La Perouse Bay

In addition to the raw natural beauty of this place, La Perouse Bay has a rich history. It was at La Perouse that the first Westerners set foot on Maui. When the French explorer Jean François de Galaup La Perouse landed here in 1786, scores of Hawaiians from the village of Keone'o'io came out to greet him.

The remains of the ancient village - mainly house and heiau platforms - can be seen scattered among the lava patches. A monument to La Perouse, for whom the bay is named, is at the end of the road.

This is also a great place to see spinner dolphins, which commonly come into the bay during the early part of the day. The waters are rough and challenging, but expert kayakers and divers sometimes give it a go, and the sealife is amazing. However, strong offshore winds put snorkeling and swimming out of the question.