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Maui
From Wikitravel
Contents
The island of Maui is one of the islands of Hawaii, a state of the United States of America. It is the second largest of the eight major islands.
[edit] Cities
- Hana - The town at the end of the Highway to Hana. An isolated community on Maui's eastern tip surrounded by dense rainforests.
- Haiku - Old plantation town, located north shore Maui area.
- Kaanapali - Master-planned luxury resort area located just north of Lahaina.
- Kahului - The commercial and transportation center, with Maui's two largest malls, the main airport and a deep-water port.
- Kapalua - Kapalua showcases championship golf courses, ten miles of pristine shoreline and luxury accommodations.
- Kihei - Condos and beaches on the south-west coast, but cheaper and less luxurious than Kaanapali.
- Kula - Ranches and just to the south is the only winery on Maui, Tedeschi Vineyards.
- Lahaina - Old whaling port and now the main tourist center.
- Makawao - Community in upcountry Maui.
- Paia - Small town with world renowned beaches for windsurfing and surfing.
- Pukalani - Community in upcountry Maui.
- Wailea and Makena - Master-planned resort areas located just south of Kihei.
- Wailuku - Seat of the county government, home to several historic buildings listed on both state and gateway to the Iao Needle.
- Napili - Beach town on the island of Maui, the crescent shaped Napili Bay beach offers calm waters protected by an offshore reef.
[edit] Other destinations
[edit] Talk
See Talk in the Hawaii section.
[edit] Get in
Kahului Airport (IATA: OGG) is the main airport for the island of Maui, and the second largest commercial airport in the state. It is a secondary hub for Hawaiian Airlines, which provides interisland service to Kahului from the other major airports in the state. Several major U.S. airlines also provide non-stop service to Maui from the West Coast and beyond. Kahlului airport can be reached non-stop from Anchorage, Chicago, Dallas, Hana, Hilo, Honolulu, Hoolehua, Kamuela, Kapalua, Lanai City, Lihue, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver [1].
To get to Lahaina and Kaanapali, where most major hotels are located, exit the airport and follow route 380 to its junction with route 30, and turn left on route 30 toward Lahaina. For Kihei and Wailea, follow the above instructions and turn left on route 31 about a mile from the route 380 junction.
When departing from Kahului Airport for the U.S. Mainland, all baggage must be inspected by Hawaii State Department of Agriculture inspectors at the airport. Be advised that fresh fruits (with the exception of pineapples and treated papayas) are prohibited from leaving the islands to prevent the spread of fruit flies. Remember that this inspection occurs before you get to your gate, so you won't be able to enjoy your last fruit while waiting for your departing flight.
There are smaller general aviation airports Kapalua (IATA: HNM) and Hana (IATA: JHM).
[edit] Get around
While Maui has a basic public transportation system [2], many places are not accessible by bus, and most visitors rent a car. Fortunately, renting a car in Hawaii is relatively inexpensive. The resort areas around Kihei, Wailea and Lahaina also have a trolley that connects the towns with nearby shopping and attractions.
[edit] Major highways
- Honoapiilani Highway (Route 30) is the road to Lahaina, Kaanapali, and Kapalua; it runs between West Maui and Wailuku around majestic cliffs and along white sand beaches.
- Hana Highway (Routes 36 and 360), the "road to Hana," traces Maui's north coast from Kahului to the village of Hana on the eastern shore. Winding along steep, forested mountainsides, in many places the road narrows to only a single lane. Although the road to Hana is only 56 miles long, it turns and winds so continuously that the whole journey takes three hours one-way.
- Haleakala Highway (Routes 37, 377, and 378) is the road that leads to Pukalani and Makawao in upcountry Maui and takes you to the summit of Haleakala.
[edit] Lahaina Kaanapali Railroad
Also called the Sugar Cane Train, the Lahaina Kaanapali Railroad is both an attraction and a means to travel (slowly) between the Kaanapali resort area and Lahaina Town. The official Lahaina Kaanapali Railroad[3] web site offers more information as well as discounted tickets.
[edit][add listing] See
Haleakala National Park offers alpine wilderness and stunning views of Maui and beyond (from the summit you can see five of the eight main islands, more than are visible from anywhere else in Hawaii).
Wainapanapa State Park has black sand beach, sea arch, sea caves, a small blowhole to see.
- 'Iao Valley State Park, (Follow 32 all the way to the west). This State Park is very green. You can climb up (view of Ocean, Iao Needle, etc.) or clime down (garden, stream, etc.). Plan 30 minutes or less for this park for it's fairly managable. Free. edit
[edit][add listing] Do
[edit] Mountain biking
[edit] Hiking
Awapuhi Adventures is an eco-adventure company that specializes in private, all-inclusive adventures geared toward ecological awareness and leaving the path-less-traveled, less trampled.
[edit] Road to Hana
Take the road trip on Hwy 36 (Hana Hwy) stopping on the road to see waterfalls, lush greenery and beaches. Some of these are not visible from the road, but most are a relatively short hike off the road. A private arboretum and botanical garden (with an entrance fee) called "Garden of Eden" around the 10-mile marker has peacocks, bamboo gardens and view of Puohokamoa Falls. The round-trip will be difficult to complete in one day, so stay over in Hana to break it into two days. Wainapanapa State Park, 2 miles east of Hana, has cabins to offer. There are other private nicer places to stay, also in and around Hana.
The Road to Hana is something that must be experienced at least once in a lifetime. Keep in mind that some of the locals from Hana make the long commute to work in Kahului each day. If you see a local vehicle approaching from behind, pull over and let them pass. By the same token, locals' familiarity with the route can lead them to cut across corners (even blind corners) swerving back into their lane at the last minute, so take corners slowly and watch for oncoming traffic that may have encroached upon your lane. Also, don't trespass! If you respect the land and the people, you'll find open arms and acceptance.
[edit][add listing] Buy
As one would expect from a tourist mecca like Maui, there are several areas to find good shopping. Also as one would expect, the prices can be quite inflated. ABC Stores can be found all over Maui and the other Hawaian Islands and offer souvenirs and beach junk (such as sunscreen and straw mats) at potentially lower prices than tourist traps. In Lahaina, a good place to "walk the shops", find Old Lahaina Book Emporium. Kaanapali has Whaler's Village Shops and Restaurants, home to lots of stores and restaurants, including plenty of high-end merchandise such as Coach and Tiffany. PAIA is a small artist and aging hippie colony with a reasonable and varied mix of shops and galleries worth your time, as well as restaurants. It is located just past Mama's Fishhouse Restaurant. A nice open air mall can be found in the Wailea luxury area. On the way you can stop by Kihea at one of two flea market type shopping areas.
[edit][add listing] Eat
On the west Maui side you'll find a large collection of restaurants in Lahaina.
[edit][add listing] Drink
[edit][add listing] Sleep
Before choosing an accommodation it is important to make sure which part of the island you want to stay on. Planning activities and sightseeing ahead of time will help to limit driving time during your vacation.
[edit] Get out
To get from Maui to the other Hawaiian Islands usually involves a short plane flight. If you want to go to Honolulu you will find frequent non-stop service. Most other destinations offer a couple of non-stop flights a day or a stop in, you got it, Honolulu.
Ferries run 5 times a day between Lahaina and the island of Lanai. Each way takes approximately 45 minutes, and costs $25 per person per direction. During high winds the boat ride can be particularly rough, so bring something for seasickness if you don't do well on boats. Cruise ships are also an interesting option.
When leaving Maui for the U.S. Mainland, all baggage must be inspected by U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors at the airport. Be advised that fresh fruits (with the exception of pineapples and treated papayas) are prohibited from leaving the islands to prevent the spread of fruit flies. Consult the U.S. Department of Agriculture [4] for more details. Bags are inspected by X-ray. At Kahului Airport, be prepared to submit to three checkpoints on the way to your Mainland flight: having your checked bags X-rayed for agricultural items in the ticket lobby, the TSA security checkpoint, and inspection of your carry-on baggage for agricultural items on the way to your gate.
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