Maui
'Maui No Ka Oi', means, 'Maui is the best,' and you'll hear this quite frequently when you visit this beautiful island known as the "Valley Isle."
With Haleakala National Park and it's 10,000-foot volcano and crater, plenty of tropical jungle and miles of idyllic beaches, Maui has to be on your must-see list.
Thankfully, Maui is a popular stop for many visiting cruise lines.
The population is diverse, with many ethnic groups having originally arrived in the islands to work sugar cane and pineapple plantations from countries of the Western Pacific rim.
Legend says that the demigod Maui captured the sun, to make sure the island had long days for the enjoyment of the people and visitors of these islands.
Today it is said the sun resides in the beautiful mountains of Haleakala which are known as the "House of the Sun".
Maui has incredible natural diversity, ranging from mountains, to rainforest to desert. features of the island are easily accessible to all.
You will have every opportunity to expand your energy on Maui. It's a sportsman's (and, of course sportswoman's!) paradise, either through hiking up Haleakala Crater, snorkelling and (for the more dedicated) sub-aqua, to whale watching in season.
When Your Cruise Ship Lands
Despite its small size, Maui has two key stopping points for the main cruise lines, Kahului and Lahaina. Due to its easy size, you can easily explore the old whaling town of Lahaina and nearby West Maui Mountains.
Kahului
The major town on Maui, Kahului is still only minutes from the beautiful and iconic Iao Valley, memorable for it's huge rock monolith.
Kahului is the retail center for Maui residents with several malls and major stores (including department stores in the Queen Kaahumanu Center), with other significant groupings of stores around town.
The Maui Nui Botanical Gardens are found here, established in 1976 by Rene Sylva, and are mainly aimed at conserving local dry forest and coastal plants.
Kahului is not generally recognised as the major tourist town, and yet it has good shopping!
Lahaina
Once the capital of all Hawaii, this town was built on the cut-throat world of Pacific whaling.
Before Hawaii's annexation by the United States, Lahaina was the "Royal Capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom" as city signs proclaim!
It is a beautiful place and has to be on anyone's 'must-see' list for the islands. It reflects it's history and legacy, though it's over 50 acres of historic districts, several of which are National Historic Landmarks.
Art galleries abound on Front Street, preserving, at least in shape and form, the many grog shops, ships outfitters and chandlers from a bygone age, creating a wonderful ambience and worthy of an extended stay.
Ten Things You Must Do On Maui
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Haleakala Volcano - you may see snow!
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Whale watching
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Kalahaku Overlook
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Hana Highway (and take your Dramamine!)
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Sunrise on Leleiwi Overlook
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Lahaina is worth a visit
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Banyan Tree - in Lahaina is the biggest outside Asia
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Alexander and Baldwin Sugar Museum
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"Friday Night is Art Night in Lahaina Town!"
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Pineapple plantations - if you ever wanted to see one, now is the time!
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