Maui
Upcountry
The west-facing upper slopes of Haleakala are locally called “Upcountry.” This region is responsible for much of Hawaii’s produce—lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, sweet Maui onions, and much, much more. You’ll notice cactus thickets mingled with purple jacaranda, wild hibiscus, and towering eucalyptus trees. Keep an eye out for pueo, Hawaii’s native owl, which hunts these fields during daylight hours.
Upcountry is also fertile ranch land; cowboys still work the fields of the historic 20,000-acre Ulupalakua Ranch and the 32,000-acre Haleakala Ranch. This is a great area in which to take an agricultural tour and learn more about the island’s bounty. Lavender, vegetables, cheese, and wine are among your choices.
A drive to Upcountry Maui from Wailea (South Shore) or Kaanapali (West Maui) can be an all-day outing if you take the time to visit Tedeschi Vineyards and the tiny town of Makawao. You may want to cut these side trips short and combine your Upcountry tour with a visit to Haleakala National Park It’s a Maui must-see. If you leave early enough to catch the sunrise from the summit of Haleakala, you’ll have plenty of time to explore the mountain, have lunch in Kula or at Ulupalakua Ranch, and end your day with dinner in Makawao.
West Maui
Separated from the remainder of the island by steep pali (cliffs), West Maui has a reputation for attitude and action. Once upon a time, this was the haunt of whalers, missionaries, and the kings and queens of Hawaii; now it’s one of Maui’s main resort areas. Lahaina Town was not only once the kingdom’s capital but also the alii’s (royalty’s) playground. Today the main drag, Front Street, is crowded with T-shirt and trinket shops, art exhibits, and restaurants where tourists stroll day and night. Farther north is Kaanapali, Maui’s first planned resort area. Its first hotel, the Sheraton, was opened in 1963. Since then, resorts, luxury condominiums, and a shopping center have sprung up along the white-sand beaches, with championship golf courses across the road. A few miles farther up the coast is the ultimate in West Maui luxury, the resort area of Kapalua. In between, dozens of condominiums and strip malls line both the makai (toward the sea) and mauka(toward the mountains) sides of the highway. There are gems here too, though, like stunning Napili Bay and its crescent of soft sand.
Maui Sights
“Maui no ka oi” is what locals say—it’s the best, the most, the top of the heap. To those who know Maui well, there’s good reason for the superlatives. The island’s miles of perfect-tan beaches, lush green valleys, historic villages, top-notch windsurfing and diving, stellar restaurants and high-end hotels, and variety of art and cultural activities have made it an international favorite.
Maui is more than sandy beaches and palm trees: the natural bounty of this place is impressive. Puu Kukui, the 5,788-foot interior of the West Maui Mountains, also known as Mauna Kahalawai, is one of Earth’s wettest spots—annual rainfall of 400 inches has sculpted the land into impassable gorges and razor-sharp ridges. On the opposite side of the island, the blistering lava fields at Ahihi-Kinau receive scant rain. Just above this desertlike landscape, paniolo, Hawaiian cowboys, herd cattle on rolling, fertile ranchlands reminiscent of northern California. On the island’s rugged east side is the lush, tropical Hawaii of travel posters.
Nature isn’t all Maui has to offer—it’s also home to a rich culture and stunning ethnic diversity. In small towns like Paia and Hana you can see remnants of the past mingling with modern-day life. Ancient heiau (Hawaiian stone platforms once used as places of worship) line busy roadways. Old coral and brick missionary homes now house broadcasting networks. The antique smokestacks of sugar mills tower above communities where the children blend English, Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Filipino, and more into one colorful language. Hawaii is a melting pot like no other. Visiting an eclectic mom-and-pop shop (like Makawao’s Komoda Store & Bakery in Upcountry) can feel like stepping into another country, or back in time. The more you look here, the more you will find.
At 729 square mi, Maui is the second-largest Hawaiian island, but offers more miles of swimmable beaches than any of the other islands. Despite growth over the past few decades, the local population is still fairly small, totaling only 119,000.
