If you’ve never been to the islands, especially Maui, here are some tips for enjoying your stay.
• Rent a car. The island is meant to be explored, and taxi service is spotty anyway. You’ll want to drive not only to your resort, but up to Haleakala and to the many great restaurants not within walking distance. Most of the rentals are hybrids, which you’ll want, since gas typically runs a dollar/gallon higher there than in Texas.
• Prices are higher. Not just gas, but groceries and other services can cause sticker shock, but the cost of living is still lower than in NYC or S.F.
• Give yourself time. American Airlines offers nonstop flights from DFW to Maui (with the inexplicable airport code OGG), but it takes more than eight hours to get there and seven to come back. That’s basically a day in the air. Plan to stay a week or more to fully appreciate your time there.
• Give yourself time, part 2. Another way to give yourself time while you are there: People tend to drive slower, and there are fewer highway options. So, if you’re in Lahaina and the main road is blocked, you might miss a flight. Give yourself plenty of time to travel on the surface streets.
• The Hana Highway. Driving the Hana Highway is a breathtaking experience, but don’t expect to get to Hana very fast: It’s a narrow road that occasionally comes down to one-lane bridges. You’ll want to pull over and explore the fruit-stands and take in the vistas anyway. Try to avoid it in the dark.
• Get used to Hawaii Time. The islands are four hours behind Dallas in the winter (the state does not observe Daylight Savings Time at all), which means you’ll feel a little jetlagged on your first day. On the other hand, you can watch football starting at 9:30 on Sunday mornings.
• Get used to pronouncing Hawaiian names. One of the joys of Hawaii is its authenticity: Many of the roads and locales keep the traditional Hawaiian names (the language has only 12 letters and uses diacritical marks amply).
• Don’t expect to see much of the other islands. Maui is unique in that you can see as many as four of the eight major islands (plus the one you are on). But the hub of activity, Oahu, is not one of them — it’s about 100 miles away — so day trips, while possible, aren’t ideal. You might, however, consider a helicopter trip to the Big Island to observe the volcanoes from above.
• Don’t overdress. There’s hardly a place on Maui you can’t go to in a short-sleeved patterned shirt, shorts or jeans and sandals. A windbreaker might help cut the cool night air.
• All beaches are public. That means free. It also means if you were thinking of a surfside wedding, think again: You can’t prevent anyone else from walking through your photos or even holding their own ceremony 10 feet away from yours.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition January 24, 2014.