Maui Elopement Guide

This unique bamboo accommodation is located in Haiku, Hawaii, which is only about 30 minutes from the cute surf town of Paia. This Airbnb offers incredible ocean views with fruit trees, waterfalls and hiking trails all surrounding the property. Think of this accommodation as your peaceful oasis during your stay on the island. The property even offers yoga class every weekday morning! We highly recommend checking out Bamboo Temple in Haiku!

The Kulani Maui is the passion project of Heather and Pavel, who bought the property over three years ago and have been renovating ever since to welcome guests to this little piece of heaven. Although these bungalows are located in the heart of Lahaina, you will be surrounded by incredible landscaping with native plants that make you feel like you’re in the middle of the jungle. The inside boasts tropical hardwood floors, hand-poured concrete counters, and live foliage to add to the tropical feel. We highly recommend checking out Boutique Bungalow near Lahaina!

This romantic hideaway is located in Makawao, Maui. While it has the lush beauty and privacy of Hana, it’s actually only about 20 minutes from the Kahului airport. This accommodation is a remodeled 1930’s cottage. Not to mention, Jimi Hendrix stayed here when filming Rainbow Bridge back in 1970 (how cool, right?!) This cute little cottage is lined with cedar, so it will smell incredible during your entire stay. We highly recommend checking out the Gingerbread House in Makawao! 

Located on a five acre organic fruit farm, this cottage is everything you’re looking for while staying in Hana. You will have the most amazing views of fruit trees, flowers, and the ocean from your little home. Possibly the best highlight of this Airbnb is the fresh fruit that is provided upon arrival – straight from the farm! We highly recommend checking out the Farm Cottage in Hana!

If you are looking to stay in an accommodation that is more off-the-beaten path, look no further than this epic campervan company on Maui. This van is powered by solar and is equipped with everything you need for your Maui trip. They even provide a fridge, toilet, cooking supplies, beach towels, etc. The best part about your stay in this campervan is that you can take it around the entire island and stay in provide camping locations so you get a feel for every town on the island. We highly recommend checking out Suite Van Maui in Makawao!

Have you ever thought of watching whales from a kayak before?! Honestly, we love this tour option compared to searching for whales on a packed ship with 50+ guests. This experience is way more intimate and packs the ultimate adventure in one day. You can decide which tour is going to be best for you, but they do offer a whale watching kayak tour, as well as a snorkeling kayak tour! We highly recommend checking out Maui Kayak Adventures for an epic experience on your elopement day!

Mendes Ranch is like your one stop party shop for all things adventure! They offer incredible horseback trail rides (both in the morning and afternoon) along their beautiful property with gorgeous cliffside ocean views. They also offer a 30 minute helicopter tour where they will pick you right up from the helipad on their property. Did I mention they even offer the most amazing ceremony location with the jaw-dropping Maui cliffs behind you?! I told you this ranch had practically all you need for the ultimate adventure! We highly recommend checking out Mendes Ranch if you want to ride horses to your elopement ceremony!

If you are looking for a longer and more customized option for a helicopter ride, Blue Hawaiian offers a private charter that includes a personal island tour and an exclusive landing at a beautiful remote spot. Guests have chosen personalized experiences such as a private landing at one of Blue Hawaiian’s exclusive sites, a gourmet picnic by a waterfall, or an activity such as horseback riding or ziplining. We highly recommend checking out Blue Hawaiian Helicopters for a private elopement experience in the mountains!

If you’re looking for an adventure that Maui is famously known for, it would be cruising down Haleakala by bike! You start at 6,500 ft. elevation and make your way down 23 miles to the town of Haiku. If you are looking to cruise down the switchbacks of the mountain, Bike Maui’s Express Tour would be perfect for you and your partner on your elopement day. Bike Maui offers self-guided tours so that you can go at your own pace!

I can’t think of a more adventurous way to top off your elopement day than rappelling down a waterfall in Maui. Rappel Maui offers private tours where you can design a customized experience based on your experience and activity level. With the private tour, the departure time, return time and tour duration are all flexible to work around your elopement day timeline. Another really great aspect of this tour is that it takes place in a privately-owned waterfall valley. Therefore, you won’t have to worry about a ton of other tourists all around as you make your way down a waterfall. We highly recommend checking out Rappel Maui for an adventure elopement experience!

Makena Beach is one of the most famous beaches in Maui. We recommend getting married at sunrise to escape the crowds of tourists. There’s also a secret cove south of the beach that is perfect for an easy access elopement ceremony. Makena is an expansive, long golden sand beach with towering cliffs and beautiful blue water. This is also a perfect location to watch the sunset during your trip to the islands!

Ka’anapali Beach is a stunning beach located on the westerns side of the island north of Lahaina. There are public areas to park between the Westin Resort and Whaler’s Village, but can be challenging to find a spot to park. We recommend parking in the Whaler’s Village parking garage. You will be able to validate your ticket by spending just $10 in one of the restaurants or shops at the mall. If it’s a windy day, there is a small cove to protect yourself from the inclement weather.

Baldwin Beach is a massive golden sand beach that stretches over a mile long, which is perfect if you’re interested in finding a location that is private. It’s located near the town of Paia, and is one of the main areas on the island for water sports. We recommend walking to the protected cove on the east end of the beach to escape the high wind conditions. This would be a perfect, easy access location for an elopement ceremony with your families.

Hamoa Beach is a beautiful golden beach surrounded by cliffs. It is located near Hana and is an awesome place for bodyboarding and surfing. We love that this crescent-shaped beach is lined with Hala trees! This beach has street parking, so make sure to check the signs before parking. Also, it is a somewhat steep hike down so make sure you wear secure footwear to get down to the beach. 

Mokulei’a Bay Beach is a hidden beach that is not visible from the road. There’s only a handful of spaces to park along the side of the road, so it is best to arrive early in the morning. This would be a perfect location for a sunrise ceremony while the wind conditions are calm and the beach is least crowded. There’s a short walk from the road down a flight of cement stairs, so it would be best for brides that are comfortable walking in their wedding attire. In the summer months, the ocean conditions are very calm and would be perfect for a trash-the-dress session!

The Lahaina Pali Trail is a maintained path that is easy to follow up the incredible ridge. There’s very interesting volcanic rock formations and stunning views of the ocean below. The total length of the trail is 4 miles roundtrip, but it isn’t necessary to hike all the way to the top. We recommend starting the trail early in the morning or beginning the hike afternoon. There isn’t a lot of shade during the hike, but it’s worth it!

The Hoapili Trail is located near the town of Wailea at the far southern end of the road. It’s such a unique area because it traverses the youngest lava flows on the island! If you’re interested in having a ceremony on top of towering lava rock cliffs beside the ocean, then this wedding ceremony location is for you! It’s also a very popular location for spinner dolphins to be enjoying their morning swim! Also, there are small coves and pools to capture intimate trash-the-dress photos!

This trail is located near the town of Hana, which is on the eastern side of the island. The “Road To Hana” is one of the most famous drives in Hawaii! Once you park at Wai’anapanapa State Park, you will be able to hike this trail along the coast for several miles. There are incredible blow holes, stone arches, and remnants of Hawaii’s ancient past. We absolutely love watching the sunrise here because you’ll be able to see it rise above the ocean! It’s one of the most unique areas on Maui!

The Sliding Sands Trail in Haleakala National Park is truly out of this world! It’s a well maintained and gradual trail with incredible views that look as if you’re walking on mars. During a clear day, you will be able to see the entire volcanic crater above the clouds! We recommend starting this hike at sunrise or finishing during the sunset golden hour timeframe. You will be able to have your elopement ceremony within one of the permitted wedding locations within Haleakala National Park, and then we can explore this trail together!

Waihe’e Ridge Trail is one of the most popular trails on Maui. It’s a steep climb on a maintained trail to the top of the ridge where you get to see beautiful views of the valley. There’s a small parking lot at the trailhead, which can be challenging to claim a spot if you arrive mid-day. We recommend hiking this trail while carrying your wedding attire and then changing in a private location at the top.

We highly recommend hiring a private chef to prepare a meal for you at your accommodation! This is for couples that absolutely love the place they booked, and would prefer to go back to their cozy Airbnb and have a private chef prepare your wedding dinner for you. The chef will be able to cater your meal to your dietary needs and meal preferences. Chef Rob Mason is an excellent chef that has previously worked at all of the best 5 star restaurants on the island of Maui!

We absolutely LOVE the idea of enjoying a luxury beach picnic after a full morning of adventuring! This is the perfect way to relax and sip on memosos, fresh island fruit, homemade banana bread, and all of your favorite brunch treats. Maui Lux Picnics offers a beautiful picnic setup that is tasteful, elegant, and intimate. Your picnic will be set up at one of our favorite secluded beaches so that we can end the morning session with a cool, ocean breeze and sand between your toes!

This is a popular option for couples that prefer to get married at sunset and want to enjoy a private meal beside the ocean. We have worked with restaurants and resorts that offer a “Dinner Under the Stars” private dining option with a table surrounded by tiki torches in a secluded location on the property. You will be able to discuss meal options with the restaurant manager, so that you can pre-order all of the courses that you would like to enjoy for dinner!

Ordering room service at a resort in Maui is actually an excellent option for a romantic private dinner on your hotel room balcony. Many of the meal options are similar to the fine dining restaurants available at your hotel property. This is a wonderful option if you prefer to have your elopement photographer capture dinner moments in a private and comfortable location. The hotel staff will be able to set up a dinner table on your balcony with proper linens, wine or champagne, and all of the delicious courses that you decide to order! 

Merriman’s is one of the most famous restaurants in Hawaii. It offers cuisine that supports local farmers and ranchers, with delicious meal options that are unique to the islands. The restaurant is located on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. We recommend asking the restaurant manager to set up a private dinner away from other guests in the restaurant. This will allow us the opportunity to capture the special moments of your dinner celebration, while also giving you space and privacy during your meal.