When it comes to these 3 things, settle for nothing less than the best!
1. Accomodations
We would never discourage you from finding a bargain, but you should certainly do your research in this department. With all of the BnB and private home rental options out there, a few junkers are surely posing with the crowd. Your condo or hotel room are your home and space to recharge while on vacation. There are many options out there for every budget ,from the resorts to the smaller privately owned condominiums. It is easy these days with a bit of sluething to weed out any bad seeds. Read the reviews! Sometimes vintage actually means really old and dingy and the reviews are a great place to suss this out. If the price seems to good to be true, that is probably the case. Consult a map and make sure you are close the the area that you plan to spend most of your time. You accomodations may not be the place to scrimp, budget early and spend a little extra to secure a clean and peaceful space to recharge for each days new adventures.
2. Tour Company
This one is really important and can truly make or break your vacation. If you have started planning a trip to Maui or have already been on one, you know that the choices are endless. The options for almost any activity vary from size of company to tour group size as well as the specialty of each tour type. In most any situation, the smaller the group the better! Whether biking down Haleakala or takaing a tour to Hana, the smaller the better. It is also wise to find a company that has been around for a while and has a good online presense with plenty of reviews to read through. Many of Maui's activities are centred around the crystal blue waters that surround her, from parasailing to snorkeling tours. The above mentioned rules apply doubly on the water! Snorkeling with a small group will always be a better exprience than snorkeling with 60 other folks bumping into each other at the same spot. The ocean while beautiful also requires experienced and highly competant crew. Look for a company that has been in the business for years and has a solid reputation, take a look around Tripadvisor and read the reviews before booking your tour.
3. Food
While we would never suggest that your dining has to be super expensive, this is not an area where it is wise to just "wing"it. With a little research and a bit of adventure dining can add some real tropical dimesion tour your vacation. While it is easy to find food that tastes like home, why not try some local favorites. Poke for instance is a must, we suggest that you pay the few extra dollars to try the fresh not frozen option. No need to go fine dining as the local poke counter is the best way to go. Another good option is your local farmers market, load up on fresh fruits and local treats to stock the hotel fridge!