Maui
-- Island Overview
The Island of Maui was
formed by two massive volcanoes. The
volcanoes rose more than a mile above the
ocean surface and they emitted enough
lava to fill the valley between them,
thereby creating Maui. Much of
Maui’s habitable land as well as the
bulk of its arable land is in this
valley, hence the nickname, "The
Valley Island."
The mountains formed by
these volcanoes did wonders for Maui:
they are beautiful places to visit and
they shelter the leeward parts of the
island from the rainier weather that
comes with the southwesterly trade winds
that blow into the windward (mostly
northern and eastern) sides of Maui. The
red volcanic dirt you will see all over
the island is rich in minerals and is
great for growing sugar cane, which you
will see growing in many parts of the
island (the dirt is red because the lava
that came from Maui’s volcanoes was
rich in iron, which has since oxidized
and turned rusty red).
Spanning 729 square miles
(approximately the size of Rhode Island),
Maui is the second largest island in the
Hawaiian chain. It’s population of
103,000 is dwarfed by the 2.3 million
visitors who come to Maui each year.
People aren’t the only visitors Maui
gets. It is estimated that 50% of the
world’s humpback whales travel to
Maui’s warm waters each winter to
meet other whales and mate. Whale watching is
a top past-time in Maui. Whale-hunting
once was the top occupation in Maui, as
evidenced by old whaling towns such as
Lahaina. This town has evolved over the
years, but it still retains a 19th century New England-influenced charm
amidst the dozens of t-shirt shops and
the likes of The Hard Rock Café and
Planet Hollywood.
Not to be missed on Maui
are:
- the 55 mile Road to Hana, which offers
absolutely breathtaking sea-side
scenery
- Haleakala Crater, a dormant volcanic
crater that resembles something
from the moon
- Maui’s
fantastic beaches, which include the
wind-surfing capital of the world
and a peaceful black sand beach
- a day trip to the
nearby island of Lanai , which is unspoiled
and undeveloped
Plan Your Trip
Most of the resorts and
hotels you will find on Maui have sprung
up on the leeward sides of Maui, which
have far less rain than the windward
sides. The biggest concentrations of
hotels are in the Lahaina/Kanapali/Kahana
area (where you will find many condominiums)
and the Kihei/Wailea/Makena area, which
includes very upscale and expensive
hotels such as The Four Seasons and The
Grand Wailea. If you wish to book a hotel
room at a discount rate, be sure to visit
our hotel
reservations page.
We highly recommend that you rent
a car if you visit Maui
since few things are likely to be within
walking distance of your hotel. Renting a
car may also save you a lot of money
since a taxi ride from Kahalui airport on
the windward side of the island to the
leeward side, where most of the resorts
are located, will set you back at least
$50 to $60.
And don't miss our full list
of articles about Maui for all kinds of tips about
what to see and what to do.
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