Maui is not just about playing on the beach and snorkeling through the many reefs, but it is also about the culture and traditions of the amazing locals that call Maui home. In fact, right from the moment you step off the plane you will experience the tradition of the Hawaiian Lei which is presented to you as a welcome to this wonderful island. A simple floral garland that is placed around the neck is a way of saying Aloha and letting you know that they are honored that you have come to discover what they have always known about Maui.

From the harmonious sounds of the music to the Hawaiian phrases you will feel as if you are one with the island. To be part of the culture, you should pick up a few common phrases that you will hear. Aloha of course is the most important, as it means much more than hello. It is an expression that many people use to greet others or to say goodbye, but it could also mean “I love you.” Another word that you should know, Mahola, means “thank you.” Finally, two words that you definitely want to know are Kane and Wahine, which means man and woman respectively. You will need to know this if you plan on using the restrooms while you are in Maui.

Although entertaining and enjoyable, much of what Maui has to offer also allows you to get to know more about the Hawaiian culture, the history of Maui, as well as how life on Maui has changed over the years. You may want to experience the traditional luau which is a feast of food featuring cultural music and history. To truly experience the luau as the natives would plan on enjoying yourself, and eating tons of fantastic cuisine. Usually held on the beach, you can immerse yourself in the culture by watching or even taking part in the fire dancing of the Polynesian culture. The hula dancers also give you a great way to learn the “language” of the dance. These luaus are usually filled with foods that include traditional fare such as Kalua pig, Hawaiian sweet potatoes, Poke, and Poi, along with plenty of alcohol. Luaus can be found throughout the island and may be offered at your hotel as well. Children are always welcome and usually enjoy themselves very much.

The history of Maui dates back as far as King Kamehameha the Great which you can learn about on your walking tour of Lahaina. You can tour the Old Courthouse, the Old Fort, as well as many other historical buildings that will teach you about the history and culture of the island as well as the people. From there you can learn about the agriculture which includes sugarcane, macadamia nuts, and other products on your narrated tram tour that travels through the countryside. You can even take in the Maui Tropical Plantation that will give you a first hand view of how sugar is made.

If you can, you should plan on visiting Maui in late September through mid-October to enjoy some of the many Aloha festivals that celebrate the culture by showing you the music, dance, and history of Maui, Lanai, and Molokai. Whether it is art you are looking for, or culture in general you are sure to have an experience you won’t soon forget.

With the blending of old and new, you will find that Maui offers so much more than you could ever expect. By taking in the culture of Maui, you will have a new appreciation for the people and islands of Hawaii.

There are so many activities that both you and you family can enjoy in Maui, Hawaii. With a week’s vacation at least, there won’t be a dull moment and no time wasted while you’re there. You’ll be satisfied to say the least in all that Maui has to offer. If you’re wondering what are some of the activities that awaits you in Maui, Hawaii, below are a few ideas:

1. Oheo Gulch – this is also known as the Seven Sacred Pools located in Hana. Is sever your lucky number? Regardless, you will be amazed by how the waterfalls connect a series of seven pools with the last pool emptying ifself out through the Pacific Ocean. If swimming is your forte, then please go ahead and swim in all the seven pools. Children will also enjoy this place because of the wide variety of pools. There is also a legend that If you manage to swim in all seven of the pools, it will bring you good luck.

2. Scuba Diving ? With such clear blue waters visitors would not want to miss scuba diving in Maui. Considered as the the experience to top all experiences in Maui, make this activity a high priority during your stay there. During the diving drill, you will see a clearer view of the underwater marine life. You will see different kinds of corals, manta rays, tropical fishes, sea turtles, and even sharks.

3. Helicopter Ride ? If you have the money to splurge, then by all means take a helicopter ride in Maui. The view from the top is also amazing unsuprisingly. You can choose from a few companies that cater to different spots around Maui. You can view the Molokai Island, beaches and waterfalls of East Maui that includes the Haleakala Crater and the Seven Sacred Pools, lastly, you’ll be able to see the West Maui Mountains. This bird’s view of the entirety of Maui is just amazing.

4. Jeep Tour ? You can have a lot of fun with just renting a four-wheel vehicle in Maui. You and your family can take a closer look at the view by wheels. You can have an excursion around the western and southern end of Maui. This kind of trip is often overlooked by most tourists so don’t make that mistake. Make sure you also take in the view of the sea laval flows made by Haleakala which made a mark by the ocean 700 years ago.

5. Haleakala Crater Sunrise ? You can view the best sunrise in Maui by being on the Haleakala Crater. It’s so beautiful, it’s almost magical. It’s no wonder that most tourists list this as a must see destination in Maui as the experience they get is so intense one has to be able to be there to fully understand it.
6. Submarine rides ? There is more than one way to travel. If you lack the proper experience or certificate to go scuba diving, but nevertheless would love to go to an underwater adventure travel, explore the marine life below in style with a submarine ride.

7. Riding a jet ski – A beach outing wouldn’t be complete without a fast jet ski ride through the ocean waves. Have fun with friends and families or just ride out yourself and be one with aquatic nature.

8 Sightseeing – Looking for a more relaxed and slow paced activity? Just go sightseeing. Your eyes are in for a treat will the different views one can get by strolling through Maui.

These are only a handful of the Maui activities for you to discover. So be sure to plan your vacation time well so you would get to cover all the great activities while you’re there.

Generally, the islands of Hawaii is characterized by two seasons with temperatures that are uniform everywhere, extensive cloudy formations, trade wind flow that is dominant, geographical differences in distribution of rainfall, and a relatively high humidity in most days. Maui, Hawaii is marked by wide range climate patterns and weather conditions which are influenced by a lot of factors.

Physical factors that affect Maui are reflected by its environment in a physical sense. These are:

1. Maui’s climate is influenced by the strong marine lifestyle precipitated by the insularity of extremes of the islands themselves. Almost half of Maui is located within 5 miles of the coastline of the island.

2. Maui’s irregular and rugged topography produces to variations of marked conditions differentiated from one locality to another. Air that is swept inlands is shunted in a way by the valleys, slopes which are vastly opened and mountainous tops. Complexity of this three dimensional course results in a difference of distributed winds garnering from one place to another in a terms of rainfall, wind speed and formation of clouds. If topography is irregular and is combined with elevation variations, it marks the difference of temperature in air as an outcome.

3. Pattern of weather are usually determined by the elevation of the area and depends if it turns away or faces to the Trade winds.

These factors that seem to contradict conjugates to create a diverse and unique set of conditions in climate wherein it results to having a specificity ranging to loosely defined regions of the chain of island. Sub-regions are basically defined by location and by predominant physiologic features. Sub-regions are:

Interior lowlands

These are known to have intermediate categories sharing similar characteristics of other sub-regions. Occasional experience of having intense afternoon showers from a well-developed formation of clouds that are due to the heating of the place during the wake of day.

Windward lowlands

Considered as the area below two thousand feet on the northeast side of a specific island. The region is oriented in a rough perpendicular direction of smooth flowing trade winds. It can be moderately rainy with frequent occurrences of trade wind which induces showers. Compared to other regions, air temperature has a more uniform distribution.

Rainfalls are showers of water which are common within the vicinity although, some may experience lighter or heavier rainfall than most of the places. Some can experience only a brief sprinkle of rain and then it’s sunny again. Rainfall can have an average pour of about 300 inches along windward slopes. Because of Maui’s topography packed with mountainous details, it seldom receives rainfall in overdosage.

On the other hand, summer is the more dominant season that is why rainstorms are rare. Summer is also one of the best reasons why people dominate parts of Maui for vacations and relaxations.

Variations of daily rainfall can most likely occur on a night time or when morning comes. But variability lessens as the afternoon approaches. The occurrences of rainfall can be more prominent during winter season wherein storms may most likely prevail. Because of the swings in rainfall, there are times when drought tends to happen and affects the economic crisis severely. Rainstorms can only be counted therefore droughts may hit hard which is why Maui Hawaii tends to suffer from little or no rainfall at all.

With so beautiful Maui hotels, it is hard to pick just one to stay in. Maui offers more than 200 Maui hotels, Bed and Breakfast accommodations, inns, and specialty lodging arrangements that you can have your choice of beautiful places to stay. Depending on who you are traveling with, you can pick from a romantic villa for two, or a resort for families, or anything in between.

One Maui hotel that is perfect for a romantic excursion is the Hotel Hana-Maui which offers private cottages right near the ocean with hot tubs and outdoor baths. What could be more romantic than to bring your tropical fantasy to life?

A more family friendly resort that anyone can enjoy is the Westin Maui Kaanapali Beach Resort on the West side of Maui. This Maui hotel is pure enjoyment for children with their 87,000 square foot pool area that includes five swimming pools, two water slides, swim through grottos complete with waterfalls, and even a hidden whirlpool for the adults. Located directly on the beach it will give you plenty of access to all of the beach activities such as snorkeling, swimming, and anything else that you can imagine. The resort also offers golf and spa treatments for the adults.

Speaking of golf, the Maui golf resorts are out of this world. In particular the Kapalua Resort has been rated as the best gold resort in Maui. You also have the 5-diamond Ritz Carlton ? Kapalua. Both offer outstanding one-of-a-kind golf during the day and fabulous sunsets at night. Overlooking both Molokai and Lanai, this Maui gold course resort just can’t be beat.

Before you decide where you want to stay you need to figure out which part of the island most appeals to you. Whether you are just looking for a Maui hotel or a full resort complete with Maui golf courses, you can find almost anything you need. The Internet is a wealth of information when it comes to giving specific details about each type of Maui hotels.

West Maui, which includes Kaanapali, is a prime location for Maui hotels. It offers plenty of golf courses, plenty of shopping, and outstanding beach activities. With Lahaina, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Maui, just a short distance away, you can really find the entertainment you are looking for with fabulous restaurants and a night life that will really have you dancing the night away. Central Maui, Upcountry Maui, and Hana offer you areas in which to escape the tourist areas and allow you to enjoy nature as it should be. The Maui hotels here are smaller and more private for you to get away from reality. South Maui is more geared to the budget minded families and visitors. The Maui hotels and condos are still luxurious but a little more isolated from the rest of the island.

With so many diverse areas of Maui, it is hard to choose the best Maui hotel for your lodging because there are just so many great ones to choose from.

There are many travelers who want a vacation idea that offers it all within one place. If you’te looking for this kind of place, you would not go wrong with West Maui. If you start yourself in Maui, you’ll be confused with the all the variety of sights and activities to do, so why not start simple by going west? The resorts and relaxation spots in the area of West Maui, Hawaii are the reason why visitors extend their stay. There is so much to do there and there will never be a day when there is nothing to do. The word dull does not exist here. Below are some of the famous places to be found.

There is at least one good reason why West Maui is is heavily visited, and that is because of the unique whaling attractions in the town of Lahaina. Othere than that, there are tons of attractions to occupy your time with. For the vacationer with the family in mind, this is one of the best places in Maui where you can relax and enjoy with your loved ones.

In Hawaii, Lahaina is probably one of Hawaiis’ most famous towns, next to Honolulu. during the 1820′s. this town was actually the capital of Hawaii until the year 1845. During that time people say Lahaina as the port of whaling within the Pacific. Now ships for whaling are rare. Instead in modern times Lahaina is a bustling place with shopping sprees and vacation servings.

The two most popular resorts in Lahaina is the Honokowai and Kaanapali. This place is teemed with locals and tourists from noon until the late hours of the evening. . Due to its location, driving around it has become an intense hassle especially by the waterfront. Parking space is almost a rarity especially by nightfall.

If you’re into history, Lahaina also has plenty to offer. Aside from more modern attractions of shopping malls and galleries, visitors can take pleasure in exploring Lahaina’s hostorical sites that will include the Banyan Tree, the Carthaginian which is known as an old whaling ship, the Baldwin Home, and the Maria Lanakila Church. Of course the usual guides and printed leaflets will offer more great spots for you to see so keep your eyes open.

At Lahaina’s northern edge lies Puunoa Point. You can see the famous Lahaina Jodo Mission which is considered as the home to one of the largest statue of the Great Buddha situated outside Japan. There is a spectacular ninety foot tall pagoda and majectic temple there also.

To the North of Lahaina, just a few miles of travel, is the resort of Kaanapali which served as the home of the Whalers Village. They have a open shoppin center that is filled with delicious food serving restaurants and cheap items for sale. You can also discover the Whale Center of the Pacific which is known as the museum that celebrates the Whaling Era dated 1825-1860. The Whalers Village itself is located at Kaanapali Beach. If you’re the type who enjoy water sports, this is the spot for parasailers, boogie boarders and surfers. You” enjoy frolicking in the waves of the beautiful beach resort.

By now, you should know that in Hawaii, you can immerse yourself in the sights and activities that translates into fun and relaxation for you and the whole family. West Maui is the place to do just that.