Activities on Maui in December
There are plenty of activities on Maui in December. First of all, mid-December marks the beginning of the annual humpback whale watching season. Because of this, the whales can be seen off the shores of our beautiful Ma’alaea Surf Resort. Officially, the peak whale watching months are January, February and March. There are many ways to view the whales. For starters, a whale watching cruise is probably the most popular way to view these wonderful creatures. For the more adventurous, another option would include a kayaking whale watching excursion. Lastly, the views from our oceanfront and beachfront Kihei Maui condo’s aren’t bad either!
Calendar Events
Holiday Activities
One of our island favorite activities on Maui in December is the annual lighting of the Banyan Tree in Lahaina. The official kick off to this Christmas activity occurs at 6:30 on December 1st. This 150 year old tree is truly spectacular when decked out in it’s Christmas attire. If you are on island during December, you should definitely not miss this event! The tree will remain lit for the entire holiday season which ends January 1, 2019.
From November 23rd to December 31st you can climb aboard the Sugar Cane Train Holiday Express! When you do you will enjoy the festive decorations and fresh baked cookies. Also, Santa will passes out free toys. This is located in Ka’anapali at the Pu’ukoli’I Station. These trains run nightly from 6:30 – 8:00 pm.
For shopping, the Hui Holidays is open daily through December 24th. This event is located in the Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center in Makawao. It features local art and jewelry.
Arts and Cultural Events
The Maui Arts & Cultural Center
To find activities on Maui, the Maui Arts & Cultural Center is always a good resource to check out for events and performances.
On December 11th the Maui Cultural Center will host the Na Mele O Maui. This event will feature our Maui’s youth, and first started back in 1972. It is Maui’s only county wide Hawaiin song and art competition dedicated to Hawaiian cultural preservation.
Called “the new princess of Nubian pop”, on December 13th the Alsarah & Nubatones hit the stage with their version of Nubian inspired music. Alsarah and her amazing voice blends East African music with Arabic sounds. She describes this special sound as “East African Retro-pop”.
On December 14th the trio Island Breeze performs their brand of music. This popular world class trio blends Hawaiian and Japanese instruments in a creative and exciting style.
From December 16th and running through February 15th 2019 there will be an art exhibit displayed. Local artists will feature their two and three dimensional art. This art will explores our islands most popular sport, surfing.
The Maui Film Festival, FirstLight will run December 21st and 22nd . Enjoy four different and varied films. This event will take place in the Castle Theater located at 1 Cameron Way, Kahului, HI.
Award-winning singer, songwriter, Steven Tyler will be performing on December 27 2018 at 7:00 pm along with The Loving Mary Band. This performance will be held at the A& B Amphitheater with parking at the MACC lot.
The Iao Theather “A Classic Christmas”
A Classical Christmas is one special holiday concert you won’t want to miss. It is held Saturday December 16th and Sunday the 17th at the Iao Theater in Wailuku. The cost is $25.00. The Maui Chamber Orchestra will feature classic holiday favorites.
Weekly Events
Friday
If it’s Friday, there is a party somewhere! Every Friday, there’s a town party sponsored by Maui County. The party rotates to a different town each Friday evening. These events are great fun for both visitors and residents alike. They feature local food, entertainment, live music and shopping from local vendors.
First Friday – Wailuku Town Party (Central Maui)
Second Friday – Lahaina Town Party (West Maui)
Third Friday – Makawao Town Party (Upcountry)
Fourth Friday – Kihei Town Party (South Maui)
Saturday
OK so it’s Saturday! Check out the Maui Swap Meet located in Kahului at the UH Maui College. It’s free, has over 200 vendors, and features handmade crafts, jewelry, artwork and much more. This is a great place to pick up stocking stuffers.
Weather in December
In December, Maui enjoys some of the nicest weather anywhere in the United States. While we could see some snow on the Haleakala summit, down at sea level the average daily temperature is in the low 80’s. At night the temperature will dip into the mid 60’s. In December there is often a bit more wind than other months and December is typically the wettest month. Most of the rain falls on the North side of the island, so it rarely reaches our Kihei resort location on Sugar Beach. In short, the weather is perfect for activities on Maui!. The Maalaea Surf Resort is known as the Palm Springs of Maui due to it’s reliable sunny weather.
