subject: Maui Tours Can Bring Unique Perspectives [print this page] If you're planning on visiting Maui and are looking for something different to do, then leave it up to the locals and sign up for one of the many Maui tours available. Tours are affordable and usually cover Maui's land, sea and even the air, where you can see Maui in a whole different perspective.
Each type of tour has several businesses to choose from. Be sure to look into each for the packages they offer and at what price. Also, consider the reviews of others so you know what to expect. With so much to see, you may want to consider bringing along a Maui photographer, with their expert Maui eyes, to capture these moments.
Air Tours
If you are looking to discover Maui in a uniquely different way, then take advantage of its view from above. Maui has several tour companies that will take you and your party up via helicopter to see the island and all its glory. Seeing it from the ground level has its qualities, but only from the air do you really get to take in all its beauty. Many of the air tour companies offer various packages, and their pricing is based on what areas of the island you will see.
Some of the areas and packages that are available from the different companies include:
West Maui Mountains - Hawaii's Rainforest with its peaks and ridges, also includes tremendous waterfalls and is home to the I'ao Valley Needle.
Hana/Haleakala - Generally they will cover most points that are of great interest to the tourists. You will see Haleakala's crater, the seven pools (Oheo Gulch), along with Hana and its rainforest.
West Maui and Molokai - Not only will you get to see the incredible valleys of West Maui, but you will be taken across the Pailolo Channel to view Molokai. It is here where you will see the tallest waterfall in Hawaii and the Kalaupapa peninsula.
Full Island Tours - Most tour companies also include the complete island tour that includes the both the west and east sides. This is the one tour that will allow you take the most breathtaking views all on one amazing trip.
In addition, private charters can be designed to be exclusive to your wants. Regardless of which company you use, check their restrictions and other rules or suggestions. For example, for safety purposes, wheelchairs and oxygen tanks are not allowed. Remember, safety always comes first.
Culinary Tours
With the ever increasing popularity of the Food Network and shows like Top Chef, culinary tours have become the newest trend in the touring industry. Maui Culinary Tours offer a unique opportunity to celebrate Maui's foods and farms up close and personal. It will start at the beginning stages of the farmland and finish at the dinner table. There is a selection of tours to which to choose from. You have the option of:
Food and Agricultural Tour - You will get to learn all about Maui's agricultural history on this tour, in which you will learn more about the different harvesting methods used from the past and to the modern day. Your day will also include lunch at a local restaurant, as well as a trip to the Tedeschi Winery and Evonuk Farms.
Sustainable South Maui Villa Tour - If you don't want to go far from civilization, then this tour is for you. Sustainable agriculture is near hotels and the beaches and Wailea's upland. This two acre estate offers gardens and trees that offer the native species growing in its natural state. Here you will enjoy freshly picked fruits and vegetables.
Hana Tours
One of Maui's, as well as the worlds, most incredible drives is the Road to Hana. The "Road" is 52 miles in length and boasts 56 narrow one-lane bridges, along with 617 very tight pin curves. However, making the drive will be so worth the effort. As wonderful as your drive will be, you will enjoy it even more if someone else is doing the driving, allowing you to view the sights, rather than pay attention to the road.
Maui has several tours available for you to choose from. Tours will often allow you to see Maui's waterfalls, cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, bamboo jungles, streams, tropical pools and beautiful flowers. Most of the tour company's trips last a half day taking you anywhere from 10-15 different sites with stop offs to eat, swim and explore.
In addition to these, Maui tours include scuba and snorkeling, whale and dolphin, and drives all over the island.
