Maui |
Maui, named for a Polynesian god, is as close to paradise as it is possible to get. Originally six different volcanoes created a single landmass that, over the millennia, separated to become the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe. All remain administratively linked today as Maui County. Maui is the second largest of the populated Hawaiian islands (after Hawaii Island/Big Island itself), and also boasts the second largest population in the state. Its two main features are the Haleakala crater (the name means 'house of the sun'), which is the largest dormant volcano in the world, and the underwater valleys that connect Maui with its sister islands in the surrounding ocean, providing shelter for an abundance of marine life.
The island's main business centre is the town of Kahului/Wailuku, while the major resort area is in the west and concentrated in Ka'anapali and the historic whaling town of Lahaina. In south Maui is another busy resort district around the town of Wailea. Maui's tropical north shore is quieter without large hotels, only bed and breakfast establishments providing a quiet, relaxing break. The island offers several points of cultural and natural interest worth exploring, over and above its beautiful beaches and underwater wonderland.
Attractions
Baldwin Home Museum
One of Lahaina's best preserved 19th-century landmarks, the house in Front Street built by Rev. Dwight Baldwin in 1834, stands now as the oldest house in Maui. Baldwin was a missionary who started a farm on the island and was responsible for growing the first plantations of Hawaii's indigenous pineapples, the fruit that is now enjoyed worldwide. Baldwin's home gives an insight into island life in the missionary era. Alongside is the Master's Reading Room, another of Maui's oldest buildings, which used to be frequented by visiting sea captains when missionaries closed down seafront bars in the early 19th century. The building is now occupied by the Lahaina Restoration Foundation, which issues maps and guides for visitors wishing to take a walking tour around Lahaina's historic attractions.
Address: Front and Dickenson Streets, Lahaina; Telephone: (808) 661 3262; Website: www.lahainarestoration.org/baldwin.html; Opening time: Daily 10am to 4.30pm; Admission: $3 (adults), children free
Enchanting Floral Gardens of Kula
Maui's beautiful botanic gardens cover eight acres on the slopes of Haleakala volcano at an elevation of 2,500 feet (800m). The gardens contain more than 1,500 species of tropical and semi-tropical plants, most of them flowering, from around the world, including proteas, orchids, hibiscus and jade vines. Banks of aromatic flowers cover the gardenscape, interspersed with lush tropical fruit trees.
Address: Highway 37; Telephone: (808) 878 2531; Website: www.flowersofmaui.com; Opening time: Daily 9am to 5pm
Haleakala National Park
The Haleakala National Park extends from the summit of the volcano, down into the crater, then across the volcano's southeast slopes to Maui's east coast, beyond the town of Hana. The main reason for the park being visited by nearly one and a half million people a year, is the attraction of peering down into the crater of what is the world's largest dormant volcano. Haleakala last erupted in 1790, and has been deadly quiet ever since, although it is not considered to be inactive. The massive crater covers 19 square miles (49 sq km): big enough to hold the whole of Manhattan. Hawaiians regard the crater as a sacred site. It is possible to drive to the summit along a twisting road that climbs 10,000 feet (3,000m) in just 37 miles (60km); visitors can also explore the desolate landscape inside the crater on hiking or biking trails. There are numerous other opportunities for recreational activities in the National Park too. The Park's headquarters just inside the park entrance provides information of activities and programmes offered. The Haleakala Visitor Centre near the summit of the volcano explains, via exhibits, the history, ecology, geology and volcanology of the area.
Telephone: (808) 572 4400; Website: www.nps.gov/hale; Opening time: Headquarters Visitor Center: daily 8am to 4pm; Haleakala Visitor Center: daily from 6.30am to 3.30pm; Kipahulu Visitor Center: daily 9am to 5pm; Admission: The admission fees of $10 per vehicle or $5 per individual, valid for seven days, provides access to both the Summit and Kipahulu areas of the park
Hana Highway
No visit to Maui is complete without hitting the highway - the Hana Highway, that is, that runs for about 50 miles (81km) between Kailua and Hana on the northeastern coast of the island. This hair-raising but incredibly scenic coastal drive was built in 1927 by gangs of convicts. It twists and turns its way along the coastal cliffs, containing 56 bridges and 600 hairpin bends. The route winds through numerous lush valleys lined with dozens of waterfalls, dense rainforest, bamboo thickets, fern groves and tulip trees. Visitors need at least a day to traverse the route, stopping to enjoy a dip in mountain pools or exploring off-shooting hiking trails, many of which lead to historic sites, like the little 19th century church built of lava and coral in the village of Keanae. There are two national parks on the route, some lava caves, blowholes, temple ruins and of course unsurpassed views.
Maui Ocean Centre
The Maui Ocean Centre is an unrivalled aquatic experience and the largest tropical reef aquarium in the Western Hemisphere. The Centre is located in oceanfront Ma'alaea Village off the Honoapiilani Highway, within minutes of all major resort areas. It consists of indoor and outdoor displays allowing visitors to see, touch and explore Hawaii's unique marine environment. The walk-through aquarium contains thousands of fish showcased in more than 60 interactive habitat exhibits.
Address: 192 Ma’alaea Road, Wailuku; Telephone: (808) 270 7000; E-mail: info@mauioceancenter.com; Website: www.mauioceancenter.com; Opening time: Daily 9am to 5pm, and until 6pm in July and August; Admission: $24 (adults), $17 (children 3-12)
Whalers Village Museum
The whaling museum in the heart of Maui’s commercial centre, Lahaina, documents the sleepy port city’s evolution into a whaling boomtown in the middle of the 19th century, combining exhibits and educational displays. The Whaler’s Village Museum is home to an impressive collection of whaling memorabilia including harpoons, sea chests and a re-creation of the crew’s quarters on a typical whaling boat between 1825 and 1860, when men spent months afloat in a harsh environment chasing their massive quarry. The centre also shows films about whales and whaling history throughout the day.
Address: Whalers Village Shopping Centre, 2435 Ka’anapali Parkway; Telephone: (808) 661 5992; Website: www.whalersvillage.com; Opening time: Daily 9am to 10pm; Admission: Free