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 all business. Late afternoon you might see outrigger-canoe clubs such as Na Kai ʻEwalu (www.nakaiewalucanoeclub.org) practicing near Hoʻaloha Park – a timeless scene.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Piʻilanihale Heiau & Kahanu Garden
29.16 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…
13.45 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…
14.04 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…
14.93 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…
22.41 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…
18.42 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
19.46 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…
4.5 MILES
If you’ve seen just one photograph of Maui's lush interior, odds are it was of the magnificently phallic 2250ft ʻIao Needle, the green pinnacle that…
Nearby Kahului attractions
1. Schaefer International Gallery
0.28 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…
0.61 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 (…
3. Halekiʻi-Pihanakalani Heiau State Monument
1.01 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…
1.62 MILES
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…
1.9 MILES
Designed by Maui-born architect CW Dickey and completed in 1928, the Wailuku Public Library building displays a now-distinctive regional design. Note…
1.93 MILES
This handsome missionary church, in Gothic New England style, was built in 1875 by missionary Edward Bailey and named for Queen Kaʻahumanu, who cast aside…
7. Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House
2.02 MILES
This small but historically evocative museum occupies the 1833 home of Wailuku’s first Christian missionary, Edward Bailey. He was the second missionary…
8. Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum
2.42 MILES
This homespun museum occupies the former residence of the sugar mill’s superintendent. There’s the usual display of industrial machinery, including a…