The Hana Highway, also known as the Hana Belt Road, Hana Road or Road To Hana, is a 68-mile (109 km) long stretch of Hawaii State Routes 36 and 360 which connects Kahului with the town of Hana in east Maui. On the east after Kalepa bridge, Hana Highway continues to Kipahulu as Route 31 (Piilani Highway), the first section of which is unofficially considered to be part of Hana Highway. Although Hana is only about 52 miles (84 km) from Kahului, a typical trip to Hana takes about three hours, as the road is very winding and narrow and passes over 59 bridges, 46 of which are only one-lane bridges, requiring oncoming traffic to yield and occasionally causing brief traffic jams if two vehicles meet head-on. There are approximately 620 curves along Route 360 from just east of Kahului to Hana, virtually all of it through lush, tropical rainforest. Many of the concrete and steel bridges date back to 1910 and all but one are still in use. That one bridge, badly damaged by erosion, has been replaced by a parallel structure by a portable steel Bailey bridge erected by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Signs on the old bridge warn pedestrians to stay off due to imminent collapse.

The restaurant's entrance, a cove with windsurfers, tide pools, white sand, and a canoe resting under palm trees, is a South Seas fantasy worthy of Gauguin. The interior features curved lauhala-lined ceilings, walls of split bamboo, lavish arrangements of tropical blooms, and picture windows to let in the view. With servers wearing Polynesian prints and flowers behind their ears, and the sun setting in Kuau Cove, Mama's mood is hard to beat. The fish is fresh (the fishermen are even credited by name on the menu) and prepared either Hawaiian style, with tropical fruit or baked in a crust of macadamia nuts and vanilla beans, or in a number of dishes involving ferns, seaweed, Maui onions, and roasted kukui nut. My favorite is mahimahi laulau with luau leaves (taro greens) and Maui onions, baked in ti leaves and served with kalua pig and Hanalei poi. You can get deepwater ahi seared with coconut and lime, or perhaps the ono "caught by Keith Nakamura along the 40-fathom ledge near Hana" in Hana ginger teriyaki with mac nuts and crisp Maui onion. Other special touches include the use of Molokai sweet potato, organic lettuces, Haiku bananas, and fresh coconut, which evoke the mood and tastes of old Hawaii. Frommers

Molokini is a crescent-shaped, partially submerged volcanic crater which forms a small islet located in Alalakeiki Channel between the islands of Maui and Kaho?olawe, part of Maui County in Hawai?i. It has a diameter of about 0.4 miles (0.6 km), and is located about 2.5 miles west of Makena State Park and south of Ma?alaea Bay. It is a popular tourist destination for scuba diving, snuba and snorkeling.The islet is a Hawai?i State Seabird Sanctuary.

Pacific Whale Foundation was founded in 1980 by a small group of people who were determined to help save whales from extinction. Today Pacific Whale Foundation has approximately 150 employees in Maui and the capability to tackle a wide range of issues, projects and programs in its ongoing efforts to promote marine conservation, research and education. We share a common passion for protecting whales, dolphins, and the marine environment.




Over the past 30 years, Pacific Whale Foundation has taught more than 3 million people about the ocean and established educational whalewatching and ocean ecotourism to Hawaii. It has become an international organization, with 30 years of ongoing research in Hawaii, Australia, Ecuador, Tonga, and other parts of the Pacific. It works with the international community to promote whale research and protection, and it leads the field in environmental education, and conservation.




In the early days of Pacific Whale Foundation, our researchers pioneered noninvasive whale research techniques in Hawaii, to gather scientific data that could be provided to wildlife management agencies to present a compelling case for protecting whales. Our staff also provided free educational programs about whales for schools and the public.




The public's interest in learning more about whales led to Pacific Whale Foundation offering the first educational whalewatches in Hawaii. Our desire to provide whalewatch cruises that reflected our conservation-minded approach led to the establishment of our own eco-adventures company, known as Pacific Whale Foundation Eco-Adventures, which is 100% owned by Pacific Whale Foundation. All profits from the Eco-Adventures corporation support Pacific Whale Foundation's research, conservation and education efforts.




We view our ecotour vessels as floating classrooms, a means to conduct research, to inspire interest and involvement in ocean conservation, and to raise needed funds to support the non-profit's mission. Pacific Whale Foundation's Eco-Adventures also serve as a testing lab for environmentally responsible features, including whale protection devices (which guide whales away from potentially harmful underwater propellers and running gear), low-emissions engines, free reef-safe sunscreen, and bio-compostable products for food and beverage service.

From the smallest coral polyp to the seven-foot sandbar shark, the intricate wonders of Hawai'i's ocean are showcased in over 60 indoor and outdoor exhibits at Maui Ocean Center. Each exhibit features marine animals living in habitats closely resembling their own natural environment.

A selection of the exhibits are described below…

The Living Reef
Over 40 realistically-designed exhibits take you on a journey from the rocky surge zone to the edge of the deep reef. See rarely encountered marine creatures: moray eels, octopus, lobsters, sea horses, nocturnal fish and much more!

Behind-the-Scenes
Sneak a peek 'through the walls' of Maui Ocean Center and view diagrams of the aquarium's open seawater system (using water pumped from the ocean instead of manufacturing artificial saltwater). Discover all of the elements that go into creating an exhibit.

Turtle Lagoon
Get up close and personal with Hawaiian green sea turtles at this outdoor two-view exhibit. See the animals from above the water, as they surface to breathe, or from a below viewing window for a unique view of these beloved creatures. Maui Ocean Center's sea turtles are part of a hatch-and-release program and will eventually be released in the wild.

Hammerhead Harbor
Come eye to eye with hammerhead sharks, known for their amazing shapes and unique predatory hunting maneuvers. Watch them turn their heads from side to side as they search for prey hidden in the sand at the bottom of their exhibit.

The Tide Pool
Get a hands-on feel for Hawaii's invertebrates at the Tide Pool. Constructed in the form of an ocean rock pool, the Tide Pool holds a variety of harmless marine animals. Under the guidance of a marine naturalist, you are welcome to touch the inhabitants of this display.

Surrounding and including the crater is Haleakala National Park, a 30,183-acre park, of which 24,719 acres are wilderness. The park includes the summit depression, Kipahulu Valley on the southeast, and ?Ohe?o Gulch (and pools), extending to the shoreline in the Kipahulu area. From the summit, there are two main trails leading into Haleakala: Sliding Sands Trail and Halemau?u Trail.

The temperature near the summit tends to vary between about 40°F (5°C) and 60°F (16°C) and, especially given the thin air and the possibility of dehydration at that elevation, the walking trails can be more challenging than one might expect. Despite this, Haleakala is popular with tourists and locals alike, who often venture to its summit, or to the visitor center just below the summit, to view the sunrise. There is no lodging, food, or gas available in the park.

Maui has long been revered as the Magic Isle for its extraordinary appeal and abundance of natural beauty, but its undersea world is just as compelling as seen by the wondrous marine life off the Lahaina coastline.

Experience the magic of our Atlantis Adventure submarine tour and create lifetime memories as you explore our majestic coastal waters surrounding the city of Lahaina. And, following two years of preparation, Atlantis Adventures on December 13th, sank the Carthaginian replica of a 19th century supply vessel, off Lahaina, Maui, creating an artificial reef that will have lasting marine life benefit. Check out its new home-underwater!

In addition to our spectacular underwater adventures, Atlantis Adventures Maui is pleased to offer special, money saving adventure packages including an authentic Hawaiian Luau, Sunshine Helicopter Tour, or our world famous Whale Watch excursions (only available December through April).

These unforgettable experiences can only be found with Atlantis Adventures -- if it's not an Atlantis Adventure, it's not a real adventure.

High above Kapalua Resort on the slopes of the West Maui Mountains lies the "Mountain Outpost", the center of activity for the zipline tours and other exciting challenges offered by Kapalua Adventures. The Mountain Outpost features the second-longest zipline course in Hawaii with nearly two miles of parallel zipping action! The Mountain Outpost also features a 360' suspension bridge, the longest and highest in Hawaii.

The zip lines are the big attraction here, and their lines are LONG. The entire course measures out at 9190 feet of line ... times TWO! Each line is actually two lines running parallel to each other. These parallel lines offer partners the chance to zip at exactly the same time and yield great photo and video opportunities while soaring through the air! When you add it all up, Kapalua Adventures has over 18,000 feet of zip lines!

The ziplines are the center of attention, but the fun doesn't stop there! The Giant Swing is a two-person ride where you are pulled to a height of 40 feet, and the participants release themselves and swing out over the gulch with views of the blue Pacific far below.

All adventures begin at the Kapalua Adventure Center, which is next to the golf learning center and driving range in the heart of Kapalua Resort. Here you will get set up with your gear and then participants ride a 4 wheel drive vehicle up to the Mountain Outpost and the start of your tour.

Lana?i or Lanai is the sixth-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is also known as the Pineapple Island because of its past as an island-wide pineapple plantation. The only town is Lana?i City, a small settlement. The island is somewhat comma-shaped, with a width of 18 miles in the longest direction. The land area is 140.5 square miles , making it the 42nd largest island in the United States. It is separated from the island of Moloka?i by the Kalohi Channel to the north, and from Maui by the ?Au?au Channel to the east. The United States Census Bureau defines Lana?i as Census Tract 316 of Maui County. Its total population was 3,193 as of the 2000 census. Many of the island's landmarks and sites are located off dirt roads where four-wheel drive is required.

Pa?ia (pah-ee-ah) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Maui County, Hawai?i, on the northern coast of the island of Maui. The population was 2,499 at the 2000 census. Pa?ia is home to several restaurants, art galleries, surf shops and other tourist-oriented businesses. One business, Charley's, is frequented by Willie Nelson when he visits the island. The eponymous "Fish Market" at Pa?ia's main intersection is moderately well known throughout the island for its Mexican and Hawaiian food.

Pa?ia is the last town on the Hana highway when heading eastbound towards Hana.

Paia is located close to many internationally known windsurfing spots (i.E. Ho'okipa, Spreckelsville). Therefore it is sometimes called 'The World Capital of Windsurfing'.