Maui is two volcanoes joined by a low, flat isthmus, which is why it is called the Valley Isle. The great dome of Haleakalā fills the east, the older, deeply carved West Maui Mountains the west, and between and around them lie some of the best beaches, roads and whale watching in Hawaii.
Haleakalā
Haleakalā rises 3,055 metres (10,023 ft) above the sea, and its summit area is protected as Haleakalā National Park. From the rim you look down into a vast, colourful volcanic landscape of cinder cones and lava flows. Sunrise here is famous, and so popular that you need a reservation to drive up for it. Bring warm clothes: the summit is often close to freezing before dawn.
The park is home to the Haleakalā silversword, a spiky silver plant found nowhere else on Earth. Its second district, Kīpahulu, lies far below on the coast near Hana, where streams and waterfalls run down through the rainforest to the sea.
The Road to Hana
The Hana Highway winds along Maui's wet north-east coast through more than 600 curves and over dozens of narrow one-lane bridges, past waterfalls, bamboo forest and black-sand beaches. The point is the journey, not the small town of Hana at the end. Start early, pull over to let locals pass, and never stop on a bridge or park where signs say not to.
Waiʻānapanapa State Park, with its black-sand beach and sea caves, is one of the highlights. Advance reservations are required for entry and parking.
West Maui and Lahaina
Kāʻanapali and Kapalua, on the sheltered west coast, are Maui's classic resort beaches, with calm mornings, good snorkelling and views across the channel to Lanai and Molokai. Just to the south, the historic town of Lahaina was destroyed by wildfire on 8 August 2023, a disaster that killed more than 100 people.
Lahaina is being rebuilt by and for the people who live there. Visitors are welcome on Maui and in West Maui, which depends on tourism, but treat the burn zone as what it is, a place of loss: do not enter restricted areas or take photos of the ruins.
South Maui
Kihei, Wailea and Makena, on the dry, sunny south-west coast, have long beaches and the most reliable weather on the island. Big Beach at Makena is one of the finest in Hawaii. Boats leave from Maʻalaea and Kihei for Molokini, a crescent-shaped sunken volcanic crater offshore with clear water and plenty of reef fish.
Whale season
Every winter thousands of humpback whales migrate from Alaska to Hawaii to mate, give birth and raise their calves, and the shallow channel between Maui, Lanai and Molokai is one of their favourite places. The season runs from about December to April, peaking from January to March. You can often see them breaching from the shore; boat tours bring you closer, within federal limits that keep vessels at a distance.
Getting around
Kahului Airport (OGG) is the main gateway, with flights from the US mainland and other islands. Public buses exist but are limited, so most visitors rent a car. Allow plenty of time: the Road to Hana and the drive to the summit are both slow.