The new guide to Maui – The Valley Isle

The second largest Hawaiian island, Maui is beloved for its beaches, farm-to-table cuisine, and views of migrating humpback whales during the winter months.

Hawaiian culture on Maui

Enjoy what many say is Hawaii’s most authentic sunset luau (think poi, laulau, poke, kalua pig …yum) and hula performance at the open-air beachside Old Lahaina Luau. Once the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom in the early 19^th century, Lahaina was also a whaling village. It’s now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Support the longest running weekly keiki (children’s) hula show at the Hale Aloha Pavilion at Napili Kai Beach Resort every Tuesday at 5.30pm. The children of Napili Kai Foundation perform both traditional hula and modern hula when musical instruments were added to the ancient chants.

Hula performance, Napali Kai Foundation, Maui, Hawaii — The children of Napili Kai Foundation perform both traditional hula and modern hula.

The best experiences on Maui

Snorkelling on Maui

There are myriad snorkel and diving options all around Maui, with tours to the Molokini Crater, with its 300 species of reef fish, manta rays, dolphins and turtles, particularly popular.

Snorkeling, Maui, Hawaii USA — There are myriad snorkel and diving options all around Maui.

Beaches on Maui

In the west, Kaanapali Beach offers 4.5 kilometres of white sand, with Puukekaa (Black Rock) in the north offering excellent snorkelling within sight of indigenous green turtles. In the south, Makena Beach is a signature white sand beach and Kamaole’s beaches offer great swimming and body boarding. In the north, Baldwin Beach offers excellent body boarding and body surfing as well as a protected swimming area while Hookipa Beach is a renowned professional windsurfing spot. Many beaches do not have lifeguards. Only swim when the waters are calm, generally during the warmer months.

KBH Beach, Maui — Kaanapali Beach offers 4.5 kilometres of white sand.

Surfing Maui

There are surf breaks around the island for every skill level. Beginners should stick to the milder swells in Kaanapali, Lahaina and Kihei, while more experienced surfers can head out to Hookipa, Waiehu and Keoneoio (La Perouse) for a little more action. Home to the Red Bull Surf Contest, Peahi, also known as ‘Jaws’ is the most notorious surf spot in Maui (with 17-metre high waves).

Maui, Surfing, Hawaiian Island USA — There are surf breaks around the island for every skill level.

Whale watching on Maui

The narrow channel between Maui and Lanai is one of the best places to see the winter migration of humpback whales. Great land-based vantage points include Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kapalua and the clifftop at Papawai Point or you could take a guided cruise on the glass-bottomed Pride of Maui combined with an ocean snorkel.

Outrigger canoeing on Maui

Hawaiian Outrigger Experience, based at Wailea Beach, shares Hawaiian history through song, poetry and chanting as you paddle and surf the waves in an outrigger canoe.

Stand-up paddle boarding on Maui

Maui Stand Up Paddle boarding offers beginner tours along the Olowalu Reef marine reserve, combo paddleboarding and snorkelling tours, and, from December to April, even stand-up paddle boarding and whale watching in deeper waters.

Olowalu Reef marine reserve, Maui, Hawaii USA — Try the beginner tours along the Olowalu Reef marine reserve.

Play golf on Maui

This is a world-class golf country with more than a dozen courses to choose from.

Explore Upcountry on Maui

Enjoy the cool mountain air and paniolo (cowboy) lifestyle in upcountry Maui. Explore the cowboy town-turned-art-village of Makawao with its wild-west style wooden buildings and ride horses alongside real-life Hawaiian cowboys as you round up cattle in Maui’s wide-open upland fields at Triple L Ranch.

Island exploration, Maui, Hawaii USA — Hiking the secluded west of Maui in the Waianapanapa State Park.

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Enjoy the sunrise or sunset at Haleakala

Meaning House of the Sun, the Haleakala shield volcano is the ideal spot to witness one of the finest sunrises on earth. The sunsets and starry night sky are pretty impressive as well. Dress very warmly.

Guide to food on Maui

The first hotel in Hawaii to employ Hawaiian cultural advisors, The Kaanapali Beach Hotel has long been deemed the most Hawaiian hotel by the Waiaha Foundation. Its new Huihui (meaning ‘to mix, intermingle’) restaurant offers a modern twist on Hawaiian dishes and cooking methods, including smoked venison burgers sourced from wildlife managers in Molokai and a Hawaiian chopped salad of finely grated dried muhee (cuttlefish), pohole (fiddlehead ferns), local greens, Maui onions, tomatoes and ulu (breadfruit croutons) with creamy calamansi dressing.

Huihui Restaurant, Maui, Hawaii USA — Huihui restaurant offers a modern twist on Hawaiian dishes.

Stop at roadside fruit stands to feast on banana smoothies and popsicles, freshly cut pineapples, sugar cane and fresh coconut juice, and coconut candy. Be sure and eat at Lineage which bills itself as a quirky relaxed spot for elevated Hawaiian fare. Now run by MiJin Kang Toride, Lineage was created by Hawaii’s hottest chef and cookbook author, Sheldon Simeon, as a whimsical updated riff on homey Hawaiian fusion food.

“How lucky are we that we can have Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Hawaiian, Portuguese-inspired foods, and still call it one cuisine, and still have it be a part of what we are? Hawaii is an example for the rest of the country about how all these cultures seamlessly blended together, and live amongst each other, and create a happy unity. I think a lot of chefs are going back to those roots and are proud about what we have here in Hawaii," says Sheldon.

For all your Hawaii travel information visit Go Hawaii, or download the GoHawaii app.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.