Car rental Kahului Airport (OGG)

If you opt for car rental at Kahului Airport, you’ll find it’s a short drive to downtown Kahului via the Lanui Circular and Keolani Place. The airport also has excellent connections to Lahaina in West Maui – it’s less than 40km along HI-380 and HI-30.  The journey from Kahului to Lahaina usually takes under an hour, but you may find traffic builds up along this route if you’re travelling in the late afternoon.

Another of the island’s major tourist destinations, Kihei, just 20km south of the airport via HI-311, while Piai is only 13km east along Hawaii Route 36, also known as the Hana Highway. This route, which connects Kahului to Hana in East Maui, is renowned for its spectacular scenery as well as being a more challenging drive, with narrow sections and sharp hairpin bends. You should allow plenty of time for the journey, even if you’re not planning to make many stops.

As you might expect, driving in Hawaii is a little different to the rest of the US. Maui doesn’t have freeways or interstates, so you’ll mostly travel on single-lane roads. Despite this, cruising around Maui and the surrounding areas is usually a relaxed experience. Drivers don’t tend to use their horns, unless they’re going through the tunnel on the road to Lahaina.

Traffic on Maui also moves a little more slowly than the mainland – the maximum speed limit is 55mph (88km/h), but most roads have limits of between 25mph (40km/h) and 45mph (72km/h). One of the main hazards is roaming animals, such as cattle and deer, which are often spotted wandering around during dawn and dusk.

Maui is known as Hawaii’s Valley Isle, with Kahului lying in the dip between the Haleakala volcano to the east and, to the other side, the West Maui mountains. At just over 76km long and around 40km wide, you’ll be able to reach all the island’s main towns and attractions when you rent a car at Kahului Airport. 

Sleeping giant

Many visitors head straight for Maui’s incredible beaches, but with a rental car you’ll also have the chance to head inland and explore some of the island’s spectacular natural scenery. Haleakala National Park, less than 50km away from the airport, is home to the world’s largest dormant volcano and is a must-see for any visitor to Maui.

Visible from almost anywhere on the island, the summit of Haleakala stands at more than 3,000 metres above sea level. It’s possible to climb to the top – although you’ll need to wrap up warm, as the air is thin and cold – and even look into the mouth of the volcano, with its stark, desert-like landscape. The most popular times to climb to the summit are at sunrise and sunset.

Other popular activities in the park including hiking the Pipiwai Trail, which will take you to Waimoku Falls, past the waterfalls and pools of the Oheo Gulch.

Eye of the needle

Situated just outside Kahului, Iao Valley State Park is another of the island’s plethora of natural treasures to explore. Its star attraction is the Iao Needle, a huge 680-metre peak.

Within the park there are several paved hiking trails that offer great views of the natural spire (it’s actually a ridge). Try the Iao Needle Lookout Trail and Ethnobotanical Loop, which will take you through a botanical garden and straight to the main attraction.  

Hit the beach

No trip to Hawaii would be complete without visiting the beach. There are plenty of choices available across Maui, many of them offering uniquely coloured red, white or black sand. One of the most popular is Kaanapali Beach, not far from Lahaina, where you’ll find excellent surfing facilities, golf courses and stylish seafood restaurants serving up mouth-watering and refreshing delicacies like poke (raw fish) and tako (raw octopus). 

For calmer waters that are perfect for swimming, head to Napili Beach near Kapalua. This is one of the island’s best snorkelling spots, so grab your mask and head below the surface to spot colourful tropical fish and the sea turtles that live just off the shore.

Drive of a lifetime

Perhaps the most famous attraction in Maui is the 100km Road to Hana, a stretch of Highway 36 and Highway 360 between Kahului and the town of Hana on the east coast.

It’s a tricky route with plenty of sharp bends, but you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views of cliffs, valleys and waterfalls – as well as the ocean, which stretches uninterrupted all the way to the coast of Alaska. Recommended stops for photos along the way include the Huelo Lookout and Upper Waikani Falls.

With Kahului Airport car rental, you’ll be able to set your own itinerary and really make the most of this spectacular journey.