RESERVATIONSWe get it—when you come to Maui, you want to visit and explore every inch of the Valley Isle you can reach while you’re here. You’ll find plenty of Maui safety tips to keep you safe during your stay. But just like recommendations for places to go, there are also some unsafe spots in Maui where you should not.
Two important Maui safety tips: know where you’re going, and don’t leave any valuables lying around or in your rental car. Crime is in every American city, and the Valley Isle is no exception.
The Lahaina Disaster Area
The Lahaina area is currently closed to the public indefinitely, but the rest of Maui is open and ready for you to visit. Please do not try to visit the affected areas in West Maui, take pictures of the damaged areas, or take selfies with any Lahaina signs. In addition to being one of the unsafe spots in Maui, it’s also still closed to visitors.
Also: if you meet someone from Lahaina, don’t ask them about their experience. Many people aren’t comfortable discussing the trauma they faced. They may have lost their home, their belongings, and maybe one or more family members. Please come with the spirit of aloha.
Private Property
Another of our Maui safety tips is to avoid going on private property, too close to their home or ohana, a commercial property that’s off-limits to the public such as a warehouse, or anywhere else that’s not a publicly designated area.
Most are designated with signs that say “no trespassing” or “private property.” Some Maui residents have made more of a statement with their signs. Whatever type of sign you encounter, understand that these signs are intended to warn you of dangers and are for your protection.
Trespassing Laws
Even though trespassing is a minor charge, you can still leave here with a criminal record. Knowingly stepping on someone’s land, or worse, inside their home where you are not welcome, is a criminal charge.
Should you go somewhere you shouldn’t, you can be arrested and spend a night in jail. You will also be required to appear in court. Learn where to go and where not to go, and keep a lookout for signs warning you of unsafe spots in Maui and other no-go areas.
Rescue Services
If you fall while going somewhere you should not be, should emergency services come and save you? What about if a Good Samaritan defies a “No Trespassing” sign to help you?
Add this to your list of Maui safety tips. The State of Hawaii is tired of rescuing people who deliberately find unsafe spots in Maui for selfies so they can get that great shot. Therefore, hikers and other visitors who intentionally go where they should not may be charged for the costs of their rescues.
One of those places is the Hai’ku Stairs in Honolulu, also called “Stairway to Heaven.” While the state is preparing to remove this structure, people are still trespassing in violation of local laws. This WWII-era structure is not maintained, and many have been injured.
Maui and the entire Aloha State deal with their emergency services that are inundated with visitor rescues. An air rescue can cost the state as much as $47K, so the state is interested in recouping some of those losses. New Hampshire and several other states bill for rescue services.
The two bills proposed this year addressing financial reimbursement in the Hawaii legislature did not pass. But lawmakers will continue to work to pass this legislation in the future.
Initially, the bills would have addressed reimbursement from wayward hikers. Eventually, all travelers who trespass and go where they should not would eventually receive bills for their rescues.
Hana Kai Maui For Your Maui Getaway
When it’s time for you to visit Maui, call us to book your next reservations at 1-800-346-2772 or book directly online. We’re open 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Hawaii time to answer all your questions. Get in touch today to begin reserving your visit to Hana Kai Maui.
