MAUI NUI

Three islands. More than 1,100 square miles of pure Hawaii coolness.

First, we will answer the burning question you might have: “I know about the island of Maui, but what the heck is Maui Nui?” Think of Maui Nui as everything you already love about Maui – exquisite beaches, diverse outdoor adventures, and unbound nature – times three. Maui Nui – Hawaiian for “great/large Maui” – encompasses Maui and neighboring islands Molokai and Lanai. (Kahoolawe is part of the Maui Nui ohana, as well, but uninhabited.) Eons ago, each was part of one very large island called Maui Nui but are now geographically and uniquely individual in their charms. Maui, you already know – laid back, leisurely and full of new adventures and discoveries on every visit. Molokai is rustic, rugged, and reminiscent of a simpler, not-all-that-far-in-the-past Hawaii. And Lanai? Imagine a combination of understated natural wonder, relaxed modern luxury and small-town neighborly comforts and prepare to have your expectations met.

Ocean-to-Rainforest-to-Summit Volcano Exploring at Haleakalā National Park

Maui

There is more to visiting this massive 33,265-acre Maui park than catching the sunrise from its namesake volcano’s 10,023-foot summit. Yes, the mega-popular activity is actually remarkable. But the park’s true uniqueness for explorers is the rare opportunity of experiencing the changing diversity in landscapes, climate, and flora of a Hawaii volcano from sea level to summit. Trails descending into the maw of Haleakala volcano’s erosional summit valley reveal the surprisingly manifold natural wonder of its subalpine landscape the further one hikes. Downslope, trails in the park’s oceanside Kipahulu area offer the rush of rainforests, coastline, valleys, and waterfalls.

Scenic Road Tripping with Sublime End-of-Road Rewards

Maui, Lanai & Molokai

Maui Nui is big on short-distance road trips that still pack in major scenic surprises. On Maui, the Hana Highway’s serpentine 35 miles run alongside waterfalls, rain-forested gorges, sea-level and elevated views of the island’s rugged northeast coast, and, finally, picturesque seaside Hana town. Road tripping east Molokai’s Kamehameha V Highway past ocean vistas and early Hawaiian fishponds ends at verdant, historic Halawa Valley. And on Lanai, Kanepuu and Awalua Highways are more like Jeep trails, traversing the island’s pastoral midsection and concluding with a bumpy downslope run to luxuriously lengthy Polihua Beach.

The Most Luxuriously Lengthy Beaches in Hawaii

Maui, Lanai & Molokai

Maui Nui presents beachcomber nirvana at several sandy stretches big on length and (mostly) short on crowds. Lanai’s above-mentioned Polihua Beach offers two miles of expansive, feet-swallowing gold sand with few other souls in sight, while Kaiolohia Beach’s eight miles include views of an offshore shipwreck, a trail to a petroglyph field and vistas of neighboring Molokai. Makena Beach (aka Big Beach) on Maui offers 1.5 miles of expansive sand, plus super swimming and snorkeling should you tire of beachcombing. On Molokai, lengthy (three miles) and wide (100 yards) Papohaku Beach is always crowd-free, with fine, soft sands for long walks.

Some of Hawaii’s Best Small Towns for Exploring,
Noshing & Souvenir Shopping

Maui & Molokai

Visiting as many of Hawaii’s myriad small towns as possible is one of the best ways to discover the diversity of people, scenic coolness, food, cultures, and daily life the Islands are famous for. Maui Nui is home to a handful of these great towns, including Paia (Maui’s surf town), Makawao (Maui’s cowboy and ranch town), Lanai City (Lanai’s only town), Hana (Maui’s remote, verdant seaside hamlet), Kaunakakai (Molokai’s rustic, everything-you-need main street), Wailuku (local eats, coffee, retail, artisans, street fests and vibe – all Maui), Lahaina (an old-Maui-meets-new-Maui oceanfront visitor fave) and Pukalani (gateway to Maui’s cool, ag-rich Kula District).

A Few of the Most Pristine Tropical Nature
Preserves on Earth

Maui & Molokai

Waikamoi Preserve is a high-elevation rainforest sanctuary on Maui, home to hundreds of native Hawaii flora and fauna, many endangered. The expansive mile-long sand dunes of Molokai’s Moomomi Preserve nurture a very rare Hawaii coastal ecosystem. And Kamakou Preserve, also on Molokai, protects a biologically diverse misty mountain rainforest and bog. The only way to visit these precious, untrammeled and truly unique preserves is through the nonprofits protecting them, including The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Sierra Club of Hawaii and Molokai Land Trust, who each offer regular, though very limited, small-group tours. Even better? Some tours offer volunteer work opportunities allowing you to give back to Maui Nui.

Country Charming Digs & World-Renowned
Modern-Luxe Places to Call Home While Here

Lani & Maui

Choose from one of the 11 homey island-style guest rooms of a nearly century-old Lanai City hotel, or a sumptuously appointed suite in one of the world’s most buzzed-about modern luxury resorts, both on tiny Lanai. Or, on Maui, stay in one (or more, because you’ll definitely have choices) of the island’s many full-service oceanfront hotels and resorts, or in a quiet, rustic bed-and-breakfast in cool, green Upcountry Maui or residential Wailuku. Perhaps the laid-back luxury of an experiential resort in bucolic seaside Hana, or a countrified elegant north shore Maui health and wellness retreat is more your speed. These two islands of Maui Nui have you covered.

Adventures on Four Wheel-Drive, Two Wheels
or Four Legs

Lani

Speaking of Lanai’s Jeep trails, er, highways, four-wheel drive-equipped Jeeps are the only rentable vehicles on the 140-square-mile island with 400 miles of road – a mere 30 miles of which are paved. But they’re popular not just for the drive to two-mile-long Polihua Beach, but Lanai’s other remarkably remote beach Kaiolohia (aka Shipwreck Beach) and more easily accessible Hoopoe Beach over dirt, mud, some asphalt and, yes, even sand. Sunrise downhill bicycle tours offer a mountain-to-sea view of the island. And horseback and ATV rides traverse Lanai’s rugged central basin and plateaus, revealing intriguing strands of island history.

Hawaiian Islands Travel Professional Resources Webiste. Check out our agent resources website agents.gohawaii.com, where you will find the Hawaii Destination Specialist Program, itinerary suggestions, cultural resources, language ausdio dictionary, calendar, self-guided fam rates, etc.

Contact
Hawaii Tourism Canada
HTCanada@voxinternational.com