- Areas

Maui Areas

west side south shore east side north shore central up country

Maui is the second largest Hawaiian island, with a population of a little over 100,000. It has an old whaling town, a resort area, remote Hana, and Haleakala National Park. Maui is a great place to relax on the beach, or to explore different beach parks, because there are so many, and almost all of them are superb. It is also a good shopping and fine dining island, and even has it's fair share of hiking and waterfall experiences. Map and driving directions from the airport to these areas.

West Side

Maui's west side is dominated by resort hotels, Lahaina, and long, perfect beaches. It is also an easy drive to the beaches of the south side. The area is normally hot and dry, with an average year-round temperature of 75 degrees F and an average yearly rainfall of 14 inches.

Kaanapali
Kaanapali is not really a town - it is more of an area. Located north of Lahaina, it runs along Kaanapali Beach, and features dozens of resorts and hotels, with more ocean activities than you can imagine. Here you can find the grandest (and priciest) hotels but also moderately priced hotels that make up in beach access what they lack in amenities.
Kapalua
Kapalua is so far north on the west side, that it is almost on the north side. It was one of the first developed areas of Maui, and features the large Ritz Carlton and Kapalua Bay Resorts - with an excellent snorkeling beach.
Lahaina
Lahaina had been a popular town since the days of the Hawaiian monarchy; home and power base to kings. It was also a huge whaling town , evidenced today in the museums and harbor. You'll find a decent nightlife in Lahaina, plus several vacation rentals and bed and breakfasts.
Napili
Between Kapalua and Kaanapali, Napili is another area with long beaches and resort areas.

South Shore

The extreme south is a remote area, but as a visitor you will be most interested in Kihei, Maalaea, and Wailea. These are great beach areas with luxury hotels and discount hotels - and also an easier home base for exploring Hana and Haleakala than most of the west side.

The area is hot and dry, with an average rainfall of 13 inches a year.

East Side

Maui's east side consists of Hana - and that's it. It is remote and unspoiled, and sometimes called Maui's last truly Hawaiian place. It is hard to get to, but well worth the trip, if you like that sort of thing. I wouldn't advise staying in Hana for your entire trip, but an overnight stay here is well worth it for scenery-seekers. You can also travel past Hana to the coastline part of Haleakala National Park called Kipahulu for waterfalls and rainforest.

North Shore

The north shore of Maui is generally windier and rainier than the rest of the island, making activities sometimes difficult, but if you are interested in windsurfing, this is the place to be! It's also good for inexpensive lodging and as a close home base for exploring Hana and Haleakala. The area consists of Haiku, Huelo, and Paia.

Central Maui

Central Maui is near the entrance to Haleakala, and the cities of Wailuku and Kahului (where the airport is). You can find some inexpensive lodging in this largely rural area.

UpCountry Maui

Upcountry Maui is a very rural area, with cool days, extremely inexpensive mountain rentals, and fabulous hiking trails. If you are looking to get away from it all, this is where to do it.

Was this article useful? I would love if you signed up for my email list (free guides on that page). And I always recommend my most popular articles, and my page on hawaii lodging reviews, lists, and booking.

I Recommend

The Go Hawaii Cards for Oahu for very active vacationers. It's a single discount card that gets you into many different attractions.

Get my best Hawaii travel advice and several free Hawaii ebooks I have written.

The Hawaii Entertainment Book for Oahu and Maui. Save money on dining, activities, and vacation planning.

Home

Best Hawaii Hotels

Vacation Packages

Hawaii Entertainment Book

Maui

Oahu

Big Island

Kauai

Lanai and Molokai

General Hawaii Info

Hawaii on a Budget

Hawaii Coupons

Hawaiian Gifts and Products