Kahului’s large protected harbor is the island’s only deep-water port, so all boat traffic, from cruise ships to cargo vessels, docks here. But it’s not all business. Late afternoon you might see outrigger-canoe clubs such as Na Kai ʻEwalu (www.nakaiewalucanoeclub.org) practicing near Hoʻaloha Park – a timeless scene.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Schaefer International Gallery

0.28 MILES

This art gallery at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center has a number of exhibitions per year, ranging from native Hawaiian arts to contemporary local artists…

2. Maui Nui Botanical Gardens

0.61 MILES

For botanophiles interested in native Hawaiian plants, this garden on the grounds of a former zoo has a wealth of knowledge. An excellent new audiotour (…

4. Kanaha Pond Bird Sanctuary

1.62 MILES

You wouldn’t expect a wildlife sanctuary to be so close to the main road, but a short walk leaves the traffic behind. This shallow marsh is a haven for…

5. Wailuku Public Library

1.9 MILES

Designed by Maui-born architect CW Dickey and completed in 1928, the Wailuku Public Library building displays a now-distinctive regional design. Note…

6. Kaʻahumanu Church

1.93 MILES

This handsome missionary church, in Gothic New England style, was built in 1875 by missionary Edward Bailey and named for Queen Kaʻahumanu, who cast aside…

7. Hale Hōʻikeʻike at the Bailey House

2.02 MILES

This small but historically evocative museum occupies the 1833 home of Wailuku’s first Christian missionary, Edward Bailey. He was the second missionary…

8. Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum

2.42 MILES

This homespun museum occupies the former residence of the sugar mill’s superintendent. There’s the usual display of industrial machinery, including a…