You have probably thought about drinks, beaches, and relaxation when you started planning for your trip. However, after doing some research you have discovered that the is a lot more to do on Maui than you ever thought possible.
After this realization, one of the biggest decisions you will need to make is whether you should spend your money to rent a car. You will need to make this decision no matter where you are in Maui. It can completely change how you experience the island and even how much money you will ultimately spend there.
Here are some of the reasons why you should consider renting a vehicle.
Groceries
You are probably going to be located somewhere far away from the store, and while local buses can get you there and back to your room, do you really want to spend waiting for a bus and riding on a bus while you could be trekking around in a rainforest or sunbathing at the beat.
Whether you are staying in a short-term rental or a hotel, having easy access to a grocery store will save you a lot of money. A car will offer you the chance to get to a grocery store fast and easy to stock up on snacks, meals, and alcohol. A lot of hotels and rooms on the island have a kitchen which makes meal preps a great way to save some money.
If you are planning to visit Maui, we recommend that you check out cruisinmaui.com, for a good rental service.
Avoid paying for tours
Maui is filled with outstanding tour operators who have excellent equipment and local knowledge. They can take you on the best adventures across every part of the island and its surrounding waters. However, if you want to cut some costs from the trip, renting a car will do exactly that. The $150 you will need to spend on a tour to the top of Mt. Haleakala and the minimum $250 you will need to spend on a bus down the Roat to Hana can be easily avoided.
This does not mean that tours are not valuable and can’t be helpful in an unknown place, but for the more adventurous types or those that want to plan their own ventures will find that renting a car is the right choice.
Take in the local culture
There is a lot of local cultures that you can’t find at the more built-up resorts in Maui. Stepping outside these main areas on the island with a rental car can give you so much to see. You might not be a local, but locals treat tourists great. The village of Paia and Maui’s Upcountry offers a great alternative to the beachfront.
Time management
You will be traveling to Maui only for a finite amount of time. You should not waste your time in waiting or wishing that you could do something else. With a rental car, you are not confined to a rental or hotel room. You can easily just hop into the car, check some cool places in Maui on Google maps and head right there.