Night snorkelling at Hanauma Bay used to take place on the second Saturday of each month; the nature preserve stayed open until 10pm and, as it was largely a favourite amongst locals, the bay remained practically empty. Due to lack of staff and issues with lighting, the activity has been discontinued for the time being. That said, it's definitely worth checking their website to see if they've reinstated it before you travel.

Little Beach boasts a stunning vista of nearby Molokini and Kahoolawe and is great any day of the week, but on Sundays every subsection of Maui's community comes here to rejoice in the beach's anything-goes vibe: a drumming circle kicks off around 2pm and fire twirling starts at sunset. The waves can sometimes be huge here and no lifeguards man the shore; observe the conditions closely before entering the water.

Despite its name (which comes from a now-defunct abbatoir that used to operate in the area) this place is a local favourite and an easy contender for Maui's most picturesque beach. If conditions are good, excellent snorkelling can be found nearby at Honlolua Bay, and the island's best coffee is just down the road at The Coffee Store, Napili.

Besides being one of only two green sand beaches in the United States (the other being in Guam), the trip to 'Green Sands' (aka Papakolea Beach) will take you past South Point (the southernmost point of the USA), and Punalu'u Beach Park is just down the road — a black sand beach where you're practically guaranteed to see a bunch of turtles lounging about along the shore. Visiting the three makes for one of the best days out on the island.

If you feel that the 1-1.5 hour hike out to Green Sand Beach is too challenging for you, an enterprising local family runs unofficial 'taxi' rides from the parking lot. A 'donation' of $10-$15 per person will usually cover the ride.

Outfitters Kaua'i runs a tour of the tranquil Hule'ia River which includes lunch and a one-mile hike through the Hule'ia National Wildlife Refuge, where scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark and Jurassic Park were filmed. You'll only require a moderate level of fitness to do this tour, as it sends you floating downwind the whole way.