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Local Area
With the Islands of Lanai and Molokai as a dramatic backdrop across Auau Channel, the Kaanapali Beach Resort Area is celebrated for some of the most beautiful sunsets in the Hawaiian Islands. What more fitting finale would you expect for a day of tropical bliss that has made the area a favorite Hawaiian getaway?
Steeped in culture, Kaanapali was a Hawaiian warrior training ground in ancient times and later a retreat for Hawaiian royalty. When developers selected this three-mile stretch of sand for Hawaii’s first “neighbor island” resort, they opened the door to what has become a legendary slice of paradise.
But there’s much allure to what lies beyond. To the north are the glistening West Maui snorkeling bays of Napili, Kapalua and Honolua. Honolua Bay also sees action considered tops among expert surfers drawn to its fast-breaking winter waves.
Five minutes south of Kaanapali is bustling Lahaina, where rowdy whalers took leave to revel along Front Street in the mid-1800s. This historic port has a calmer demeanor these days, with catamarans, sailboats and fishing charters occupying its harbor slips. Still embracing its whaling roots while adding trendy eateries, galleries and boutiques, Lahaina flows with energy from early morning into the night.
Top To-Dos In West Maui
- Check out the 19th century scrimshaw at Whalers Village Museum
- Cruise along Lahaina Harbor and hop aboard an ocean excursion
- Paddle past the West Maui coastline on a kayak tour
- Stroll along the self-guided Kaanapali Historical Trail
- Grab a bird’s-eye view of West Maui by parasail
- Shop for jewelry, art and scrimshaw on Lahaina’s Front Street
- Watch a cliff diver plunge into the Pacific at sunset from Puu Kekaa
- Saddle up and horseback ride through the West Maui Mountains
- Race along two miles of dual-track ziplines with Kapalua Adventures Maui
- Feast like royalty at a Hawaiian luau
- Soak in amazing acrobatic feats and hula at Ulalena
- Catch a crafts fair beneath Lahaina’s famous 60-ft. Banyan Tree
- Mingle with artists and gallery owners each Friday at Lahaina’s Art Night
- Rip off-road through Kahoma Ranch on an ATV
- Dive into Maui’s underwater world with Atlantis Submarines
- Learn about whaling and the plantation era on the Lahaina Historic Trail
- Hop aboard a board to surf and stand up paddle
- Gaze at beautiful sunsets from Lahaina’s Front Street seawall
- Take a “seafari” to snorkel with spinner dolphins
- Hike along Kapalua’s Honolua Ridge or Maunalei Arboretum trails
Top West Maui Attractions
- Baldwin House
- Front Street’s Banyan Tree
- Honolua Bay
- Kapalua Bay
- Lahaina Cannery Mall
- Lahaina Heritage Museum
- Lahaina Jodo Mission
- Lahaina-Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad Sugar Cane Train
- Old Lahaina Courthouse
- Onolua Bay
- Whalers Village
Top West Maui Events
- PGA Tournament of Champions at Kapalua (January)
- Lahaina Civic Center Arts & Craft Fair (January)
- Maui Onion Festival (May)
- Waa Kiakahi Festival (June)
- Kapalua Food & Wine Festival (June)
