• Introduction
• Oahu
• Kauai
• Maui
• Big Island
• Off the Path: Lanai and Molokai
• Hawaii's Restaurant Revolution
• A Glossary of Hawaiian Cheap Eats
• Itineraries
• When to Go
• Getting There & Around

Maui

Relaxed Maui is a crowd-pleaser, from the rim of the Haleakala crater to the long beaches ripe for whale-watching and the scenic, cliff-lined Hana Highway.

Maui – easily the most famous and celebrity strewn of the outer isles – is Hawaii’s second largest island. The east end is distinguished by the massive dormant volcano Haleakala. The towns clinging to Haleakala’s flanks (an area called Upcountry), have welcomed plantation workers, paniolos (or cowboys), hippies, artists, and now specialty farmers. One can hike along the rim of the volcano’s giant crater, with views of a stark lunar landscape and the sapphire ocean 10,000 feet below. The green West Maui Mountains rise on the island’s west side. Here, chichi resorts and golf courses cluster in beachside developments around Kapalua and Kaanapali, as well as on the southwest coast around Wailea.

In Kapalua, the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua (www.ritzcarlton.com) occupies a prime spot by a famous surfing cove. A little world unto itself, the resort offers reams of activities, including an extensive new Ambassadors of the Environment program, run in concert with Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Open Ocean, whereby guests learn about ecology, then venture out for firsthand experiences. A renovation last year slicked up the in-room amenities and gave the property a more distinctly Hawaiian look.

Kapalua also hosts several noteworthy restaurants: Sansei Seafood (808-669-6286) features D.K. Kodama’s imaginative sushi using ingredients such as foie gras and roe aioli. Merriman’s Kapalua (808/669-6400), famed chef Peter Merriman’s new spot, presents a candle-lit terrace and largely organic offerings such as Hirabara Farm greens, Keahole clams, and fresh-caught marlin sashimi.

Near West Maui’s biggest town, Lahaina, and a mile from the beach, B&B Ho’oilo House (www.hooilohouse.com) offers six rooms with Balinese decor, lanais, and outdoor showers.

West Maui forms a shallow basin with neighboring islands Lanai and Molokai (see Off the Path) that attracts some 3,000 mating and calving humpback whales from October through April. To get a closer look, try the cruises arranged by Pacific Whale Foundation (www.pacificwhale.org). Next door, the Maui Ocean Center (www.mauioceancenter.com) offers scuba diving in a 750,000-gallon tank with (well-fed) sharks. Expeditions led by Maui Eco Tours (www.mauiecotours.com) let passengers kayak out among the marine life.

An hour’s drive southwest of Lahaina, in the swanky Wailea area, the Four Seasons Maui (www.fourseasons.com/maui) just opened an adults-only infinity pool on a bluff with views of Lanai. Its guests can sample a “tapas menu” of poolside spa treatments, including foot and shoulder massages. Notably, the hotel does not gouge guests with hidden resort fees or charge for pool cabanas (costing as much as a hotel room at other resorts).

Nearby is Joe’s Bar & Grill (808-875-7767), Beverly Gannon’s tribute to comfort food. The celebrity chef’s famous flagship restaurant,
Hali’imaile General Store (808-572-2666), resides amid Upcountry pineapple fields.

Far from the west side’s bustle of resorts, shopping, and restaurants lies the Hotel Hana-Maui (www.hotelhanamaui.com). Reaching it requires a slow but spectacular 2.5-hour drive along the famed Hana Highway, threading through verdant jungle and by rocky drop-offs. The hotel, a Sherman’s Travel Smart Luxury Award winner, promises an escape from the everyday. All the bungalows have lanais, wood floors, and colorful Hawaiian prints; some come with hot tubs. Its prize accommodations are the Sea Ranch bungalows.

At the start of the Hana Highway is Ho’okipa State Beach, where unceasing winds power windsurfers across the often choppy waters. In the town of Paia nearby, Paia Fish Market (www.paiafishmarket.com) serves up a perfect grilled fish sandwich topped with coleslaw.

See Hawaii Travel Guide