Maui

Maui is known as the “valley isle”, and most of its population nestles in the low-lying isthmus between the lush western mountains and the dustier slopes of Haleakala to the east. Skirting the coast are some of the world’s finest beaches, from the popular resorts on the southwestern fringe to the wilder surfing beaches on the north and eastern shores.

Maui’s administrative group also includes the islands of Moloka’i and Lana’i with more magnificent scenery and even greater remoteness.

Top 10 Must-See Sights

1. Front Street, Lahaina
The well-preserved buildings along this street take you back to the early 1800s, when missionaries arrived to save the souls of bawdy sailors and bring Christianity to islanders.

2. ’Iao Valley and Kepaniwai
Up in the verdant ’Iao Valley, the Kepaniwai Park Gardens celebrate the diverse cultures that make up modern Maui through a range of national gardens and structures.

3. Wailuku and Kahului
These twin towns are where the majority of Maui’s populace live and work. The area also has fantastic sights, from missionary churches to ancient sites to lush, tropical plantations.

4. Bailey House Museum
A fascinating place, focusing on 19th-century missionary life, and the earlier Hawaiian culture, which missionaries attempted to dispel.

5. Makena
Once the remotest spot on Maui’s southern coast, Makena has become increasingly popular with divers in recent years.

6. ’Ulupalakua Ranch
On the southern slopes of Haleakala, this ranch is the locale of the Tedeschi Vineyards. Before the introduction of vines, the winery experimented with a pineapple wine, Maui Blanc.

7. Haleakala National Park
On the “get-away-from-it-all” island of Moloka’i, Kalaupapa is an isolated peninsula, flat as a golf green and separated from the rest of the island by sheer cliffs. Formerly, it was used as a leper colony.

8. The Road to Hana
Fifty-six miles of winding coastal road, with jaw-dropping ocean views to the left and sparkling waterfalls amid shady woodlands to the right.

9. Kipahulu and Kaupo
On the wild and beautiful east coast of Maui, this area offers fantastic treks through forest paths to discover spectacular falls and revitalising mountain pools.

10. Kalaupapa National Historical Park, Moloka’i
Surrounded by the Pacific on three sides, Kalaupapa is a flat, isolated peninsula at the base of sheer sea cliffs rising almost 2,000 ft.

Discover more to see and do in Maui at www.traveldk.com/maui.

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