Destination: Maui, Hawaii | Revised: September 03, 2009
Haleakala Crater at Haleakala National Park
We asked Pikake Kamahele of the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea to gather the savviest sightseeing suggestions she could find—not just her own but also those of other local connoisseurs, including some she works with every day at the Resort. Maui offers a stunning array of tropical landscapes, from rain forest to volcanic landscapes, and outdoor activities ranging from golf to outrigger canoes. You will also find upscale shopping, fine dining, art and entertainment.
Golfers love to tackle courses they’ve seen their heroes play on television. The Gold Course at Wailea Golf Club hosted the Wendy’s Champions Skins Game for years, while Wailea’s Blue Course was long-time home to the LPGA's Kemper Open. Royal Kaanapali now has the Skins Game, while the PGA Tour season always starts at Kapalua’s Plantation Course with the Mercedes-Benz Championship.
Attracting the most discerning visitors and locals alike, the Shops at Wailea are Maui’s premier retail locale, no mere mall but rather a dining and entertainment venue to enjoy day and night. Top Lahaina eateries have been recreated to save guests the trip to town, while more than 70 shops feature world-class retailers Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, Bottega Veneta and Fendi. An ongoing slate of events includes a major film festival, concerts, a food and wine festival. Every Wednesday evening features live music, gallery receptions and artist appearances.
The narrow channel between Maui and Lana'i is among the best places in the world to see humpback whales, which frolic between November and May. Visitors can see dolphins in the same waters. Among many tour operators, the non-profit Pacific Whale Foundation stands out with its biodiesel-powered catamarans.
The world’s pre-eminent collection of contemporary Hawaiian art cannot be found in a museum: It’s on display throughout the Four Seasons Resort Maui. A curator painstakingly assembled more than 280 important paintings, sculptures, ceramics, textiles and artefacts, all created since Hawaiian statehood in 1959. A podcast tour is available.
With waves up to 70 feet high, Maui’s “Jaws” is among the planet’s most famous expert surf spots. But Maui is equally welcoming to beginners, for whom perfect waves can be found near Wailea. Qualified instructors offer a one-day, two-hour lesson. Novice divers can try a scuba lesson from Maui Under Sea Adventures right in the Resort’s pool (twice daily), then move on to a beginner reef dive or certification program.
Haleakala National Park, spanning nearly 20,000 acres, is Maui’s must-see attraction. You can drive to the volcano’s peak, the rim of the crater, in just 90 minutes, hike the summit in half a day or even drive up and ride bikes down, a popular guided option (not sponsored by the park). In any case, you will pass through as many different ecological zones as you would driving from Canada to Mexico, and Haleakala is home to more endangered species than any other U.S. National Park.
Visitors can see Maui from two very unique perspectives. Skyline Eco-Adventures offers zip line tours where you strap on a harness and “fly” along cables over amazing scenery, including waterfalls, with two locations. Atlantis Submarines lets the most devoted landlubbers see the world beneath the waves, up to 100 feet down, including reefs and a shipwreck.
Outrigger canoes are the most traditional Hawaiian vessels, and they are still a popular form of exercise, recreation and competition in the islands. The Resort offers a complimentary program four times daily that covers history and technique, then a trip around the reefs of Wailea Bay, teeming with wildlife, led by the Resort’s championship paddling team.
Photography Harvey Lloyd, Jamie Ardiles-Arce
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