West Maui beckons travelers year-round with its serene beaches, lush landscapes and relaxing ambience. There are abundant opportunities to refocus your physical, mental and spiritual health — beyond taking a break from everyday stress — and plan a rejuvenating vacation on this enchanting Hawaiian island.
Here are six simple and stress-free ways to add a bit of wellness to your West Maui getaway
Body
1. Soak Up Some Vitamin D
Our bodies need vitamin D to absorb calcium properly, which in turn maintains bone health and reduces the risk of fractures and bone diseases like osteoporosis. Luckily, our bodies can produce vitamin D, with a little help from the sun.
Sun exposure for five to 30 minutes a day is all that is needed for our bodies to absorb UVB rays and turn them into vitamin D. Just be sure to apply sunscreen if you’ll be outside for much longer.
Sunshine also stimulates the brain to produce serotonin, which helps regulate mood and creates melatonin, a hormone that helps you sleep at night.
While Hawaii is known for its tropical weather, the mountains in West Maui protect the coast from rain-bearing trade winds. This means that places like Ka’anapali Beach are drier and sunnier than other places on the island. Cloud cover comes in as the day wanes, so plan to fit in your sun-soaking earlier in the day.
2. Get Your Heart Pumping
We all know that exercise is one of the pillars of healthy living. Physical activity reduces stress, improves sleep, produces endorphins and lowers the risk of health concerns like high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.
Maui offers endless opportunities to move your body, from a relaxing beach stroll to a hike through Haleakala National Park.
If you prefer to stick to aquatic adventures, water-based exercise offers a chance to cool off and a few added benefits. Swimming, surfing and water aerobics are gentler on joints — especially for individuals with arthritis — burn more calories and work more muscles than a similar workout on land.
Mind
3. Take A Spa Day
Spas offer a variety of treatments aimed at helping you relax and unwind. While there are physical benefits to massages and skin facials, the top mental benefit is relaxation. Relaxation is a great way to manage and reduce stress, improve your mood and boost your energy.
Venture to one of Maui’s local spas, or DIY a custom spa experience from your Suite for a fraction of the cost.
4. Disconnect From Electronics
For some people, it’s hard to imagine taking time away from tech, even on vacation. We rely on smartphones for navigation, online bookings and communication with loved ones. However, unplugging from your phone for a few hours can help you feel more present on vacation — and not on the endless stream of emails and social media feeds.
Disconnecting before bedtime is also crucial to improved sleep. Put away your devices a few hours before bed and instead opt to read, take a bath, stretch, color or work on a puzzle.
Spirit
5. Practice Mindfulness
Feeling present can be tricky, even when you’re in paradise. It’s easy for our minds to start wandering in circles about work and daily stress. Mindfulness is a long-time practice that helps you focus on the present moment and redirect stressful thoughts.
Find some quiet space outside, such as on the beach or your Suite’s balcony, and go through some mindfulness exercises. Pay attention to your five senses — sight, sound, touch, smell and taste — during your morning coffee or midday meal rather than scrolling on your phone. Spend a few moments focusing on your breathing. You can do this while sitting, lying on your back or even walking. Bring a notebook and pen with you and try journaling, which helps people cope with negative emotions, manage anxiety and practice positive self-talk.
6. Volunteer
Finally, volunteering helps the community and your well-being. Dedicating your time to helping others allows you to disconnect from your concerns and build new relationships with other people. Volunteering can also provide meaning and purpose to your day, which can have a stress-reducing effect.
People in Lahaina are still rebuilding after wildfires swept through the community in 2023. Staying in West Maui offers an opportunity to give back during your getaway.
Help wash and prepare food for those affected by the wildfires with the Common Ground Collective.
Sort and organize donations for the Pacific Birth Collective, which serves pregnant and postpartum families.
Work in vegetable gardens for Hungry Heroes Hawaii, providing food for those in need.
Prepare and deliver food with World Central Kitchen.
Volunteer with Malama Maui Nui for other disaster relief efforts.
Where To Stay In Maui
Start your wellness getaway at Hilton Vacation Club Ka’anapali Beach. Enjoy the property’s beachside location, spacious Suites to spread out in and amenities like a hot tub and outdoor heated pool to maximize your relaxation.
Read “Can A Vacation Save Your Life? Here Are 6 Ways To Enjoy A Truly Rejuvenating Getaway” for more tips to make the most of your time off.