Image
Iao Valley hiking on Maui

Story Ideas

Maui

Mālama Maui

Maui Wildfire Update

The August 2023 wildfires resulted in the devastating loss of loved ones, homes, cultural and historical sites, and businesses in Lahaina, located in West Maui. We are grateful for the outpouring of support for Maui from around the world, from sharing memories and offering their assistance, to asking questions about travel to Maui and the rest of the state.

Visitors can visit just about everywhere on Maui except for the fire-effected areas of Lahaina. There's so much to see and do. Respectful travel to Maui is welcome and encouraged now more than ever, however, we urge visitors to be especially mindful in the following ways:

  • Visit with aloha, compassion and empathy.  
  • Support local businesses. Visit mauinuifirst.com for suggestions.
  • Mālama (care for) Maui and give back to the community by signing up for an enriching volunteer experience.
  • Learn about the historical and cultural significance of Lahaina but stay away from fire-effected areas as a means of respect for the people and places that have been lost during this devastating tragedy. Please do not take photos of the area, even from afar.  

 

Couple walk along a Maui Beach

Beachcapades

Maui is home to some of Hawaiʻi’s most famous beaches including Kāʻanapali Beach, Mākena Beach, Kapalua Beach, Hāmoa Beach, and Hoʻokipa Beach among others. Often ranked within the “Top 10” in the United States, Maui’s beaches live up to their hype and name. With over 130 miles of coastline and more than 30 miles of beach, there is a beach perfect for all ages, all experiences, and all activities.

Pipiwai Trail Bridge

Island Trekking

Immersed in Hawaiian culture and history, Maui’s hiking trails prove the journey can be just as fun (and beautiful) as the final destination. Follow in the footsteps of royalty on the Ke Ala Loa O Maui hike (also known as the Piʻilani Trail), walk through natural archways made of bamboo and get a view of the 400-foot Waimoku Falls on the Pīpīwai Trail, or marvel at towering emerald peaks while trekking along the ʻĪao Needle Lookout Trail and Ethnobotanical Loop where the historic Battle of Kepaniwai took place hundreds of years ago.

Hana from the sea

A Step into Hawaiʻi’s Past

Get ready to unwind, relax, and take in the beauty of Hāna Town. For an otherworldly adventure above the trees, take a quick flight departing from the Kahului airport to land in this picturesque town of Hāna. Quiet and serene, Hāna embodies what residents call “old Hawaiʻi” as it remains virtually unchanged and tucked away within a tropical rainforest.

Aerial view from upcountry Maui

Upcountry Maui

Each small town located in Upcountry is unique and brimming with its own charm. Explore Kula, nestled on the slopes of Haleakalā, for exotic produce used in many of Maui’s delicious farm-to-table restaurants and the state’s only lavender farm. Stroll through Pāʻia for local boutiques and great eats at Pāʻia Bay Coffee & Bar, Pāʻia Fish Market, and Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice. Visitors can also check out Makawao and Haleakalā National Park in Upcountry.

Maui

‘Ao‘ao O Nā Loko I‘a O Maui

As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization,‘Ao‘ao O Nā Loko I‘a O Maui is dedicated to revitalizing Ko‘ie‘ie Fishpond for educational, archaeological, cultural, and recreational purposes. Volunteering for the day allows conscientious travelers to learn about Hawaiian culture and ways of life while having the opportunity to engage with the local community and restore a historical landmark in North Kīhei, Maui.

Celebrating Hawaiian Culture


From the Celebration of the Arts Festival in April in Kapalua to Hāna in July in Hāna, visitors have the opportunity to witness traditional Hawaiian practices in action. Cultural practitioners present an ʻoli (Hawaiian chant) during opening ceremonies and music and hula will be continuous throughout the weekend. Hands-on art, demonstrations, films, cultural panels, music, and dance will act as the common ground to allow visitors and residents the opportunity to interact with authentic Hawaiʻi traditions.

Hāna Relay

The famed Road to Hāna is not for the faint of heart. With over 600 hairpin turns and more than 50 one-lane bridges, it is no wonder the 52-mile Hāna Highway takes about 3-hours one way. By Car. How, imagine taking the car out of the equation and running the road with a team of six. With spectacular oceanviews to your left, lush rainforests and waterfalls to the right, relay attendees find themselves immersed in what the Road to Hāna once was - carless. And at the final stretch of the relay, runners find themselves in the heart of old Hawaiʻi where cell phone reception is all but spotty and banks open for 2-hours a day - if that. Hāna, is a place where visitors will learn to disconnect from the distractions and find themselves. Where the sun first rises and the community all but locks their car doors.

Mālama Hawaiʻi

Going back means giving back, when you travel mindfully and safely.

Ka Ho‘oilina Ali‘i, Hawaiiʻi’s Royal Heritage Webinar
Surfers

Travel Assistance Questionnaire