MauiLifeStyleBlog

Alohaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

MAUI, according to Conde Nast magazine, may very well be the Best Island in the world. Living here myself since 1996, I won't argue about that!.

The Hawaiian archipelago counts 7 islands that I will mention according to their size, starting from the largest: Big Island (Hawaii), Maui, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Nihau & Kaaholawe. Some are inhabited, some are not and contrary to what you may believe, Big Island does not have the largest number of inhabitants. It's Oahu, the 3rd one that counts the largest number (approx. 1.5Mio), Maui comes second with about 130,000.

Maui is only a 25 minute plane ride from Oahu which is the home of Waikiki and Honolulu and where international flights arrive. Smaller flights can directly fly from the mainland to our big city of Kahului (OGG airport) but very often visitors have to land in Oahu first. Now that the Hawaii Superferry's very short life is gone, the only way we can travel to the neighbor islands is by plane.

Maui is a multi-cultural melting pot of populations. It is said that the Polynesians were the first one who came to the islands on their outrigger canoes, guided by the stars but when at the beginning of last century, the sugar cane and pineapple plantations ruled Maui, workers from China, Japan, The Philipines, Portugal, Korea, Indonesia and other countries were brought in to work the fields. All these cultures are well rooted here. Tourism being now the driving economy, agriculture has taken a back seat but many actual inhabitants' last names will remind you about their origin.

Why would visitors come to Maui Hawai'i? There are many reasons, including not only family vacations but also honeymoons, weddings, golfing, all types of water sports competitions and of course just plain health & wellness. According to the Maui Visitor's Bureau the number of visitors increased by 8.9% in 2010. Don't hesitate to visit their website if you plan your first trip to Hawaii.

Contrary to what you may believe but Maui isn't a place where you will only find beaches! Amongst all the Hawaiian islands, it is said that Maui has the nicest sandy beaches though! Our average temperature is in the low 80s and depending where you are on the island, it can be a desertic climate like in Kihei in South Maui, a very wet one like in Haiku or Hana, the most eastern city that you will reach by driving through the Rainforest.

Historically, the island has been inhabited for about 450 years. We have some artifacts to prove it and the Maui Historical Society has events, tours & projects that are going on. Be sure to contact it. We also have the Maui Arts and Cultural Center where you can find local artists arts, education, events and each year, end of June it organizes its famous Celestial Film Festival.

There are tons of websites that will point you to Maui but in my humble opinion, the Maui Visitor’s Bureau is the one that will cover most of the answers to your potential questions if this is your first visit Maui.

Maui is like no other place!! The atmosphere is unique, it is a healing & a spiritual place, a wonderful and interesting place, a place to have fun but also a happy & loving place to relax, no wonder why Maui is also called “The Magic Isle”. It has been “my” place for 15 years, it could be your place too.

Ask me if Maui would be right for YOU?  I am an experienced & professional Maui Realtor and full time resident with the local knowledge to help you answer any real estate related question.  When I moved from Belgium 15 years ago, I was happy to meet with a reliable person who could answer my concerns, I'd like to be that person now!  Contact me... I'll listen, understand and perform!