Come for the beaches like Lower Paia Park (show), Kapalua Beach, and Kaanapali Beach. Stay for the food, the culture, and the laid-back lifestyle. It's island time all the time.
ByIslands StaffJan. 16, 2015
Beautiful golden-sand beaches are the reason people visit Maui ... and why so many stay. But what is it really like to live there and what does it cost? Use this nitty-gritty breakdown of the island to see if a move to Maui is right for you.
A week at Ka'anapali's Honua Kai Resort & Spa will tempt you to move to Maui. Studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom condos are available for whole ownership, and the indoor/outdoor-style living, made possible by a wall of glass doors, reminds you the beach is always right there.Tasty, filling and inexpensive, Dry Mein at Sam Sato's is a local favorite. The saimin-style noodles run about $7 a bowl, and the off-the-beaten-tourist-track location means mingling with locals while waiting for a table during lunch rush.In Maui Lani, a new single-family development in central Maui, three- and four-bedroom homes start at just $400,000. The downside? A 15-plus minute ride to the beach. The upside? Brand-new construction, mountain views, easy access to schools, hospitals and golf. If being on the island is all that matters, this puts you there.No trip to Hana is complete without at stop for banana bread at Aunty Sandy's on the Keanae Peninsula. Still warm from the oven, this local specialty ruined me for all other banana bread (the loaf didn't last as long as expected on the way to Hana). Aunty Sandy's mix is available for purchase to take home, but really, everything tastes better on Maui.Beach bums rejoice: Maui's beaches are free. What does that mean for residents? Free entertaiment after work or on the weekends.Kihei's relaxed vibe and golden shores make it a Maui favorite, and like all things in Hawaii, homes here aren't cheap. Located just a few blocks from the beach, this 2,100-square-foot, four-bedroom, 3½-bath home will set you back $1.1 million.Grocery prices are higher than on the mainland, so residents turn to farmers markets for locally sourced (and more affordable) produce, and stock up on other essentials at Costco.
