Haleakala sunrise and jetlag

Question

We would love to take advantage of one of the Haleakala tours to see the sunrise but are unsure of the timing. We'll fly into Maui midafternoon (let's say 2 p.m.) which would be 8 p.m, our time. We're staying in Lahaina, so our pick-up might be very early. On what day might we be ready to get up at 2:00 a.m. for this excusrion?

Answer

Seeing the sunrise at Haleakala is a breathtaking experience, but it can definitely be challenging to adjust to the timing, especially when you're coming from a different time zone. Since you'll be flying into Maui in the afternoon, and given the 2:00 a.m. pick-up time for the sunrise tours, here's how you can plan for this:

When you fly in at 2:00 p.m. Maui time (which is 8:00 p.m. your time), you’ll have the rest of the day to acclimate to the time zone, but you’ll likely feel jetlagged. To make the early morning excursion more manageable, it’s a good idea to give yourself at least one full day to adjust to the time difference before committing to a 2:00 a.m. wake-up.

For example, if you arrive on a Thursday afternoon, it would be best to aim for the sunrise tour on Friday or Saturday morning, depending on how you’re feeling. You could rest and relax that first evening and go to bed early enough that you get some rest before the early wake-up call.

If you arrive Thursday afternoon, try to book your tour for Friday morning. After a relaxing evening, you can rest and wake up early enough for the 2:00 a.m. pick-up.
If you feel you need a bit more time to adjust to the time zone, you might opt to do the sunrise tour on Saturday morning. This would give you an extra day to acclimate.

To help with the transition, you could also try taking a nap in the late afternoon on your first day to minimize jetlag symptoms, but avoid a long nap that might disrupt your ability to sleep early on your first night. Remember that the drive to Haleakala is about 2 hours from Lahaina, so your pick-up will be very early (likely between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m.).

Whichever day you choose, it’s important to plan on a very early night of rest to ensure you’re able to enjoy the sunrise experience to the fullest. If you’re feeling particularly exhausted after the long flight, it may be best to schedule the tour for the second day, giving you a chance to adjust properly.