Take A Helicopter Tour!

Seeing Maui from the air is truly an unforgettable experience. Several fine companies offer tours of varying lengths and prices. All are located at the Kahului Airport. Most include a videotape of your flight in their packages. Some even include a stop in Hana for lunch or other sidetrips. You can even take a helicopter ride over to the Big Island to see Kilauea volcano erupting! A couple of the companies have special noise canceling headsets that make for a quiet trip. Blue Hawaiian, Hawaiian Helicopters and Sunshine Helicopters are among the most popular companies. Be sure to check the tourist guides for discount tickets.

See Maui from Underwater!

The Atlantis Submarine is a fantastic way to see the undersea world around Maui. A real 65 ft. submarine, it's airconditioned with large viewing windows and descends to 100 ft. with great views of the corals reefs and aquatic wildlife. It's boat departs from the Lahaina Harbor, with several tours daily. Sort of expensive, but where else can you ride in a real submarine?

A less expensive alternative that will still give you great views is the Reef Dancer Semi-Submersible, which has large underwater viewing windows and airconditioned comfort. It travels around the coral reefs and has divers that will give you good views of the undersea wildlife. It boards at Slip #10 at the Lahaina Harbor. Look for discount coupons.

Snorkeling is a very popular pastime on Maui. If you can swim, then you can snorkel. There is a multitude of snorkeling companies on the island with quality being somewhat variable. Many offer prescription masks at an extra charge. Some of the more popular are Snorkel Bob's, Boss Frog's and Maui Dive Shop. Ed Robinson's Diving Adventures is one of Maui's premier scuba diving outfits. Most snorkel and dive outfitters offer combination equipment rental and boat trips to the most popular diving spots. Molokini islet is probably the most popular place, but it can be crowded at times. A word to the wise: schedule your diving trip for the morning hours. In the afternoon, the trade winds can whip things up and it won't be as pleasant. Check the local tourist magazines for lots of discount coupons.

See the Whales!

Maui is the Winter home of a large population of Humpback Whales. They usually arrive in late October and stay until March. You may even see them from your hotel on the West and South shores. The Pacific Whale Foundation's Eco-Adventures offers whale and dolphin watching cruises with marine experts aboard their sailing catamaran "Manute'a".

See Maui from Horseback!

Seeing Maui from the back of a horse is a great way to slow down and see things from a different perspective. Most of the companies take you to places that are otherwise inaccessible and it sure beats hiking. Trips of varying length and breadth are available based upon your skill levels with most companies. Some, such as Pony Express Tours even take you inside Mt. Haleakala. Other notables include Ironwood Ranch near Lahaina and Makena Stables near La Perouse Bay.

See Iao Valley

Iao Valley is a wonderful quiet place to see a side of Maui where there was once great violence centuries ago. The scenary and gardens of places like Kepaniwai Park and Heritage Gardens are beautiful as is Iao Valley State Park. The Iao Needle should not be missed. It's a large rock formation 2,250 ft. tall that is a portion of the old Pu`u Kukui volcano that didn't erode away. This is where Kamehameha defeated the island's chief and his warriors with the help of a couple of commandered cannons in 1790.

Golf!

 Maui is a golfer's dream! There are a number of truly world class courses available for the enthusiast. West Maui's Kapalua Bay, Village and Plantation courses are top rated and Ka`anapali's North and South course are also highly rated courses in West Maui. In the Central Valley, the Sandlewood Course at Waikapu is special and also includes the Waiehu Municipal course as well as the new Dunes at Maui Lani. South Maui is home to the famous Wailea Resort's Blue, Emerald and Gold courses, as well as the Makena North and South courses. Also in South Maui is the Elleair course in Kihei. Upcountry has the Pukalani Country Club. Green fees range widely from a low of $34.00 for the Waiehu Municipal course, all the way to $175.00 for the Kapalua Bay course.

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Last modified on Aloha Friday, May 25, 2001