move to Maui with my rescue dog and really needed to read this information. Do you have any tips for finding a place that allows dogs? My dog dog is a pocket sized pit bull mix.
Hey Becca, so glad you found the post useful! Unfortunately most of my friends, including ones who have lived on Maui for years, still have trouble finding accommodation that allows dogs. I don’t personally have any tips for you other than to 1) contact a real estate company or agent with this stipulation and your budget, and get them to help you find a place that accepts dogs, and 2) don’t waste your time looking at most apartment complexes, as the majority of them don’t accept pets at all. You’re way more likely to find a lenient landlord of a house or condo than you are a rental contract at a corporate-owned apartment complex. Best of luck, and keep us posted on what you find, as I know this is a very common issue on Maui! Best of luck with the move, and hope you and your furry pal find a lovely home.
Hi Kelsey,
This is so much great information and tips! Thanks! I am considering one of three alternatives: moving to Hawaii, Australia or New Zealand, so it seems you are the perfect person to ask: which one would you choose?
But let me give you some background on me first. I would be moving with my girlfriend, she’s 35, I’m 44 and primarily looking to buy or start a new business/franchise (do you think Maui would be a big enough market for an education franchise? My girlfriend is great with kids!), or maybe employment in the windsurfing/kitesurfing industry. I’m into all kinds of boardsports, surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, SUP, skateboarding, so being close to the ocean would probably be the only alternative. We prefer warmer climate and water and possibly avoiding crowds, especially for surfing.
Coming from a developing country, we’d also like to live, at least for a while, in a society that works relatively well in terms of the economy, safety, the education and culture of people, etc. There’s also some racial tension where we live and I’ve heard that Hawaii can have some of that as well? Are locals welcoming of foreigners?
In any case, not sure how long you have lived in Australia and New Zealand, but would really appreciate any comparative feedback you can provide.
Cheers again!
Hey there, Dirk! Thanks for taking the time to read. Great questions!
As far as buying or starting a new business in the education industry, I’d say Australia and New Zealand would be a better bet. For employment in the windsurfing/kitesurfing, SUP and skateboarding industry, Hawaii and Australia are the best options, and pretty on par, assuming you can get the proper visa to be employed in either country. New Zealand has those things, sure, but is a little too cold for them to be popular outside of the short summer season. I’d also say that while New Zealand is the least crowded of them all, it is also the coldest. Hawaii and Australia have perfect year-round weather with warmer climates, but in both spots you will likely need to account for more people in the water because of said weather conditions. This, as you can see, puts me in a predicament to recommend any of those spots over another.
Having lived in all 3 countries (2 years on Maui, and 1 year each in Australia and NZ), I can confidently say that they are all expensive, rely heavily on tourism, safe, and have interesting cultural draws (though perhaps more so – to me personally – in Hawaii and NZ; sorry, Australia). Everyone always mentions the local vs tourist thing in Hawaii, but honestly racial tensions exists in all three places as well. Stereotypically, Hawaii is proud and angry, and Australia and New Zealand are racist. I don’t necessarily believe any of this is true, but will you see examples of it? Sure. That being said, I wouldn’t let these stereotypes worry you too much. I’ve found all three places to be about equally as welcoming.
My initial recommendation would be Australia, as it has the best average wage to cost-of-living ratio of the three, assuming, once again, you can get the proper visa to move there and start a business, get sponsored for a job by an employer, etc. The Gold Coast is a great spot for starting a business, as it isn’t nearly as expensive as Sydney or Melbourne and has a booming population of young adults and families.
Hope that helps a little, and feel free to follow up for more information!
I am a Superintendent, Principal, Teacher, coach, bus driver( cdl license) and my wife is a R.N. We want to relocate to kihei. Is there a need for those types of workers for these jobs?
Hi Brian! I’d say so. Seems like R.N.s are always in need, and I’m sure you could find a job in education. Best to start looking and reaching out to potential employers early, and maybe even try to line up a few interviews and make a trip out early if your budget allows for it. Best of luck!
Good post.
It is very amazing. Thank you for sharing a great post.
Hi there, thank you for this very interesting and useful post!
My husband and I, along with our 5 yo son, are planning a world tour and would like to spend 6-8 weeks in Maui. We both work remotely so we only need a good internet connection, no work commute. It should be mid feb to mid april. We love the outdoors, but easy stuff because of the kid, like easy walks, snorkelling, a bit of surfing. We are not party people but we enjoy going out for meals and some shopping. A place not too crowded but lively would be ideal. We want our son to be able to make friends. Where would you recommend would be the best place for us?
Many thanks in advance for your help!
Best wishes from France
Hi Amandine! Beautiful name, by the way. In your case, I would recommend Kihei (north or south), or Paia (though you’re unlikely to find such a short lease here). Kihei is much more lively, with the north being a bit less touristy but the south having slightly better beaches and a bit more walkable. Since you’re not going in summertime, you’ll miss the time of year here when it’s insanely hot, so lucky you! Plus you’ll be there during whale season and Kihei is an excellent whale-watching spot.
Best of luck!