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"I can't get over how perfect everything was, or thank you enough for
all you did. This retreat truly changed my life forever. I feel like a
huge weight has been lifted off of me, and I'm finally free for the
first time in my life. Thanks SpiritQuest!"
Gail
Madison, WI
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A Free Maui Vacation Planner:
Maui History, Geography, Weather, Facts & Information!
 Known
as the "Valley Isle," Maui is the second largest island in the
Hawaiian chain. The island receives over 2 million visitors annually,
making it the second most visited island after Oahu. The Maui we
see today is actually the result of two adjacent volcanoes on the
ocean floor that merged to form a single island.
The older volcano is
the West Maui Mountains, known to the native Hawaiian people as Puu Kukui,
or "Hill of Enligtenment". They consider this to be the
connecting point between heaven and earth, and for centuries Hawaiian
royalty were buried in the high cliffs of the Iao
Valley. The beautiful Korean temple shown here graces the entrance
to the sacred Iao Valley today.
The larger, and
geologically younger, volcano is Haleakala, which
means "House of the Sun". This is now a U.S. National Park.
Lava flows and gradual erosion of the slopes eventually formed a land
bridge between these two island volcanoes. The isthmus is where
most of the island's agriculture takes place, and the area where
most of the island's residents live today.
Maui offers a variety
of sights and experiences. The views from atop 10,000-foot Mt. Haleakala
(especially popular at sunrise and sunset) are well worth the winding drive
past fields of protea and other exotic flowers. The long, winding road to
the village of Hana is lined with waterfalls and lush tropical foliage. The
quaint old towns of Lahaina and Wailuku are fun for exploring, shopping, and
dining. During the winter months, the waters surrounding Maui are ideal for
whale-watching.
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Population: 141,902*
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Land Area: 727 square miles
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Extreme Length: 48 miles
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Extreme Width: 26 miles
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Highest Point: 10,023 feet
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Official Color: Pink
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Official Flower: Lokelani (Pink
Cottage Rose)
Maui History
Polynesians from the
Marquesas first traveled to Hawaii in double hulled canoes, after observing
that migrating birds returned from that direction much fatter than when they
left. They settled on Maui around 450 AD. Tahitians followed several
hundred years later and introduced the Kapu system, a strict system of
social order that became the core of ancient Hawaiian culture.
The rich central plain
of Maui, watered abundantly by springs flowing out the nearby mountains, was
an agricultural paradise, and Maui was traditionally the most politically
powerful of all the Hawaiian Islands. But
the simple life they were living began to change dramatically when Captain
James Cook discovered the islands
in 1778. Though Cook never set foot on the island of Maui, he was soon
followed by whalers and missionaries. Using firearms and training
provided by the outsiders, King Kamehameha I was able to unite all the
islands under a single monarch in 1810.
Kamehameha was from
the island of Hawaii, but choose Maui as the first royal capitol, a status
it retained until Kamehameha III moved the capital to Oahu in 1845. In
1893 the monarchy was overthrown in a revolution and the Republic of Hawaii
was formed. The United States annexed the Hawaiian Islands in
1898 and Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959.
 Maui
was also the center of the whaling industry that thrived here
from 1840-1865, when Lahaina served as anchorage to over 500 ships.
The warm waters surrounding Maui are the primary breeding ground for Pacific
humpback whales, which migrate south from
Alaska to winter in the sheltered Au'au Channel every year. This makes
Maui the top destination for whale watching in all of Hawaii.
In addition to a large sugar plantation, the island is known to
produce the world's best pineapples.
Maui Weather - When Is The Best Time
To Go?
The average rainfall
in Maui varies widely depending on exact
location, and is influenced by factors such as elevation, exposure
to the prevailing trade winds, and the island's rugged topography. The drier leeward slopes of Maui average only about 18 inches of rainfall
annually, while the windward slopes can receive over 300 inches. There
is a strong marine influence on the climate,
resulting in a two season year: Summer is the warmer dry season; with
an overwhelming dominance of trade winds, it is the season
when widespread rainstorms are rare. Winter is wetter and slightly cooler.
Daytime high temperatures range from an average of 78 degrees in the winter
to 87 degrees in the summer, so there is really no bad time of year to
visit. The water is fine for swimming year round. SpiritQuest
retreats take place in upcountry Maui near the town of Makawao, which enjoys
the best weather of any location on the island.
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