A.D. 700: The first Hawaiians arrive

The first Hawaiians arrived by canoe from Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands, some 2,500 miles to the south, as part of a greater Polynesian migration. They likely came ashore first at the southernmost Big Island, where they found a pristine and blessedly empty island, roiling with fire from the volcanoes at its heart.
An entire Hawaiian culture grew from these first settlers. As islanders migrated throughout the chain, each island became its own distinct kingdom. The inhabitants built temples, fish ponds, and aqueducts to irrigate taro plantations. Sailors became farmers and fishermen. The alii (highranking chiefs) created a caste system and established taboos. Ritual human sacrifices were common. Life was both vicious and blissful —just like the islands’ breathtaking landscapes. Piilani was crowned as Maui’s first king in the late 1300s.

The private island: Lanai

Staying on Lanai (pop. 3,500) is less a Hawaiian experience and more a generic park-yourself-at-a-resort vacation. There’s little or nothing to do here, which is the entire idea of this getaway island. Just about everything that is here is completely handled through the two megaexpensive resorts that have taken over this humble little place: the English manor house-style lodge at Koele, which sits on the cool, misty peak of the island, while the Manele Bay Hotel sits on the beach, Hawaii style. Both hotels are slated to become members of the ultraposh Four Seasons chain —arguably the finest hotel and resort brand in the world — sometime in 2005, which will certainly enhance the Lanai experience for those looking for a leave-it-all-behind luxury escape. Lanai’s fans love the total pampering and utter solitude. (Bill Gates booked up the entire island so that he could get married here beyond the prying eyes of the media and public a few years back.)

The most Hawaiian isle: Molokai

Sleepy Molokai is a rural island that’s largely untouched by modern development (although, as residents like to boast, they do have KFC now). This lean, funky, scruffy little place is often called the most Hawaiian island because it’s the birthplace of the hula, and it has a larger native Hawaiian population than any other in the chain. Although it offers some lovely, secluded beaches and a few other adventure-style activities, the island’s most famous site is Kalaupapa National Historical Park, a worldfamous 19th-century leper colony that can only be reached by mule, prop plane, or helicopter.

The Maui Nui

Geologists believe that, sometime around one million B.C., the summit of Haleakala volcano broke the surface of the ocean. Flows from this volcano and adjoining ones joined to form a large prehistoric “underwater land mass called Maui Nui, or “Big Maui.” Encompassing Maui Nui was not only the island of Maui, but the neighboring islands of Molokai and Lanai, plus the unpopulated island of Kahoolawe. Today, Maui County comprises Maui and its two sister islands, Molokai and Lanai. In prehistoric tradition, the tripartite island group is often called Maui Nui. Both Molokai and Lanai can be visited on day trips from the Valley Isle or on extended stays. I recommend visiting one or both of these islands only if you have significant vacation time or a particular yen to explore off the beaten path.

Introducing the Valley Isle

The Hawaiian Islands are just a hair’s breadth larger, in total landmass, than the state of Connecticut — but oh, what glorious square miles they are. The islands are actually the summits of underwater volcanoes that have grown tall enough, in geologic time, to peek above the waves. (All the volcanoes are dormant except for two on the Big Island.) A volcanic core gives each island a breathtakingly rugged mountainous heart. Most of the island development is at sea level, along the sunny coastal fringe of each island. Thanks to Hawaii’s proximity to the equator, those coastal areas experience near-perfect weather year-round: temperatures in the high 70s or low 80s, clear skies, and gentle trade winds. The eight main islands are Oahu (oh-wa-hoo), the hub of the Hawaii island chain, and the “neighbor” islands: Maui (mow-ee); Hawaii, or the Big Island, as it’s commonly called; Kauai (ka-wah-ee); Molokai (mo-lok-eye);
Lanai (la-nah-ee); Niihau (nee-ee-how); and Kahoolawe (ka-hoo-o-la-wa). Oahu is the most populous of the islands, but Maui is the most popular, hands down. When people think Hawaiian paradise, they usually think Maui. Almost everyone who comes to Maui falls in love with the island, and for good reason: The second-largest island offers the ideal mix of unspoiled natural beauty and tropical sophistication, with action-packed fun and laid-back island style.
Here are just a few breathtaking facts about this wondrous isle: Maui has 81 accessible beaches — with more miles of swimmable beaches than any other Hawaiian island. At the island’s heart sits a national park — featuring Haleakala, the world’s largest dormant volcano. About 3,000 humpback whales visit Maui every winter — out of the 8,000 that populate the entire planet. It’s no wonder that the readers of Condé Nast Traveler regularly vote Maui “Best Island in the World” and even “World’s Best Travel Destination” year after year after year.
Maui does have a few caveats, however. The Valley Isle is more like the mainland than any other place in Hawaii (yes, even Honolulu, Hawaii’s capital and biggest city). There’s even some L.A.–style traffic. (Maui generally has only one main road going in each direction.) The highways and minimalls look comfortingly familiar, or annoyingly so — it all depends on your perspective.
Although hotels have a bit more breathing room on Maui than they do in Waikiki, the shoulder-to-shoulder resort development is far more urban than what you find on the Big Island or Kauai. Maui also has the highest-profile population of relocated mainlanders. A quicker pace of living prevails, which can make Maui feel more like Southern California than Hawaii, especially in the resort areas. A dash of touristy cheesiness has invaded the old whaling town of Lahaina, and Kihei’s dominant architectural style is high strip mall.
But the mainland-style development doesn’t detract from the island’s natural beauty. Maui really is a tropical paradise, with golden beaches, misty tropical cliffs, and countless waterfalls along the Heavenly Road to Hana, one of America’s most spectacular drives. Offshore are two of Hawaii’s finest snorkel and dive spots. Onshore, at the summit of one of the island’s two great mountains (between which lies the valley for which the island is nicknamed) is Haleakala National Park, a wild, otherworldly place that’s hugely popular with hikers, bicyclers, and sunrisewatchers. Sixteen golf courses enthrall duffers, while a bounty of Food & Wine–worthy dining keeps sybarites satisfied. Hawaii’s finest luau, some excellent theatrical entertainment, and an energetic party vibe in Lahaina make Maui the best choice for travelers who enjoy after-dark activities. With so much to do, you can easily fill a week or ten days — and you’ll be ready to come back for more.
Everybody loves Maui, so expect a few crowds and some high price tags. I’ve heard an increasing number of complaints about overdevelopment in the last couple of years. Maui’s resorts tend to be more expensive than resorts on the other islands, and the high cost of all those available activities doesn’t help matters. You can drop a bundle if you choose to splurge. But you can find good values, too — you just have to know where to look. And that’s where this book comes in. It’s your key to discovering Maui’s best: the island’s best values, its loveliest beaches, its most unforgettable experiences, and its authentic spirit of aloha. In the pages that follow, I steer you away from the overpriced and overcrowded and help you design the island getaway that’s right for you.