Maui

Area:
Population - Mau'i Island: 117,644 (2000)
Population - Mau'i County: 138,221 (2004)
County: Maui

Maui was formed by two volcanoes and is often called the Valley Island because of the many canyons that cut into the two mountains. A low isthmus passes between the two mountains creating a fertile area for growing sugar cane. Haleakala, the highest point on Maui, also contains the world's largest dormant volcanic crater, at least for now. Haleakala is considered active and is expected to erupt sometime within the next 200 years.

Official Color: Pink
Island Flower: Lokelani, also known as Damask Rose (Rosa damascena), designated as the official flower.

Maui -- Island Overview
The Island of Maui was formed by two massive volcanoes. The volcanoes rose more than a mile above the ocean surface and they emitted enough lava to fill the valley between them, thereby creating Maui. Much of Maui’s habitable land as well as the bulk of its arable land is in this valley, hence the nickname, "The Valley Island."

The mountains formed by these volcanoes did wonders for Maui: they are beautiful places to visit and they shelter the leeward parts of the island from the rainier weather that comes with the southwesterly trade winds that blow into the windward (mostly northern and eastern) sides of Maui. The red volcanic dirt you will see all over the island is rich in minerals and is great for growing sugar cane, which you will see growing in many parts of the island (the dirt is red because the lava that came from Maui’s volcanoes was rich in iron, which has since oxidized and turned rusty red).

Spanning 729 square miles (approximately the size of Rhode Island), Maui is the second largest island in the Hawaiian chain. It’s population of 103,000 is dwarfed by the 2.3 million visitors who come to Maui each year. People aren’t the only visitors Maui gets. It is estimated that 50% of the world’s humpback whales travel to Maui’s warm waters each winter to meet other whales and mate. Whale watching is a top past-time in Maui. Whale-hunting once was the top occupation in Maui, as evidenced by old whaling towns such as Lahaina. This town has evolved over the years, but it still retains a 19th century New England-influenced charm amidst the dozens of t-shirt shops and the likes of The Hard Rock Café and Planet Hollywood.

Not to be missed on Maui are:
-The 55 mile Road to Hana, which offers absolutely breathtaking sea-side scenery
-Haleakala Crater, a dormant volcanic crater that resembles something from the moon
-Maui’s fantastic beaches, which include the wind-surfing capital of the world and a peaceful black sand beach
-a day trip to the nearby island of Lanai , which is unspoiled and undeveloped

Plan Your Trip
Most of the resorts and hotels you will find on Maui have sprung up on the leeward sides of Maui, which have far less rain than the windward sides. The biggest concentrations of hotels are in the Lahaina/Kanapali/Kahana area (where you will find many condominiums) and the Kihei/Wailea/Makena area, which includes very upscale and expensive hotels such as The Four Seasons and The Grand Wailea. If you wish to book a hotel room at a discount rate, be sure to visit our hotel reservations page.

We highly recommend that you rent a car if you visit Maui since few things are likely to be within walking distance of your hotel. Renting a car may also save you a lot of money since a taxi ride from Kahalui airport on the windward side of the island to the leeward side, where most of the resorts are located, will set you back at least $50 to $60.

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