This Maui packing list has everything you need to bring to the Hawaiian island, from outfits to beach gear.

Girl in floral skirt from this Maui packing list stands on golden sandy beach as a foamy wave washes on shore between jagged black rocks.

Beach days, road trips, hiking adventures, romantic dinners — there’s a lot to consider when it comes to what to pack for Maui. If you’re planning your first trip to the Hawaiian island, this Maui packing list will help ensure you don’t forget anything important.

Before you start loading up the suitcase, take a look at our packing tips below to learn about Hawaii weather in different seasons, what types of activities you should pack for, and how much luggage you should bring.

Then, read through our detailed packing guide for photos and inspiration on what to wear in Maui and scroll to the bottom for a free Maui packing checklist.

This is our favorite Maui itinerary for your first visit!

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one or buy something, we might receive a commission for telling you about it, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Maui Packing Tips

Girl wears floral board shorts from this Maui packing checklist as she stands on a balcony with glass railing looking down a the ocean with palm trees dotting the shoreline.

Maui Weather

Hawaii is blessed with balmy and pleasant temperatures year-round, with only mild variations between seasons. No matter whether you’re visiting in September, November, January or July, you’ll want to pack for warm days and cooler evenings.

Daytime highs are at their warmest during the dry season, roughly spring through early-fall, averaging in the mid- to high-80s and dropping some 15 to 20 degrees at night. The winter rainy season cools things off a bit to the low 80s for average highs and mid-60s for lows.

On the island of Maui, the weather will vary from coast to coast and as you change elevation. The leeward side on the west where most resort areas are located tends to be drier than the windward coast on the east.

Upcountry Maui, a hilly region along the slopes of the Haleakala volcano can be quite a bit cooler. At 10,023 feet high, the summit of Haleakala drops below freezing at times and even gets snow!

These variations mean you’ll want some layers, like a light sweater or maxi dress for evenings, a rain jacket, and potentially something warm to throw on if you plan to catch the sunrise from the top of Haleakala, a popular excursion on Maui.

Types of Activities on Maui

The types of things you plan to do in Maui will help narrow down your packing needs. If you’re still in the early stages of planning, you can generally count on needing some beachwear, comfy sightseeing clothes and dinner outfits.

You’ll also want to consider whether you plan to do things like hiking, watersports, spending time in the Upcountry, and dressing fancy for dinner to formulate the details of your dress. The Hawaii packing list below will get into more specific suggestions for those, along with what types of outfits you will fit in with the island vibes.

How Much Luggage to Bring

How heavy or light you pack for Maui is really up to you and your personal tastes. I prefer to pack light, but this packing list still covers most situations you may need to pack for, so just bring as many or as few outfits as you wish.

Since most Maui vacations tend to be based around a single hotel stay, having a larger bag shouldn’t be too much of a burden once you’ve arrived. Do, however, consider any extra airline fees you may have to pay for checking a bag, as packing light for a warm climate like Maui is pretty easy.

Think about how long you are staying when choosing how many items to bring. Since Maui is warmer and you’ll be spending lots of time outside, you may need to wash and reuse some items if you’re packing light. I generally prefer to pack for a week no matter how long my stay and just mix and match items for a two-week trip or longer.

What Should I Wear On the Plane to Maui?

Since Maui is far out in the Pacific, many travelers have a long trip to reach the island. You may be wondering how to balance being comfortable on the plane with looking vacation ready when you arrive.

I typically choose to be comfy on a long plane ride, with layers to stay warm. My outfit usually consists of leggings, a cute t-shirt, and a long sweater that I can shed after landing. Picking items in island-inspired colors will help you feel a little more festive when you get off the plane. A cotton maxi dress or skirt in a floral print or bright color with a cardigan on top also works well for this journey.

What Do People Wear on Maui?

Maui is a warm, island destination with a thriving tourist industry, so people generally dress casually. It’s not uncommon to have a bathing suit on under your clothes while grabbing lunch or shopping for souvenirs. Even at a sit-down dinner, you’ll see a lot of floral prints, cotton, and sandals. Don’t feel like you need to bring any formal attire unless you are in Hawaii for a wedding or plan to eat at a particular restaurant with a dress code.

4 days in Maui itinerary and guide

What to Pack for Maui

Swim and Beachwear

For beach days, you’ll need swimwear on your Maui packing list. Add in some breezy clothes to layer on top to make transitioning between activities or grabbing a casual lunch easier.

Swimwear | Bring at least two swimsuits for Maui so one can be drying while you wear the second. You might want at least one option to be more supportive/full coverage if you plan to do some surfing or other water sports. One of my favorite bathing suits has a sports bra-like top that makes for easy transitions from hiking or adventuring to swimming when we stumble upon a beach.

Beach shorts | Bring something light and airy to throw on over a wet swimsuit. Board shorts come in handy for surfing, kayaking or boat trips where you’re bound to get your outer layers wet.

Swim cover-ups | Dress-like cover-ups make it easy to go from beachside to lunch without having to return to the hotel to change. A sarong is small to pack and perfect for slipping on at pools and beaches to run to the restroom or to get drinks.

Rash guard | You’ll likely only need a rashguard if you plan to do some surfing or other water sports, but they also offer good sun coverage for all the time you’ll be spending outdoors.

Sightseeing and Resort Wear

You’ll want a few casual multipurpose outfits for wearing around your Maui resort, into town, on Road to Hana day trips, or to lunch. If you’re packing light for Maui, bring a couple of neutral shorts or skirts that you can pair with bright or patterned tops for a pop of color.

Sundresses | Sundresses are perfect for dressing down with flip-flops for the beach, wearing around town for shopping, or dressing up with a cardigan for a casual patio dinner.

Rompers | Rompers are a great two-in-one outfit, easy to throw on over a swimsuit to do some sightseeing on the way to the beach or for brunch at your resort.

Casual tops | A few lightweight t-shirts go well with shorts and can layer over rompers and sundresses to mix up a look.

Linen shorts | Shorts paired with a casual top makes for an easy to mix-and-match look. If you’re packing light, stick to neutral color like tan, white or navy either on top or bottom so you can bring lots of different bright colors to match.

Activewear

Add activewear to your Maui packing list if you plan to do any hiking, exercising or adventuring outdoors. What to wear hiking on Maui depends a little on what kind of trail you are tackling.

Something short and on the coast might be OK in a pair of comfy shorts, while longer Maui adventures on the mountain require proper footwear and warmer attire.

Leggings | A pair or two of leggings are ideal for hiking on Maui, as many trails are in the forest or along the slopes of Haleakala, where temps are lower than on the coast. If you’re packing light, you can also wear these on the plane and layer them up for visiting the summit of Haleakala.

Tank tops and sports bras | Bring a sports bra and a couple of tank tops for a bottom layer when you warm up from hiking. These can serve double duty for casual beachwear, too.

Track jacket | A track jacket, half-zip popover or long sleeve athletic top will keep you warm in the Upcountry or on early morning hikes and can be used on Haleakala excursions.

Rain jacket | Consider packing a rain jacket/windbreaker combo to help deal with any surprise showers.

Dinner and Evening Wear

Knowing ahead of time whether you plan to do any fancy dinners will help you plan your evening attire for Maui. Many restaurants here are pretty casual, even at night, with open-air dining rooms. But, you may want to do a meal at a swanky resort restaurant or just dress up for fun.

Jumpsuits | Longer jumpsuits also work well for keeping your legs warm in the evening, which comes in handy at all those restaurants with a balcony facing the ocean breeze.

Maxi and midi dresses | Longer dresses and skirts are perfect for evenings in Maui because they’ll keep you a bit warmer than a sundress when temperatures start to dip at the end of the day. A visit to Hawaii is the perfect chance to wear bright floral prints.

Cardigan or wrap | A light sweater, wrap or pashmina is a must for cool Maui evenings with a breeze.

Floral blouses | Blouses in light or bright colors and floral patterns jazz up neutral pants and skirts for dinner.

White pants | Break out the white pants you typically only wear in summer for Maui. Light colors and breezy fabrics fit the atmosphere, but warmer denim won’t be out of place on those cooler nights if you prefer it.

Upcountry Outfit

It might seem a little odd to pack a super warm outfit for a trip to Maui, but if you plan to summit Haleakala to watch the sunrise, you’ll have temperatures in the 30s to contend with. And that freeze cuts right through thin layers as you sit still in the dark for an hour waiting for the sun to come up. If you’re packing light, wear all your layers and bring any available towels and blankets to snuggle under!

Packable puffer jacket | An insolated packable puffer jacket will help you stay warm without taking up a lot of space. Consider wearing or carrying it on the plane if your suitcase is full. You can layer your raincoat on top for extra wind protection and any sweaters/cardigans/zip-up jackets you brought from the list above underneath.

Thermal layer | A thermal underlayer will give a nice warm base to your outfit without taking up too much suitcase space. Consider fleece-lined leggings to layer with your hiking leggings for extra warmth.

Mittens, wool socks and a beanie | Warm accessories protect some of the chilliest zones on the body without taking up a lot of extra space in your bag. Thick, wool socks make all the difference if your warmest shoes are lightweight sneakers, and you can wear them as cozy slippers around your hotel to give them a second purpose.

What to wear in Maui includes light floral skirts like the blue and purple one pictured here on a lady leaning on a wooden railing with a sidewalk on the right and the ocean stretching out to the left.

Shoes for Maui

Shoes tend to take up the most space in your bag, so if you’re packing light, you can get by with just a pair of sneakers that you wear on the plane and a pair of thin sandals or two that work for day and night.

Beach sandals | Bring a pair of casual sandals or flip-flops specifically for the beach and pool that you don’t mind getting super sandy.

Dressy sandals | Dressy sandals or wedges work well for the evening and can pair with anything from a sundress to linen pants.

Sneakers | Sneakers are useful if you plan to do any hiking or Upcountry activities like Haleakala (it’s too cold for sandals up there). Many trails on the island are not suitable for flip-flops.

Flats | If your feet tend to get cold, you may want a pair of closed toe shoes to wear out for the evenings. There's no need to bring fancy heels unless you just really like to wear them.

Water shoes | Water shoes are not a must but can be useful for boat trips and rocky beaches.

Accessories for Maui

Island vacations are the perfect opportunity to don all that bright costume jewelry, fun floral accents, movie star sunglasses and the like. Since they don’t take up a lot of space, accessories also help make mixing and matching outfits more interesting if you’re packing light.

Sun hat | Bring a wide-brimmed or straw hat for sun protection at the beach or by the pool. A baseball cap also works well for hiking and sightseeing.

Sunglasses | Don’t forget to bring your sunglasses! Polarized ones work best for that intense sun.

Costume jewelry | Beachy and colorful jewelry works well for dressing up in Hawaii. You might even want to buy some on the island!

Gear for Maui

There are a few extra things you’ll want to throw in your case while packing for Maui. There are stores stocked with beach necessities in case you forget something, but items generally tend to cost more on the island.

Beach bag | Bring some form of a beach bag or backpack for toting your stuff off and on the sand. Make it a dry bag if you plan on kayaking or going on boat rides or a back pack that can do double duty for hiking.

Reef safe sunscreen | Wear reef-safe sunscreen in Maui to protect your skin from those intense rays and the reefs from the chemicals in regular sunscreen.

Beach towels | Packable beach towels are a must unless your hotel or condo provides them. Even if they do, you might want one of these smaller microfiber options for stuffing in your pack on a hike or Road to Hana trip.

Snorkel set | A snorkel set takes up precious space in your luggage, but you might want one if you’re beach hopping and planning to snorkel a lot. Sea turtles are all over the place along the coast of Maui and getting in the water to observe them from a safe distance is one of the best things to do on the island. If you’re only planning to snorkel on a boat excursion, gear should be provided for you. Otherwise, having to rent it each day will likely be more expensive than bringing your own gear.

Water bottle | Refillable water containers or hydro flasks will save plastic, save you money on buying bottles and keep you hydrated under the sun.

Waterproof phone pouch | Underwater phone cases or pouches are handy for keeping your gadget dry on boat trips and sand-free on the beach. Some even allow you to take decent shots on your phone underwater.

Beach safe | If you have space to pack it, a beach locker or safe brings peace of mind when you need to leave stuff on the sand while you’re out in the water.

GoPro and camera | Waterproof action cameras like a GoPro are perfect for documenting road trips, hikes and underwater shots of sea turtles. You may also want your DSLR or mirrorless camera for capturing the scenery, but phone shots work well, too!

E-reader | Bring an e-reader or paperback for low-key beach time.

Toiletries | Consider keeping other makeup to a minimum and go for a naturally bronzed look while you’re on the island. But, make sure SPF chapstick and SPF moisturizer are in your bag. Since sea and pool water can turn hair into a nightmare, you might also want some type of leave in conditioner.