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The skeleton of a 40-ft Sperm whale guards the entrance to Whalers Village, a museum that presents a vivid picture of the 19th-century Pacific whaling industry. Photo murals, an authentic whaling boat complete with gear, and a re-created ship’s forecastle graphically illustrate the seafaring life.

Keka’a is a lele (a jumping off point for spirits going to the next world). This particular one is a high bluff of black lava rock from which ancient Hawaiians believed their spirits sprung forth. It is directly in front of the Sheraton Maui on Kā’anapali Beach. Also known – some would say disrespectfully – as Black Rock, this area is one of the best snorkeling spots on Maui. It’s easily accessible from the beach and teems with marine life.

Pineapple plantation carpenters built the Honolua Store in 1929, and it looks much the same today as it did when it first opened. Now the merchandise is a bit more upscale, and clothing here sports the Kapalua Resort butterfly logo. Breakfast, sandwiches, and local foods such as Spam musubi (see Spam) and a variety of plate lunches are available at the deli counter.

This important historical site was uncovered during the construction of a hotel. The area contains more than 900 ancient Hawaiian burials dating from 610 to 1800 A.D. So significant and sacred is this place that the hotel had to shift site slightly to accommodate it. Now carpeted with lush grass and bordered by native plants, it is recognized as a sacred Hawaiian site.

D.T. Fleming, one of the first managers of the pineapple plantation on West Maui, established this privately owned arboretum in 1926. Fleming traveled the world collecting plants and trees, and his search has resulted in an abundance of introduced species coexisting with the endemic plant life. Native bird species also inhabit the arboretum.

Traveling north from Honolua Bay will take you on a scenic coastal drive. Part of this is through the fecund Honokohau Valley, which positively bursts with fruit trees and lush vegetation. Wind down your window and breath in the scented air.

This is the most northerly point on Maui and the site of Hawai’i’s first lighthouse. When the surf is just right, sea water is forced as high as 100 ft into the air through a hole in the shoreline lava tube here. The blowhole is a short walk down the hill from the road, but be very careful because the waves and geysers are unpredictable.

This large volcanic rock, sitting on the side of the road just before Mile Marker 16 on the road past Kapalua, is so named because it sounds like a bell when struck in exactly the right spot. Use another rock or stick to gently strike the stone – it will probably take several attempts to find the right spot. By way of a hint, if you hit the rock on the side facing the mountain, it should resound with a metallic clank.

For nearly 1,500 years Hawaiian families have inhabited Kahakuloa, growing kalo (see East Maui) on stone terraces and using aqueducts to irrigate the crops from mountain streams. There are no gas stations or restaurants in the village, and the most prominent building is a lovely, small church. East of the village, the monolithic 636-ft Kahakuloa Head rises majestically from the water’s edge.

Kahakuloa Village

Kahakuloa Village Church

One of the wettest places on earth, Pu’u Kukui is the highest point in the West Maui Mountains, and also the proper name of the entire range. The region is home to more rare native plants and birds than anywhere else in Hawai’i. Inhabitants include the ’Eke Silversword, which is found only in this mountain range and wild i’iwi birds, extinct in most of the rest of the island chain. Access to this 8,600-acre private preserve is granted by the Kapalua Nature Society, which uses a lottery system to choose just 12 hikers per year.