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Anyone who spends time on Maui will eventually hear the phrase "Maui No Ka Oi" which translated means "Maui is the best".
While this may appear unnecessarily boastful, the truth is that Maui was voted the "Best Island in the World" for the 15th
time in the annual Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards poll. Maui has also been selected as the “Best Pacific Island”
for the 19th straight year. In fact no other island has ever won this title since Conde Nast began offering this distinction.
With over 1,000 islands and hundreds of thousands of desirable travel destinations in the world, this is truly a well-deserved
honor for the island of Maui.
Maui hotels dominated the “Top Hawaii Resorts” category with four of the top five resorts coming from Maui county. Maui was
top rated in six different categories: Scenery, Friendliness, Lodging, Restaurants, Activities and Beaches. Additionally, five
of the top ten and nine of the top twenty spots in the “Top Hawaii Resorts” category were Maui County resorts. The Four
Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea was ranked first, and was the only resort in the islands to attain both the AAA Five Diamond and
Mobil Five Star ratings. The Four Seasons Resort Lanai, Lodge at Koele ranked 3rd, Hotel Hana-Maui ranked 4th, the Four
Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay ranked 5th, Maui’s Fairmont Kea Lani ranked 9th, the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa was
12th, the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua was 14th, Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa was 15th, and the Westin Maui Resort & Spa captured the
20th spot.”
Maui, also known as the "Valley Isle", is the 2nd largest island in the Hawaiian chain, with over 700 square miles of
breathtaking scenery and coastline. The island of Maui was actually formed by two separate volcanoes, one being Mt. Haleakala,
which is the world’s largest dormant volcano. Haleakala rises to over 10,000 feet with sloping hills and windswept terrain.
The second of Maui's volcanoes is Pu’u Kukui, which is located on the West Side of the island and receives over 400 inches of
rainfall annually.
Maui has a diverse culture and up until the latter 60`s was primarily an agriculture island offering products such as sugar
and pineapple. In the early 70`s development of resort areas created the islands driving force, tourism. On the West Side of
Maui you will find the resort communities of Kaanapali, Kapalua and Lahaina. Kaanapali features golf courses and beachfront
hotels. The Kapalua development is north of Kaanapali and features championship golf, two beachfront resorts and world class
beaches. Lahaina is located south of Kaanapali and is the heart of the West Side. Lahaina is a national historic landmark and
is entrenched with Hawaiian history.
Located in central Maui are the towns of Kahului and Wailuku. Wailuku is the county seat and features its own historical
district and quaint stores. Kahului is the port city of Maui and features a variety of shopping centers and attractions.
Traveling up the slopes of Haleakala will bring you to Upcountry Maui. Upcountry Maui features astounding views and botanical
gardens. The towns of Makawao, Kula and Ulupalakua are all located upcountry and offer an array of shopping and sightseeing.
Traveling from Kahului on the Hana highway will take you to one of the most visited parts of the island, Hana. Hana is located
on the East Side of the island and features some of the most scenic waterfalls and coastline available. A trip to Maui would
not be complete without a stop in "heavenly Hana".
The south side of Maui features the town of Kihei and the resort communities of Wailea and Makena. Kihei is well known for its
beautiful weather and long sandy beaches. The town of Kihei also hosts a variety of shopping centers and restaurants.
Traveling south from Kihei will bring you to one of Maui's newest resort communities, Wailea. Wailea is home to some of Maui's
finest resorts, golf courses and white sandy beaches. Leaving Wailea and traveling further south will bring you to Makena.
This small resort community features golf, tennis and some of the islands best known beaches and snorkeling spots.
So whether you are a full-time resident or a first-time tourist visiting the island, you will agree when people say "Maui No
Ka Oi".
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