here is a popular saying on this island: Maui no ka oi - “Maui is the best.” Well, we agree to a degree. Maui has some of the most magical places in the islands, Hana and Haleakala for example. It also has a relaxed pace and much to offer the visitor. Unfortunately, Maui also has experienced some wanton development à la O‘ahu, which has ravaged the prime beachfront with a tsunami of condos, high-rise hotels, and huge resort properties. Today Maui’s leeward coasts - the best sunny beaches - are packed with all of the above, and development is creeping up the slopes of Haleakala and the West Maui Mountains. The lack of a master plan offers a painful, and permanent, lesson that the islands of Kaua‘i and Moloka‘i have taken to heart with zoning regulations and long-term planning.

This is not to say that Maui has been ruined. Au contraire, most of the island is rugged, wild, and fun to explore. Haleakala, the 10,023-foot (3,055 meters) dormant volcano that dominates both the land and the life of Maui, is a National Park with miles of hiking trails and an aura all its own. The lush and verdant north and east coast from Pa‘ia to Kipahulu is stunning, as is the rugged and dry south coast at Haleakala’s base. Upcountry Maui near the towns of Kula and Makawao is beautifully pastoral, the elevation providing refreshingly cooler temperatures, breezes, and amazing views.