Maui Island



Before Europeans arrived in Hawaii, there were three major population centers on Maui, the southeast coast around Hana, the Wailuku area and the district of Lele, which is present-day Lahaina. In the 14th century, the entire island was conquered by Piilani, the chief of the Hana district. He constructed the island's largest temple, Piilanihale Heiau. It still stands today and it's an important tourist attraction. Piilani also provided the island with an extensive road system.

Kahekili was the last of Maui's ruling chiefs. In the 1780's he brought Oahu and Molokai under his control, but in 1790, while Kahekili was in Oahu, Kamehameha the Great launched a huge naval attack on Maui and defeated its warriors in a fierce battle at Iao Valley. Kamehameha was eventually forced to withdraw, but the battles continued and by the time Kahekili died in 1794, his kingdom was divided. A year later, Kamehameha invaded again and brought the whole island under his rule. In 1800 he established his home at Lahaina. The town remained Hawaii's capital until 1845.

At the beginning of the 1820's, whalers and missionaries started arriving in Lahaina and problems soon arose. Lahaina's first Protestant missionary, William Richards, arrived in 1823. Soon after, he converted Maui's governor, Hoapili, to Christianity. Hoapili, under Richards' influence, passed laws prohibiting drunkenness and debauchery. The whalers, who were looking forward to grog and women after spending months at sea, were not pleased about the missionaries' influence. In 1826, English captain William Buckle and his crew tried to seek revenge against Richards, but a group of Hawaiian Christians came to Richards' aid and chased the whalers back to their boat. A year later, Governor Hoapili arrested the captain of the John Palmer, because he had allowed women aboard his ship. The crew retaliated with a round of cannonballs shot at Richards' house. Soon after, the captain was released, but the laws and tensions remained.

After Governor Hoapili's death, the laws against liquor and prostitution were loosened and whalers started flocking to Lahaina again. By the mid-19th century, some two-thirds of whalers entering Hawaii landed in Lahaina. The town replaced Honolulu as the islands' favorite harbor. The depletion of the Arctic hunting grounds and the emergence of the petroleum industry spelled the end of the whaling industry in the 1860's. After the last whalers left, Lahaina became a ghost town.

Around the same time; the sugar industry began to rise. In 1870, Samuel Alexander and Henry Baldwin, who were sons of prominent missionaries, began growing sugarcane on small plots in Haiku. Soon hundreds of acres were added. In 1876 the Alexander & Baldwin Company started construction of the Hamakua Ditch, to carry water from the mountainous interior to the Haiku plantation. The irrigation system transformed Wailuku's dry central plains into fertile sugar land. Sugar remained the most important factor of Maui's economy until tourism took over in the 1960's. Ever since, Maui has been Hawaii's most visited and most developed island.

The main tourist hubs are in the western part of Maui. They can be nasty urbanized experiences, including traffic jams, busy crowds and condos piled on top of one another. In the uplands and on the eastern coast are many wonderful and quite places. Mount Haleakala provides a scenic backdrop to all of eastern Maui and there are numerous lovely small towns such as Haiku, Kula or Hana.

Maui's unofficial slogan is Maui no ka oi, or 'Maui is the best'. The island's sunny western coast with its gorgeous white-sand beaches and the warm ocean waters where you can see humpback whales, surely support that slogan. The jungle and waterfalls on the scenic Hana Highway only add to its value.

Maui is the second-largest Hawaiian island. It measures 1886 km² (728 sq miles). The island was originally made up of two separate volcanoes, but lava flows and soil erosion eventually built up a valley-like isthmus between the two, linking them in their present-day form. The land that connected the two volcanoes is flat and provides fertile soil for sugarcane plantations. It earned Maui its nickname of 'The Valley Island'.

Maui's western side was formed first, followed by the eastern part of the island. The east is dominated by 3007 m (10,023 feet) high Haleakala, the world's largest dormant volcano. Its name literally means 'House of the Sun'. The volcano's windward side is lush, wet and rugged and its crater floor is like a barren moonscape. There are marvelous hiking trails across it and the crater rim is an excellent place to watch the sun rise. The highland area on the western slopes of Haleakala offers some of Maui's finest countryside. It includes cloud forests, rolling hills, green pastures, landscaped gardens and wineries. The coastal Hana Highway, which runs along Haleakala, as well as past tropical jungle, roadside waterfalls and sedate country towns, is the main gateway to the region. The Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area in the Kula Forest Reserve boasts nice hiking possibilities. Maui's highest point is the nearby Puu Ulaula. From its 3077 m high summit you can see the Big Island, Lanai, Molokai and Oahu.

The western part of Maui is overlooked by the West Maui Mountains. The northeastern sides of Maui's mountain masses are cut with deep ravines and valleys that lead all the way down to the coast.

Most of the island's western shoreline is lined with white-sand beaches. The most popular ones are Slaughterhouse Beach, on Honolua Bay in northwestern Maui and Hookipa Beach, not far from Paia. The former attracts countless bodysurfers and snorkelers, while the latter is one of the world's premier windsurfing spots, although the strong currents, dangerous shore break and sharp coral mean it is for experts only. It is a very good place to watch and learn a few tricks from the experts.

When to Go

Maui has a balmy and warm climate and average temperatures don't vary much. Along the coast, daily temperatures hover between 28°C (83°F) and 20°C (68°F). Northeasterly trade winds prevail most of the year. During the winter, which is from December to March, there is about twice as much rain as during the summer. The summer is high season in Maui, mainly because most visitors come to escape the unappealing weather of the northern hemisphere. The only reason why the winter could be less appealing than the summer, are the winter storms, which can last for days. Accommodation rates can be up to 30% lower in the winter season though. Winter is also the best time to visit Maui if you like surfing. Diving is best done in summer, when the waters are not so rough.

All traditional American holidays, such as Independence Day and Thanksgiving, are celebrated on Maui. Every year, in the beginning of April, the O'Neill Invitational is held at Hookipa Beach. It is the world's prime windsurfing competition. Also in early April, the Ulupalakua Thing shows off the talents of Maui's top chefs. May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii. It involves lei-making competitions and compulsory lei donning. An old-fashioned Makawao Rodeo is organized around 4 July and in August you can run the 58 km (36.2 miles) from Paia to the top of Haleakala during the Haleakala Run to the Sun. The scenic 87 km (54 miles) long Hana Relay can be done in September. Its route runs from Kahului to Hana. In September you can also experience everything Hawaiian during Aloha Week.

Places of interest

One of the most interesting towns on Maui is the former capital of Lahaina. Other places that are worth a visit include the Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve, Haleakala, the Hana Highway, Kaanapali, Kihei, Kula, Molokini and the Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area.

Other activities

Most people come to Maui for its beaches and water sports possibilities, such as swimming, snorkeling and bodysurfing. The island offers some of the world's best windsurfing and board surfing as well. The best place to have a quiet swim is Slaughterhouse Beach in the north. Hookipa Beach, near Paia on Maui's windward northern coast, is probably the best spot for Surfing and windsurfing. Maalaea Pipeline, on the southern side of Maalaea Bay, offers one of the world's best breaks and Honolua Bay on the northwestern coast is also excellent for surfing. Advanced windsurfers should head for Spreckelsville in Paia, while beginners should stay at Kanaha in Kahului.

The sunken volcanic crater of nearby Molokini is probably the best diving spot in the region. The neighboring island of Lanai is also excellent for diving. The easily accessible Black Rock at Kaanapali is a good place for snorkeling. Another nice place is Kapalua Bay, where the waters are calm year round.

Apart from sea-related activities, you can also visit Haleakala National Park for some extraordinary hiking through Haleakala's volcanic crater. There are numerous nature-walks all over Maui, but Haleakala is the best place to spot the endangered nene (Hawaiian goose) and the rare silversword plant. Maui's six native birds, the Maui parrot bill, nuku puu, creeper, akepa, crested honeycreeper and poouli, are equally endangered. Haleakala is also popular with horseback riders and cyclists, who can look forward to a dazzling 60 km (38 miles) long downhill road after reaching the top first. You can also descent the nearly 3000 meters in a hang-glider from Haleakala down to the coast.

Maui is the best Hawaiian island for viewing humpback whales. The animals are mostly spotted between January and March.

Transportation

Most visitors to Maui arrive at the main airport in Kahului, on the northern coast. Domestic flights connect Kahului with Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island. The airport is just outside Kahului and hourly shuttle buses run between the airport and the town. From Kahului, transportation to the rest of the island is available. Kahului is 8 km (5 miles) east from Paia down Highway 36 and some 80 km (50 miles) to Hana on the eastern tip of the island. The summit of Haleakala is 56 km (35 miles) to the south on Highway 37. Heading west, it's 40 km (25 miles) to Lahaina and another 6 km (4 miles) to Kaanapali.

Maui has two smaller commuter airports too: Kapalua West Maui Airport and Hana Airport. Scheduled flights are available from Kapalua West to Honolulu and from Hana to Honolulu, Kahului and Molokai.

There is no public bus service on Maui, but there are tourist shuttle buses between Wailea, Kihei and Kaanapali's Whalers Village shopping center. The Maui Shopping Express runs six times a day and stops at many of the island's largest shopping centers. The Lahaina Express runs between Kaanapali and Lahaina and most of Maui's resorts have shuttles that connect the various hotels.

Car rental prices are competitive and most of the big agencies have an office at the airport. Taxis are available all over the island.

A small ferry runs five times a day between Maui and Lanai. It is a much cheaper option than flying and if you make the trip in winter, you'll have a pretty good chance of seeing humpback whales along the way. A one-way trip takes about an hour.

Other facts

The time on Maui is UTC/GMT minus 10 hours. Electricity is 110/120V, 60 Hz. The local currency is US Dollar and foreign currencies can be exchanged at almost any bank or exchange bureau without any problem. Banks are widely available in all towns on Maui. Credit cards and travelers cheques are widely accepted and there are ATM's across the island. Health risks include Sunstroke, dehydration, leptospirosis, a freshwater bacterial disease and ciguatera poisoning, due to eating ciguatoxin-affected fish. The telephone area code is 808.


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