You wouldn’t expect a wildlife sanctuary to be so close to the main road, but a short walk leaves the traffic behind. This shallow marsh is a haven for rare Hawaiian birds, including native coots, black-crowned night herons, and the aeʻo (Hawaiian black-necked stilt), a graceful wading bird with long orange legs that feeds along the pond’s marshy edges. According to various Fish & Wildlife surveys the aeʻo population probably hovers around 1500 statewide, but you can count on spotting some here.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Piʻilanihale Heiau & Kahanu Garden
27.56 MILES
Probably the most significant stop on the entire Road to Hana, this site combines a 294-acre ethnobotanical garden with the magnificent Piʻilanihale Heiau…
12.7 MILES
From break of day to twilight, this sparkling stretch of sand is a showstopper. Extending from south Kihei to Wailea’s Mokapu Beach, Keawakapu is set back…
15.65 MILES
For a long day on the beach, it’s hard to beat this crescent-shaped strip at the southwestern tip of Kapalua. Snorkel in the morning, grab lunch at the…
14.18 MILES
Sunbathe like a celebrity at this sparkling strand, which fronts the swish Grand Wailea and ever-posh Four Seasons resorts and offers a full menu of water…
20.82 MILES
Got your camera? This beauty takes its name from the triple cascade that flows down a steep rock face on the inland side of the road, 0.5 miles past the…
17.71 MILES
The crowning glory of Makena State Park, this untouched beach is arguably the finest on Maui. In Hawaiian it’s called Oneloa, literally ‘Long Sand.’ And…
Puʻuʻulaʻula (Red Hill) Overlook
17.95 MILES
You may find yourself standing above the clouds while exploring Puʻuʻulaʻula (10,023ft), Maui’s highest point. The summit building provides a top-of-the…
30 MILES
The small beach here is a stunner – hands down the prettiest black-sand beach on Maui. Walk on down, sunbathe, enjoy. But if you jump in, be very cautious…
Nearby Kahului attractions
1.21 MILES
Well, you can’t judge a beach by its cover. Wedged between downtown Kahului and the airport, and hidden behind a strip of ironwood trees, this mile-long…
2. Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum
1.31 MILES
This homespun museum occupies the former residence of the sugar mill’s superintendent. There’s the usual display of industrial machinery, including a…
3. Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company Mill
1.42 MILES
Fields of cane expand out from the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar (C&S) Company’s rusty old mill, the last of its kind in Hawaii. Its industrial hulk looms…
1.62 MILES
Kahului’s large protected harbor is the island’s only deep-water port, so all boat traffic, from cruise ships to cargo vessels, docks here. But it’s not…
5. Schaefer International Gallery
1.65 MILES
This art gallery at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center has a number of exhibitions per year, ranging from native Hawaiian arts to contemporary local artists…
2.06 MILES
For botanophiles interested in native Hawaiian plants, this garden on the grounds of a former zoo has a wealth of knowledge. An excellent new audiotour (…
7. Halekiʻi-Pihanakalani Heiau State Monument
2.62 MILES
Halekiʻi-Pihana Heiau is the hilltop ruins of two of Maui’s most important heiau (ancient stone temples). The site was the royal court of Kahekili, Maui’s…
3.22 MILES
Designed by Maui-born architect CW Dickey and completed in 1928, the Wailuku Public Library building displays a now-distinctive regional design. Note…