Go Visit Hawaii continues to celebrate the 3 Hawaiian Islands that were listed as Travel + Leisure’s 2006 edition of the Best Islands in the world with our own island mini-guide for Maui.
Say Aloha to Maui
The Weather:
In general, there are two seasons in Maui, summer and winter. The summer months (April – October) tend to be drier and warmer where the daily average highs are in the mid to upper 80’s. The winter months (November – March) tend to get more rainfall and are a bit cooler with daily average highs in the lower 80’s.
Terrain, Geography and Highlights:
In west Maui you will find some of the best resort towns and areas. Lahaina is a historic town with lots of shops and restaurants. Just to the north of Lahaina is Kaanapali with its award winning beach and several top notch resorts and golf courses. Continuing north, you will find the beautiful resort area of Kapalua that plays host to the Mercedes Championship golf tournament in January each year. The D.T. Flemming Beach in Kapalua has frequently been selected as one of the most beautiful beaches in America. The Kapalua area is also surrounded by a pineapple plantation.
The south coast of Maui tends to be a little drier than the northwestern part of the island. There are some wonderful resort towns including Maalaea, Kihei, Wailea, and Makena, with Wailea being the most popular with its great golfing and swank resorts and spas.
A trip up to the summit Haleakala (10,023 feet above sea level) is well worth your time, particularly, if you can get there to watch the sunrise. On your way to and from them summit, you will pass through the beautiful ranching area called Maui’s Upcountry.
East Maui is famous for the Road to Hana that is filled with panoramic view, waterfalls, jaw dropping scenery and its many twists, turns and bridges. No trip to Maui is complete without it.
The county seat, Wailuku, is in the center of Maui. It is a historic town and has some nice shops for antiques. Just west of Wailuku is the spectacular Iao Valley which houses the incredible Iao Needle which is a 1200 foot tall thin green mountain.
Where to stay?
Our favorite area to stay is in Kapalua. The beaches there are just gorgeous. The Plantation House serves some of the best food on the island. If possible, plan to stay a night in Hana for relaxation and pampering, as well.
What kind of activities can you do other than sight seeing?
– Maui is an excellent island for whale watching and the ideal time is from January through April.
– Snorkeling and diving around Maui is fantastic. A half day catamaran cruise out to Molokini is a trip worth doing.
– Surfing
– Windsurfing on at Hookipa on Maui’s north shore is world renown. Even if you don’t windsurf it is fun to watch the world’s best windsurfers here.
– Hiking
– Fishing
– Biking
– Golf at some of the worlds top golf courses
– Horseback riding
– Kayaking
– Stargazing – our advice is to get up to the top of Haleakala at about 5:00am and see the stars before the majestic sunrise.
– Helicopter tour
– Pamper in a spa. Maui has several top rated spas. The Spa Grande at the Grand Wailea is our favorite.
Sheila Beal
