How to plan the best relaxation day in Maui isn’t hard; but why would you want to? After all, you spent a lot of money to get here and there is so much to see and do. I’m also sure you’ve felt or even said it before, “Man, I need to go home and get a break from my vacation.” We have learned, the hard way, that a vacation can often feel like a trip if too much is packed in. Part of a great vacation is figuring out how to relax while also getting the most value from your trip.
How To Plan the Best Relaxation Day in Maui
Plan a Relaxation Morning to Start Your Day
Relax at the Kilolani Day Spa, Grand Wailea, Waldorf Astoria
The Kilolani Day Spa at the Grand Wailea, Waldorf Astoria was a great relaxation experience. We were not staying at the hotel but the spa got such great reviews we really wanted to go. So we booked a 2 hour spa pass! As one would expect, the staff, facilities, and experience were top notch. It was $150 per person for the pass and the valet parking fee was validated by the spa. Pro Tip: Go in the morning before it gets too busy. We had the 8-10 am slot and it was great.
The full-service locker room had all the towels, shower shoes, robe, hair care products, and other skin care items you could possibly need or want. There was a same gender section that had a initial cleaning shower and then the speciality spa experiences- cold shower, cold mist, hot shower, waterfall, dry sauna, steam sauna, and a hot soak. They had a recommended circuit to follow if you wanted a traditional experience.
In the joint use area were the same relaxing and refreshing experiences, minus the dry sauna and hot soak. Instead there was a large saltwater pool, not cold but not hot. It was quite relaxing for my wife and I to have the traditional circuit in our own areas and then come together in the multi use area.
As we were in Maui celebrating a special event, the staff poured us a glass of excellent Champagne in the special use room. Kudos and thank you for making our visit a most enjoyable one!
We didn’t take photos because, you know, its a spa! How creepy for someone to be walking around taking pictures in the facilities. Creepy. So you’ll have to trust us that this is worth a visit.
Plan a Relaxing Midday Break
Hilton Grand Vacation Club Owner’s Update
Okay, so yeah, this wasn’t terribly relaxing. As we were staying at the Maui Bay Villas on a promotion, we had to attend a Hilton Grand Vacation Club owner’s update. There are some neat things happening in the world of travel, especially as it relates to what were once called ‘time shares.’ The vision has morphed from the traditional ‘time share’ to a ‘vacation club’ and is now moving towards a ‘second home.’ I’m not much for sales and marketing, but I do find it interesting how the travel industry has been adapting to evolving travel attitudes.
Back to the fun part!
Find Your Chill Lunch at the Paia Fish Market- South Side
At the end of the owner’s meeting we told the representative this was our relaxation day and asked where we should go to get lunch a local favorite. We told him we had a whale watching tour leaving out of Lahaina in a few hours and didn’t want to get too far from that area.
That led him to recommend the Paia Fish Market, South Side location as the original in Paia itself was just too far. He was adamant it was just as good as the original and worth a visit. He strongly recommended any of the fish with the 50/50 side. So of course, that is where we went for lunch. It did not disappoint.
I had the mahi mahi fish tacos with 50/50 and my wife had the sautéd mahi mahi with 50/50. What is the 50/50, you ask? Well, it is the restaurant’s brilliant solution for those who can’t decide between the hash browns and rice. You can see it sneakily hidden under the main dishes. And a Mai Tai, because vacation.
It was too much food but was amazing. The flavor of the fresh fish with the locally sourced ingredients for the toppings and amazing slaw. Even the tartar sauce was fresh and had a bright flavor from what seemed to be a twist of lemon.
Plan A Relaxing and Fun Afternoon
Whale watching is, of course, a must-do activity when in Maui. As long as it is during certain times of the year! Otherwise you’re mileage may vary. As we were visiting in early February it was prime whale viewing. After scouring the available tours we settled on Hawaii Ocean Rafting. A native-owned company, with excellent reviews, we felt this was how we wanted to spend our money in Lahaina.
We were a little nervous about heading into Lahaina since it hadn’t been very long after the fires. The drive into town was sobering; you could easily see where the fire had decimated the town. We eventually made it to the parking area which isn’t at the dock but a 5 minute walk in a medium sized shopping plaza.
Hawaii Ocean Rafting- Eye-Level Whale Watching Eco Raft Tour
The location is set back from the street just a little. The waiting area is outside with chairs and some shade provided. The staff were very friendly and checked us into the correct group.
Our boat Captain was a professional, excellent boat handler, and very knowledgable. He was able to spot the signs and get us near enough to enjoy several whale displays- tail slapping, pectoral fin slaps, and a few breaches. A pair, calf and mom, decided to come closer which was pretty interesting to watch them swim and play as they approached the boat. Overall a fairly novel experience that was made more enjoyable by the Captain and deck hand.
As for the boat, it was certainly packed so bringing a bag with towels (not needed) and to store keys and a wallet (we didn’t get wet) wasn’t the best idea. We did appreciate having brought a waterproof phone bag with neck lanyard (frees up the hands), Croakies for the sunglasses, and a hat with a brim that won’t go flying in a stiff breeze.
Plan Ahead for a Relaxing Dinner
Of course, there are many excellent restaurants on Maui. And, if that is your jam, plan ahead and make those reservations. Regardless of the time of year restaurants will fill up, especially the more popular ones. So unless you like long waits or unknown eating times, reservations regardless of the time of year are your friends.
Or, maybe you want to give yourself a break from the high prices or crowds. If that fits you, and it certainly does for us on many nights, here is our best suggestion. First off, if you’ve never been to a grocery store or market outside of your home state you’re missing out on the local ambiance. It is like going to the grocery stores in Europe, or the gas stations in Ireland or Iceland … they’re just different. Well, the Safeway in Hawaii is like that, they just hit different. The ready made meals and deli counter selections will have local flavors and varieties. You travelled all this way, why not check out the local grocery or market to see what the locals eat!
Wanderlog Guides
We maintain Guides for all our Trips over at our Wanderlog website profile page. You can find the guide for this trip, and others, on that page. If you enjoy, give us a like and follow. Thank you, and Happy Traveling!