Magical Maui

Jerome Richard

“I felt like the last man, neglected of the judgment, and left pinnacled in mid-heaven, a forgotten relic of a vanished world.” — Author Mark Twain staring down at Haleakala Crater

Maui was the name of a hero of Polynesian mythology. From the top of Haleakala volcano, he caught the sun in a fishnet and slowed its travel across the sky so that the people of the island would have more sunshine in which to enjoy the day. If you visit Maui today, your only regret will be that he didn't slow it up even more.

Each of Hawaii's islands has something special to offer, but except for a big city, Maui has everything. It is accessible by direct flight from several points in the western United States, or by connecting flights from Honolulu to Kahului International Airport.

Kahului, Maui's largest town (pop. approximately 17,000), is ordinary, but it's only the beginning.Maui is actually two islands joined by volcanic lava flows. Haleakala is the largest dormant volcano in the world.

Drive to the top, past the sign that says "Turn on headlights in clouds," and for a small contribution the park ranger will issue a certificate testifying that you "survived the 37-mile drive up from sea level...the greatest elevation gain in the shortest distance in the world!"

You know how you are getting up there (the spunky little Geo Metro I rented made the climb without difficulty), and you can imagine how Maui made it—he was a superhero—but what about those bicyclists you pass on their way down? When you finally reach the parking lot at the summit you see that the bicycles and their riders were trucked up. Coasting down the mountainside is a popular sport on Maui.

The drive also makes you appreciate the fact that not long ago people climbed the 10,000 feet to the summit on foot. Mark Twain was one of them. Staring into the bleak crater, large enough, as he observed, to hold the city of London, he felt "like the Last Man, neglected of the judgment, and left pinnacled in mid-heaven, a forgotten relic of a vanished world." To most people, the crater floor looks like a moonscape. It is so lunar-like that the astronauts trained here for their trip to the Moon. It is possible, with proper arrangements, to camp out on the crater floor and some people do it just to see the spectacular sunrise over the crater's rim. But if the crater of Haleakala looks like an abandoned hell, the mountain presides over an island that is sheer paradise.

The second largest of the Hawaiian islands, Maui has more miles of swimmable beach than any of the other islands, the second highest waterfall in the United States (Wailua Falls), twenty golf courses (five of them public), rainforests and a winter colony of humpback whales. The emerald slopes of the volcano are alive with flower farms, cattle ranches, and even a modest vineyard.

Mauians call this "upcountry," and though it is within sight of the ocean, it is a different culture than life on the beach. Here and in the flat stretch between the two parts of the island there is abundant agriculture. Besides sugar cane, Maui is famous for its pineapples and sweet onions.

A remnant of the railroad system that transported sugar cane to the coast remains in the Lahaina-Ka'anapali & Pacific Railroad, more popularly known as the "Sugar Cane Train." The depot is just east of Lahaina. The roundtrip lasts an hour while the conductor talks about the history of sugar in the area; he also sings and plays a ukelele. It's hokey, but if you are a train buff it would be worthwhile.

Most of the resort areas are on the western shore of the island, from Kapalua and Ka'anapali in the north to Wailea and Makena towards the southwest corner. Accommodations range from world-famous luxury hotels to B&B's. There are also many condominiums where you can rent a suite of rooms complete with kitchen facilities for an inexpensive stay. Some even throw in a rental car.

This is the sunset side of the island. The tropical glow as the sun melts into the ocean is unmatched anywhere, and this is also a perfect spot to watch for the "green flash" just as the sun disappears. This is also the side favored by whales. From late November to April they camp offshore to breed their young. You can admire them from shore or go out among these gentle giants in sightseeing boats, some sponsored by the Pacific Whale Foundation.

The University of Maryland's Laboratory of Coastal Research surveyed 650 beaches throughout the United States for swimming conditions, aesthetics, water and air quality, texture and color of sand, and degree of solitude. When the results were calculated they named Kapalua Bay "the best beach in America." Kapalua is also an artists' colony, the home of a wine festival (June), a music festival (May), three championship golf courses.

World-class beaches on Maui can sometimes be overwhelmed by world-class waves. Strong currents, high surf and sudden downpours come with little warning. This is particularly true in the winter on the northern and western shore and in the summer on the southern and eastern sides of the island. Lifeguards are stationed on many public beaches and it pays to check with them or with anyone on the beach about conditions before plunging in.

With winds like that, you know that surfing is a popular sport. World-class surfing takes place at Honolua Bay on the north end of Maui, and at Ma'alaea Bay on the western side. La Perouse Bay in the southwest is for advanced surfers only. Ho'okipa on the eastern side is considered the windsurfing capital of the world and is the site of international championship meets.

Lahaina, once the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and then homeport to one of the largest whaling fleets in the world, is now a bustling tourist town about midway between the major resorts. Much of Hawaii's history is preserved here, including New England-style mission houses, early churches, the largest Buddha outside Asia and a whaling museum. Don't miss the 120-year-old Banyan Tree whose limbs spread out over nearly an acre.

You can go snorkeling or deep-sea diving at many places around Maui. One of the best spots is at Molokini Island, actually the half-rim of a submerged volcano, visible from Wailea. It's a designated Marine Life Conservation District and home to schools of tropical fish as well as other marine life.

The road around the back of Haleakala to the town of Hana passes near Wailua Falls and the Falls of the Seven Pools. Highway—and that's almost a euphemism—31, is fifty miles of twisting, pot-holed road and one-lane bridges. Some rental companies forbid taking their cars over it and 4-wheel drives are recommended. But it's also a road that passes through dramatic tropical beauty.

It is a generous jungle here, with guava, mango and banana trees offering passersby their fruit. There are hiking trails, too, starting in the Kipahulu section of Haleakala National Park, where the volcano spills down to the sea.

Not well known is the fact that Charles Lindbergh is buried in a churchyard on a promontory along here. It's down a dirt road off the highway; ask for directions if you're an interliner wanting to pay your respects.

As you near Hana, there are small beaches in a variety of colors: black, white and gold. The town of Hana and the even smaller settlements around there are as close to the Hawaii of a century ago as any place in Hawaii that is accessible to tourists.

The northeast coast, another tricky drive, and Iao Valley in the heart of the northern end of Maui, are also full of primitive scenery. The forbidding Iao Valley was the scene of a famous battle. Now it's a state park, but still only lightly touched by civilization. Fruit trees provide food for unseen animals, wild ginger scents the air and verdant plantlife seems to harbor secrets of Hawaii's past.Maui embraces three satellite islands.

Until 1990, the small island of Kahoolawe was a U.S. Navy bombing range. A cleanup is now underway and the island is scheduled to reopen to the public in 2004.

Lana'i, once the world's largest pineapple plantation, boasts of its seclusion. (Bill Gates and his bride went there to be married and avoid the press.) There are strange rock formations in the Garden of the Gods, hunting (deer and pheasant), big-game fishing, snorkeling and just getting away from it all. Access is by plane from Kahului or shuttle boat from Lahaina.

Moloka'i bills itself as "the most Hawaiian island," though its Wildlife Park has such un-Hawaiian animals as zebras and giraffes. Kalaupapa, a former leper colony, is now a National Historic Park. A muleback ride down its winding trail is an adventure punctuated by spectacular views.

The hula is said to have been invented here, and it is commemorated in a celebration the third Saturday of May. A 700-year-old temple is among the attractions on this still rural island. Transportation is similar to getting to Lana'i.

A cultural pride movement is growing in all of the Hawaiian Islands. Last September, native Hawaiians voted overwhelmingly for a greater degree of independence from the United States. You see it also in the inverted apostrophe now common in Hawaiian words (represented here by an ordinary apostrophe). It represents the kind of glottal stop New Yorkers make when pronouncing Long'Island, but you seldom hear it, even from native speakers.

Maui has a very even climate. The daytime normal temperature range is from the mid-sixties in the winter to the mid-nineties in the summer with local variations. At the summit of Haleakala the temperature is about twenty degrees cooler than it is along the coast.

Hawaii does not observe daylight savings time. Maui, the island's namesake, has already seen to that.

Jerome Richard is a travel, food and wine writer and a member of Global Travel Press, Ltd. He lives in Seattle, but still pronounces "Long Island" with a glottal stop.