Maui, Hawaii
The Valley Isle
Overview
As Hawaii's second largest island by land mass, with a population is only roughly 150,000, it welcomes nearly 3 million tourists annually.
The island is said to have received its name after the eldest son of Hawaiʻiloa. Nicknamed the Valley Isle due to the large isthmus separating the large northwestern and southeastern volcanic masses. Known as"volcanic doublet," because it was formed from two shield volcanoes that overlapped one another.
In addition to its 81 accessible beaches, it offers the Road to Hana, Haleakalā crater, and the Iao Valley.
Beaches
Roughly one-fourth of Maui is made up of beaches! A bit surprising to know that over 30 of the 120 miles of coastline is made up of beaches of all shapes and varieties. What makes Maui stand out from the rest of the Hawaiian Islands is that it offers more swimmable beaches than any of its neighbors. One of the most appreciated facts about Maui is that by law, no one can own a beach or has a right to keep people off of it. That way, beautiful spots like the Secret Cove will always remain accessible to all.
One of the few red sand beaches on earth, this secluded spot is accessed via a small, but volatile hike. Once you make it, you'll find a small beach in the Ka’uiki Head cinder cone. The beach is surrounded by tall red cliffs, lush green vegetation, and and otherworldly blue ocean. Just a few few out from the beach is a sea wall that prevents many of the waves from crashing on the beach.
The Black Sand Beach is found in W State Park along the road too Hana. Arguably the best spot on the way to Hana, this place offers freshwater caves, a lava tube, a blowhole, sea arch in additional to the stark black sand.
Napili Beach is a crescent shaped beach with very little sand to actually perch upon. Smaller resorts surround this beautiful beach and you can see both the islands of Lana'i and Moloka'i from here. At the north end is a restaurant known as the Sea House, which offers pupas and beverages while you watch the beachgoers have their fun.
Makena Beach, or Big Beach, will forever be my favorite of the Maui beaches. Its immense size helps you avoid the crowds and the clear water gives you piece of mind while you are swimming. From this beach you can access both Little Beach and the Secret Cove, so this spot can easily consume a day.
Waterfalls
Given its epic Road to Hana roadtrip, Maui is one of the best islands for waterfalls. On the Road to Hana alone, you'll spot
dozens of waterfalls, including the Three Bears. You can find roadside falls, waterfalls at parks where you can picnic, and once-in-a-lifetime towering falls. One must use caution at any of these waterfalls as they are prone to flash floods and falling debris.
One of the few red sand beaches on earth, this secluded spot is accessed via a small, but volatile hike. Once you make it, you'll find a small beach in the Ka’uiki Head cinder cone. The beach is surrounded by tall red cliffs, lush green vegetation, and and otherworldly blue ocean. Just a few few out from the beach is a sea wall that prevents many of the waves from crashing on the beach.
The Black Sand Beach is found in W State Park along the road too Hana. Arguably the best spot on the way to Hana, this place offers freshwater caves, a lava tube, a blowhole, sea arch in additional to the stark black sand.
Napili Beach is a crescent shaped beach with very little sand to actually perch upon. Smaller resorts surround this beautiful beach and you can see both the islands of Lana'i and Moloka'i from here. At the north end is a restaurant known as the Sea House, which offers pupas and beverages while you watch the beachgoers have their fun.
Makena Beach, or Big Beach, will forever be my favorite of the Maui beaches. Its immense size helps you avoid the crowds and the clear water gives you piece of mind while you are swimming. From this beach you can access both Little Beach and the Secret Cove, so this spot can easily consume a day.
Food & Drink
From being home to the best craft brewery of the islands to the world renowned Mama's Fish House, Maui offers cuisine options for everyone. Here you can learn about traditional fare such as shave ice at Ululani's, or world class pokè at Eskimo Candy, or less established spots like Slappy Cakes (make your own pancakes, Hula Grill, Nalu's South Shore Grill, or Hawaiian Village Coffee.
What appears to be an unassuming, large gazebo on the outside serves up Maui's favorite breakfast on the inside. Only open for 7-8 hours daily, the lines for breakfast are often 30-60 minutes long.
This world renowned restaurant requires advance reservation due to how popular it has become in recent years. The menu changes daily, offering the freshest catches and elequont preparation.
Hawaii's most notable brewery now has two locations on the island of Maui. A much smaller restaurant and tasting room found in Lahaina, and then the impressive brewery found in Kihei, which offers tours to the public.
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Now a well known staple of Maui, the Monkeypod Kitchen has a few locations and creates over 120,000 mai tai beverages annually. Their claim to fame is the lilikoi syrup that sits atop the drink.
Other Attractions
Maui's biggest claim to fame is probably the Road to Hana, offering 45 miles of attractions with over 50 one-lane bridges and over 600 curves. Even beyond that however, Maui has plenty of other interesting attractions including Haleakala, which is the largest dormant volcano in the world.
Found a few miles after Hana, visitors will will hike about a third of a mile to an area where a seasonal waterfall flows into the ocean. There is incredible cliff-jumping at this spot from varying heights. After jumping in, you can also float for a bit without the violent ocean waves.
Towards the beginning of the Road to Hana, a small pullout allows visitors to explore the painted forest, where the Rainbow Eucalyptus trees show off their colorful bark.
Near the Lahaina Harbor is a square city park that it occupied nearly in its entirety by a large banyan tree. Visitors can find cover from the sun (as Lahaina gets less than 10 inches of rain annually), climb on the tree branches, or simply take in the awe of the 16 trunks.
From parts of Maui, you can see the island of Lana'i. There is a harbor in Lahaina that offers a 45 minute ferry ride to the "Pineapple" Island. Once there, you can do a variety of activities from a cat sanctuary to beaches, or off road vehicles.