My wife, four-year-old son and I rented a ~'90 Westfalia from Aloha Campers this past spring (2017)…read morefrom Aloha Outdoors. The "are you chill" questions on registration are relevant, and pleasantly reciprocal. In detail... As is made super clear up front, we were renting a vintage Westy for some camping around Maui. Warts and all. If folks aren't reading the bold print while making their reservation, then they are in a world of grumpy disappointment. After a somewhat last moment pickup reservation on our part, we were met by a nice lady who drove the three of us to Aloha Outdoors in Kihei. She not only checked us out on the van, but also ensured we were set with camping paraphernalia (chairs, etc), gave us a solid understanding of island options available and not available to us. We had already booked ourselves at Waianapanapa and Camp Olowalu, but were thankful for the miscellaneous detail. Our Westy was on the worn side of their fleet. The ice box was out of order, we were using the backup range by the first morning, little blemishes here and there, missing little bits like the front chair tables, etc. After 172k miles it is expected. Nothing dramatic. Driving the Westy was a bit more than initially expected. I've been behind the wheel of '72 VW Bus and other '60-'70 model cars, but was initially shocked by the driving characteristics of our Westy. It took 30-60 minutes to get into the safe groovy of driving her. (And once I was back home, I was hitting the brakes on my modern car too hard!). TL;DR: break early, having driving experience with older cars is super beneficial. Regardless of driving stress, it was an amazing trip. We had the black sands beach of Waianapanapa to ourselves at times, we met lots of great people, amazing sights, waterfalls, shave ice, etc. "Do you live Aloha?" Yeah. And Aloha Outdoors does too. On my last full day I backed the Westy into a rock. A bunch of bondo popped off the rear passenger wheel well. *Crap*. Afterwards I called the hotline to explain myself. The gentlemen was not pleased and said someone needed to inspect it when the VW was returned the next day. The next day the intake crew was unpulsed, photographed the damage to the owner, and ... I never heard back. Aloha goes both ways, and I appreciate that with these folks. My son still talks about this trip. "Makapipi" is his favorite new word. WE still talk about this trip. Highly recommended, get a Westy while you can.

This made my time on Maui absolutely unforgettable. From the minute we were picked up at the…read moreairport to the minute we were dropped off, I was happy, comfortable, and excited about van life. We got the light blue van with automatic transmission (road to Hana with a manual trans-no thanks!) and Noelle went through the van's features thoroughly before giving us a map of the island and circling all the camping spots available to us and our van baby. After giving us our camping chairs and wishing us a great time, we were off! We drove the road to Hana with no issues, camped in the rain, camped in the wind, by the beach, under streetlights and in the middle of nowhere. This van trip was so much more than accommodations and transportation; it was a literal and figurative vehicle for the kind of life I want to live. Staying in a hotel on a tropical island is nice; you can sleep in AC, lounge by the pool. shower and change in privacy, eat 5 star food and never ever feel out of your element. Staying in a camper van is awesome; you can sleep under the stars next to the ocean, lounge on a remote beach and then nap there, cook inventive, delicious meals with your camping partner, enjoy their company, and be bored enough to do things you wouldn't normally do (talk story for hours, play cards, snuggle up and watch the sun set for an afternoon). It was pretty incredible to actually spend multiple days worth of quality time with my husband, not just occupy the same space while looking at separate screens. You meet so many people who love "your" van, who want to tell you all about the van they used to have, and who embody the elusive aloha spirit that makes human interaction worthwhile and meaningful. We made several friends who dined with us on my glamorous one burner concoctions, or who entertained us with their stories from so many various walks of life over beers shared in camp chairs around the van's "living room". The van isn't perfect- it's 30 years old, and obviously is not a rolling Hilton. If you're creative, adventurous, and willing to see the bright side of any situation, you will LOVE Aloha Campers. Sure, we had to pull over a few times so Bluebell could cool down, and the E-brake light stayed on the entire trip. The back door flew open once in transit, and one morning I woke up with wet toes after some heavy sideways rain. The fridge never worked, and the cooler only kept our beer cold for three days. But those experiences just didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. We lived in a VW van, courtesy of Aloha Campers, on freaking Maui. Plain and simple. We cannot wait until we have a van of our own, and it was all because of this trip. MAHALO NUI LOA!!!!

While I only needed a portable solar battery charger, they had exactly what I needed and were very…read morefriendly, as well as informative on the product. Lots of gear and camping essentials here.

Affordable, easy to deal with, and a nice small business. Provided us with all the necessities we…read moreneeded during our short stay in Maui. We even got a larger tent than we needed. Highly recommend

Located just south of Hana Town, Maui Hawaii. I highly recommend this if you're on a budget. Note,…read moreyou will probably need a rental car or a moped/motorcycle to get here (the moped can't carry luggage). Most tour companies stop at Hana Town, but this is about 12-15 minutes south of Hana Town. Here is what I like...it's so remote, it's countryside here. Most cell phones won't work will near Hana, actually about 6 to 7 miles towards Hana. I got 1 bar with AT&T at Kipahulu Campground near the Visitors Center, and can send text messages or surf the web, but don't expect to stream video or music, or send video, cuz it won't go through. It costs like $20 per night for tent camping, what a bargain! These are tent camping sites. It was quiet. I came in peak whale season in middle of February 2026. I only saw 6 or 7 other cars here, and everyone was quiet and peaceful. Book it on recreation.gov. I saw some people do RVs, but most were tent camping. Campsites 12, 13, 14, 15 are great for ocean view if you peek over the ancient stone wall. Campsites #16-20 are for walk ups, i couldn't see a way to get to those. Campsite #1-#6 have the most protection from the wind. It wasn't too windy here, more windy at Camp Olowalu. Pros: great value, large open space, serene, country-like setting, quiet, friendly and helpful check in park rangers, camping here includes hiking the Pipiwai Trail the next morning and the Ohe O Gulch (Seven Sacred Pools), which I did the night I arrived before sunset. Cons: No running water (bring baby wipes, bleach wipes) or walk 10 minutes to visitor center if you really need to wash face/brush teeth. They have toilets, without plumbing. Tips: bring large jug of water. There is BBQ grill. I didn't bother to buy a propane gas for my Jetboil mini stove, so you can get hot water in Hana Town restaurants, if you decide to bring backpacker dehydrated camping food. Another huge plus, is Laulima Farm's coffee, just 5 minutes drive south of Kipahulu Campground. You won't regret this coffee and fresh fruit, worth the drive alone.

Easily some of the cheapest camping you'll find on the island. Pit toilets were clean and there was…read more24 hour flush toilets nearby where you can refill your water. Lovely little park to wander around. Close to Hana too which has restaurants and beaches, although we brought food with us as well.

SUV camping on Maui, great gear and 14 campground connections to choose from plus information on…read morethe Road to Hana and activities all over the island.

From the owner: Aloha! Maui is such a beautiful destination for camping and offers endless possibilities to…read morediscover your own unique slice of paradise. It is our mission to make car camping accessible to everyone no matter what their experience level is. We provide you with an SUV lovingly packed with camping gear and set you up for an epic escape. All you need is your backpack, a campsite and a sense of adventure. After years of camping ourselves, we’d like to think we have perfected the art of packing light without skimping on the essentials. And thanks to nearly ten years on island we can offer you the most valuable thing of all: knowledge and experience. We know all the best spots; where to eat, sleep and snorkel and all the little things you don't want to miss. Book with us and get the whole package, neatly bundled together. It's budget friendly, authentic and down right epic!

Located just south of Lahaina, Maui. I love this camp! This was my first time to Maui and to this…read morecamp site. They offer tent camping, car camping, tent-a-lows (glamping) and cabins. I did the tent camping option for $36 a night. Tent-a-lows are about $165 a night. I came around valentines day February 2026. The temperature is 65F low, 75-80F high. The night was super windy for a tent, but was only windy between 6-9pm, meaning 20-25 mph winds. If you can hold out at that time, it was calm winds all night afterwards. Next time, I may prefer doing a car camping site, which comes with a picnic table, and there are around 20 sites near the gate. I may also prefer a tent-a-low in order to not pack a tent, sleeping pad. They are also less windy, as they are located farther from the beach. Pros: - private beach - it was prime whale watching season, but i was the only one on the beach. 95% of the tent sites were occupied, I believe all the tent-a-lows were occupied. - hot showers, no roof...but it's great - clean and nice bathrooms with a roof - free coffee and hot water in the morning. Get it when it opens at 7:00am, cuz it will run out in 15-20 minutes - plenty of parking - approx. 35-40 minutes from Kahului Airport - super fun to rent an E-bike from Krank Cycles, and ride south to Olowalu. It was pretty. You can ride E-bike through the campsite. It wasn't as pretty to ride north from Krank Cycles to Lahaina to Honokowai Beach, but all good. Cons: - getting to some of the more remote sites was hard with a roller luggage. I stayed at Tent Site 25, which was lovely, but the rolling luggage had to go over dirt, which is ok, but bark chip piles - hard to find tent site at night. Arrive in daylight if you can. It's impossible to navigate at night or find the restroom - they staff is really accomodating, and even took my call at 1:00am as that is my arrival time. - It is approximately 15 minute car drive to Lahaina dock for whale watching, and 35-40 minutes from Kahului airport - there are not much cons I had such a pleasant experience, I'll be back for sure!

Great place to camp on the beach, little store for essentials and a vending machine for late night…read moremunchies. Clean bathroom and showers. Chickens are a little crazy, but no problem for me. Better food selection would be nice.

Witnessing a sunrise high above in Haleakala National Park on the beautiful island of Maui has got…read moreto be in my top ten outdoor experiences. The view is spectacular from so many angles. I have been lucky enough to witness a couple of sunrises in this park and all of them have been unique, mouth dropping gorgeous. I highly recommend. Sunsets are epic as well but there is something about the anticipation of patiently waiting for the sun to rise out here that is otherworldly. Times have changed with a reservation being required now to attend a sunrise (3am - 7am). Next it can take up to two hours to get here if you are staying in Lahaina. This means you are getting up extremely early to arrive for sunrise, but you won't regret it. You pass through the towns of Kahului, Paia, and Makawao before you begin your ascension to the summit on the windy Crater Road. Be sure to dress warmly for sunrise. Dress in layers and wear a beanie too if your ears get cold. During and after sunrise the crater is the most clear, but it does often fill up with clouds especially late mornings. Hiking here is very challenging since you are sitting at 10,023 feet at the summit and you just came from sea level. We did love every minute of our trek, especially hiking out to the cinder cones. This volcano is not considered extinct but still active. It has erupted at least ten times in the last thousand years. Due to its history, scientists still monitor it today. One of the unique plants that live here is the stunning Silversword plant. This plant only blooms once in its life and can only be found here. This is one of the best ways to start your day on Maui.

Makawao, HI. Visiting this park is like traveling to a…read moredistant planet. I have never seen such barren yet beautiful scenery. It is quite a long and winding road heading up and patience really helps. I used the turnouts as needed to let the tailgaters and speeders go by. I mean really, the speed limit is typically 30 mph and often only 20. We went up on a cloudy day so much of the island view wasn't there but the thin air at the top was crisp and clean and had some magnification factor. The short hike from the visitors center near the summit is easy and only .2 miles and it gives a good view of the crater. I hiked down the Shifting Sands Trail for a short distance just to be down in the crater a bit. It's easy to get shortness of breath so be aware that it a steep climb back uphill on this trail. The views at the summit observation deck are awesome, you can see the peaks on the big island poking up through the clouds. There are silver sword plants everywhere up there looking very healthy and happy to be growing out of nothing but lava rock and sand. No blossoms on this trip though.

We stopped by Hosmer Grove on our way down from the Haleakala Summit and are glad we did! There was…read morea short nature trail with a lot to see -- felt like an old growth forest which was dramatically different than the landscape up at the top. Seems like a great place to camp as well although we didn't do that.

The hosmer trail is a half mile loop to observe non-native trees, planted before the park's…read moreestablishment, and native shrubland. It's also a unique habitat for honeycreepers found nowhere else on earth.

I've been staying in one of the astrovans now every February for 3 years in a row now. The…read morecampervans are the best way to see and stay in Maui because they aren't to big ,drive so well and give you the freedom to see the island. The vans run great and Paul is so passionate about his vans and the vanning lifestyle. After a few trips to Maui I gave up the resort life and now live the vanning dream when I'm in Maui. It's summer now and I'm already planning my trip back in February. I highly recommend you contact Paul and rent a van.

Last day on the island and my OG lesson cancels. Then Paul to the rescue! Even after I called at 6…read moream to try and squeeze into anything he might have available. I had a blast. One of the biggest highlights of the trip. Easy to learn, beautiful location, fun swim, & nice personable instructor. I wish I brought a snorkel set but was happy enough to see a turtle swim right below my board. Would definitely recommend this guy over any commercial company just wanting to suck a buck out of your wallet.

4 Stars Cool Spot, 1 Star Mouse Poop City!…read more We found out about this place in Lahaina from some people who stayed here years ago and showed us pictures. It appears to have been pretty nice before time and mice and little maintenance took over and beat the place to death. We arrived to find our SS Camaro (Bumble Bee) barely could enter the rutted driveway. No worries the owner was already on the way to meet us. I rode in the back of his Toyota pickup up he hill bouncing along a couple minutes and we arrived to Treetops Treehouse. Upon first glance this is an eclectic treehouse with Sone old patio furniture with some good jungle mold growing away and an outdoor kitchen that he seemed surprised someone stole the campstove from. Bonus the outdoor bathroom does have hot water for showers! We went to the bedroom and got situated and all appeared to be fine until we realized you cannot go barefoot unless you like to step in piles of mousepoop from the other residents. Nor can you utilize the tables or shelves for the same reason! The bedsheets were freshly applied so no mousepoop there! I was unable to use the towels as mousepoop was stuck to one probably from being placed on the table. The bed was cozy and the ambiance was cool. I was pretty cozy otherwise. Other bummers were the rooftop patio has rotted out so you cannot go up there anymore for the treetop views.... The mosquito net seems to be for a twin bed so it runs on you all night as you try to sleep... In the middle of the night there was this crazy loud gnawing sound and finally I had to investigate since I could no longer sleep. A huge mouse appears to have been nesting for quite some time a the top corner wall near turned and closet. They have reapplied several layers of screen to keep it out but it is eating through he wood now. Disclaimer: We are both camping, rock climbing outdoor enthusiasts and also 5 star resort people with realistic expectations for a treehouse. For the $150 a night he asked for after being told it was $79 a night when referred we ended up getting it for $100 cash. We left after a night because of the conditions. In all fairness this place was probably great when it was new but could have had some modifications to the design to reduce jungle rot, rodents and etc.... If it was $50 a night it would be what it is, but if you paid $100-$150 a night it's pretty rough for that price with no cleaning or maintenance.

Like Lunar said - Rustic, fine. Run down, not cool…read more My husband and I booked a stay at the treetops for two nights of our honeymoon. We are avid campers/outdoors people and have never considered ourselves "fussy" by any means, so when we heard about Hana Lani we KNEW it would be the perfect place for us to spend our first nights as husband and wife enjoying the beauty of the rain forrest. How WRONG we were. We were prepared for bugs, and dirt and mud and camp like conditions. What we were not prepared for was the sad disrepair of the accommodations. When we arrived we found that our sheets were visibly dirty. The mosquito net hung over the bed was held together with duck tape and had visible stains on it as well. The furniture was broken and dirty. The observation deck overlooking the ocean that we had been so looking forward too was furnished with two rusty lawn chairs, the back broken off of one of them. I told my husband it looked like they had gone shopping at a dump. And the toilet paper - ew. There was a small amount on the roll in the bathroom, which was gone after one use. The extra toilet paper left for us in the tree house was covered in dirt and bugs. Thank goodness we had come prepared with a small pack of travel tissues. We wanted to be good sports about the whole situation, so we decided to stay the first night. We asked management for new sheets and they provided them (although he gave us quite a bit of attitude when we voiced our concerns about the condition of the tree house). The new sheets appeared clean, but when we put them on the bed we found they were holy. Eh - whatever, at least they had no suspect stains. In all fairness, I have to say that we were rewarded for sticking it out with a massive and very impressive rain storm that night, and an incredibly beautiful sunrise the next morning. Plus - the coolest spider I have ever seen makes his home in the corner of the treehouse. He was a highlight of our very short trip. Those amazing nature given things, however, were just not enough to make up for the disappointment (and yuck-ness) of the treehouse itself. The next morning we packed up our gear and were on the road before 7am. Bottom line - this place is no where near worth the $120/night we were forced to pay. Honestly, the place would be a lot better if they chucked all the furniture and hauled in some cool logs to sit on. And of course it would help to invest in some new sheets every once in awhile, and at least try to keep the TP clean.

Lovely, peaceful trails at this park. In this visit we only had time for the nature trail which was…read morewell maintained and had a number of interpretive signs describing the various trees and shrubs. Also near the nature trail is the arboretum of native plants with additional interpretive signs, be sure to visit both areas. If you have more time, do the jeep trail to gulch trail as a loop.

This place is pretty confusing and also empty so we were afraid to explore too much. We checked out…read morethe garden but it seemed a bit under maintained and dead. Seems pretty easy to get lost and no reception so come prepared. Plenty of parking but for some reason gave kind of eerie vibes.