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UNITED STATES | Maui, Hawaii Travel Guide
Friday, April 26, 2024
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Maui's Upcountry and Mt Haleakala
Maui's Upcountry
Maui's Upcountry comprises quite broadly the western slopes of Mt. Haleakala and ultimately also takes in the Haleakala National Park. It is a lovely area with green pasturelands and fertile soil where the bulk of Maui’s fruit, vegetables and flowers are grown. Upcountry also enjoys significantly lower temperatures, typically 5°- 15° cooler than the coastal areas of the island. Besides which, there are several good vista points here, many with commanding, unobstructed views of West Maui and the Kihei-Wailea coast.
Makawao
Makawao is one of the principal towns in the Upcountry area, which lies approximately 8 miles south of Paia, which in turn is about 6 miles east of Kahului. This is an old Hawaiian cowboy town that still boasts a few real “paniolos” - Hawaiian cowboys - who often ride into town on horseback for their supplies. It also hosts the biggest rodeo in the state of Hawaii, held on the Fourth of July every year. The town itself is best explored on foot, with its wood-frame buildings with false fronts, reminiscent of the Old West, now filled with shops and restaurants, interspersed with yoga centers and herbalists, offering a unique contrast between two very different worlds.
Kula
Kula is the other place of note here, situated some 14 miles south of Kahului, in the heart of Upcountry’s agriculturally rich region, at an elevation of 3,000 feet. This is where those famous Maui red onions, along with potatoes, lettuce and tomatoes, are grown, and where most of the island’s protea farms are located. Also in the area are the Kula Botanical Gardens, and some 4 miles south of Kula you can visit the Tedeschi Vineyards, Hawaii’s only winery, which makes, among others, a pineapple wine.
Haleakala National Park
Haleakala National Park is the premier attraction in the area. The 30,183-acre park is centered on the spectacular, 10,023-foot Mt Haleakala, the world’s largest dormant volcano, and one of the tallest mountains in the world when measured from its base some 20,000 feet beneath the ocean. Haleakala, which means “House of the Sun,” was once described by novelist Jack London as “a noble dwelling situated on the island of Maui,” with “a message of beauty and wonder for the human soul that cannot be delivered by proxy.” In the park you can see the mammoth Haleakala Crater, some 3,000 feet deep, 7.5 miles long and 2,5 miles wide, sweeping across a vast lunar landscape. From the summit you can also see the entire island of Maui as well as the islands of Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and the Big Island of Hawaii. There are also several good hiking trails in the park.
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