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Located on the isthmus between Haleakala and the
West Maui mountains, central Maui is the hub of commercial and
governmental activity. It is the most densely populated area on the
island. Often windy and covered in acres of sugar cane fields and dotted
with areas of industrial, residential and shopping complexes, Kahului is
the location of the islands only deep water port and the location of it's
largest airport. Just adjacent to Kahului is Wailuku. Wailuku is the
county seat of Maui and Maui's old town center. The streets in Wailuku
town are narrow and charming.
Road to Hana (Hana Highway)
Home of the famous Road
to Hana, east Maui is mostly a coastal experience that runs the length of
the Hana Highway from Paia through to Kipahulu. The two lane highway is
narrow with over 6000 turns and seemingly just as many waterfalls. The
drive from Kahului through to Hana takes between two and three hours
through the tropical forests of windward Maui. Also along this highway are
the small towns of Paia, a sugar plantation town in the early 1900’s and
the fishing village of Keanae and the sleepy village of Wailua. There is
also many beaches including Hookipa, popular for windsurfing and
Wainapanapa’s black sand beach and caves. Continue past Hana and through
Hamoa, Puuiki toward Kaupo, to find Kipahulu Valley.
From the Haleakala Highway intersection to
Kahului, it is a 2 lane highway. From Paia on to Hana, a single lane
highway, with some sections near Hana narrowing to 1 lane. This road is
normally congested during rush hour, between the hours of 7:00 - 9:00 am
and 4:00 - 6:00 pm, especially around Paia due to commuters from the
Haiku/Huelo areas commuting to Kahului.
Kihei - Wailea
The area along the south shore of Maui between
Maalaea and Makena is one of the sunniest locations on the island where
great beaches, luxury, views, boating and golf are the attraction. Maalaea
is the location of Maui’s most centrally located small boat harbor where
fishing expeditions and tours regularly depart, and also where the new
Maui Ocean Center is located.
Continuing along the coast will bring you to the
fast growing town of Kihei with it's many shops and mini malls. With less
than 10 inches of annual rainfall, Kihei has the most sun and the least
rain on the island and is popular for it’s beaches and reasonable priced
condominiums and hotels. The atmosphere changes at the intersection of
South Kihei Road and Olokani Road. Here is the entrance to the resort area
of Wailea.
The changes in the air is decidedly rarefied with
it’s manicured roadways and collection of multimillion dollar oceanfront
resorts, vacation homes and wonderful beaches. Five star luxury hotels
aside, Wailea has a shopping village, three golf courses, with an
additional three near by, and a tennis complex. There is also a scenic 3
mile oceanfront jogging/walking path, a native coastal plant garden, and
an ancient lava-rock house. Continue past Wailea is Makena. With it’s
narrow country roads and sparse development, the beaches here are wide,
isolated and rugged.
This is a 2 lane highway that runs along the
length of Kihei. Traffic can become congested during rush hour, especially
between the hours of 7:00 - 9:00 am and 4:00 - 6:00 pm, mostly from
commuters trying to get out of or into Kihei.
Upcountry (Haleakala Volcano)
Upcountry Maui is a wonderful place that
certainly is a surprise to most first time visitors. It is not tropical in
the sense that most would think, however, it is certainly a special part
of the island of Maui. Located on the slopes of Haleakala, this area in
the higher elevations of the island, is popular with flower growers,
farmers and ranchers. Kula is located at the 6,000 foot level and is
famous for producing Maui’s wonderful onions and locally grown
carnations. Ulupalakua is the location of the vineyards of Maui’s wine
maker Tedeschi. In Pukalani, the commercial hub of this region of the
island there is a country club and golf course as well as shopping centers
and stores. Upon reaching the summit, you’ll find Haleakala Crater.
Dormant for over 200 years, this volcano this crater is best viewed at
sunrise where the sun bursts through a sea of clouds in the chilly air.
Backroad to Hana (Kula Highway)
The
Kula highway connects Kahului to Pukalani and the Upcountry area. The road
is a single lane highway with a extra lane that switches direction
according to the time of day. In the morning the double lane is down-hill
from Pukalani to Kahului, in the afternoon the double lane is up-hill from
Kahului to Pukalani. This accommodates rush hour traffic so that heavy
traffic has two lanes. This highway, because of the switching lane, can be
confusing, there is heavy traffic, especially in the afternoons and
evenings, there can also be high winds across the road when the trades are
up.
The second length of the highway extends from the
Kula Highway in the Upcountry area of Maui and connects Kula with Hana.
Often referred as "the back way to Hana". The Highway is paved
but unimproved and one lane in palces. There is rarely a problem with
backed up traffic on this road. From Pukalani to the Ulupalakua Ranch the
road is a single lane paved road in very good condition. Between the
Ulupalakua Ranch and Hana the road occasionally narrows to one lane, there
are areas that could wash out during violent storms or heavy surf.
West Maui (Lahaina - Kaanapali - Kapalua)
West Maui is the original resort area on Maui.
The beaches are terrific, the waves are excellent, and the resorts are
plentiful. This region includes Lahaina, Kaanapali, Honokowai, Kahana,
Napili, and Kapalua. Lahaina is one of Hawaii’s oldest towns. This small
harbor town is filled with restaurant, shops, and galleries. It has played
a large role in Hawaii’s history that ranged from the capitol of the
Kingdom of Hawaii by Kamehameha the Great and through the time when it
became a busy port for Pacific whaling ships and until the the
missionaries arrived in the 1800’s. Now a charming and historic seaside town, Lahaina
is the heartbeat of all that is west Maui. Kaanapali is the next resort
along Honoapiilani Highway. Just three miles from Lahaina, it is one of
the first planned resort communities in Hawaii. The 1200 acres that
encompass this resort is now home to 6 luxury hotels, two 18 hole golf
courses, 4 condominium complexes, 40 lighted tennis courts, Whaler’s
Shopping Center, many restaurants, and 2 museums. There is complimentary
shuttle service within the resort and adjacent areas. The setting allows
for fantastic sunset views of the adjacent islands of Molokai, Lanai and
Kahoolawe. Filled with somewhat pricey mid-rise hotels that line 3 miles
of golden beach, there are golf courses and a paved walking path along the
water’s edge. Whalers Village is home to numerous shops and restaurants
as well as the best whale museum in Hawaii.
Kapalua is at the north of the island, and is the
home of two very expensive hotels, as well as some condo and homes. The
hotels provide public parking and beach access, and an art school where
you can learn local crafts, and a rain forest preserve.
This is a single lane Highway that travels along
a rugged stretch of South facing shoreline. This road can have heavy
traffic, especially between the hours of 7:00 - 9:00 am and 4:00 - 6:00 pm
due to rush hour traffic between Lahaina and Kahului. There can also be
high winds on this road when the trade winds are up.
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