Top 10 Reasons to Visit Maui in 2020

Across the generations, today's travelers want opportunities to connect with and learn about local culture in an inspiring location. On Maui, you'll find these experiences wrapped in a dormant volcano, dipped in a waterfall pool, warmed by the sun and kissed by ocean spray. Here are some fresh ideas on where to wander exquisite landscapes, explore Maui from the ocean, taste the distinctive cuisine, connect with locals and discover Hawaiian culture and the arts on Maui in 2020.

In the Hawaiian language, there are over 200 names and phrases to describe rain. From the fine mist swirling above a mountain peak to a torrential downpour with big heavy drops feeding the lush rainforest; water is the life-blood of the islands. On Maui, you should seek out the majestic beauty of waterfalls via a walk or hike, or take a helicopter tour.

Don't miss Haleakala Crater, a National Park that runs from summit to ocean coastline that can be a life-changing experience. Many visitors brave the cold early mornings and the crowds to watch the sun come up at Haleakala, the "House of the Rising Sun." Others come for sunset.

Hawaiian Paddle Sports is a for-profit company that gives back to Maui by supporting local charities and nonprofits, along with once-a-month company work parties and environmental cleanups. They offer whale watches, turtle tours, surf lessons, canoe surfing and other tours. On the ecological side, they don't use fuel-eating boats but Hawaiian outrigger canoes for many of their tours instead. Learn about Hawaiian ocean ecosystems, history, and whale watch or see sea turtles in their natural environment with certified marine naturalists.

Canoe paddling not your thing? The Maui Ocean Center is for you. Located near Maalaea Harbor, Maui Ocean Center's mission is to educate and provide stewardship of the Pacific Ocean and Hawaii's marine life. For divers, there is an experience-of-a-lifetime that happens in the 750,000-gallon ocean exhibit aquarium with Shark Dive Maui. The sharks are constantly released back into the ocean so no telling which type of sharks you will swim with, but the dive will be exhilarating.

To understand Maui's dining scene, you have to understand the island's food history. The Polynesians brought life-supporting plants in their canoes to Hawaii. In the time since the Polynesians settled in the Hawaiian Islands, not much had changed in the local diet until the Western world's missionaries, whalers, and capitalists sailed over. During the plantation era, waves of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Puerto Rican laborers arrived to work the sugar and pineapple plantations and with them brought seeds for produce and spices to prepare their simple homeland favorites. Flavors, cuisines and people mingled and an island-style palate evolved.

Today, island cuisine offers everything from traditional Hawaiian foods; plantation-style plate lunches; individual cuisines from many countries; lavish buffets and luaus at island hotels with a little bit of everything offered; to elegant five-star dining.

As ubiquitous as the coconut tree is on Maui, most that you will see at hotels, parks and commercial properties will never bear fruit. A falling coconut can kill if it falls on you, so trees are trimmed of fronds and tiny baby coconuts. But because this tree is so fascinating and such a large part of the Hawaiian culture, you should learn about it.

The coconut palm was the foundation of the Hawaiian's survival, supplying the ancient Hawaiians with water, food, oil, weaving material, cordage, skewers, bowls, dance implements, drums and coconuts to plant. At the end of each moon cycle, it constantly produces flowers that turn into another branch of coconuts. On one tree there are multiple branches of nuts in varying life-cycle stages that supply different products, thus, the tree produces year-round.

One of the best activities to do on Maui to visit a coconut farm located in Haiku for a hands-on class open to all ages with coconut farmer Ryan Burden of Coconut Information.

You may be astonished at the quality of the wine produced here from vines planted on the slopes of Haleakala in the Ulupalakua vineyards. Small production, single varietal wines predominate. Admission to the grounds, a simple tour and parking are free, but MauiWine also offers some incredible private tasting tours. Check online and make a reservation.

It is our suggestion to take a tour with Maui Craft Tours that includes MauiWine and let them do the driving. Foodie and boozy tours visit artisans on Maui, including one that shows a pineapple's journey from the fields of Haliimaile to MauiWine to be made into their popular pineapple wine.

If you are thinking about a proposal or a wedding on romantic Maui, Blue Hawaiian Maui helicopters has private charters, or you can take the Maui Spectacular Tour that's guaranteed to take your breath away with magnificent West Maui valleys, rain forests and waterfalls. Before it heads off to East Maui with Hana and Haleakala viewing, the chopper lands for 20 minutes at Ulupalakua Ranch on the slopes of Haleakala with sweeping views of the coastline. Just enough time to pop the question.

If the answer is "yes" and now you need to find a venue for your Maui ceremony and celebration, Haiku Mill is it. This historic 1858 sugarcane mill in Haiku with its stone ruins, courtyards, plantation-era cottages and lush plantings provides rustic elegance to your celebration. Gifted professionals like florist Teresa Sena Design or Mandy Grace Designs, Garnish Craft Cocktail Catering, Shuckin' Haoles, Cutting Edge Catering Maui, Set Maui, Elements by K.H.& co. and Chris J. Evans Photography will bring your fairytale wedding vision to life with their artistry and capture the day for you. Forever.

If you are a seeker of knowledge and want to immerse yourself in learning Hawaiian cultural practices and how they relate to a healthy environment, collective community and sustainability, look into a retreat at this secluded paradise called Ala Kukui in Hana, directed by Kaui Kanakaole. There is not another place on the island of Maui where you will experience such authenticity of culture and immersion into it. They also host weddings in addition to retreats and events.

Manutea Nui E brings delightful one-or two-hour Hawaiian cultural workshops to you. Ukulele and hula lessons, head lei making, lauhala weaving and coconut frond weaving classes are taught by delightful and engaging Hawaiian instructors to your group at your abode. They will bring everything you need to your hotel, villa or condo.

If you'd like to volunteer as part of your vacation and want to help restore one of Hawaii's cultural sites, check out Maui Cultural Lands. A current project is to reforest the Honokowai Valley and Kaanapali area where you will go deep into the valley and see Hawaii as few people ever get to. Sign up online and meet in Lahaina.

Celebration of the Arts April 10-11, 2020

Kapalua plays host to some fabulous festivals. This Hawaiian cultural festival brings outstanding cultural practitioners, entertainers and Hawaii artists to share their knowledge of traditional arts like woodworking and carving, lauhala weaving, feather lei making, Hawaiian games and weapons, traditional fishing implements, ukulele, pahu drum making, Niihau shell lei and Hawaiian nose flutes. Modern artists like painters and jewelry makers also show their work. The best of the best are invited here.

Kapalua Wine & Food Festival June 4-7, 2020

This is the longest-running food and wine festival in Hawaii and one magical weekend on Maui. Connoisseurs of wine, sommeliers, local and celebrity chefs gather to wow the guests with seminars, demonstrations and memorable meals. Multiple events are set to happen along the breathtaking backdrop of the sea at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua.

Hawaii Food & Wine Festival October 15-18, 2020 (Kaanapali Resort Events)

Kaanapali Resort is an expansive enclave of hotels and condos surrounded by a golf course and the ocean in West Maui. This year, HFWF celebrates the 10th anniversary of this multi-island event over multiple islands over three weekends.

It kicks-off in Kaanapali with a chef's dinner under the stars on the oceanfront lawn of the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa. Chef Roy's golf tournament follows on Friday and Saturday night is a walk-around dinner at the Sheraton. Expect fireworks, a kids' cooking event, celebrity chefs and the best of the best here. Internationally known Chefs Roy Yamaguchi and Alan Wong spearhead the event and it's all for nonprofit beneficiaries and supports Hawaiian local farmers, ranchers, fishermen and local culinary colleges.

Note: Check the calendar at gohawaii.com for more festivals and events for hula, taro, music, Humpback Whale events, surfing and windsurfing, canoe races and volunteer opportunities on Maui.

As travelers become more aware of supporting sustainable tourism around the globe, we offer the Grand Wailea Maui, a Waldorf Astoria hotel that is committed to and has implemented sustainable practices with quantifiable results.

Hilton's "Travel with Purpose" commitment is to cut its environmental footprint in half while doubling its investment in social impact. The Hilton Effect Foundation has awarded 15 inaugural grants to communities around the world and one of these grants was awarded to Hawaii State Division of Forestry & Wildlife to support watershed projects on Oahu, the Island of Hawaii, and right here on Maui to the reforestation of Haleakala's watershed project.

At Grand Wailea, environmental sustainability is a top priority via the preservation of natural resources, resort-wide water-saving, solid waste reduction and energy-saving measures. They have invested 1 million in water conservation measures and 4 million in energy-saving measures. Approximately 10 tons of green waste is composted and recycled, and soap and amenities are donated to shelters and schools, 1.9 million pounds a year of food scraps are given to Maui farmers for their animals, and another initiative preventing 130 thousand pounds of plastic from entering Maui's environment (2002) and more.

Enjoy a fabulous room or suite at this 5-star resort, swim in the pools, relax in the Spa Grande, dine at their restaurants or enjoy their Grand Luau, play on the beach or take part in their complimentary Hawaiian cultural classes and know that Grand Wailea is walking their talk; albeit on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.