Aloha, e komo mai- Maui welcomes you back to the island!

This is a surprisingly good time to visit Maui, despite last month’s devastating fires that burned Lahaina town in west Maui, and parts of upcountry. Our community was greatly affected by what is considered the greatest fire disaster in modern history. As the community recovers, one of the best ways you can help is to come visit. Maui’s economy relies on tourism, and you play an important role in our recovery. West Maui resorts open Oct. 8th, and the rest of Maui, except for Lahaina town, remains fully operational and open for business.

What to Expect on Maui this Fall

Guests that want to have a fun beach vacation, while acting with compassion, will find it is a less crowded time to visit. Roads and beaches are far less crowded, and you can dine without reservations. There is easy access to those activities that do require advance reservations. So, pack up your family and friends and take advantage of low prices on airfare and our wonderful beach condos in South Maui and Ma’alaea.

Other than Lahaina activities, which will not be available for around three years, all other activities are available. Here are some ideas:

• Explore beaches, beaches and more beaches
• Experience Maui fine dining without reservations
• Hike one of several trails- available for all skill levels
• Go souvenir shopping for island-made art and gifts
• Take a boat tour out of Ma’alaea or Kihei boat ramp and go snorkeling or diving
• Treat yourself to a luau or special event
• Take a road trip to Hana, Haleakala Crater or Ulupalakua
• Visit Maui Ocean Center Aquarium

Discover these activities and many more in the Explore Maui section of our website

Where You Can Volunteer on Maui to Help with Fire Relief

• Boots on the Ground Maui – Providing free aid to those who lost their homes
• Hands on Maui – County of Maui volunteer hub
• Hungry Heroes Hawaii – Preparing and delivering meals daily
• Maui Humane Society – Receiving, sorting, and distribution of donations
• Maui Strong Fund – Donate to assist with immediate and long-term needs
• Maui Fires Fund – Donate to help those in need find long-term housing
• Maui Food Bank – Donate funds so the Foodbank can quadruple your donation in food for those in need
• People’s Fund of Maui – Donate to help provide monthly installments to those experiencing devastating loss
• World Central Kitchen – Providing meals to communities affected by disasters

How Destination Maui Responded to the Emergency

Even though visitors are understanding about impacts caused by the fires, it’s hard to see a vacation plan crumble.  Many had difficulty obtaining refunds or rescheduling with other vendors. Immediately after a National Disaster Area was declared on Maui, Destination Maui Vacations put an emergency protocol in place to fully refund or reschedule visitors (at their choosing) at no charge through the end of September in unaffected areas, and longer for Kuleana in West Maui. They also temporarily modified future reservation policies. The company set up an optional donation portal for those guests wanting to donate a portion of their refund to fire relief. Kuleana owners have made several condominiums available for long-term rental to staff and their families affected by the Lahaina fires, and owners at other properties have also provided support. The company monitored local, state and national protocols, and put out batches of information about the fire recovery and where to find support. This was done in a timely way, even though top company principals lost their own homes in the fires, and many employees were impacted as well.

At Destination Maui Vacations, our guests, staff and the community we work in mean the world to us.

Booking Your Vacation Condo

We are so happy to continue to share our beautiful island with you, and help you feel secure in booking your Maui vacation with us. When the fires happened, we had already launch a Fall Sale on our vacation condos- some up to 50% off. You can pick up a bargain vacation deal now. As the island gets busy close to Christmas, prices will adjust based on occupancy, so early booking is best.

For added reassurance, we offer optional travel insurance when booking your vacation condo. We also use transparent pricing, showing a full breakdown of the nightly rate, taxes and fees before you enter your personal information at the start of the booking process, when booking directly with us. Unfortunately, accommodations taxes have gone up in Hawaii for everyone, as well as other expenses. Third party vendors that market our units, and those of our competitors, may add on their own fees, so you will always find the best deal by booking direct on www.DestinationMauiVacations.com.

Mahalo- we hope to see you soon on Maui!