Year after year Maui remains one of the world’s best island destinations. Of course, Maui’s long white sand beaches and clear skies are the main draws, but the island is also home to a waterfall-studded rainforest in the east and a parched, mountainous desert in the west. At the heart of the island is Haleakala, the world’s largest dormant volcano with panoramic sunrise and sunset views and a crater larger than Manhattan. Known as the House of the Sun, Haleakala is the point from which the demigod Maui lassoed the sun to lengthen the day. Travelers to Maui can enjoy its tropical ecosystem with big wave surfing, coral reef snorkeling, volcano hiking, waterfall swimming, and winter whale watching. The gastronomic scene here focuses on fresh, locally sourced fish and produce with a mix of Hawaiian, Polynesian, and pan-Asian flavors served up in roadside shacks, down-home diners, and haute-cuisine restaurants. Large, luxury resorts are the predominant beachfront accommodation type here, though boutique hotels, cozy B&Bs, affordable hotels, and youth hostels are scattered around the island to suit any budget. Show
Though compact, Maui can be broken up into several distinct regions. The vast majority of Maui’s hotels are in West and South Maui. Sun-kissed West Maui is home to historic Lahaina town and the luxury beach resorts of Ka’anapali, Napili, and Kapalua stretching north along the coast. South Maui is home to bustling Kihei town, filled with restaurants and shops, plus the master-planned golf and beach resorts of Wailea (great for Maui first timers) and Makena. Maui’s North Shore is where the rainforest and the scenic Road to Hana begin; its main towns, Paia and Ha’iku, offer a boho vibe, boutique hotels, water sports (especially surfing and windsurfing), and eclectic shops, and local foods. East Maui is where the densest rainforest lies, filled with waterfalls, bamboo forests, and botanical gardens set in between the hairpin turns, sheer cliffs, and single-lane bridges of the Road to Hana, its largest town. The middle of the island, Upcountry, is dominated by the enormous Haleakala Volcano; the least touristy part of Maui, Upcountry is filled with farms, dairies, small villages, and scenic vistas. Central Maui is home to the airport and Kahului, the island’s largest city. Despite its size, Kahului is not a tourist destination, more of a shopping district catering to locals. The Best Places to Stay in Maui The Grand Wailea in West Maui is a fantastic resort for families.
Best Areas in Maui for…The charming Paia Inn fronts the town on one side and the beach on the other.
The Best Places in Maui for Tourists1. West MauiThe first capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Lahaina was a beloved retreat for royalty in the early 1800s. By the mid-1800s, it was a lively whaling town where about 400 ships anchored, including one employing Herman Melville. Today Lahaina is the busiest (though not the largest) town in Maui. The main drag, Front Street, brims with fine and casual restaurants, tropical cocktail bars, art galleries, and shopping. Historic sites include the Baldwin Home (oldest house on Maui; built for Protestant missionaries), Hale Pa’ahao (Old Lahaina Prison, where rowdy sailors were locked away), the Wo Hing Museum (temple, social club, and community kitchen for Chinese immigrants built in the early 1900s), and Maui’s oldest banyan tree (its circumference is an incredible 400 meters). Heading north along the coastline leads to the luxury beach resorts of Ka’anapali, Napili, Kapalua, and more. Ka’anapali, Hawaii’s first planned resort, boasts 5 km of white sand beach interrupted by the cliff of Black Rock, where the legendary last chief of Maui, Kahekili, leaped into the ocean in a show of strength. Ka’anapali is also home to the upscale outdoor shopping mall Whalers Village, located on the beach, surrounded by restaurants, and steps from the Westin Maui Resort & Spa and Ka’anapali Beach Hotel. Napili is the quietest area in this otherwise active shoreline; snorkel with sea turtles in Napili Bay, sample local beers at Maui Brewing Company, and visit the farmers market on Wednesday mornings. Immediately north, Kapalua is among the most exclusive resort areas of Maui with two prestigious golf courses, a crescent-shaped bay with excellent snorkeling, and top-notch dining. Inland are the West Maui Mountains with ancient trails, lava formations, lush vegetation, and sweeping views. Along with South Maui, West Maui is one of the best places for whale watching in the winter months.
2. South MauiSouth Maui, which wraps around the southwest coast, is the driest, sunniest part of the island. Beginning in the small, harbor town Ma’alaea, South Maui curves around through busy Kihei, runs down through the luxury resorts of Wailea and Makena, and continues until the road peters out at the rugged lava fields spilling into La Perouse Bay. All areas here offer soft sand beaches, water sports centers, and excellent restaurants. Along with West Maui, South Maui is one of the best spots for whale watching, with tours departing several times daily, along with snorkel and diving tours to the marine preserve of the Molokini caldera. Despite the throngs of tourists visiting Ma’alaea and Kihei, these beachfront towns are still home to local families who have lived here for generations. Wailea and Makena, on the other hand, are both master-planned resorts filled with upscale hotels, golf courses, and fine dining restaurants. There’s a wonderful seafront pedestrian walk that runs in front of all the Wailea resorts to the fantastic Mokapu Beach. The Mana Kai Maui sits on the northern end of this amazing stretch of sand – and it’s much cheaper than the 5-star Wailea resorts but with similar (or better) beach access.
3. North ShoreMaui’s North Shore is a rugged string of white sand beaches and easygoing towns at the beginning of the rainforest. The area is best known for its variety of unspoiled, natural beaches. Baldwin Beach is the widest, sandiest, most popular beach here, with lifeguards and basic facilities. Its western and eastern ends, called Baby Beach and Baldwin Cove respectively, offer calm, shallow water for beginning swimmers, while the main beach is popular for bodyboarding and surfing. Ho’okipa Beach is considered the top windsurfing beach in the world with competitions held here regularly; at the far eastern end, sea turtles come to shore nightly to rest – up to 40 at a time. Pe’ahi Beach AKA Jaws is the top surfing beach; several major surf competitions are held here in the winter months when swells reach over 18 meters high. Baldwin, Ho’okipa, and Lanes Beaches are all suitable for kitesurfing, though most people head to nearby Kanaha Beach (AKA Kite Beach). There are no large resorts or tourist attractions on the North Shore. Instead, you’ll find a handful of boutique hotels and B & Bs, casual diners, a farmers’ market, surf shops, and hundred-year-old Buddhist temples in effortlessly cool Paia town. East of Paia and deeper into the rainforest is the rustic village Ha’iku, surrounded by farmland, hiking trails with waterfalls, and featuring a couple of old pineapple canneries, converted into boutique shopping centers. More centrally located than so-called Central Maui, the North Shore is an ideal perch for active travelers who plan to visit the entire island. From the North Shore, it’s a straight shot for 30 minutes to Kihei, about 45 minutes to Lahaina, an hour to the peak of Haleakala, and about an hour and a half to Hana if you drive straight through (NB: no one drives straight through – the whole point of the drive is to stop and take in the scenery).
4. East MauiBordering the North Shore and Upcountry, East Maui is a wonderland of rainforest and rainbows, waterfalls pouring into freshwater pools, and volcanic, black sand beaches. East Maui on the windward (rainy) coast is largely undeveloped. Its main town, Hana, is accessible by one narrow road, the celebrated Road to Hana, which twists 600 hairpin turns above sheer cliffs blanketed in green, crosses 50 single-lane bridges, and passes by nature preserves, hiking trails, and humble food shacks. Hana itself is one of the most remote communities in all of Hawaii with only a few restaurants plus several food trucks), one hotel (plus a few vacation homes, and a grocery store. On the Road to Hana, find Kahanu Garden, a tropical botanical garden and home to Pi’ilanihale Heiau (a Hawaiian, lava rock temple; the largest manmade structure in Polynesia) and Waianapanapa State Park (lava tubes, sea caves, blowhole, and the best black sand beach in the state – pictured above). Beyond Hana on the same road is the Oheo Gulch (home of the Seven Sacred Pools and the Pipiwai Trail) and Wailua Falls (25-meter waterfall, one of the best in Hawaii). The beaches of East Maui are world-renowned with Hamoa Beach topping the list of best-loved with its silky salt-and-pepper sand (a blend of black lava and white coral) a favorite of Ernest Hemingway, James Michener, and Oprah Winfrey. Hana is also home to Kaihalulu Beach, a red sand beach with sparkling, blue water accessible by a steep hiking trail. East Maui is ideal for active, outdoorsy days and relaxing, romantic evenings; those used to nightlife or resort entertainment may find this area too isolated.
5. UpcountryClimbing the sides of the Haleakala shield volcano, the aptly named Upcountry is a mostly rural area with farms, ranches, and a few villages circling the crater. The leeward side of the volcano (western slope) is a desert, while the windward side (eastern slope) is covered in rainforest and waterfalls. The peak of Haleakala offers panoramic sunrise and sunset views over Maui and is one of the island’s most loved attractions. Even those staying in distant Kapalua or Hana will make the long drive while it’s still dark out to catch the legendary sunrise from the summit. Historically, Upcountry was paniolo country. Paniolo are Hawaiian cowboys, and their traditions began decades before those of the more famous Wild West cowboys of mainland America. Though it’s not super common to see paniolo outside of the 4th of July rodeo these days, the main town Makawao retains much of the cowboy feel in the architectural style of the main storefronts. Makawao is the largest town in Upcountry and is better known for its galleries, boutiques, artists’ workshops (glass, sculpture, painting), and T. Komoda Bakery (est. 1916; get there early – they often sell out by 10:00 a.m.). If you’re lucky enough to be in Upcountry at the right time, the lei shop, Haku Maui, offers lei-making classes once every few weeks. The second-largest town here is Kula. Even more rustic than Makawao, the fertile Kula region supplies much of the produce, meat, and dairy served in Maui’s finest farm-to-table restaurants. Tours are offered at many farms here, including Surfing Goat Dairy, Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm, O’o Farm (coffee and Maui onions), and more. Of course, there is also an excellent farmers market here, held weekly on Saturday mornings from 7:00 to 11:00. Unexpected offerings in Upcountry include a unique winery (blending grapes with pineapple) and a vodka distillery.
What is the nicest area to stay in Maui?Best Places to Stay in Maui. South Maui (Kihei and Wailea) This is probably the most popular area on Maui to stay for both couples and families. ... . West Maui: Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kapalua. ... . Along the Hana Highway (Paia and Hana) ... . Central Maui (Kahului and Wailuku) ... . Upcountry (Haleakala and Kula). What part of Maui has the best beaches?Maui's leeward side inarguably presents the best beaches on the island—if by “best” you mean golden sand, perfectly-swimmable waters, outstanding snorkeling opportunities, lulling waves gentle enough for first-time surfers, and sunshine in spades.
Which side of Maui should we stay on?For most visitors who come to Maui, the island's western side hosts the most favorable accommodations, including most top resorts, long-stay condos, and Maui hotels with kitchens.
What part of Maui is most popular?The two largest and most popular visitor destinations, offering the most accommodation options, are West Maui and South Maui — and within those two regions there are numerous other choices of towns, neighborhoods, and resort communities.
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