Of all the Hawaiian islands, Maui is currently enjoying perhaps the most charmed existence. A popular spot among tourists, and yet not as touristy as Oahu, Maui has plenty to keep you occupied in terms of both scenery and recreation. Despite its roster of outdoor sporting activities, shopping opportunities and resorts, the island has found just the right balance of activity and peacefulness. Maui remains very much an escape for visitors who want to get away from it all and yet still have something to keep them occupied when the mood strikes. Island-hopping tourists often gush that Maui is their favorite among the Hawaiian islands.

Dubbed the "Valley Isle," Maui actually provides a vantage point from which you can view five neighboring Hawaiian islands: "the Big Island," Molokai, Kahoolawe, Molokini and Lanai. The island has been divided into East Maui and West Maui according to volcanoes on opposing ends of the island. The West Maui shield volcano, containing several valleys, is considered extinct. Scientists estimate that the volcano last erupted approximately 1 million years ago. The East Maui volcano is actually one of a pair of shield volcanoes that sit on the eastern edge of the island. The easternmost volcano, sometimes called Haleakala, is the third largest shield volcano throughout the Hawaiian island chain. Its surface is covered with craters (including one crater 10,000 feet in depth), cones and other fascinating geology. Thousands of visitors to Maui hike and bike to Haleakala early in the morning and watch the sun rise over the island against the backdrop of the volcano's peaks and valleys. It's an unforgettable experience.

With such a volatile volcanic history, Maui's topography is dramatic: steep, green valleys, rushing waterfalls, rain forests, caves, pristine beaches and crystal-clear water. If you can tear yourself away from the beaches, it's well worth your time to visit one of the island's historic sugar plantations. These plantations, surrounded by "sugar towns," represent the last vestiges of a nearly extinct form of commerce.

One look at Maui's beaches, and the only outdoor sport in which you'll want to engage will involve a towel, sunglasses and sunscreen. The beaches located along western side of the island -- including Fleming Beach, Ka'anapali Beach, Ma'alaea Beach, Kama'ole Beach and Oneloa Beach -- are particularly popular with tourists. You'll find a diverse crowd at these beaches, which makes them excellent spots for people-watching. Some of them, such as Fleming Beach, cater more to families, while others, like resort-studded Ka'anapali Beach, are spots to see and bee seen.

Make sure, however, that you try your hand at just a few of the outdoor adventures available on the island -- because you won't find them available anywhere else, or if you do, you won't be able to enjoy them in such a stunningly beautiful setting. Maui's island adventures include, among many others, horseback riding, hiking (including guided tours of rain forests, the Haleakala crater, mountain trails and waterfalls), bicycle tours, camping, golf, cave exploring, tennis, mule rides and helicopter tours. And of course, when you head back to the beach, you can take advantage of sailing, body surfing, wind surfing, snorkeling, dolphin- and whale-watching, and much more.

Maui's weather is generally warm -- in the mid-80s and blessed with plenty of sunshine. However, the island also experiences a fair and regular dousing of rain. Maui's official "wet season" runs from November through April, but don't be deterred from visiting the island during this period. Rain typically falls during the late evening and early morning hours, and the amount of rain one sees depends in large part upon where you are on the island; Maui experiences great variation in rainfall within distances of five miles or less.

Hawaii has long been considered an expensive place to visit and to live, and Maui certainly is no exception. The 1999 average listing price of single-family homes on the island varies anywhere from $228,920 in the island's central region to $1,342,500 in the exclusive Kapalua district. Average sale prices for those two districts were $221,996 and $1,170,000, respectively. Condominiums, representing a hot sector of the island's residential real estate market, range anywhere from the $60s to $750,000. Parcels of land are also in abundant supply and can cost you from the lower $100s up to $1 million and more. So it's clear that the island life is the good life. If a visit is all you can afford, you may want to consider checking out a resort or timeshare property for your stay; they're both in large quantity on Maui.

While Maui might remain out of the financial reach of many dreamers, the island is more than happy to welcome you as a visitor with its abundance of accommodations. The big question is whether Maui will be able to maintain its healthy tourism business without allowing development to encroach upon its stunning natural beauty.

Published: September 6, 1999

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