Wildlife Tours at Hyatt Regency Maui

As families stroll through the open-air atrium at Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, it’s not unusual for them to hear a chirpy “I love you” or a whistling rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” Those and other greetings come not from employees, but from dazzling birds such as cockatoos, macaws and parrots.

For a closer look at these colorful avian residents, parents and kids can join Hyatt Maui’s ongoing wildlife tours. During the free, one-hour walkabouts, guides share fun facts about the hotel’s 50 feathered friends, who chatter, trill and delight visitors of all ages.

The first stop is a habitat for seven African black-footed penguins — with names such as Oreo, Mai and Tai — who honk and bray as trainers toss them fish. The warm-climate creatures are thriving at the property, which has successfully reproduced and reared six of the live-in waddlers.

The tour meanders past perches with exotic birds, each with its own personality. There’s Sampson, the Moluccan cockatoo who barks like a dog. Luna, the yellow-headed Amazon parrot, sounds remarkably human, and an African gray parrot called R2D2 bobs and sways to songs by Rihanna. The overwhelming crowd favorite is Madison, an umbrella cockatoo who poses for photos on people’s arms, shoulders and heads.

Next, the tour goes outside to the resort’s lavish gardens, where guides help youngsters feed mallards, Muscovy ducks and Australian shelducks. Guests may also spot graceful swans gliding and stretching; African crowned cranes sporting a regal stance; and flamingos dotting the landscape, pretty in pink. It’s like going to a zoo, but without leaving the hotel.

Offered every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 10 a.m., the wildlife tour is one of many ways that Hyatt Maui caters to traveling families.

The resort also features connecting rooms that provide plenty of space for multiple generations, and its lagoon-style pool boasts a 150-foot-long waterslide. At the nightly luau, children are invited onstage to dance the hula, while the innovative kids’ club explores island games, culture, geography and wildlife, naturally.

The Details
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa
maui.regency.hyatt.com