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million people now visit Maui each year, and 120,000 people make the
island their home. Maui, which is located midway between Oahu and
Hawaii, showcases a mix of eclectic styles and cultures; in some
villages, ancient Hawaiian is still spoken, as nearby five-star
resorts beckon the rich and famous. Asian and Polynesian influences
are evident everywhere, from cuisine to clothing to architecture.
Known locally as
the Valley Island, Maui reigns as the second largest of the Hawaiian
Islands. A spectacular dormant volcano, 10,023-foot Haleakala
erupted five million years ago to create the 279-square-mile island,
together with the now-extinct Pu'u Kukui. As gentle mists move
through the valley between the volcanoes, rainbows spring from
nowhere and lush sugar cane wafts in the balmy trade winds. The
valley forms the island's verdant agricultural center, where
tropical fruits and flowers grow in abundance.
The island was
first settled in 750 AD by the Marquesas, who sailed the Pacific in
double-hulled sailing canoes. For centuries the Marquesa people
survived on the island, building houses and stone temples and
enjoying the fruit of the vibrant land. Tahitians followed, bringing
their own goddesses and the "kapu" system, a rigid caste
order that dictated social standing that dictated Hawaiian culture
for centuries. The islanders' lifestyles changed forever when
Captain James Cook "discovered" Maui in 1778, and led the
influx of traders, whalers and missionaries. The only U.S. state
with a royal history, Hawaii was ruled by kings until the monarchy
was overturned in 1898 and the island chain was made a territory two
years later.
Several of the
island's cities are renowned for their special flavor. Located on
the island's northwest coast, Lahaina is a little whaling town with
a storied past - irreverent whalers clashed with Christian
missionaries trying to save the islanders' souls. Many of Lahaina's
buildings are now listed as National Historic Landmarks, and its
museum documents the harsh whaling life that made it a boomtown of
the mid-19th century. Pa'ia, a former hippie hideout of the
seventies, has become a favorite of the young windsurfing crowd, and
Ho'okipa Beach is the place to watch the world's best sailboarders
ply their trade.
Outdoor lovers
will be especially happy in Maui, as the stunning terrain offers so
many camping and hiking opportunities, and the warm oceans are ideal
for year-round swimming, sailing and whale-watching cruises.
Adventurous travelers can arrange for a helicopter tour of the more
remote regions, or arrange a paraglide tour in the mountains. Each
year, more than one million people make their way to eastern Maui to
visit the Haleakala volcano, possibly the island's most breathtaking
feature. The volcano last erupted about 200 years ago, and the view
from its uppermost rim into its 3,000-foot-deep crater is nothing
short of magnificent - like the rest of this exotic island.
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