Maui, a demigod with Herculean strength and the trickster cunning of Odysseus, once yanked up the Hawaiian islands up out of the sea with a fish hook. He climbed Haleakala volcano and lassoed the sun, refusing to let go until the islands had been rescued from ancient darkness. Today sun seekers still reap the fruits of Maui's mythical labors as they laze upon kaleidoscopically colored beaches and enjoy 120 miles of sunshine coast.
'Maui no ka Oi' - Maui is the best! - that's how the saying goes. Maui may not be the biggest island, or where the state capital stands, and it is far away from Waikiki. But if visitors can be judged to vote with their feet, then Maui is the favored son among all of the Hawaiian Neighbor Islands. Even endangered humpback whales prefer these warm coastal waters above all others during their winter migrations.
Honeymooners, surfers, and hikers all find their own slice of paradise on Maui. And yet there is room for you to secret yourself away in natural ocean baths, secluded waterfalls or at royal volcanic heights. Even in the main tourist urban enclaves - the old whaling town of Lahaina, the Kaanapali-Kapalua resorts and the Kihei strip - there are no super-highrises as on Oahu. By law every beachfront remains open to the public. And some of the most beloved Hawaiian chefs practice their island culinary wizardry nearby.
Yet Maui has a more raw side. Escape is never far away when you realize that it takes only a couple of hours to circumnavigate the entire island. You are absolutely free to get as near to the aina (land) as you want: pitch your tent on the beach or pick fresh guava out of the jungle. Tomorrow you can get muddy all over again while mountain biking, or you can let the salt spray rub against your skin on a surfboard.
Staying in the small towns of Paia, Haiku or Hana is another experience altogether. These small settlements sit beneath Haleakala, the massive volcano that provides the backdrop to all of East Maui. Upcountry on the drier slopes of the volcano are pastures where Hawaiian cowboys still ride and fields where Kula truck farmers raise an abundance of flowers and vegetables. At 10,023 feet, the summit itself overlooks an extraordinary landscape of spewed red cinders and gray lava hills, all inside a crater basin that could engulf Manhattan. Magnificent hiking trails cross the crater floor, and at sunrise it seems like the gods are finger-painting the clouds.
Halekala's windward side is lush, wet and rugged. The famed Hana Hwy runs down the full length of it, winding its way above the coast through tropical jungle and past roadside waterfalls. It's arguably the most beautiful coastal road in Hawaii. Past timeless Hana town, the Piilani Hwy takes over and passes by bamboo forests, waterfall pools and the cliffs of Oheo Gulch, then onward for jaw-dropping views up Kaupo Gap and solitary beaches where the ocean roars. Only the dramatic cliffs, lava blow-holes and pristine bays of the Kahekili Hwy that snakes around West Maui's back side can compare.
Critics say that Maui is past its prime: overdeveloped, overtouristed, overpopulated and outdone. It's true that strong doses of imagination are required to see anything of Hawaii's early history here. The few heiau (temples) that exist are often overgrown and inaccessible. A few quaint historical museums and the antique shops in old Wailuku town only hint at what the island must have looked like before the 1960s resort boom and the birth of strip malls. Sigh.
Yet places where the heart of Hawaii still throbs are not far away, thanks to the last remaining interisland ferry services in the state, which both leave from Lahaina Harbor. One goes to Molokai, the birthplace of hula and a refuge of exiles, outcasts and mana (power) wielding priests since long ago. There isn't a single stoplight anywhere and wild beauty is never more than a mile down the road. Maui's closest Neighbor Island is Lanai, where Manele Bay offers beautiful snorkeling and camping. Solo adventurers can take on 4WD tracks and explore Lanai's ancient Hawaiian ruins, Shipwreck Beach or the challenging Munro Trail.
When all is said and pau (finished), there's no better place to first dip your toes into the waters of Polynesia than Maui. Whether you are diving among brilliant sea life in a submerged volcano crater, or stepping out above the clouds into rain forest, or even simply sunning yourself lizardlike on Big Beach, Maui no ka Oi indeed. Aloha.
