AboutMalia Expertise Aloha,
I can answer I would say about 99 % of all questions relating to Hawai`i.
Experience I work for tour agencies as a tour guide so have a wonderful island experience especially from the view of travelers and newcomers to the islands. I am also a high school language teacher.
Expert: Malia Date: 10/23/2007 Subject: high season Maui
Question QUESTION: I'm going on vacation in mid-December. Will Maui be too crowded and expensive at that time? My wife and I are a working class family and usaully spend about a 1,000 dollars for a week of vacation including everything(plane, car, food, and hotel for both of us). We had fun in Hilo last winter. We like nature, plants, and animals, and not big crowds. Should I wait for fall to go to Maui? Would Tahiti be cheaper? I'm coming from Los Angeles.
ANSWER: Aloha
Maui won't be busy mid-December but a week later yes.
As soon as schools are out, there will be crowds on Maui for Xmas break and prices do go up on hotels and planes.
If you want to get a good deal on a plane ticket, you have to get it NOW.
You haven't said where you want to stay on Maui or how long, but if you stay over Xmas make sure you check prices, because hotels will have a different price for certain nights like Xmas Eve or NY Eve even if you checked in before that.
Lahaina, Ka'anapali and Kihei will be busy. Hana might be quieter, it is off track.
You can try to find a B&B that has prices in the range you are looking for. In Hana there are smaller hotels as well. Maui is the 2nd busiest island after O'ahu and busier than Hilo for sure. Especially around Xmas, cause we have 80 F and noone else does on the mainland.
I wouldn't say WAIT but be aware of higher prices so check out your possibilities now. As for Tahiti, is it definitely much more expensive. You have been here before so you know Hawaii isn't cheap but Tahiti is about 1/2 half more expensive than here on all items.
As for the plane ride, from LAX you have daily flights but they are 8-9 hours and considered international and much more expensive than flying to just another state, namely Hawai'i.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
Malia
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thank you for answering my question so thoroughly. I want to visit Maui Dec. 12-19 and stay in Kihei. The south part of the island is close to most of the things I want to see, mainly whales and beaches with snorkeling for beginners. Travelocity has hotel and flight for around $900 each which I can do. I'm just worried about big crowds and traffic. If these conditions are right I would love to visit this island. Thank you Malia, your information is a great help to me.
Answer Aloha,
Here I am again.
Sorry I have been very busy.
If you have found a $ 900 deal, go for it because that is a good deal.
Kihei is busy of course but not "crazy" busy.
It is a small town about 3,000 people or so so traffic might be bad a bit during certain times of the year but not like here in Honolulu where we have a million people.
And I am here for any mre additional questions you might have
Malia
