Pearce Charles
Maui island Travel and Tourism. Vacation, Holiday, Environmental Information. When it comes to outdoor recreation, Maui wins best in show. Just look at that zipliner launching into a canopy of green. Or the mountain biker hurtling past eucalyptus and pine. Hikers have it darn good too, with trails winding through lava flows and bamboo forests. Along the coast, surfers barrel through waves, windboarders skim across whitecaps and snorkelers glide among fish-filled reefs and coral. And we haven't even mentioned the Valley Isle's most iconic adventures, like driving the Road to Hana. Watching the sunrise from the summit of Haleakalā. Paddling a kayak within sight of humpback whales in Makena Bay. In sum? Amazing. The golden sands of Keawakapu Beach. The rumpled green flanks of Haleakalā. The graceful beauty of Wailua Falls. These gorgeous sights have drawn admirers for generations. But it's funny, just when you think you have a handle on Maui's sublime scenery, an unexpected view catches you by surprise. It's these unplanned glimpses of beauty that linger in your memory. Maybe it's the ʻahinahina (silversword) staking out a claim on a stark crater slope. Or the jagged lava along the Keʻanae Peninsula, looking protective for a moment, not menacing. And the Waiakoa Loop Trail at Polipoli? Spookily pretty until that baby boar snuffles into view
