Business Hours—Most offices are generally open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. Bank hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:30am to 4pm and Friday from 8:30am to 6pm; some banks are open on Saturday as well. Major shopping centers are open Monday through Saturday from 9:30am to 9pm and Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
Drinking Laws—Beer, wine, and liquor are sold at grocery stores, convenience stores, and liquor stores from 6am to 11pm. In Maui County (Maui, Molokai, and Lanai), bars and nightclubs must close by 2am.
The legal age for purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages is 21; proof of age is required and often requested at bars, nightclubs, and restaurants, so it’s always a good idea to bring ID when you go out. Do not carry open containers of alcohol in your car or any public area that isn’t zoned for alcohol consumption. The police can fine you on the spot. Don’t even think about driving while intoxicated (the legal blood alcohol concentration limit for adults is .08%; for ages under 21, it’s .02%.) You may lose your license, be fined, and face jail time, or all three.
Electricity—Like Canada, the United States uses 110 to 120 volts AC (60 cycles), compared to 220 to 240 volts AC (50 cycles) in most of Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Downward converters that change 220–240 volts to 110–120 volts are difficult to find in the United States, so bring one with you.
Language—As in the rest of the United States, English is spoken in Hawaii, but it helps to recognize common Hawaiian words (as in mahalo, or “thank you”) and understand the basics of pronunciation for unfamiliar place or personal names. Hawaiian pidgin, a simplified English that includes loan words from Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, among other sources, has also contributed many words to common usage (e.g., “grindz” for food), but non-locals are advised not to imitate it.
Legal Aid—Generally, Hawaii has the same laws as the mainland United States. Nudity is illegal in Hawaii. There are no legal nude beaches (despite what you might see at Maui’s Little Beach, or read elsewhere). If you are nude on a beach (or anywhere) in Hawaii, you can be arrested.
Selling, owning, or using marijuana for recreational purposes is illegal. At press time, the state legislature was still trying to figure out how to register out-of-state patients and caregivers in the local medical cannabis registry program (http://health.hawaii.gov/medicalcannabisregistry). For now, if you attempt to buy marijuana or light up, you can be arrested.
While driving, if you are pulled over for a minor infraction (such as speeding), never attempt to pay the fine directly to a police officer; this could be construed as attempted bribery, a much more serious crime. Pay fines by mail, online, or directly into the hands of the clerk of the court. If accused of a more serious offense, say and do nothing before consulting a lawyer. In the U.S., the burden is on the state to prove a person’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and everyone has the right to remain silent, whether he or she is suspected of a crime or actually arrested. Once arrested, a person can make one telephone call to a party of his or her choice. The international visitor should call his or her embassy or consulate.
Newspapers, Magazines & Websites—The island’s daily newspaper is the Maui News (www.mauinews.com) while the alternative weekly paper is Maui Time (www.mauitime.com); you can find both on Facebook as well. Publications for visitors include This Week Maui (www.thisweek.com), Maui Visitor Magazine (www.alohavisitorguides.com), and 101 Things to Do on Maui (www.101thingstodo.com/maui). Maui Now (www.mauinow.com) is an online portal with useful entertainment and dining news as well as local reports.
Packing—Maui is very informal. Shorts, T-shirts, and sandals or tennis shoes will get you by at most restaurants and attractions; a casual dress or a polo or aloha shirt and khakis are fine even in the most expensive places. Aloha wear, which does not include T-shirts, is acceptable everywhere, so you may want to plan on buying an aloha shirt or a muumuu (a Hawaiian-style dress) while you’re in the islands.
Bring T-shirts, shorts, long pants (for hiking or cool evenings), a couple of bathing suits, a long-sleeve coverup (to throw on at the beach when you’ve had enough sun for the day), tennis shoes, rubber water shoes or flip-flops, and hiking boots and good socks if you plan on hiking.
The tropical sun poses the greatest threat to anyone who ventures into the great outdoors, so be sure to pack a good pair of sunglasses, strong reef-safe sunscreen (see “Save the Reefs and Your Skin,” ), a light hat, and a reusable water bottle—you’ll easily dehydrate in the tropical heat. Campers should bring water-purification tablets or devices.
One last thing: It really can get cold on Maui. If you plan to see the sunrise from the top of Maui’s Haleakala Crater, take a warm jacket; an upcountry temperature of 40[dg]F (4[dg]C), even in summer when it’s 80[dg]F (27[dg]C) at the beach, is not uncommon. It’s always a good idea to bring at least a windbreaker, a fleece pullover, or a light jacket. Rain showers can happen any time, but especially between November and March, so a waterproof poncho may come in handy.
Time—The continental United States is divided into four time zones: Eastern Standard Time (EST), Central Standard Time (CST), Mountain Standard Time (MST), and Pacific Standard Time (PST). Alaska and Hawaii each have their own zone: Alaska Standard Time (AST) and Hawaii Standard Time (HST). For example, when it’s 7am on Maui (HST), it’s 9am in Los Angeles (PST), 10am in Denver (MST), 11am in Chicago (CST), noon in New York City (EST), 5pm in London (Greenwich Mean Time), and 2am the next day in Sydney.
Daylight Saving Time, which moves the clock 1 hour ahead of standard time, is in effect from 2am on the second Sunday in March to 2am on the first Sunday in November in most of the United States. Hawaii does not observe Daylight Saving Time. Note: During Daylight Saving Time, Hawaii is 3 hours behind the West Coast and 6 hours behind the East Coast.
Toilets—You won’t find public toilets or “restrooms” on the streets in most U.S. cities, but they can be found in hotel lobbies, bars, restaurants, museums, department stores, and service stations. Large hotels and fast-food restaurants are often the best bet for clean facilities. Restaurants and bars in resorts or heavily visited areas may reserve their restrooms for patrons
Visitor Information—The Maui Visitors Bureau, which includes Molokai and Lanai, is at 1727 Wili Pa Loop, Wailuku, Maui (www.gohawaii.com; [tel] 800/525- MAUI [6284] or 808/244-3530).
Water—The water in your hotel or at public drinking fountains is safe to drink, although it may have more chlorine than you like. To avoid bacterial disease such as leptospirosis, never drink water from streams or waterfalls without treating first, and avoid swimming in fresh water with open cuts.
Weather—For the current weather, the Haleakala National Park weather, or marine and surf conditions, call the National Weather Service’s Hawaii forecast ([tel] 866/944-5025 or 808/944-3756) or visit weather.gov/hawaii and click on the island of Maui.
Dentists—If you have dental problems, a nationwide referral service known as 1-800-DENTIST (800/336-8478) will provide the name of a nearby dentist or clinic. Emergency dental care is available at Hawaii Family Dental, 1847 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei (https://hawaiifamilydental.com 808/874-8401 and 95 Lono Av., Ste 210, Kahului 808/856-4626), or at Aloha Lahaina Dentists, 134 Luakini St. (in the Maui Medical Group Bldg.), Lahaina (808/661-4005).
Doctors—Urgent Care West Maui, located in the Fairway Shops, 2580 Kekaa Dr., Suite 111, Kaanapali (www.westmauidoctors.com; 808/667-9721), is open 365 days a year; no appointment necessary. In Kihei, call Urgent Care Maui, 1325 S. Kihei Rd., Suite 103 (at Lipoa St., across from Times Market), Kihei ( 808/879-7781); it’s open Monday to Saturday 7am to 9pm and Sunday 8am to 2pm.
Emergencies—Call 911 for police, fire, and ambulance service. District stations are located in Lahaina (808/661-4441) and in Hana (808/248-8311). For the Poison Control Center, call 800/222-1222.
Hospitals—In Central Maui, Maui Memorial Medical Center is at 221 Mahalani, Wailuku (808/244-9056). East Maui’s Hana Community Health Center is open weekdays at 4590 Hana Hwy. (www.hanahealth.org; 808/248-7515). In upcountry Maui, Kula Hospital is at 100 Keokea Pl. (off of Kula Highway), Kula (808/878-1221).
Internet Access—Many places offer free Wi-Fi. Whole Foods (www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/maui) has Wi-Fi at the Maui Mall in Kahului, and Starbucks (www.starbucks.com/store-locator) provides Internet service in its stores in Kahului, Pukalani, Lahaina, and Kihei. If you need a computer, visit a public library (to find the closest location, check www.publiclibraries.com/hawaii.htm). A library card gets you free access; you can purchase a 3-month visitor card for $10.
Post Office—To find the nearest post office, call 800/ASK-USPS. In Lahaina, branches are located at the Lahaina Civic Center, 1760 Honoapiilani Hwy., and at the Lahaina Shopping Center, 132 Papalaua St. In Kahului, there’s a branch at 138 S. Puunēnē Ave., and in Kihei, there’s one at 1254 S. Kihei Rd.
Weather—For the current weather, the Haleakala National Park weather, or the marine and surf conditions, call the National Weather Service’s Maui forecast (866/944-5025) or visit www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl and click on the island of Maui.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
