Maui Vacation

Maui is a land full of adventures designed to bring visitors in close contact with the magic of the island. Visitors can explore the warm beaches, swim in brilliant blue water, or hike lush forests
to find hidden waterfalls and freshwater pools. More adventurous visitors to Maui will find that biking, snorkeling and kayaking opportunities await. The natural beauty of Maui calls to all visitors. A day spent strolling the beaches and dancing with the tide is certain to relax any guest.The lush forests of Maui offer many easy hiking trails for visitors to enjoy. While a Maui vacation may be all about relaxation, Maui does offer activities to fulfill the passions of even the most adventurous visitor. Most famous on Maui is downhill-cruising of Haleakala. Equipment and riders are driving to the 10,000-foot summit of Haleakala and given safety instructions. Using special bicycles with heavy-duty brakes, bikers cruise the 38-mile descent.

Riders should dress in layers to accommodate the changing temperatures during the descent from mountain top to tropical beach. This bicycle journey shows Maui from top to bottom in just a few hours. The course is difficult and not for the inexperienced biker, but the exhilaration is unmatched. Hiking and bicycling are perfect for viewing the Maui landscape up-close, but nothing beats snorkeling to see the undersea wonderland
surrounding the Maui coastline.  Snorkelers
must know how to swim and novices should practice in shallow water. Safety dictates that snorkeling always be done with a buddy.

Among
Maui's top snorkeling beaches are Ahihi-Kinau reserve, Five Needles and Kaupoa. The area of Ka'anapali around Black Rock is also considered a top spot. Many shops on Maui rent fins, masks, snorkels and gear bags.Guided snorkel and scuba dives are available from Trilogy Excursions, the
oldest and best operator on Maui, as well as many other tour operators. Above water, deep-sea fishing, yachting tours and kayaking offer Maui visitors the
chance to see the island from another perspective.

Hawaii is well-known for surfing and surfers of all skill levels will find a place to test their skills on Maui.Activities desk and concierges at Maui hotels are the source for finding good rental surfboards.

The less adventurous Maui visitor can book a helicopter tour for the same view. Many tours do not guarantee a window seat for all passengers, so it is worthwhile to verify this detail before placing a reservation. Maui is a diverse island with something for every interest.Journeys through, over, around, and under Maui expose unexpected treasures and create lasting memories.

Choosing
Accommodations on Maui
Maui offers approximately 16 hotels with a total of over 10,000 available rooms. Visitors to Maui can also choose to stay in one of the 7,343 condominiums units or at one of the 40 Bed and Breakfast Inns on the island. Less common, but also available, are camping facilities located on park
grounds. Visitors looking for a special romantic location to spend their Maui vacation find Hotel Hana-Maui perfectly suited to their desires. The Hotel offers private cottages near the ocean with hot tubs on the deck and gardened outdoor baths that bring tropical fantasies to life.

Families will enjoy the Westin Maui at Kaanapali Beach Resort in West Maui. Kids love the 87,000 square-foot pool area. Five swimming pools, two water slides, a swim-through grotto with twin waterfalls and a hidden whirlpool are all part of the Westin Maui experience. The Westin Maui is located on the beach and offers snorkeling and scuba
tours directly on the property. Parents will enjoy the spa treatments and golf. Maui is a golfer's paradise.< The decision of where to stay on Maui may be based entirely on course selection for a golfer.Kapalua Resort on Maui has been recognized as the Best Golf Resort in Hawaii and is a top pick.The AAA Five-Diamond Ritz Carlton Kapalua offers beautiful sunsets and overlooks Molokai and Lanai,
Maui's neighboring islands. Many of the Maui hotels and resorts offer packages that include lodging, car rental and golf fees.

Visitors to Maui should first consider which part of the island holds the greatest interest for them and then select a hotel or condo rental within that area.,West Maui includes the Kaanapali Resort, the Kapalua Resort and other areas around the village of Lahaina. Lahaina itself is primarily a shopping, dining and entertainment area and offers only a few lodging selections.

The
Westin Maui - Most resorts on Maui provide programs for young guests including planned beach activities.  The Westin Maui at Kaanapali Beach Resort is particularly popular with families thanks to the tropical foliage, waterfalls and parrots.The aquatic playground featuring a 128-foot slide makes childhood fantasies come true. Maui hotels
and resorts are about much more than a room and a beach and many include special touches to encourage family visitors.

Children love to explore the natural beauty of Maui.A trip to Haleakala National Park is a must-do for families. The diversity of ecosystems and the exposure to so many new and different tropical species is a learning experience not to be missed. While watching the sunrise from Haleakala is popular with Maui visitors, it is not generally well suited to younger children because of the early start
time and amount of waiting time involved.

The Maui Ocean Center showcases Hawaii's underwater environment. Voted Hawaii's Top-Rated Family Attraction by Zagat Survey, the Maui Ocean Center should be on every family's tour plan. Children enjoy the tactile experience of feeling things like a sea cucumber in the touch pool. A particularly interesting feature of the Maui Ocean Center popular with adults as well as children is the glass tunnel that leads into a 750,000-gallon aquarium with sharks and other colorful tropical fish swimming overhead.The average visit to the Maui Ocean Center takes about two hours,
but many visitors linger longer over exhibits and choose to dine in one of Maui Ocean Center's two restaurants.

Central Maui, Upcountry Maui, and Hana are not areas rich in resorts but they do offer more unique accommodations for Maui visitors. The Aloha Cottages and The Old Wailuku Inn at Ulupono are perfect examples of the smaller, more private and unusual lodging available in these areas.

South Maui consists of Kihei, the Wailea Resort and the Makena Resort. Budget-minded visitors to Maui will find hotels and condos to fit their needs in Kihei. Wailea Resort is the top destination for the luxury resort crowd on Maui. Makena is isolated from the rest of the island. The location is more quiet and serene than other resort areas of Maui but the downfall is that the drive to attractions out of the area is a bit long.


The diverse resort and area offerings of Maui allow visitors to tailor a vacation to specifically create their own version of [aradise.Maui enchants every visitor but the first step to an awe-inspiring Maui trip starts with location.

Maui was once considered the capital of the whaling industry and is the winter home to migrating Pacific Humpback whales.The Whalers Village Museum located in the Kaanapali shopping complex is dedicated to teaching about this important creature.This Maui museum displays over seventy species of whales. The skeletal remains of a 40-foot Sperm Whale are amazing, and children are shocked to see the actual size of this ocean giant. Admission to this Maui attraction is free.

The Lahaina Kaanapali Railroad, better known as the Sugar Cane Train, will be a hit with young train fanatics. While this Maui attraction is often rated as boring by adults, it is perfectly suited to families with younger children.

The West Maui Mountains - Traveling in an open-air coach pulled by a steam-engine, visitors enjoy a leisurely six-mile journey through Maui.Crossing a 325-foot curved wooden trestle provides a panoramic view of the West Maui Mountains, as well as islands neighboring Maui. Storytellers share the history of Maui during the trip.

A Maui vacation is not complete until a luau is included.Most Maui resorts and hotels offer luaus.Among the most recommended non-resort luaus are the Old Lahaina Luau and The Feast at Lele, both located in the Maui village of Lahaina.Children will be captivated by the Hawaiian dance and music offered by these Maui performers and are certain to find something they enjoy eating among the many luau offerings.

Maui is considered a top choice for family vacations.Children and Adults alike with enjoy learning the history and culture of Maui at locations all over the island.