Lahaina Photos
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Lahaina, Maui
Lahaina (see more photos), the largest town on the western side of Maui, was once the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom and seat of power of the Kamehameha dynasty. During the 1800s, Lahaina became a whaling port.
Starting around 1819, whaling ships from around the world berthed in Lahaina for supplies and recreation. Sometimes, the sailors stopped for as long as 3 winters until they had captured enough sperm whales near Alaska, where the whaling was carried out.
However, the sailor’s bawdy behavior placed them at odds with the missionaries who started to arrive in 1823. In 1927, the battle between the sailors and the missionaries reached its climax when the governor of Maui arrested a ship captain for having women on his ship.
In retaliation, the crew lobbed a few cannonballs at the home of the first Protestant missionary, William Richards. After the whaling industry petered out, Lahaina became a sugar town.
Lahaina, which means “merciless sun,” refers to the town’s warm to hot weather conditions, especially from March to November. Today, Lahaina’s center of activity is along Front Street, which has colorful shops, art galleries, pubs and restaurants.
At the Banyan Tree Square, a banyan tree first planted in 1873 to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the missionaries' arrival, has grown 12 new trunks and stretches over an area of 200 feet (61 m).
Lahaina has a population of more than 9,000. This number swells to around 40,000 during the tourist season. The resident population is a mix of different races, but comprises mostly Asians (43.40%) and Caucasians (26.44%).
Lahaina’s zip code is 96761.
Lahaina Overview
- Former whaling town and capital of the Hawaiian kingdom
- Today, it is a cozy town with colorful shops, art galleries, pubs and oceanfront restaurants
Location: Maui's west shore
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