Many people wonder if it is worthwhile to rent a car while in Maui. Some may think it’s just another added expense that they can get away with shaving out of their holiday budget. In short, our answer is always… “Rent a Car in Maui!”. The Island of Maui is not conducive to exploration and really doing anything without a car. Now, if you’re the type that just wants to sit at a resort, unplug, dine at the hotel, etc. then you could get away with it. But if that is you, I would suggest there are better and more affordable places to go. When you pay to come to Maui, you want to see Maui! That means the Helicopter tours, the snorkeling trips, a Luau, maybe some horseback riding, and the list goes on. But almost all of that must be accessed by a car.
Sometimes we recommend that if people wish, to schedule all of their activities in a few consecutive days and just rent a car for that time. Just make sure you don’t rent from the hotel car rental kiosks. Do some research, because there are some deals out there. For instance we’ve got some great rates with Dollar Rent a Car and Enterprise… ask one of our agents.
There is a bus system in Maui that can be useful for somethings, but VERY limited. The bus in Maui runs very infrequently compared to most city buses so it is definitely something that need to vigilant in your scheduling (which most don’t want to be while on vacation in Maui!).
Most try and eliminate renting a car in Maui because of the added cost. But when doing your cost/benefit analysis make sure you calculate the often expensive airport-resort transfers, as well as expensive taxi services.
So if you are one of those who are still wondering if you should rent a car