The slightly upscale image so carefully curated for travel annals is unmistakably on display when visiting Hawaii’s second-largest island—Maui. Locals proudly say Maui no ka oi—Maui is the best. And for many visitors, it’s easy to see why. Beaches of every hue, hidden valleys, a towering volcano, and a food scene that punches well above its weight combine to cast a lasting spell.

Still, this is not the reserved, serene Maui of decades past. Since the 1990s, the island has grown more crowded and, in places, less visually appealing than it was in the mid- to late-20th century. A quick look around the immediate environs of Maui’s utilitarian airport (OGG) supports that claim. Prices—for nearly everything, especially lodging and dining—can be eye-watering enough to make visitors joke about a second mortgage. Yet despite these realities, there remains much to see, do, and genuinely enjoy.

"The Valley Isle” is, in fact, two islands formed by two volcanoes, joined by a fertile isthmus. West Maui, created by the Puʻu Kukui volcano, feels strikingly different from the island’s southern reaches.

Before the devastating 2023 fires that destroyed much of the historic whaling town of Lahaina, West Maui dominated the island’s visitor profile. The town is slowly recovering, but it will be years before it resembles anything close to its former self. Travelers should also note the mercurial weather of far West Maui around Kapalua, where a flawless island morning can dissolve into a sudden squall—only to return to sunshine within the hour.

Central Maui encompasses Kahului & Wailuku, along with the cooler upcountry, dotted with charming small towns and anchored by the island’s greatest natural draw: Haleakalā and the national park of the same name.

South Maui—home to Kihei and neighboring Wailea—boasts some of the best weather on the planet. These communities sit along the lower slopes of Haleakalā (“House of the Sun”), the world’s largest dormant (not extinct) volcano, rising more than 10,000 feet into the sky. In 1911, Jack London described it as “a scene of vast bleakness and desolation, stern, forbidding, fascinating… a place of fire and earthquake, a workshop of nature still cluttered with the raw beginnings of world-making.” More than a century later, the description still feels uncannily on-point.

 

Airports:

• Kahului International (OGG)

Major City/Town:

• Kahului/Wailuku
• Lahaina
• Kihei

Man-made attractions:

• Maui Ocean Center (a bit of a dud)
• Hana Highway
• Upcountry (don’t miss it)
• Maui Art & Cultural Center

Mostly nature-made attractions:

• Haleakula National Park (must visit)
• Iao Valley State Park
• Makena Beach (beware of sharks)
• Molokini Island

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