Solo girl on a budget

Hi all,

Looking for a little advice. I%26#39;m planning to head to Maui in mid-September. I%26#39;m going by myself and have a fairly tight budget, so I%26#39;m looking for input on where to stay that%26#39;s wallet-friendly but also safe and clean. I%26#39;m most interested in renting a condo or staying at a B%26amp;B, but am open to other ideas.

I%26#39;m mainly hoping to spend some quality time snorkeling and lounging on the beach, so any advice on the best areas to stay in and/or visit would be welcome. Thanks for your help!

Solo girl on a budget

I went to Maui solo in May and never felt alone partially because of where I stayed: Kanapali coast. The people in the condo next door happened to be from a town 20 minutes from where I live so we struck up a friendship. They also had the guidebook Maui Trailblazer with them from which I found some fantastic places to snorkel and hike.

I drove to Big Beach (recommended in the book) and on the way dropped in for some shopping at the Wailea mall stores (luxurious and pricey but my only splurge). Kanapali was a nice compromise budgetwize and came close to the big megaresort feel of Wailea. Best about my trip: I didn%26#39;t have to sign up for tours since all of the info I needed for the week was in the book.

Eating at the condo saved big bucks as I wasn%26#39;t anxious to sit alone in a restaurant. I joined Sarah and Josh for the drive to Haleakala for the sunise and hiking.....what a blast! We saw lots of people biking down but it didn%26#39;t look appealing. I returned with a beautiful tan, I love it there. I think it was more of an adventure because I went alone and it gave me an opportunity to meet others. Thumbs up. Have a great time!

Solo girl on a budget

If you are on a budget and do not want to feel isolated, it will be very hard to beat Kihei.

Nice September weekly condo accommodations for 1 can be had all over the place for under $100/nt, even in south Kihei. North Kihei can be had for below $80/nt and definitely even lower if you shop hard.

Just to put some real numbers on ';budget'; for you.

Now, I wonder what those ';budget'; numbers are in Ka%26#39;anapali ? ;)

Aloha :)

Aloha! Don%26#39;t know when you are goin in September, but here is a very nice place - B%26amp;B, so then your breakfast is included. $85 per night, drops if you stay a full week. Very clean, great owners and I would feel totally comfortable staying here by myself. http://www.maui.net/~tcroly/ Hope that helps you some. :)

Have we got a deal for you -- you can save significantly on lodging and stay in a very convenient, central location with the possibility of meeting some great folks. The savings on lodging can give you more fun money in your budget ... and $ for a rent car which you will definitely need to explore all the magic that Maui has to offer [check out discount car rental places too].

Before the ';we'; of my current travel sisters %26amp; bud ... I traveled to Maui many times on my own ... this place proved to be an EXCELLENT home base, and I really did meet the coolest folks from all over the world, plus made some invaluable Maui contacts.

Check it out for only $50 per night - Peace of Maui. This is a Frommer%26#39;s guide recommendation and one of the BEST lodging values on Maui. It is near upcountry, between Paia on the coast and Makawao, off Haliimaille Road so you are very close to summit adventures on Haleakala, the hiking in %26#39;Iao Valley in central Maui near Kahului, easy access to the wonderful upcountry towns of Haiku, Makawao and Kula ... plus 10 minutes from Baldwin Beach or Ho%26#39;okipa Point / Beach near Paia; right close to the Hana Highway; 15 mins from airport at Kahului or the Maui Swap Meet location on Sat AMs; plus only a short 30-40 minute drive to south Maui and Kihei area for beaches, snorkeling, etc.

Peace of Maui has great views down the slopes of Haleakala and across the pineapple and cane fields; wonderful rainbows in this region of Maui. However, this is not on the beach; you do have to commute for water sports and adventures.

Check the TA postings on this property too - it has some good recent reviews as well.

John and Tammi are wonderful hosts and have designed and dedicated this place in order for single travellers, families and folks on a tight budget can still afford to enjoy Maui. They keep it very well maintained and very CLEAN too !!!

We love it, and generally stay at POM when we first arrive to enjoy central, south or upcountry areas, gather our supplies and groceries, etc. Then we head to Hana for most of our time on Maui - we adore the east side of the island.

Here is info for cheaper car rentals too ... also recommended by Frommer guides.

We prefer to use the discount car rental places that handle %26#39;not quite new%26#39; cars, often recycled from the other standard and higher priced car rental places. These may be 2 to 10 years old, with some exterior wear and tear, but they generally run great. Plus you look more like a local than a tourist ... so less chance of theft or vandalism.

Check out Word of Mouth. They rent only compacts, Toyota Corollas or Nissan Sentra sedans, which run great ... they do keep them maintained, even if appearance is not perfect. All WOM cars are 4 door automatics with AC - $180/ week + 4% tax and a $3.00 per day Rental = total of $208.49. Contact them at word@maui.net

Also WOM will pick you up and take you to their facility, depending on your arrival time - saves long lines at the airport kiosks and hauling luggage onto the shuttles from terminal to main car rental places. The WOM office is right down the highway from the airport and port area in Kahului; like 5 mins. away.

Also -- Check out Maui Car Rentals at 800-567-4659 or 808-877-3300 on Maui.

Word of Mouth was great. The cars are not that new but they run fine and are great for people on a budget. We rented from them in June and everything was great. Also check out sunnysouthmaui.com. Stayed in one of these condo%26#39;s , nice, clean and great areas and inexpensive.

Thanks all for your advice and encouragement! I think for this first trip I%26#39;ve narrowed it down to south kihei. Still checking out condos and B%26amp;Bs in the area (definitely hoping to find some for under $100), so any other recommendations are welcome!

Here is a good link for budget choices in south Maui ...

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60632-i109-k26767…

Or are you already in paradise?