Maybe this is happening to you and that's why you are reading this review. Husband and I rented a Jeep when we arrived on Maui thinking we were going to drive the Road to Hana. However, after driving what we now refer to as "the bus" for a few days, neither one of us really wanted to commit to driving it 8+ hours around a bunch of windy curves and over one-lane bridges. So then we decided not to do the Road to Hana. But then we kept hearing how awesome it was - and who knows when we'd be back on Maui - so I decided to see if we could hire someone to do the dirty work of driving and just let us sit back and enjoy the day. Cue me emailing Bryan about 36 hours before when we wanted to do the drive - this was Tuesday night. Amazingly, he arranged for Kellen to meet us in Kehei at 8:00 am on Thursday morning in a beautiful new van filled with cold waters, towels, and most everything you might need for the Road to Hana - even a first aid kit! If I wrote out all the things we did, this review would be too long. We did the reverse full loop so we saw so much more of the island. I am not much of a hiker, but I am so glad we let Kellen lead a short hike to what he called the Secret Waterfall - it was so special! Another highlight was jumping off the ledge at Ching's Pond while we were the only ones there - it was like our own private oasis. We stopped for homemade banana bread and ice pops that were the perfect midday treats! We saw resting sea turtles on the beach - we swam in the Princess Cave - really it was just a fabulous day. The stops were all perfect for us - and just as important, there weren't too many of them. We left from Kehei at 8:00 and were back around 5:15. Just as we were getting tired, we got home. Kellen is full of information and answered all of our questions. He knows his history and the ecology of the island. He seems to know the route by the back of your hand as he is always making suggestions for stuff about to come up on the road. Anyway, if you are hesitant about spending a little bit more for a private guide - stop thinking about it and just email Bryan! We got to do only the stops we wanted and spend as much time there as you like. You can also do a snack or bathroom stop whenever you need :) Tip - bring or wear Keens or Teva hiking sandals because walking on the rocks around the swimming holes would otherwise be brutal on your feel. You can wear flip flops for the other stops if you want (I did!) read more

We came to Maui on a family vacation with two kiddos. We were slightly disappointed in the experience with our guide. Tristan was our guide. Although he did take us to a few waterfalls and get banana bread, there were a few things that were kinda off. Being tourists is very cliche and I know that it's way more interesting to not go to the tourists spots, but because we had a couple children with us and inexperienced hikers, it was important to us that they experience the Road to Hana on the easiest route possible. If we had been familiar with Hana and spots to go to on the road this probably would've been a better experience. Tristan let us do what we wanted, but we had no clue where to go. So, basically at times, it felt as if he did what he wanted as opposed to the touristy route that I had repeatedly told him. I have been on the Road to Hana before, but my family had not and I feel that this wasn't the experience envisioned. Hana is a beautiful place with many wonderful sights and cultural aspects and this trip was rushed and a lot of things were skipped. We weren't impressed with Tristan's guiding qualities and were hoping for a little more of a guide as opposed to someone who just does what they want. Amongst the guide there were a couple other things: The first aid kit was very out dated and did not have the materials for certain needs and there was no small cooler as stated in the description prior to booking. Overall, the experience wasn't what we expected and the guide, although very knowledgeable with the Hawaiian history and the Road to Hana, was just disappointing. read more

The only road to Hana tour to book is with Bryan! Truly a once in a life time experience but we will back next year for sure. Bryan was so knowledgable and easy to relate to our mixed generation group (my calm collected 84 y.o. down to a hyper 7 y.o relatives) an easily accommodate all of us with the just the right amount of comfort and adventure. Bryan was on time with the Van pristine and even had extra clean towels in case we forgot ours. We got to swim in secret pools just off the road to Hana with a beautiful waterfall only "locals" would know about and even dive under neath a famous cave where a princess once swam to hide from her captors. My 7 year old niece still gushes about it. We ate, we laughed,and we discovered more about the culture in that one tour than we did in the 7 days we were there on our own. Thanks for the wonderful memories and be sure to tip your driver! read more

One of the best days of our lives! The tour was an absolute blast! From swimming in freshwater pools and black sand beaches to tasting delicious coconut ice cream and the best ribs I've ever had, this tour had it all! Laura was an amazing tour guide who is incredibly friendly, funny, informative and just overall awesome! She tailored the trip to EXACTLY what my wife and I were looking for and had some fantastic suggestions for every aspect of the tour. She took us to spots off the beaten path that only a local would know. If you want the insider Road to Hana experience, this is the only way to go! Thank you again Laura for giving us one of the best days and experiences of our lives! read more

Maui's Private Guide - The freshwater swimming experience was incredible! Thank you Laura! Best guide ever! - Beer Tours Near Me

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So glad we utilized Maui's Private Guide! My husband Jeff and I had done the Road to Hana once before, on our own. Certainly fun, but the driver of the car has to focus mostly on the road, not allowing for a relaxing experience. After reading the great reviews, we decided to give Bryan's service a try. Kellen was our guide, as a native of Maui, he provided wonderful commentary and context to the trip. He definitely made the day special, determining our interests so he could plan accordingly. We started with those beautiful Painted Bark Eucalyptus, then proceeded to the Keanae Peninsula, sampling warm Banana Bread from the Keanae Landing Fruit Stand, Ching's Pond - where Kellen was patient when I worked up my courage to jump from a rock into the icy, refreshing pool, which was our own, for the half hour we spent there! More driving, brief stops here and there to check out a waterfall or roadside stand. Kellen pointed out vegetation and folklore along the way, he was knowledgeable without being overwhelming and seemed to read our vibe so he could set the proper agenda and pace. We had a delicious lunch at "Troys at Koki Beach, eating our Coconut Shrimp lunch plate in a Tike style outdoor dining room and also taking in that beaches red sand and lovely rock formation. Then it was off to Wai anapanapa State Park, where Kellen and Jeff dove in some enormous waves - it was fun to watch them act like kids in the water! We then hiked into the Princess Cave, where Kellen filled us in on the folklore of a Hawaiian princess named Popoalaea, who fled from her cruel husband, the Chief Kakae and hid in the cave with her attending maid. She was killed by her spouse and as the story goes, red shrimp show up, and red markings on the cave symbolize her blood. Spooky but cool to partake - jumping in, sitting on the princess ledge, seeing the cave and swimming into some nooks and crannies with Kellen's handy water proof flashlight - truly memorable! We then headed to Coconut Glen's Ice Cream stand, a magical place, colorful and friendly, complete with a VW van that transported the owner to his destiny woven into the vegetation. Coffee Toffee, Lilokai and Coconut ice creams were sampled - wonderful! A final stop at Ho'okipa Beach Park, where surfing and windsurfers move around the waves like dancers and we witnessed large sea turtles basking in the sun. A totally awesome adventure, which will provide lovely memories for years to come! read more

Pure awesome! Setting up the reservation was the best communication I have ever experienced with Bryan. And the tour itself was awesome. We had a young child and older people in our group so we couldn't do all the fun stuff other reviews here have raved about and it was still a great tour and so worth it. We did the whole coast from the south and the guide, Kellen, was great all the way. Our guide also interacted very well with our child, and with the older members of our group. He was very knowledgeable with the area and we all felt very comfortable with him driving the car. The black sand beach and the waterfalls were amazing but Coconut Glenn's, tree arboretum, and beautiful peaceful south coast drive were equally great. 100% recommend! read more

WE had a snorkeling trip/whale watching with Bryan - all the details were taken care of - we just had to show up - he was knowledgeable about the area - We hit the jackpot with the whale watching - it was great having the flexibility a private tour offers Bryan's rates were competitive and he has good experience in case of any emergency. WE are going again today to Haleakala - I would definitely recommend his service Is willing to accommodate anything that works for you Sue & Bob from Chicago We did a second excursion with Bryan - to Hakealea - again very flexible to what we wanted to see - provided transportation and lunch -- was nice to sit stare out the window while someone else drove - Brian also knows spots that you wouldn't find without a "local" read more

Wow, what a great trip! My wife, 18 daughter and I had a blast. Bryan was knowledgeable, helpful, courteous and helped us see exactly what wanted to see - a very personalized tour. We asked for some touristy things and some off the beaten path things and got them both. Bryan's car was fully equipped with water, first aid kit (didn't need it thankfully), some snacks and other goodies. We didn't feel hurried. What a great value. read more

We had Demian Deas as our tour guide to Road to Hana. We were really happy that we had him as our guide. He gave us choices of activities and brought us to the different beautiful sites in Hana that you wouldn't even know existed if you don't have a very knowledgeable guide. This road has no signs to the beautiful sites and can be easily missed just by driving around. Although one day was not really enough to explore this beautiful place, he made it possible for us to see the sites that I have on my bucket lists. He also made the ride fun and interesting by giving us fun facts of Hana and the surrounding areas! We even talked about activities on the Big island and gave us pointers on where to stay and what not. One of the advantage having a guide is you wouldn't be stress-out driving the 600+ switchbacks on Road to Hana, you will have the freedom to appreciate the lush and beautiful sceneries. Overall it was a great experience and we would highly recommend Maui's private guide to our friends and family going to Maui. Thanks for the great adventure Demian! read more

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It was our first time to Maui and I was told by some people to do road to Hana and was told by others not to. We decided to do the private tour instead of with a bunch of people we didn't know. It was the best decision we ever made. Something happened and we had to use our rental for the drive but that issue should be fixed for next year and it didn't bother us anyway and still better than going on bus tour. We were lucky enough to have the owner Bryan as our tour guide. He is very knowledgable of the island and knew which places to avoid and which places not to. He made us laugh and told us a lot if history of the island. One waterfall spot we had all to ourselves until we left. He would give us options and let us choose what we wanted to do. He got in the water with us but also got out and took pictures for us. He is all about making sure we enjoyed our trip. I highly recommend doing the tour with this company. read more

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NICK IS HANDS DOWN THE BEST PRIVATE GUIDE IN ALL OF MAUI!!! So my husband and I were on our belated honeymoon in Maui. When our Lanai snorkel tour got cancelled we were debating if we should just drive to Hana ourselves. After much thought we decided we needed a private guide so we could really enjoy the trip and get to really see Hana. We are super glad we did! We booked our tour and Nick was super punctual and even arrived super early to get a refresher on some HANA facts that he wanted to share with us during our trip. He was super friendly and professional. He shared life stories and provided us with interesting facts during the entire trip! It was so cool to learn abut Hana and he was very informative, patient and made us feel super safe. He took us to most the areas we wanted to see but also let us know that some areas were private property or not safe to go because we might slip. It was a bummer but he took us to the best spots anyways so it didn't really bother us much. We stopped for banana bread, ice cream, brittle candy, and the most delicious backyard barbecue ever! If we ever go back and Nick is still available, we would ask to have him as our guide again! read more

Maui's Private Guide - Nick, our amazing private guide, showing us some Ginger Flowers. He showed us how to suck out the juice....YUM! - Beer Tours Near Me

We went to Maui on our honeymoon and were prepared to drive the Road to Hana in our rental car...until we started talking to people who had done it (a popular joke is: "the road to Hana is a honeymoon, the road back is a divorce"). We are so glad we went with the private guide, because you can really enjoy the sights (without endangering anyone's life) and we learned SO much. As a couple, it was also pretty awesome to have someone who can take photos for you! (Our camera battery died and Bryan kindly supplemented it with his own- which he immediately uploaded to dropbox for us the same day!) Bryan is not only a wealth of knowledge, but a great storyteller as well. His passion for Hawaiian history was evident (and contagious....I'm currently reading Michener's "Hawaii" on his recommendation....perfect way to prolong the trip!) He knew every local on the Road to Hana and where to stop. But he also knew each person's story. If I were bringing my children on vacation it would be a great example to spend a day with Bryan and really show them what Hawaiian culture/history is about. He should write a book! Our absolute highlight (as others have mentioned) was the secret cave diving at the State Park. It was definitely a bucket list item (scary at first---but WORTH IT). I learned so much on the drive, I'm still soaking it all in. Yes, it's pricey but in my opinion, you can't put a price on knowledge (and feeling like a local when you're traveling somewhere new). He can take up to six people in a van, so it's perfect for families or couples traveling together. read more

My husband, my sister and I were going to Hawaii following her cancer diagnoses. I contacted Bryan and set up the Road to Hana tour from our cruise ship. Pre-tour communication was great and we met up to begin the day. I can not say enough nice things about our tour. From the beginning to the end it felt as if we were spending the day with a friend. Bryan took us to beautiful places and unique areas we would have never seen on our own. He was so helpful and made sure my sister could experience everything possible (including getting her up and down to a waterfall). I can guarantee we will be seeing Bryan again on our next visit to Maui! read more

Fantastic kayaking experience highlighted by watching the Humpbacks circle us. Bryan's knowledge enhanced the experience even further! He is passionate about Maui and nature and it shows in everything he does. I would not consider any other guide for tours on Maui. read more

Five big stars for Bryan! He was a great guide with lots of knowledge, enthusiasm and love of Maui. We learned a lot and had a great day. Will book a tour with him again! read more

We took the Road to Hana tour in January 2016 and it ended up being one of our fondest memories from our trip to Maui. Registration is very easy as the owner, Bryan, is very helpful with questions you may have and provides a nice writeup of what to expect on the tour. Our guide, Laura, was ready to pick us up in the morning and instantly established great rapport with us. The minivan we rode in is spotless and very comfortable. There is a big cooler in the bag to store food and provide plenty of water for the guests. In the beginning of the drive,she outlined the different options we could take for the tour and the pros and cons of each. She also continued giving different options throughout our trip. Laura gave a fantastic tour as she both described sights along the way and was present minded in veering off topic when the situation arose. One example was when she found and gave us jackfruit and ulu and wrapped that back to how extensive the range of natural foods is on the island. It was a blessing to learn so much about the history and culture of Hawaii on this tour when most other tours would likely just drop you off at a site and limit communication to telling you when to get back to the bus. You can eat lunch at one of the BBQ stands along the path but a better option may be to buy and pack food. Laura knew a very good spot to picnic and just kick back and enjoy the weather. As far back as I can remember, this is the best tour I have ever taken. Laura is not only an amazing tour guide but is (more importantly) very warm and personable. We saw her chat up and even help other travelers and tour guides along the way. She also gave great suggestions for the rest of our stay as we wrapped up our tour. She truly embodies the Aloha spirit! On a road that can have some rough weather and conditions, there is no better tour company to lead the way. read more

Demian & Maui's Private Guides were terrific. My wife and I had a great day on the road to Hana on October 17th. Demian listened to what was on our bucket lists and he took care of the rest. Check... Check... Check... All of you 1st time drivers who are considering driving this yourself... DO THIS instead. You'll see much, much more and actually enjoy the drive. You'll probably miss a lot of the off road sights that Demian took us to. Loved it! read more

Absolutely loved our tour! I've done the crowded bus tour to Hana in the past, and absolutely hated it. This is so much better, and worth every penny. We did a reverse full loop and avoided any traffic. Laura was a wonderful guide and had me doing things I wouldn't imagine myself doing! ( swimming in caves and waterfalls! ) I loved it. Highly highly recommend. This is the ONLY way to do the Road to Hana!!! -Melissa, the "honeybee" read more

Wow great experience and I cannot recommend enough. Our guide was Laura and she had a great blend of knowledge and enthusiasm. Even my husband, notoriously picky, had a great time. I loved that we were offered many options and were able to spend more or less time where we wanted. Laura gave good advice and her recommendations were spot on! We took the full route around Haleakalea and it was definitely worth the extra drive time. Several of our other tours were with larger groups and I am very glad we did this one with a private guide - worth the extra cost. Only thing is that I wish we had done this earlier during our visit - Laura had so many other good tips that I would have loved to take advantage of!! read more

I would highly recommend choosing Maui Private Guide and Bryan to anyone wishing to make the trek to Hana. We found Bryan's knowledge of the local history and traditions very helpful in understanding not only the culture but left with a deep appreciation for the people of Maui. Bryan took great care of our entire family. He made special efforts to make sure we were comfortable and took us to areas of special interest to us. This Road to Hana was the highlight of our stay here in Maui. An added bonus, where else could we have found the best coconut ice-cream and banana bread?! Book with Bryan and you won't be disappointed! This tour exceeded our expectations! read more

My husband and I took the road to Hana Tour with Bryan. We can only agree with all the other reviews...it was a wonderful day and excellent tour. Money well spent for all we saw and learned. We highly recommend you take a day away from the sun and hire Brian for a tour. It is really special. Well worth your time and money . read more

My husband and I decided to book a last minute Hana tour while on vacation. At first we considered joining one of the many small group tours, but then my husband found Bryan who by some miracle had availability. At just a small premium, we enjoyed a private tour with arguably the best guide on the island. I wish I could give Bryan 10 stars. From being completely prepared with ice cold water and wet wipes to his incredible knowledge of the islands and their history, it was the truly the best tour we have ever experienced. Bryan catered our day to stops that followed our interests and was able to show us sights beyond the usual tourist spots. He even found wild guava we were able to enjoy roadside. What impressed me most though was how passionate he is about Hawaii and it's rich culture and history. I learned about everything from the formation of the islands to their first human inhabitants to how they ultimately ended up as part of the United States. His narrative was simply captivating. Our day with Bryan was worth every single penny. read more

My girlfriend and I had a private Road to Hana tour with Bryan on the last day of our recent trip to Maui and it was BY FAR the highlight of our vacation! Bryan picked us up at our hotel on time, had a very clean van with spotless windows, a cooler full of water, and even brought us towels since he was going to be taking us straight to the airport that night and knew we probably would not have any since we were checking out of the hotel. Right away he asked about what kinds of things interested us so that he could tailor the trip specifically to what we liked to do. We were never rushed at any stop that we made and he was more than happy to make additional stops if we saw something else that interested us. What really made the trip great was Bryan's story telling about the history of the islands (we looked forward to continuing the story each time we got back in the van!). One of the highlights from our day with Bryan was exploring various pools and lagoons around one of the waterfalls we stopped at. The three of us started at a nice waterfall where there were only several other people visiting and then set off exploring from there and before we knew it over an hour had already gone by! We had an incredible day and I would HIGHLY recommend using Bryan if you plan to visit Maui! read more

Excellent !!!!! Laura was our guide, so glad we had her with our 8 year old twin boys. She has traveled the world, she has taught English in different countries and she kept our boys fascinated with all the facts and interesting anecdotes about Maui and all the islands. She swam with the boys and my husband she jumped off the rocks, she was careful with my family,,,we hiked through a bamboo rain forest very short walk very interesting. She tailored the tour for our family which was excellent. She had a genuine interest in our family. We stopped for the best banana bread I have ever had, aunt sandy's banana bread, she gave us choices for lunch we went to a food truck Brudda Huts, that was out of this world and then stopped for ice cream on my way back. Enough breaks and stops to make a 10 hour trip wonderful and not tiring or boring, she is a wealth of knowledge and kept us all entertained and informed. To Brian the owner of the company we would like to hire her as a nanny (jk) the boys keep asking about her ,,,,they want to go back on the tour. I did not compare prices to other tours, this was a little pricey however it was Tailored to our family of four,,,, I cannot imagine sharing a bus with 12 other people and doing what we did definitely worth the money we spent. Another thing that the owner of the company recommended was that if we did a tour his or any other that we did it early on in the trip because you learn so much about the island and you can apply it to the rest of your vacation. Highly highly recommend this tour with this company. I will try to post photos later read more

My husband and I had a wonderful day on the Road to Hana with our guide Demian. I liked that we got to explore, get wet and try new things. Highlights of the day include: frequent stops and getting out to try the strawberry guava fruits and white ginger flowers on the side of the road; taking a hike through the bamboo forest; swimming in waterfalls; swimming in a cave, eating some banana bread and getting lunch at the Cattle Ranch. I would definitely recommend Maui's private guide to friends; especially if you have not done the road to Hana before. I usually just drive myself on trips like this. However, as a driver I wanted to relax and fully take in the beauty of Maui. I liked that we did the entire route. The landscape is so different at the other end of the road. We chose Maui's private guide over some of the other big tour companies because we wanted to plan our day to what best fit our interests. I felt that our guide was well equipped. At some point during the tour it began to rain and fortunately Demian had plenty of umbrellas packed. Thanks again Demian for an awesome day! read more

We had one thing after another come up that kept postponing our Dive with Bryan, but he accommodated everything that came up and delivered a great scuba experience with a "no worries" attitude. We saw tons of fish, a sea turtle cave that will not disappoint, sharks, and all the beautiful coral we wanted to see. Two thumbs up! Would do again. Side note: Bryan worked with us more than most would on our scheduling and requirements. We probably wouldn't have been able to dive at all if it wasn't for him. His rates are also the best around. Many thanks. read more

We had two wonderful days with Bryan during our recent vacation on Maui. He is extremely knowledgeable, professional, and fun to be with! We really hit the jackpot by finding Bryan. If you don't want to be herded like cattle, but want a relaxed, private tour experience, you can't do better than Bryan Minor, owner of Maui's Private Guide. Bryan will customize your tour so that you do what YOU want to do, see what YOU want to see, stay as long as YOU want to stay-- and call it a day when YOU have had enough. Bryan moved to Maui about 12 years ago and, while not a native, he conveys his love of this "paradise" like someone who,has lived his whole life here and never wants to live anywhere else. We highly recommend Bryan's private tour services to you. He will enhance your trip to Maui and help you make the most of this wonderful experience. read more

When planning my trip to Hawaii, I knew I wanted to go kayaking with the whales, but didn't know where I'd book my tour. I was ridiculously lucky to stumble across Bryan Miner of Maui's Private Guide...thanks to him, I had the experience of a lifetime with the whales off the coast of Maui!! Setting things up via email was super easy; he is very professional and prompt, and totally flexible and easygoing. I was touring all the islands on a cruise and he even came and picked me up from the pier, which was huge. He also put me in touch with his colleague Elizabeth Connell, a fantastic photographer, and between the two of them, they captured our entire day with the whales on film (photo and video!) for an EXTREMELY reasonable price. By the way, Bryan's rates are FANTASTIC, even better than some of the group tours around, and this is for a private guide. I was new to ocean kayaking, but Bryan put me totally at ease; I felt very comfortable on the water with him. He has a great background in safety as well, and gave me added confidence to paddle out with the humpbacks! The day was nothing short of spectacular: we were SURROUNDED by whales, Bryan shared his fave snorkel spots (which we had to ourselves, along with an obliging hawksbill turtle!), and stayed out as long as I wanted...we were on the water for seven hours, wow! It was a incredible day, one that exceeded all my expectations. The best thing about Bryan, however, is his genuine warmth and enthusiasm...he truly loves all things Maui and does everything possible to share its wonders with his clients. I left Maui with an incredible story and new friends. I cannot recommend him highly enough. If you're going to Maui you MUST check out Maui's Private Guide!!! Maggie, Minneapolis MN read more

If you are looking for a private Guide to make your trip to Maui special, Bryan is your guy. He is exceptional. Four of us hired Bryan as a guide for the road to Hana. It was my 50th birthday trip and wanted it to be special..i could not have imagined a better experience. We rented a 4 door jeep and Bryan spent 12 hours chauffeuring us (he is insured) from one hidden gem to another. A few of the many highlights included a climb to a secluded waterfall for a swim, a birthday cliff jump (after some gentle encouragement and support from Bryan) )into the sacred pools, and lunch and music with two Buddhas. A truly Hawaiian experience. Bryan was totally flexible, customizing the day to our sense of adventure (or lack of) and let us dictate the time at each stop....no rigid timetable like the majority of other tour companies. It is a day full of memories that my friends and I still talk about every time we get together. Oh, If you do hire Bryan, and you should, be sure to ask him about Captain Hook...he has literally hours of tales to share. :-) read more

If you are looking to make your vacation to Maui an unforgettable experience, you need to book a tour with Maui's Private Guide! I came from California and took the Road to Hana tour and was just blown away by the experience. Bryan, Wendy and everyone else at MPG are friendly, personable, knowledgeable, and just downright fun. Every stop of the Road to Hana tour is beautiful; the kind of sights you'll only see as postcards on the mainland. You'll also get to learn about the rich history of Maui as you go. Truly the best way to create memories that will last you and your family a lifetime! read more

What an easy reservation to make. Our trip was a wonderful day. It was just perfect thanks to Kellen, he was so knowlegable and was attentive to what we wanted to do. It wasn't a rigid tour; it was tailored to our needs. What a kind soul he is and he made our trip to Hana unforgetable. Ten stars to Kellen! read more