Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian islands and, for many travellers, the most rewarding. It is less crowded than Oʻahu, more developed than Kauaʻi and the Big Island, and has a near-perfect mix of beaches, mountains, and small seaside towns. The island's motto — "Maui Nō Ka ʻOi", Maui is the Best — is not especially modest, and locals will happily tell you it is justified.
Geographically the island is two volcanoes joined by a narrow, flat isthmus. The older West Maui Mountains rise above the resort towns of Lahaina, Kāʻanapali and Kapalua; the dormant giant Haleakalā ("House of the Sun"), at 3,055 metres, forms the bigger, rounder eastern half of the island. The crater at the summit is one of the most extraordinary landscapes in the Pacific — a ten-mile-long cinder bowl of ochre, red, and black, reached by a switchback road up from sea level, and a bucket-list destination for sunrise (reserve a timed permit well in advance). Below the summit, the Road to Hāna winds along the rainforested east coast through 600 curves, 59 bridges, and past half a dozen waterfalls; plan a full day and take it slowly. At the far end, past the village of Hāna, the Kīpahulu district of Haleakalā National Park holds the ʻOheʻo Gulch (sometimes called the "Seven Sacred Pools") and the spectacular Pīpīwai Trail to Waimoku Falls through a bamboo forest.
The beaches are excellent. Kāʻanapali, Wailea, and Kapalua are the big resort strips; Mākena ("Big Beach") on the south coast is the wildest; Honolua Bay is the best snorkelling. The sheltered waters between Maui, Lanai and Molokai are one of the best places in the world to see humpback whales, which come here from Alaska to breed between December and May. The old whaling port of Lahaina was devastated by a catastrophic wildfire in August 2023 that killed over 100 people and destroyed most of the historic Front Street; recovery is ongoing, and travellers should check the current situation before planning a visit there. The rest of the island, however, is open and operating normally, and the Maui tourism economy depends on visitors continuing to come.