Central Maui

Kahului, where you most likely landed when you arrived on Maui, is the industrial and commercial center of the island. The area was developed in the early '50s to meet the housing needs of the large sugarcane interests here, specifically those of Alexander & Baldwin. The company was tired of playing landlord to its many plantation workers and sold land to a developer who promised to create affordable housing. The scheme worked, and "Dream City," the first planned city in Hawaii, was born.

West of Kahului, Wailuku, the county seat since 1950, is the most charming town in Central Maui -- though it wasn't always so. Its name means "Water of Destruction," after the fateful battle in Iao Valley that pitted King Kamehameha I against Maui warriors. Wailuku was a politically important town until the sugar industry began to decline in the 1960s and tourism took hold. Businesses left the cradle of the West Maui Mountains and followed the new market to the shore, where tourists arrived by the boatload. Wailuku still houses the county government, but has the feel of a town that's been asleep for several decades. The interesting shops and offices now inhabiting Main Street's plantation-style buildings serve as reminders of a bygone era.

You can explore Central Maui comfortably in little more than a half day. These are good sights to squeeze in on the way to the airport, or if you want to combine sightseeing with shopping. Hikers may want to expand their outing to a full day to explore Iao Valley State Park.