A writer with 100 years of experience in Hawaii will show you around Lahaina, a paradise on Maui

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Text and photos: Eiichi Imai

Lahaina, Maui: A popular area that never gets rained on

Maui is known as the "Valley Island" and the "Wind Island." When you look at a map, you can see that it has a unique shape, like two islands, one big and one small, joined together. In fact, Maui was originally two islands that were joined together by a volcanic flow from Haleakala, the highest peak in Maui, long ago, and became one island.

Like other islands in the Hawaiian Islands, Maui is also an area where it rains a lot on the east side and less on the west side. That's why Lahaina, located on the west coast of Maui, is always sunny. I've stayed in Lahaina many times, but I've never been caught in the rain (maybe it was raining in the middle of the night while I was sleeping). For those who wish for the sunshine to stay all the time during their trip to Hawaii, Lahaina is a recommended destination.

An ancient seaside city beloved by great writers around the world

The "ancient capital" of Lahaina is a port town that prospered through whaling in the mid-19th century. Many buildings built at the time when ships gathered from all over the world remain. The town center, designated as a historic preservation district, has a nostalgic atmosphere. Protected by the Landscape Preservation Act, there are no tall buildings. As the wind passes easily, the leaves of the tall palm trees are always swaying in the gentle breeze. Lahaina is where you can still feel the atmosphere of a Hawaiian port town from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. That's why it's called the "ancient capital."

Many great writers have stayed in this port town for long periods of time, including Robert Stevenson, the British novelist known for "Treasure Island," and Mark Twain, the American author of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." They may have been fascinated by the sparkling blue sea and the bustling port town where ships from all over the world used to come and go.

Front St

A long promenade stretches from north to south on Front Street, which runs along the ocean in the center of town. When you come to Lahaina, take a leisurely stroll along this path. As you walk along the promenade, you will see another island across the strait. It's Lanai. You can get to nearby Lanai by boat from Lahaina Harbor in about an hour one way.

A restaurant on Front Street with a port town feel

CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE

Cheeseburger in Paradise is a two-story casual restaurant located along the Front Street promenade. It is a Lahaina specialty restaurant that was opened in the late 1980s by two women from Southern California who shared a love of cheeseburgers. (Jimmy Buffett, the writer of the hit American song "Cheeseburger in Paradise," runs a chain restaurant of the same name in the mainland United States, but there is no connection between the two.)

Come in as soon as they open in the morning and sit at a table on the second floor facing the ocean. From the atrium windows you can see the blue ocean and the island of Lanai. The restaurant is built on a spot that juts out into the ocean, so it feels like a restaurant on a ship. A pleasant morning sea breeze blows through the restaurant. Of course they have pancakes, but the breakfast specialities here are the "Breakfast Cheeseburger" and "Loco Moco."

BEST WESTERN PIONEER INN GRILL & BAR

Leaving the restaurant, walk south along the promenade for about 5 minutes to Lahaina Harbor. In front of the harbor is the Best Western Pioneer Inn Lahaina. This old building in the Lahaina Historic Preservation District was originally the Pioneer Inn, a historic hotel founded in 1901 where royalty, chiefs, aristocrats and politicians from Europe and America stayed. It is now a branch of an American hotel chain, but the building itself is worth seeing.

Located on the first floor of this hotel is the BEST WESTERN PIONEER INN GRILL & BAR. Not only can you enjoy a meal in an architecture that evokes the era when sailors from all over the world gathered, but you can also feel the sea breeze. Local craft beer has been gaining popularity in Hawaii in recent years, and this restaurant and bar offers a variety of Hawaiian beers on draft. We recommend enjoying a craft beer with their specialty fish and chips or calamari (squid) fritters in the afternoon during your stay in Lahaina.

The largest banyan tree in the United States

Banyan Tree Square (Lahaina Banyan Court)

After having a beer at the Best Western Pioneer Inn Grill & Bar, head to the nearby Lahaina Banyan Court. There you will find an astonishingly huge banyan tree. It was originally planted in 1873 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Christianity's missionary work, but it is now over 120 years old and is nearly 20 meters tall. It has 16 trunks in its outstretched arms, and is said to be one of the largest banyan trees in the United States.

Even on the hottest afternoons, the shade of the trees spreads and a pleasant breeze blows through. It is a popular spot for locals to relax, and children hang from the vines to play. On weekends, flea and art markets are held here.

In India, the banyan tree (Bengali bodhi tree) has been considered a sacred tree that brings longevity and fertility. It is also known as a tree that grants wishes, and some people meditate and pray under the tree. The banyan tree is also said to represent eternal life, and is always planted in Hindu and Buddhist temples in India. Be sure to touch the giant "Tree of Life," the Lahaina Giant Banyan Tree.

Handmade leis by grandmas and grandpas

Aloha Lei Day

One side of Banyan Tree Square faces the harbor, and the other faces Front Street, Lahaina's main street. Just after leaving the square and crossing Front Street, there is an old building called the HISTORIC BALDWIN HOME MUSEUM (there are many old buildings in the area as the area is a historic preservation district). In the shade of the trees in the garden, grandmas and grandpas who belong to the Lahaina Honolua Senior Club hand-make leis and sell them on the spot (very cheaply) several days a week.

Leis are an indispensable part of Hawaiian life. As decorations when dressing up, as gifts for special occasions, as greetings to superiors and loved ones... people hold, wear and enjoy leis in various occasions. "Mana resides in leis," say kumu hula (masters of hula, a traditional Hawaiian art). "Flowers and grass are alive. We offer prayers and receive a share of their life. When we weave a lei, we put our prayers and wishes into it. Originally, the soul of the earth, called mana, resides in leis," they say. In Japan, too, there has been a long-standing belief in the "eight million gods," and it has been said that "gods reside in all things."

The grandmas and grandpas who make leis in this park, where many tourists come and go, set up tents several times a week, weave leis under them, and sell them, with the desire to "make it easy for people to experience Hawaii's beautiful culture." Each lei costs about $1 or $2. Whenever I stay in Lahaina, I come here on the first day and always buy a few leis. I decorate them by hanging one on the rearview mirror of my rental car, one on the bed in my room, and one around the mirror in the bathroom, and enjoy the view and scent.

By the way, May Day, which falls on May 1 every year in Hawaii, is called "Lei Day." It's an important day on each island when people weave leis and hold lei parades by locals (the biggest festival is the "Lei Day Celebration" held at Kapiolani Park in Waikiki, Oahu). Of course, May 1 is also "Lei Day" in Lahaina. There are stalls selling leis, and lei weaving workshops in the park.

A hidden gem for the ultimate sunset

Lahaina Sunset

Sunsets in Lahaina are the best. The sun sinks into the horizon, or behind the island of Lanai. There are many local surfers in the sea, and yachts and boats of all sizes pass by offshore, and the whole landscape is gradually dyed golden. Tourists (with cameras and smartphones) line the seaside promenade, and there are many people on the small beach facing the sea.

This lawn area on the north side of Banyan Tree Square is a great spot to watch the sunset. It's a short walk from the center of Lahaina (about 5 minutes), so there aren't many tourists. It has the atmosphere of locals relaxing in their own way. The sunset hour is the best when you sit (or lie down) on this lawn. If you look at the sea, you can see the sun setting, and if you look in the opposite direction, you can see the town of Lahaina dyed in the sunset. It's very beautiful to see the small old port town shining golden.

Head to a luxury resort area dotted with secret beaches

Drive to Kapalua

During your stay in Lahaina, we recommend taking a leisurely drive to a nearby resort in a rental car. This time, we will introduce a route to Kapalua, a resort that attracts celebrities from all over the world, via Kaanapali, where huge hotels stand in rows, just north of Lahaina.

If you drive north from Lahaina on Honoapilani Highway (State Route 30), you will eventually come across the mega resort hotel "The Westin Ka'anapali Ovean Resort Villas" along the ocean. Just beyond the premises, there is a traffic light where you turn left onto the old road called "Lower Honoapilani Road". This old road is a local road that runs along the coast. You can enjoy a drive to Kapalua while looking at the beautiful ocean.

Along the way, there are small resort areas, cafes, restaurants, local souvenir shops, etc. If you find a beach that catches your eye, we recommend stopping the car and taking a rest while driving. Many people staying at resort hotels in Kaanapali come here in search of the "small, secret beaches with few people around." The beach on the north west coast of Maui is far from the hustle and bustle, and is truly a different world.

Kapalua Resort Area: Beautiful golf courses

If you continue driving along the seaside road, you will eventually arrive at the resort area of Kapalua (it takes about 40 minutes from Lahaina without making any detours). Kapalua has many beautiful golf courses on both the ocean side and the mountain side. It is truly picturesque. For those who want to enjoy golf in a Hawaiian style, the courses around here are recommended. Reservations are required in advance, so please ask the concierge at your hotel.

*Some content was updated on July 25, 2017.

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