Touring the Islands - Our concise guides The Islands Oahu Maui Kaanapali Napili/Kapalua Wailea The Big Island Kauai Lanai Molokai Maui... Hotels Activities Restaurants
		Maui This island is the most diverse of the entire chain. East Maui consists of a single, tall dormant volcano named Haleakala. A national park wraps around the huge crater at its summit, which is high enough to receive a cap of snow every few years or so. West Maui, by contrast, is an entirely different mountain, much older and thoroughly eroded to half the size of Haleakala, full of razor-thin canyons which are spectacular to visit by helicopter. The central isthmus between the two mountains is carpeted with the last great sugarcane fields remaining in Hawaii. Select a region to learn more East and West combined, Maui has a long leeward coast (that is, a dry, sunny side) that looks across a peaceful channel to three smaller Hawaiian islands (Molokai, Lanai, and Kahoolawe). Nearly all visitors go leeward. And if they're willing to afford it, they go to one of Maui's three world renowned "resort communities" -- Kapalua, Kaanapali, and Wailea. Rainbow over sugar cane fields On leeward Maui, sunset-viewing is a normal daily activity, as is whale-watching when the humpbacks return every winter. Two small harbors provide every sort of chance to get in or on the water, from scuba diving to cocktail dance cruises. The resorts and their adjacent towns provide lots of opportunities to shop, look for art, dine out, or simply flop on the beach. The windward side of the island is full of variety and invites exploration by car. The mountain's cool "Upcountry" area is notable for ranches, farms, quaint small towns, and (of all things) a winery. The road to Hana seems to exit civilization as it noodles its way through jungles, past waterfalls, and along sheer seacliffs. Paia, a crossroads beach town with boutiques, eateries, and a groovy attitude, is situated close to an internationally attractive windsurfing spot. Black sand beach A lot of people come to Maui to be active -- to kayak and hang-glide, to hike and ride horses, to cycle from the summit of Haleakala down, or to run all the way up the mountain in Maui's annual "Run To The Sun" race. The island itself somehow encourages such extravagance. And Maui has a handful of small museums dedicated to past examples of such behavior -- museums about whalers, missionaries, sugar barons, the Maui cowboys, and of course, the ancient Maui Hawaiians.    Old Lahaina Town waterfront   ©1999 Insite2.com