Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The slopes and shores of West Maui are what many visitors picture when they close their
eyes and envision paradise: white sandy beaches, rocky coves, lush valleys, and ocean-
front restaurants where the clinking glasses of mai tais and the smooth sounds of a slack
key guitar complement the setting sun.
The beaches are some of the best on the island. In winter, Honolua Bay shapes the kind
of legendary right-hand point breaks that attract surfers from across the globe. In summer,
this same bay offers some of the island's finest snorkeling, where bright parrotfish, shy oc-
topuses, and curious sea turtles occupy an expansive reef.
Hot, busy, and incomparably historic, Lahaina was once the whaling capital of the Pa-
cific as well as the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom. Today, it's Maui's quintessential tour-
ist town. The name “Lahaina” translates as “cruel, merciless sun.” Almost every day is
sunny in Lahaina. As a result, it buzzes with an energetic fervor that draws pedestrians to
the streets, fishers to the harbor, and surfers to the breaks offshore. Some critics say that
Lahaina is little more than a tourist trap. While there is some truth in that gripe, when you
look past the T-shirt stands, you will notice a town that displays every epoch in the modern
history of Hawai'i.
Whether you're scouring the historic relics of Lahaina, swimming with reef fish at
Napili Bay, stand-up paddleboarding along the Ka'anapali shoreline, or enjoying the sun-
set from an oceanfront lu'au, this is the Maui you were dreaming of.
