Camping on Maui absolutely rocks. If you think you hate camping, you’re doing it wrong. Do I hate bugs? Most definitely. Do I hate waking up sweaty and covered in a thick layer of dirt? Duh. Do I enjoy squatting and peeing into bushes in the deep darkness of nighttime? Not particularly. Do I love to carry lots of oddly shaped items without knowing how to properly set up any of them? That’s a no. But (!!!), if you bring awesome people and camp out in awesome places and accept all of those things knowingly, spending a night outdoors can be the most relaxing, invigorating and refreshing experience you’ll have in months. I promise.
Camping on Maui
When my two lovely lady friends came to visit last month, one thing we definitely planned for was a much needed camping adventure. There are lots of campgrounds on Maui, and you really have to choose which one you want based on your preferred scenery, climate, and how far you’re willing to drive. We opted for a campground on the remote eastern end of the island because it gave us the chance to explore the sights along the Road to Hana before setting up camp in a picturesque spot by ocean cliffs.
Best Maui Campgrounds:
- Kipahulu Campground – Located on the back side of Haleakala Volcano within walking distance to the famous Seven Sacred Pools, this campground is perfect for people who want to explore nearby waterfalls, bamboo forests and beaches. We chose this campground based on lots of recommendations, and holy shit are we glad we did. Be prepared for warm weather, lots of bugs (aloha, mosquitoes) and rain. Drive-up, first come first serve, maximum of 100 people, picnic tables, BBQ grills, toilets. $15 entrance fee into Haleakala National Park per vehicle (or free with receipt from the summit of Haleakala Volcano if within 3 days, or free if no one is at the front when you arrive and you leave before they check – score!).
- Wai’anapanapa State Park Campground – Also along the Road to Hana, this campsite is located by a gorgeous black sand beach, lava tube, natural freshwater caves, sea arches, a blowhole, hiking trail and more. You must get a camping permit online or in person before you show up, and cabins ($60/night for residents, $90/night for non-residents) are also available. Drinking water, outdoor showers, trash cans.
- Hosmer Grove Campground – Located just below the 7,000 foot elevation level on the slopes of Haleakala Volcano, this campground sits in a cloud belt and is often rainy and can reach near freezing temperatures at night. Drive-up, first come first serve, maximum of 50 people, picnic tables, BBQ grills, toilets, drinking water.
- Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area – Located in the Kula Forest Reserve, this high elevation campground sits at 6,200 feet and offers gorgeous high elevation views of Maui and the neighbor islands of Lanai, Kahoolawe and Molokai. Expect cold temperatures, 4-wheel recommended and wear brightly-colored clothing to avoid hunters in the area. One cabin available for up to 8 people ($60/night for residents, $90/night for non-residents). Toilets, trash cans, no showers, no drinking water.
- Holua Campsite – For hike-in camping, this is the shortest option at 3.7 miles down the Halemauʻu Trail (or 7.4 miles the Sliding Sand Trailhead) at 6,940 feet elevation. Expect cold temperatures, strong wind, elevation changes. Camping permits (free) can be obtained at the Headquarters Visitor Center between 8am and 3pm up to one day in advance. Maximum of 25 people, pit toilets and untreated water available.
- Paliku Campsite – A much more strenuous hike-in camping option, Paliku is located 9.3 miles along the Sliding Sands Trail (or 10.4 miles on the Halemau’u Trail) at 6,380 feet elevation. Expect cold temperatures, strong wind, elevation changes. Camping permits (free) can be obtained at the Headquarters Visitor Center between 8am and 3pm up to one day in advance. Maximum of 25 people, pit toilets and untreated water available.
- Olowalu Campground – Situated directly by a great snorkeling and kayaking destination in west Maui, the Olowalu campground is first come first serve drive-up camping with same day reservations (including after hours check-in), showers, drinking water, sink, restrooms, picnic tables, and costs $15 per person per night. Great views of the West Maui Mountains and short drive (or walk) to a few restaurants and a fruit stand. Cabins are also available for rent.
- Beach Camping – While it’s technically not legal to set up a tent any ole dang place you want, there are a few areas known for local camping where no one (see: anyone in a uniform) will mess with you. Check out the stretch of beach nearest the highway in West Maui or Chang’s in South Maui. It’s also true that as long as you have a fishing line going into the water, you can sleep on the beach anywhere you please, but, like most things, we suggest the “ask for forgiveness, not permission” approach.
When we first arrived at the Kipahulu campground after a long day of exploring, we drove in and came to a circular campground that was pretty basic. Meh. However, my homie Brianne, with her eyes of amazing sight, spotted a couple off the beaten path with an absolutely rad campsite in a personal nature nook of wonder. We wandered off in search of more campsites, which couldn’t be seen directly from the road, and WOW. So extremely glad we did. There were several to choose from, most with their own picnic table and under the shade of amazing hala trees, and we finally came upon the very last one on the lot. Ours. Free for the taking.
And oh how we took, my friends. Two camping hammocks (complete with rain tarp and zip-up mosquito netting), two-person tent, cooking stove, lantern, twinkly Christmas lights, coolers, speakers, water, sausages, cookies and booze. What else do you need?! Our campsite was, in several people’s opinion, the best in the park due to its ocean view, close walk down to steep ocean cliffs, and background views of rolling clouds sweeping over the volcano’s top layer. Ahh. If you can’t relax here, you just can’t relax, brah.
As soon as the sun went down, we cranked up the tunes, turned on the twinkly lights and poured ourselves a celebratory cup of congratulations. Erin’s birthday was the next day, and as if people knew we were there to get down and enjoy ourselves (I think it mostly had to do with the Christmas lights and laughing), we kept attracting more and more friendly and awesome strangers, bringing our party of 4 up to a solid 9. Since we were camping on the eastern side of the island, we witnessed the craziest moonrise I’ve ever seen in my life, and the stars and weather and generally everything was just pure perfection. We lit candles at midnight, sang a sweet and salty ‘happy birthday’ and called it a night shortly after.
I woke up in time to see a crazy rainstorm in the middle of the night (which luckily did not soak any of us), and a few hours later, woke up just in time to see the sunrise from my hammock. Mmm, nature. You’re so sexy.
After packing up camp the next morning, we took a refreshing dip in the nearby Seven Sacred Pools and hiked to my very favorite banyan tree on Pipiwai Trail. We stopped for fresh coconuts, something called egg fruit and yummy strawberry papaya at the adorable Laulima Farm Stand in Kipahulu and set out for more birthday fun.
My homies took a nap in the back seat while we drove around the scenic back side of Haleakala in our trusty Camry and woke up just in time to enjoy lunch at Ulupalakua Ranch Store in Upcountry Maui.
If this story has taught you anything, let it be that camping on Maui is freaking sweet, and so are we.
And finally, as a side note, if you plan on going all out with a multi-day trip in a campervan, read about our 3 day VW campervan trip around Maui with Aloha Campers. Aloha!
Mahalo! I love it! My favorite campsite is under the Hahala tree w/ picnic table included, closest to 7 Pools… From your picts, I would say with 100 % certainty you found it! It must have been y’all who were in my campsite the last time I went and had to select a different tree to camp under! LOL! Look at my picts on my FB page and you will see a lot of the same scenery of the campsite! BTW, I am a native of Ft Worth, transplanted in Maui back in 2005! I LOVE magical Maui. Truly, Maui is No Ka Oi! Enjoy all your stories! Unfortunately, my journey on Maui is coming to an end…By Valentine’s 2015, I should be back in Texas. Aloha…
Raelynn, I have camped in some truly amazing places and that was in the top 2 (the other might be Lana’i). Amazing! Cheers to a fellow Texan and I hope you enjoy your last month here. Have some Joe T’s ritas for me when you get back 🙂
Hei, is it Possible to camp in little beach Or near by?
Hey Mirva, there’s no sanctioned camping on Little Beach or anywhere near to there, unfortunately. Closest would be Kahului or West Maui.
great post!! thank you for sharing your experience of camping on Maui!
Mahalo! And absolutely. Planning a couple trips as we speak. Or type. Cheers to you fellow campers. Aloha!
Aloha!
I was wondering.. are Permits required for each campsite on Maui, or only specific sites?
Trying to plan my trip out, and would like to get the permits ahead of time!
(national, state, county)
Thank you 🙂
Aloha, Jennifer! It really just depends on where you’re camping, but most do require some form of permit. The best advice I can give is to pick a couple places you know you’d like to camp and find out specifics for those sites before you arrive. Most of the time you can call DLNR or the National Park Service and ask, too. Have fun!
Hello! so if i buy a fishing pole how close do i need to be to it to camp? can i camp for free on the kahana beach with this method? Also where are other good places to camp for free? maybe church lawns?
Thanks for any tips
Ian
Hi, Ian! Unfortunately, 98% of everything I know about camping on Maui is included in this post. I don’t really think it matters how close you are to the fishing pole, although close enough to assume it’s yours is a safe guess.
I wouldn’t recommend church lawns, especially since there are tons of beaches that would be better options for camping. As far as free goes, try Upcountry a couple hundred feet above the lavender fields. That’s a gorgeous spot and usually isn’t too crowded. Like I mentioned before, however, you can always ask for forgiveness, not permission, and hope for the best. Good luck!
Fishing is fine, but even if you fishing is not legal to sleep on the beach. I got a ticket for it.and a big fine. its not legal to sleep anywhere that is public unless specified.
Can I ask which beach you were on? We’ve camped with fishing poles kept out all night, mostly in popular spots along the stretch in West Maui, and have been left alone. But I’d love more specific information so other people don’t get fined as well! Mahalo.
My boyfriend and I are booking a camping site and we’ve heard a lot of warnings about the safety of camping. We will be staying at a campground, not just the beach.any insight would be great. Thanks!!
Hi Carly! Good call. Camping on Maui is a friggin’ blast. As far as safety goes, we camped in many areas all over the island (official and not), and never even came close to having a shady experience. You’ll be totally fine, especially in a designated campground. Have a blast and let me know if you have any further questions. Aloha!
We are renting a car (just a regular crappy economy one) for most of the trip. We’re worried about having to carry our passports/lock them in the car because we wont have anywhere else to lock them while camping/swimming. Are there any better ideas to that, or should we be worried? Ive read a lot about car break ins and such but I feel like its geared more towards common sense and not leaving stuff on the beach.
Most of the car break-ins my friends have experienced were overnight in hidden areas where they couldn’t see their vehicle, or while surfing. If that’s the case, I’d say it’s better to keep your valuables with you (like in your tent) overnight, then maybe hide them well in your trunk during the day. Don’t leave anything in plain view inside the car – if it looks like there’s nothing to steal, chances are someone else has a car that looks like there is.
Thanks for the awesome post! My husband and I are heading back to Maui in March and plan to check out that absolutely-amazing-mmmm-nature camping spot! 🙂 We camped in Maui on our last trip in 2004, but never made it to the far east side of the island. Your post is thorough and honest… any other recommendations for stops on the way to Hana?
Hi Erin, do it! Absolutely. If you have the time, I’d recommend spending the first night at Wai’anapanapa campground (or the onsite cabins, if they’re open), and the second night at Kipahulu campground. My favorite stops are the 4 falls and mini bamboo forest (mile marker 6.5), Ching’s Pond, Three Bears Falls (the first step down by the bridge is a doozy, but it’s a great place to swim), food stands at Nahiku Marketplace (desserts and coffee from the cute coffee shop, beef chow mein from Island Chef – yum!), Coconut Glen’s, Wai’anapanapa black sand beach and caves, red sand beach (in Hana), Hamoa Beach, Venus Pools and Seven Sacred Pools/Pipiwai Trail. You can see more in detail on my post about it (https://travelinfools.com/the-road-to-hana/) or roadtohana.com. Aloha, and have a great adventure!
We are planning to do the Road to Hana, camp over night, and then finish RTH the next day. When driving back RTH the same way we came, are we able to stop at the mile markers we previously missed when driving TO RTH? Or just consider it a loss if we miss it the first time? Also, we understand the risks but is the South drive really worth seeing? Last question.. Why do you recommend Waianapanapa over Kipahula camp grounds? We were planning on pitching a tent at Kipahula because of the free entry (we will visit the summit the day before) and is more budget friendly than the $90 non-resident cabin fee at wainapanapa… Unless you realllllly recommend it? Thanks.
Hi there, J! It’s not a problem to make stops on the way back if you wish to backtrack the way you came. The south route is beautiful, albeit a bit longer and more rugged, but it’s really up to you. I love Kipahulu just as much as Wai’anapanapa for camping, maybe even more. There is a non-cabin tent and drive-up campground that’s much cheaper at Wai’anapanapa as well, but if you’re only doing one night and want to see as much as possible, I’d recommend exactly what you’re doing at Kipahulu. I hope that helps, and let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for reading!
Thanks so much for the quick reply! With 3 kids with us, we’re trying to save as much money as possible.. and with Waianapanapa, you have to get the permit in advance and I don’t want to commit to an actual day in case things change! Any tips on the campsites in Kipahulu? Do they close if we arrive past a certain time and since it’s first come first serve, is there a max number of campers allowed? Just don’t want to get there past the cutoff time or if they are at max capacity and get turned away.
I’ve arrived after the check-in desk has already closed for the day, and simply set up camp with no problem. Because it’s first come first serve, you can expect it to be busier on weekends and holidays and may need to get there earlier. The campsites that are walk-in are typically a little more secluded, beautiful and empty since they require a quick walk, though mostly nearer to the cliff line, which may not be good depending on how old your kiddos are. I’ve never been turned away because it’s been to full though, and to my knowledge there’s not a max number of campers, so long as you’re not intruding on anyone else’s site.
Heading back to Maui in May for my 30th, I can’t wait! I’ve been before but never camped and I’m stoked! This blog really helped decide where to stay! Going for 10 days any must dos let me know 🙂
Hooray, Kelly! You’re going to have a blast, and so glad you found this helpful! If you need to rent gear (instead of buy it), check out Camp Maui-X. Other than that, my must-dos are definitely the red sand beach in Hana, Pipiwai Trail at Seven Sacred Pools, drive around the West Maui Mountains to Kahakuloa (stop for pie at Lorraine’s), Big Beach (and Sundays at Little Beach), Baldwin Beach, Iao Valley, and stargazing on Haleakala, though there’s tons more I could list. Cheers, happy exploring, and happy early birthday!
hey!
your comments made me realize you could probably help answer my questions!!
my boyfriend and i want to travel from the east coast to maui for the first time in january for my birthday. we are on a LOW LOW budget. round trip air fair is pricey we are thinking of staying ( 7) days. however, we cant afford air fair and a hotel. we would like to rent a cheap car and travel around and explore the island as much as possible.
we are wondering how camping works.. can we just take a tent and set up in a park or beach? or sleep in the car somewhere? the campgrounds- are they pricey? we would not mind a camp ground ( do they offer showers?)
pretty much- we are young and wanna explore the beauty on low income… we dont mind camping and “roughing” it but want to keep things safe and not piss off any locals.
if you have any info it would be a HUGE help!!
Hi, Samantha! If you can pack a really lightweight, compact tent or camping hammocks in your suitcase (along with whatever other camping gear you can fit), I think you’ll be just fine. Camping is a great way to see some really beautiful areas of Maui without spending a lot of money.
As far as camping, you can’t set up on just any beach. Most designated campgrounds charge a small fee – usually around $15 per vehicle – which covers your entrance fee and use of their facilities (restrooms, showers and BBQ grills and tables). There are other spots that don’t require a fee, but you run the risk of getting fined or taking your rental car down some treacherous roads. I recommend you pay the fees and stick to places like the YMCA at Keanae Peninsula, Wai’anapanapa and Kipahulu Campground along the Road to Hana, as well as Upcountry to the fields above the lavender farm (free, and has beautiful views and cooler weather), Kanaha Beach Park, and Olowalu.
Camping on Maui is really safe and fun, so as long as you don’t leave a bunch of valuables sitting out in your car or try to camp on someone’s private property, you should be just fine!
This is great information – thank you for posting! Is it necessary to have a four wheel drive vehicle for any of the campgrounds? Or is a basic car okay?
Excellent, thanks for reading! The only spots I can think of where that’d be necessary are Poli Poli, and a lesser known spot called Windmills, which doesn’t require it but definitely helps. Everything else is easy! Have fun!
Thank you so much!
To go on a camping with your amazing buddies is one of the memorable camping experience you will have in your whole life.It’s like you can give the best you have when you are with them.
Agreed, Oliver! Camping is such a fun experience, and only gets better when surrounded by good company and unbelievably radical views. Can’t wait to see what campsites Australia has to offer!
I love this article. My husband and I are planning to camp on Maui in October. Do you know anywhere we can buy a tent? It seems it might be cheaper to buy one instead of renting.
Hi, Nina! I would suggest checking on Craigslist for any garage sales going on when you first arrive, or even putting an ad up on Craigslist with what items you’re looking for and how much you’re willing to pay. Also go to Costco, Walmart and Target (all near each other) and see if they have any of those items on sale. If anything, Camp Maui-X does rental gear, which might be more expensive but also probably less of a hassle if you don’t mind spending more. Best of luck, and happy tropical camping!
Kelseykaylove thank you for this!
My girlfriend and I are headed to Maui and are thinking about renting a campervan. Do you know what the deal is with being able to bring the van into a campground? Some sites/blogs tell tales of parking a campervan right on the beach and waking up to a sunrise like no other and other sites say that it’s pretty much impossible to do that.
Whatchya think?
Hi Jimmy, thanks for reading! I’ve actually written 3 posts about camping in campervans (including where to go to see the sunrise). Start here then move to day 2 & 3: https://travelinfools.com/maui-vw-camping-day-1/ Cheers!
Hi! We will be arriving at the Maui airport midweek in February to do some bicycling. Our flight arrives about 9:30 p.m. and it’ll be close to 10:30 p.m. before we can assemble our bikes and make it out to Kahana campground to get some much needed sleep. And on that first night we will not be able to get that camping permit in time. Suggestions? When do they check permits? What if they find us without one?
Aloha! My suggestion is to try to call them beforehand and either arrange a place to pick up your permit or agree to pay for it the next morning when the employees start showing up. I doubt it will be an issue since you’re arriving that late (they normally come by earlier in the evening), but you will want to make sure you’ll still have access to everything you need, as most things close pretty early on Maui.
Hi Ki – we’re heading to Maui for a three week cycling trip mid February 2018 – in one month. Wondering if we could pick your brain for some cyclist tips…?
Hi!
My boyfriend and I are leaving for Maui in early January and are planning on camping there. We will not be renting a car so we were wondering if any of the campgrounds you mentioned in your article are accessible by public transportation or hitchhiking? Also, where did you camp “illegally”? Do you suggest any specific beach or area? thank you!
Hi Maya! Yes, I’d recommend Kahala campground in Kahului, which is super close to the airport. Also Olowalu is fairly easy for hitchhiking, which is also where we’ve “illegally” camped, technically. Both are beautiful spots. Good luck and have fun!
Hi Kelsey,
Love this site and thanks for all the info. You guys are an inspiration! I’ll be doing a bike camping trip in Maui this November 2017. Based on your info, I have it all mapped out EXCEPT for one hole around the Kulu/Keokea area. The problem is that I don’t want to ride from sea level to 6000 feet only to camp in cold ass weather. I know you don’t recommend church lawns but there are more than a few in the area. Do you know if any of them are friendly to overnight campers?
Thanks a bunch!!
Jon
Hi, Jon! Thanks so much for reading and reaching out. Your trip sounds incredible! I’m not quite sure how the churches feel about campers, but it’s worth asking them directly anyway. One of my favorite, lesser known camping trips was just above the Lavender Farm in Kula. Keep driving up the volcano about a mile above the farm and pull off to camp in one of the many nice spots up there. Even in winter, it doesn’t get terribly cold. Mostly just windy with a great view of the island, and a great reason to build a fire! Best of luck and enjoy your trip.
Thanks Kelsey. I’ll contact some of the churches out there and update this thread.
Regarding the Lavender farm, I see a big grassy area just beyond it about a mile (https://1drv.ms/i/s!Av0fQmP9DrhpjQepgSSn2tQ3Lx79). Is that what you’re talking about?
That would be great! And I believe so. It’s been a while since I’ve been there so I can’t quite remember if it’s the area directly above or below the farm. Either way, there were plenty of campers there so we just followed the crowd and stayed in the same area. It’s not an official campground, so there will be no amenities of any kind. It’s just the one place I’ve actually camped that’s in Kula and doesn’t require a long bike ride for an overnight stay. Keep me posted on what you find out!
Hi!
You have a way of expressing your personality in ur post! Amazing- question – how much are the permits on average I’m doing some math and I’m just trying to compare ” cost of camping and saving some hotel fees-
Thanks, Holli! Permits are typically $12-$18 for the campsite for up to 6 people. Much cheaper than any hotel you’ll find!
Hey Holli,
Just to chime in, I’m scoping out options as well so I figured I’d share. I plan on staying in Wai’anapanapa State Park at it’s about $18/night for a campsite (I’m not doing cabins). I’m looking at staying at North Shore Hostel for a night (gets the best ratings: http://www.northshorehostel.com/) and that ranges from $36/night for a dorm bed or $100/night for a room. Hotels start at $150 and go up from there quickly. I’m still checking into Church lots and will post any info I get back here.
Hi Jon – we’re heading to Maui for a three week cycling trip mid February 2018 – in one month. Wondering if we could pick your brain for some cyclist tips…?
Hey there! The hubby and i booked a trip to maui the first weeks of may and plan on camping. Did you stay at kahana beach park overnight? Online it says no overnight camping and i hear authorities can be strict. Wed like to stay there overnight though
Hey, Kristen! Do you mean Kahana or Kanaha? From my understanding, only Kanaha (near the airport in Kahului) allows overnight camping, whereas Kahana (on the west side) does not. Be sure you’re looking at the correct one – you should be able to buy permits online for the Kanaha Beach Park. If you’re wanting to camp on the west side, my suggestion is Olowalu, though I have camped on the side of the highway with a fishing pole and had no problems. Best of luck!
As of oct 2016, camping at Kanaha beach park near the airport is prohibited. (We just got back from a trip). Olawalu, on the south west side is a wonderful place, where one can go snorkelling right off the beach.
Good to know! Thanks for the update, Kirsten!
I wonder, what comments do you have about sleeping the overnight in my rental car in Hana somewhere- or even at Wai’anapanapa camp parking lot? Do you think 2 of us would be hassled if we bought a camping pass with no intention of doing tent camping and just planned to stay in the car? Or are there better places near to do this? Cabins there are booked solid except for single days (the required minimum stay is 2 nights) in May and June when we go. I dont want to buy a tent for just 1 or 2 nights… and am totally fine with lackluster car sleep for a few hours until the sun rises again… I appreciate your comments. We also were thinking of getting a rental car in lana’i and doing the same thing for a night. I dont know if you have any comment about this either? So appreciated.
Aloha! They do have spaces in Wai’anapanapa and Kipahulu for car camping (mostly meant for campervans), but I doubt they’d care if you just came in your car, or alternately, bought passes to tent camp and then just slept in your vehicle. I can’t see why they’d care or how they’d even know, for that matter. On Lana’i, you’d most likely be fine as well. It’s fairly unregulated there, so I doubt anyone would care if you parked your car on the side of the road and slept. Should be no problem. You can read more about the designated campground near the Four Seasons and harbor here (https://travelinfools.com/one-night-on-lanai/). If you decide you want to camp in a tent, Camp Maui-X offers camping equipment for rent, though I don’t know how expensive it is. Best of luck!
Hi! Great comprehensive post on Maui! My fiancée and I are camping there next week and heard about Little Beach in Makena Beach Park being fun on SUndays where they have parties on the beach at night..theres nothing I can find online about camping there but I have heard some people do it..do you know anything about it? Thanks 🙂
Aloha, Sarah! Thanks for reading. Little Beach on Sundays is amazing, and definitely a Maui right of passage. There is no camping there, however. While you may be able to get away with it on the occasional off night (still wouldn’t recommend it), on Sundays the security officers sometimes head out to close up the party early and wait until everyone is off the beach. Plus the car lots close after dark, so you’d have to park on the road and carry everything in, which isn’t ideal. It’s best to avoid the possible fines and drama, in my opinion, by enjoying the beach but going elsewhere for camping. Have fun!
Hey there, just wondering what the chances of getting a fine “finishing pole” camping might be
28.8%. Ha, I’m kidding, I honestly couldn’t say. It’s really up to the discretion of the person checking and also the area you’re camping. A good rule of thumb – if you’re the only one ‘fishing,’ it might look fishy. That being said, I’d say the likelihood is low if you’ve gone to the trouble of setting up a fishing pole or two.
Please omit the camping at Changs Beach in Makena. Camping in someone’s property is not right.
We try our best to be understanding, but it is getting out of hand.
Ed Chang
Are you a beachfront property owner behind Changs Beach? As far as I understand, this is not a public campground, but also isn’t private land, as beaches in Hawaii are not allowed to be privately owned. Please explain further and I’d be happy to clarify my post.
Hi there,
I’m coming to Maui in May and my girl have rented a camper van for 6nights and want to explore Maui. Can you give me any ideas of great places to go as we are up for all adventures, we love the outdoors and mountains and ocean.
Also so you have to stay in camp sites or can you just camp any where?
Any help would be greatly thankful
Awesome, Nick! You cannot just camp anywhere, especially when there’s a campervan involved. My recommendation would be to spend 2 nights in Hana (maybe one night at Wai’anapanapa and one night at Kipahulu), 1 night in Upcountry Maui (above the lavender fields), maybe 2 nights in Olowalu (beach area in west Maui) and then save one night as a wildcard in case you really love a certain spot and want to stay longer. Hope that helps, and have a great time!
Me and my boy were in Maui last year, it was such a great experience for us! We fell in love with Olowalu beach!! I wish someday that we can visit Maui again.
I bet! One of the coolest places in the world for a beach camping trip. Hope you make it back soon!
Hello,
So me and my buddy are a bit screwed for places to stay and can not afford to stay at any pay campsites. if we can’t afford to stay anywhere you have to pay what are the best beaches to camp at with a rod or that are hidden enough to be fine at?
Thanks
Hey Zander, while I would recommend scrapping together any money you have – or making friends with locals already camping & offering to split the cost of a campsite/cabin in Hana or elsewhere for a few nights – the best bet in your case would likely be to head Upcountry to the hills above the lavender farm. It’s usually quiet and mostly uncrowded, but again, I haven’t lived there since 2015 so it’s pretty impossible to say whether or not it’s gotten more strict. Getting a fine/ticket is still more expensive than paying for a campsite fee, but if you have a fishing rod, you might luck out on the stretch of highway near Olowalu. Best of luck.
Wow! This is exactly the article I needed. Planning to do almost the exact same thing with my fiancee. You saved me a bunch of research time. It’s been a while since you posted this. Do you know if there are any gotchas or updates we should be aware of or look into?
Hey Pablo! Happy to hear you found it useful. I removed a campground or two that’s closed down since I lived there, but beyond that I *believe* everything should be the same. Perhaps slightly more expensive. Other than that, you should be sweet!