Important: Wikitravel is exploring a license upgrade to CC by-sa 3.0, please give your consent or refusal here.

From Wikitravel

Beautiful Maui!.

Lahaina is a town on the western end of the island of Maui, Hawaii that abounds with restaurants, night clubs, and souvenir shops. Because the western end of Maui is a popular vacation destination, tourism is important to Lahaina. Most tourists, however, eschew Lahaina during the day, choosing instead the beaches of Kaanapali; but life in Lahaina after sunset is quite active.

[edit] Get in

Most visitors arrive on Maui by plane via Kahului airport (OGG). The vast majority rents a car there and drives to various Maui destinations, including Lahaina. The Honoapiilani Highway (route 30) is a very picturesque drive along the shore which gets you directly to Lahaina. The drive from the airport is about 40 minutes, though the road may get congested sometimes.

Some people fly to West Maui airport, which is closer to Lahaina (about 15-20 minutes drive).

[edit] By boat

Cruise ships sometimes anchor near Lahaina and passengers get tendered to shore.

[edit] Get around

Front Street.

Lahaina is very compact, and easily explored on foot. If driving, it is advisable to park one's car and walk. There are a couple of free parking locations, but most charge a nominal fee. In some places, stores can validate your parking ticket. Front Street is the main thoroughfare of Lahaina, where most popular places are located.

[edit][add listing] See

Lahaina is not known as a sightseeing destination, and instead is focused mainly on food, souvenirs, and night life. In the course of those activities, however, there are a couple of attractions worthy of attention:

• PGA Tour's Mercedes-Benz Championship. The Plantation Course at Kapalua hosts the golf tournament every January.  edit

• Vic-Maui Yacht Race. The longest offshore sailboat race on the West Coast which starts in Victoria, BC, Canada and ends in Lahaina.  edit

Famous Banyan Tree.

• Banyan Tree. Considered the center of the city, this huge tree occupies an entire city block. There are a couple of historic places around as well.  edit

• Carthaginian 2, Lahaina Small Boat Harbor, Lahaina, HI 96761, ☎ 1 808 661 3262. 10AM-4:15PM daily. A replica of a whaling ship. Great to look at, especially at sunset. Kids will especially enjoy it. Fee.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

Lahaina Free Hula Show.

• Old Lahaina Luau [1]. Widely respected as the best and most authentic Hawaiian luau in the Pacific, the Old Lahaina Luau is a feast for the eyes and stomach. Enjoy fire dancing, hula, tasty drinks and a large assortment of tropical dishes.

• [2]. Take a cruise. Various boats can take you on dinner cruises, whale watching cruises, fishing rides, or to the island of Lanai. Look for good deals but beware of the "too good to be true" offers, they probably are. Note that during the whale season you'll see whales no matter where you go so getting a separate whale watching cruise may not be necessary. On the other hand, they are usually cheap.

• Sugar Cane Train, 975 Limahana Pl. Suite #203,Lahaina, Maui, HI 96761, ☎ (808) 667-6851 or 1-800-499-2307, [3]. 10AM-5PM. Officially known as Lahaina Kaanapali Railroad, this is the only train in the whole of Hawaii. It shuttles between Lahaina and Kaanapali. If you choose, you can take a dinner train. $21 adults roundtrip, $15 children 3-12.  edit

Sugar Cane Train.

• Take a stroll down the Front Street, along the shore. Watch people, enjoy the weather, simply relax.

• Halloween in Lahaina [4]. Lahaina is home to one of the wildest Halloween parties on the islands. 25-35,000 costumed participants fill the streets each year to enjoy the jovial festivities. Some of the more elaborate costumes have taken over a year to make, which adds to the complexity of the colorful scene.

[edit][add listing] Buy

Lahaina is a tourist town so you will find many stores selling souvenirs, cruises, activities, art, Hawaiian trinkets, etc.

• Old Lahaina Book Emporium, Address/Phone: (834 Front Steet)/(808/661-1399) A fantastic book store chockablock with used books in stacks, shelves, counters, and aisles; a bookstore lover's dream. More than 25,000 quality used books are lovingly housed in this shop, where owner JoAnn Carroll (and sometimes Ann) treats books and customers well. The store is 95% used books and 100% delight. Specialties include Hawaiiana, fiction, mystery, sci-fi, and military history, with substantial selections in cookbooks, children's books, and philosophy/religion. You could pay as little as $2 for a quality read, or a whole lot more for that rare first edition. Books on tape, videos, the classics, and old guitar magazines are among the treasures of this two-story emporium.

• ABC Stores [5]. They are all over Hawaii, and you will find a couple of them in Lahaina.

• Lahaina Cannery Mall, ☎ (808) 661-5304 (info@lahainacannerymall.com), [6]. On the northern side of town, this is a fully enclosed air-conditioned mall that can provide a nice respite from the sun. Other than that, your regular mall with some Hawaiian specific stores Free parking.  edit

• If you're staying for a while, there is a supermarket in Lahaina, and Costco, Wal-Mart and other big stores in Kahului.

[edit][add listing] Eat

There is no shortage of places to eat, despite the small size of the city. Here are just some options:

• Aloha Mixed Plate, 661-3322. 1285 Front Street, [7]. Beach view from a tiki-torch laden deck and very reasonable (on the beach in Lahaina next to the Old Lahaina Luau behind the Lahaina Cannery Mall (apparently owned by and supplied by the same kitchen as the Old Lahaina Luau). Authentic unprententious Hawaiian Cuisine -- service and quality very good for the price (dinner is about $7-$15 per person, the Panko-Breaded Haupia Hawaiian dessert with passionfruit sauce is very good).

• Bubba Gump, 661-3111. A theme restaurant based upon its namesake, "Forrest Gump", this restaurant is fun for the whole family (especially if you like shrimp), and a lot cheaper than some other Lahaina restaurants. Right on the ocean in Lahaina.

• Cheeseburger in Paradise, 811 Front Street Lahaina, Maui, ☎ (808) 661-4855. A very popular place with tourists. Lines can be long. Food is average, but a great party atmosphere and live music.  edit

• Chez Paul, a few miles south of Lahaina, +1 808 661-3848, [8]. An excellent provincial French restaurant. It doesn't look like much from the outside but it is first class by almost any standard and a breath of fresh (traditional) air when compared to the upscale mainland chains that seem to be popping up all over Maui. The combination of a fresh seafood with lucious sauces is irresistable. Be prepared for a great evening with a substantial bill at the end.

• David Paul's, 667-5117. No view, and very expensive. a block from the ocean in Lahaina. But the food and service are outstanding.

• Io, 661-8422. Next door to PacificO (same owners) in the 505 shopping center. Great beachfront views and wonderful innovative food, including unusual vegetarian presentations.

• Kimo's, 845 Front Street, ☎ (808) 661-4811. A Lahaina classic for decades, Kimo's is on the ocean side of Front Street in the middle of town. Make reservations for dinner if you don't want a long wait.  edit

• Lahaina Coolers, 180 Dickenson, ☎ (808)661-7082. A couple blocks off of Front Street but worth searching out for reasonably priced delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner, indoors or out.  edit

• Lahaina Fish Company, 831 Front Street, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, ☎ (808) 661-3472, [9]. Sunset views are magnificient from this cozy restaurant; if a couple comes before sunset, they would even sit you next to one another so that you both can enjoy. the food is delicious too.  edit

• Lahaina Store Grille & Oyster Bar, 661-9090. There are several restaurants with ocean views in Lahaina, but this restaurant on a rooftop is the only one that gives you a 360-degree view of both the ocean and the mountains. Food is good but service is slow. If the weather isn't indicating a rooftop experience, the downstairs dining area is covered, offers a great view, and has a slightly more casual menu with appropriately lower prices.

• Moose McGillycuddy's, 844 Front Street, Lahaina, Hawaii 96761, ☎ (808) 667-7758, [10]. Don't let the long name scare you. It's a great place for family eating as well as for after hours fun. Early bird breakfast can be had for $1.99, but generally prices for dinner servings are between $10 and $20. Get seating by the open balcony that overlooks Front Street. $.  edit

• The Old Lahaina Luau, [11]. Regarded as the best and most authentic luau on Maui. The food is amazing and the entertainment is both colorful & visual. The cost is steep (about $100 per person) and reservations suggested.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Most of the aforementioned reastaurants have great bars. Places like Moose McGillycuddy's and Cheeseburger in Paradise become night clubs after hours. Hard Rock Cafe is on the Front Street. Those are just a few choices.

• Aloha Mixed Plate, 1285 Front Street, Lahaina, HI 96761, [12]. Fantastic food with reasonable prices and good service. Try one of their 'mixed plate' meals - they're so good, you'll go back again and again - we did, ate there 3 times in a week!  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Surfing in Lahaina.

As beaches in Lahaina are not that great, most people prefer to stay in other places on Maui, such as Kaanapali which is only 10-15 minutes away.

• Garden Gate Bed and Breakfast, 67 Kaniau Road, Lahaina, Maui, HI 96761, ☎ 1-800-661-8800, [13]. Elegant Affordable Hawaiian Luxury Lahaina Bed & Breakfast Ocean View Rooms with Private Decks.  edit

• Hyatt Regency Maui, 200 Kohea Kai Drive, ☎ 808-661-1234, [14]. Surrounded by 40 lush, beachfront acres with plenty to do. Frolic in the water playground, pamper yourself at the spa, play championship golf and tennis, scuba dive, or ride the waves.  edit

• Kahana Sunset, 4909 Lower Honoapiilani Hwy, Lahaina, Maui, HI 96761, ☎ 1-800-669-1488, [15]. Maui's premier vacation condo rentals set on a secluded white sand beach and surrounded by a tropical garden setting.  edit

• Lahaina Boarding House (Lahaina Hostel), 446 Hauola Pl. Lahaina, Hi. (2 blks up from Hwy- 5 blks to ocean), ☎ +1-808-661-8285 (jasmin@maui.net), [16]. checkin: open; checkout: open. Lahaina Boarding House. Rooms available to single adults on a nightly, weekly or monthly basis. Fully furnished, including TV and WiFi. The house is located 2 blocks from the hwy, 5 blocks from Front St. It is close to stores, beaches, and the public bus system. Room rates are 40.00 per night…240.00 per week…600.00 per month.  edit

• Lahaina Shores Beach Resort, 180 Dickenson Street, Lahaina, Maui, HI 96761, ☎ 1-800-642-6284. The only hotel in Lahaina that is right on the beach (good for sunbathing, not so good for swimming because of all the corals), it's minutes away from the city center, right next to 505 Front Street shopping center. Offers condos with full kitchens.  edit

• The Mauian on Napili Bay, 5441 Lower Honoapiilani Road, ☎ 808-669-6205, [17]. Newly remodeled, 44-unit Napili Bay beachfront lodging. Most rooms have a fully-equipped kitchen and are stylishly furnished. Rooms without kitchens have mini-refrigerator, coffee maker, and microwave oven. All have private lanai and Tempur-Pedic beds. Minutes from airport, Kaanapali and Lahaina.  edit

• Old Lahaina House, 407 Ilikahi St. Lahaina HI 96761, ☎ 1-800-847-0761, [18]. Laid-back romantics, this is the home for you. Short walk to the sandy beach and the Historic Lahaina Town! From $89.  edit

• Outrigger Aina Nalu, [19] address=" 660 Wainee Street, Lahaina, Maui, Hi 96761" phone=" 866-253-9743". Newly remodeled condos in the heart of Lahaina. Enjoy the garden atmosphere in a residential community.

[edit] Get out