Banks: 08:00 to 15:00, Monday to Thursday; 08:00 to 18:00, Fridays; some open Saturday mornings
Post Offices: 08:00 to 15:00, Monday to Friday
Government Offices: 08:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday
Business Centres: 08:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday
Shops: 09:00 to 18:00, daily; some larger stores stay open until 21:00 or 22:00

Maui is a safe destination at which to take a holiday and is largely free of the violent crime that plagues some mainland North American cities. Petty crime exists to some extent, but visitors can reduce their risk of being targeted by ensuring that their cash and valuable personal effects are kept securely about their person while they are out and about.

The only other potential danger to tourists is the roads, some of which are deemed unsuitable for hire cars and others that need to be driven with extreme caution on account of their often severe slopes, twists and turns.

120V, 60Hz; flat two-pin plugs are standard

Maui offers little in the way of risks to health although holidaymakers taking part in water sports or other outdoor activities expose themselves to a degree of danger. There are no vaccinations required for visiting the island and no water borne diseases present. Standards of hygiene are high in the preparation of food and drink in public establishments.

Hospitals on Maui provide excellent medical care to those visitors unfortunate enough to require it. However, fees are expensive so holiday insurance with medical cover is a necessity for all holiday makers to the island.

Maui Memorial Medical Center: +1 808 244 9056
Emergency services: 15

Both Hawaiian and English are classed as official languages in the state of Hawaii although the latter is more commonly spoken these days. On Maui, some residents speak Hawaiian Creole English, a pidgin form of regular English that can sometimes be difficult for the unaccustomed ear to understand.

Maui uses the US dollar as its official currency, with US$1 equal to 100 cents.

Non-US citizens over the age of 21 are permitted to bring a single litre of alcoholic beverage into the country and 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or two kilograms of loose tobacco. Gifts and other items up to the value of US$100 are exempt from duty payments.

Hawaii is a US state and although there are native Hawaiians who maintain staunch pride in their heritage, most Hawaiians consider themselves US citizens as much as those living on the mainland so visitors should avoid making any comments that might infer differences between them.

Generally, residents of Maui are easy-going, laid-back characters and this is reflected in all aspects of life from driving to social interactions in shops and restaurants. Visitors are advised to go with the flow and present themselves as politely, courteously and amiably as the locals.

European Union nationals need to fill out a form requesting a visa at least 72 hours before they plan to travel to the US. You may need to show evidence of funds and an onward ticket. Canadians also require a passport to enter the US.

The Maui Visitors Bureau is situated at 1727 Wili Pa Loop, 96793, Wailuku and can be contacted on: +1 808 244 3530.