Maui attractions
The island of Maui has one of the most scenic roads in Hawaii and is home to one of the largest dormant volcanoes in the world – Mt. Haleakala. Most people who visit Maui stay in the Kaanapali, Lahaina and Wailea areas, all located on the west shore of the island.
Maui attractions range from gorgeous natural sights like Iao Valley, the Hana coast, Haleakala National Park, rugged mountains, waterfalls and white- and black-sand beaches to man-made attractions, such as museums, night shows and temples.
A Maui sightseeing tour can lead you from warm tropical beaches up to Haleakala at an elevation of 10,000 feet (3,048 m), where the temperature typically is around a chilly 40 F to 65 F (4.4 C to 18.3 C), but can even dip below the freezing point at anytime. Below is a list of some of the best things to do on Maui.
Maui things to do and see
| ALEXANDER
& BALDWIN SUGAR MUSEUM |
| The Alexander and Baldwin Sugar Museum celebrates
the historic sugar trade that kept up Hawaii’s economy
for most of the 19th century. A&B, as it is known
to locals, contains a museum and several artifacts
detailing the history of the trade, the local geography
and the evolving culture of Maui.
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| BAILEY
HOUSE MUSEUM |
| The Bailey House Museum was built in 1833 and
showcases Hawaiian culture, paintings, artifacts and furnishings
from 19th century Maui. It is located in Wailuku
and was built on the site of the royal compound
of Kahekiki, who was the last ruling chief of Maui.
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| BALDWIN MISSIONARY HOUSE
|
| The oldest building in Lahaina, the Baldwin missionary house on Front Street as been beautifully restored and offers a vivid picture of the life of a missionary and his family on Maui in the early 1800s. Read More |
| DRAGON'S TEETH |
| The result of one of the last lava flows on Maui, Dragon’s Teeth is a unique rock formation located at Makalua-puna Point in Kapalua on the island’s northwestern shore. Read More |
| HALEAKALA
NATIONAL PARK |
 The
Haleakala National Park is one of Maui’s main visitor
attractions. Located on the south side of Maui,
the park’s main feature is the famous Haleakala
Crater. Mt. Haleakala is the largest dormant volcano
in the world. Visitors often say that they feel
like in another world here, in these moon-like surroundings.
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| HANA
COAST GALLERY |
 The
Hana Coast Gallery, located in Hana on the island
of Maui right next to the Hotel Hana-Maui, showcases
original fine art, finely crafted handwork and decorative
collectibles from the Hawaiian Islands, Polynesia
and the Pacific Rim.
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| HANA
FARMS |
 Hana Farms is a small, but very popular, roadside stand right before Hana. They are famous for their homemade banana breads. Many people say it's the best they've ever eaten. Six varieties are available, plus many other homemade goodies, such as jams, lemonade and coffee.
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| HANAWI
FALLS |
 Hanawi Falls is a popular stop on the Road to Hana on Maui’s northern shoreline. But what most visitors see of this waterfall is actually known as Upper Hanawi Falls. Many people stop right here at the bridge that was built across Hanawi Stream. The waterfall is a 30-foot (9 m) cascade, surrounded by lush, tropical vegetation.
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| IAO
VALLEY STATE PARK |
 The
Iao Valley State Park, located in Wailuku in Central
Maui, is one of the most popular attractions on
the island. A famous landmark inside the park is
the Iao Needle, a 2,250-foot-tall (685 m) stone pillar,
a remnant of Maui’s volcanic past. The scenery is
very lush and the views are amazing.
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| JAWS (PEAHI) |
| Amongst rolling fields of sugarcane surfers migrate to the north shore of Maui for what is arguably the best surf in the world. It’s true that there are a few other great surf spots on earth that boast similar wave heights, but Jaws is known for its excellent wave forming quality. Read More |
| KAHANU
GARDEN |
| Located near Hana, the Kahanu Garden is a 500-acre
(2 sq. km) natural sanctuary that’s well worth a visit. The
garden features many tropical plants, including
130 varieties of breadfruit. Kahanu Garden is also
home to the centuries old Piilanihale heiau, which
is one of the largest Hawaiian stone temples.
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| KEANAE
PENINSULA |
 The Keanae Peninsula is located off of Maui’s famous Road to Hana. It’s a nice spot to visit on your way to Hana. There’s an old Hawaiian village, taro patches and a church that was built in 1856. Even though there’s no sandy beach, the waves slashing against the rocks and lava pinnacles provide great picture-taking opportunities.
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| KAUMAHINA
STATE WAYSIDE PARK |
 This 7.8-acre (31.565 sq. m) park is a popular rest stop on the Road to Hana, located at mile marker 12. From here one can enjoy scenic views of Maui’s northeastern coast, including views of the Keanae Peninsula. Hiking is also possible here as there are several loop trails in the area.
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| KULA
BOTANICAL GARDEN |
| Ponds, streams, pathways and vibrant gardens as far as
the eye can see. What started out as a landscape architecture project
is now a six-acre complex attracting thousands of visitors
every year. The Kula Botanical Garden is home to a large collection of
Hawaiian flora and fauna, including birds, palms and reef fish.
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| LAHAINA
BANYAN TREE PARK |
 Located right on Front Street in Lahaina on Maui is this amazing banyan tree. Imported from India, it was planted in April 1873 and measured just 8 feet (2.5 m) in height back then. Today, it is over 60 feet (18 m) high and looks like a mini forest with several tree trunks.
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| LAHAINA
HARBOR |
 Lahaina Harbor is located right in the heart of Lahaina, in front of the legendary Pioneer Inn. Once notorious for harboring illegal whaling ships, it is a popular visitor destination today. Many activity companies that offer shoreline cruises, snorkeling and diving excursions and parasailing tours start from here.
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| MAUI
GARDEN OF EDEN |
| The Maui Garden of Eden deserves its name. It
is a botanical paradise, located along the famous
Hana highway on Maui’s northern coastline between
Kailua and Keanae. The garden encompasses 26 acres
of trails and is home to rare trees, hidden waterfalls
and unique flowers in a natural island setting.
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| MAUI
OCEAN CENTER |
 Even
seasoned divers can only dream of reaching the depths
of the Pacific and facing the creatures of the deep.
But that’s what the Maui Ocean Center is here for:
it brings you some of the most fascinating marine
creatures this side of the Pacific in an amazing,
three-acre aquatic display.
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| MOLOKINI |
| Molokini is a tiny island located about 2.5
miles off the southern coast of Maui. It is a scuba
divers and snorkelers paradise. In fact, it was
named one of the top ten dive spots in the world!
More than 250 species of fish can be seen here,
some of which exist nowhere else in the world.
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| NAKALELE
BLOWHOLE |
| The Nakalele Blowhole is located in West Maui,
between Kapalua and Wailuku. It can be seen from
the road or trailhead when there is enough wave
action. With each wave, water gets pressed into
these tubes and shoots up into the air.
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| OHEO
GULCH / SEVEN SACRED POOLS |
 Looking
to spend a few hours away from the lively beaches
of Maui? Head to the southeast coast and discover
the peaceful Oheo Gulch (also known as the Seven
Sacred Pools), part of the Haleakala National Park
on the slopes of Maui’s famed volcano.
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| ROAD TO HANA / HANA HIGHWAY |
 The Road to Hana, also known as the Hana Highway, is one of Maui’s most popular attractions. Even though this legendary road is just 52 miles (84 km) long, it takes around three hours and can be quite a challenge to navigate. There are about 620 curves and 59 bridges, 46 of which are one-lane bridges.
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| SUGAR
CANE TRAIN |
 From
the old-school exterior to the historical discourse
that goes on inside, the Sugar Cane Train gives
you the ultimate walk through time. Located in West
Maui, the train is a larger-than-life reproduction
of the actual sugar cane train that ran through
the area in the early 1900s.
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| WAILUA
FALLS |
 Wailua Falls on Maui is an easily accessible waterfall, located right on Hana Highway (located just past mile marker 45). No need to hike to it; you can see it from the road. The waterfall is an 80-foot (24 m) cascade and is surrounded by lush vegetation.
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| WHALERS
VILLAGE MUSEUM |
| Part of an upscale
shopping center of the same name, the museum celebrates
Lahaina’s seafaring life from the 19th century and the way
it influenced Maui’s culture. Over 70 species of whales can be found at the museum, including
authentic specimens of the Hawaiian state mammal, the humpback
whale.
Read More |
| WO
HING TEMPLE |
 Chinese immigrants were one of the ethnic groups who were brought to Hawaii to work in the sugarcane fields. In 1909, a few Chinese workers formed the Wo Hing society (which is a chapter of the Chee Kun Tong society), who in 1912 built this temple for the Chinese community.
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