Is now a good time to visit Hawaii?
Your business has perhaps never been more appreciated in Hawaii as the state makes a comeback from the tragic fires on Maui in 2023.
“I believe we have become more appreciative of the beauty and significance of this place — and more dedicated to preserving the culture, land and people that make Maui so special,” said Chelsea Livit, director of marketing and public relations at the Fairmont Kea Lani resort in Wailea. “The people of Maui have further embraced the aloha spirit and are eager to perpetuate that aloha with all who visit the island.”
Wailea is about 30 miles from Lahaina, the historic town that was almost entirely destroyed by a wildfire that quickly spread in August 2023. The Associated Press reported 102 people were killed and more than 2,200 homes were destroyed in the fire. While the burn area remains closed, there are some area businesses open that are welcoming tourists: Mala Ocean Tavern, Old Lahaina Luau, and a little removed from the former business district, Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop.
To be sure, this is not disaster tourism and visitors need to be sensitive. For example, the website for Mala Ocean Tavern preemptively asks guests not to speak to their staff about the fire as everyone has been personally affected.
“The better tourism does for Hawaii’s economy at large, the better we can do to help support the recovery of Maui’s people,” said Ilihia Gionson, public affairs officer for the Hawaii Tourism Authority, while acknowledging that visitor numbers are down on Maui this year so far.
Visiting Maui
During my recent stay on Maui, I was able to enjoy the island’s natural beauty from sunrise to sunset each day and could see how it’s possible to support the island’s main economy whether or not I was close to Lahaina.
The Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea is a celebration of Hawaii’s natural beauty and history, with a newly completed renovation that includes Hale Kukuna, an interactive cultural center. There are also enormous wooden sculptures of mermaids, sea turtles, crabs and other local elements, all carved by the hotel’s artist-in-residence, Dale Zarrella. In the cultural center are two special sculptures on display that were carved from monkey pod trees burned in the fire.
“Our Hawaiian cultural center is believed to be the largest of its kind at any resort in Hawaii,” Livit said. “If each person who visits Hawaii can go home having learned even just one meaningful thing about Hawaiian culture, that is a win to me. We have an obligation to preserve and perpetuate the culture of this place.”
The cultural center was given a prime spot with a view in the resort’s lobby and it attracts guests of all ages who want to pick up a ukulele, learn to hula dance or, in my case, to play Hawaiian checkers (and learn where to buy the locally-made game boards).
Like at other resorts, there are on-site activities to join daily and a real highlight at the Fairmont Kea Lani for us was a 7 a.m. outrigger canoe boat ride with two experienced guides. The day starts with a brief ritual to honor the rising sun where one of the guides chants before the boat is taken out on the calm, clear water off Polo Beach. The outrigger canoe originated in Hawaii, and guests can learn more about it in Hale Kukuna.
If you’re not staying at this resort, see if there is a daily resort pass available, which will give you access to the grounds — including pools — for a fee one day.
Hawaii has a robust farm-to-table culture and this is on display at the Fairmont’s Pilina restaurant. The Hawaiian word “pilina” can mean “connectedness” and here it is about the relationship with Hawaii, from drinks to food. The menu has a Spirits of the Islands page with an extensive list of Hawaiian rum, vodka and whiskey.
“Pilina sources 90% of its program ingredients from the Hawaiian Islands,” Livit said.
If you’re here on a Tuesday, you can go to the Wailea Village Farmers Market and meet local growers and makers such as Maui Cookie Lab, or if you have a car you can drive to Upcountry Farmers Market on a Saturday to sample freshly grown coffee, freshly caught fish, local honey, pineapple and more.
Beyond Maui and giving back
Each of the Hawaiian Islands has its own personality and appeal, and each of them has various ways that visitors can make choices to support sustainability or to give back by volunteering.
The Fairmont Kea Lani, for example, has a “Rooted in Aloha” reforestation initiative that welcomes guests to participate by planting a seedling in the resort’s greenhouse or along the slop of the volcano, Haleakala.
On Kauai, 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay in Princeville has a number of programs that support local businesses and charities, as well as experiences for guests to get involved in making a difference here.
“Working with island purveyors allows 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay to offer an exceptional guest experience, support the local economy and environment, and contribute to the island’s cultural and culinary vibrancy,” said Alexis Eaton, director of marketing, public relations and programming at 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay. She added that guests can leave their gently used clothing as part of their “1 Less Thing” initiative to donate locally, and they’ve partnered with the Kauai Humane Society to let visitors take a dog out for the day.
Gionson cited the Mālama Hawaii program, which invites visitors to participate in a various volunteer programs on each island. Options include reforestation efforts in Oahu’s Waimea Valley, planting native plants at North Shore Stables on Oahu, join a beach cleanup day with the Surfrider Foundation on Kauai, and snorkel and ocean cleanup with Body Glove Hawaii on the Big Island.
“These opportunities are not just a way to give back to the island, but to meet many amazing people and learn about each island’s personality, culture and communities,” Gionson said.
My travels also took me to Oahu, which is considered the most urban of the Hawaiian Islands with the city of Honolulu and home to Pearl Harbor National Memorial.
With minimal effort — and a rented car — it’s easy to find local businesses off the beaten track that will appreciate you stopping by or you’ll see fewer people than you do on the beaches of Waikiki. Some of my personal favorites include the Bishop Museum, where you can learn about the culture and history of Hawaii in the former home of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who was a member of the royal Kamehameha family; the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden in Kaneohe, where you get views of the jagged green mountains; Koko Crater Botanical Gardens, where you’ll find blooming plumeria trees and other plants; having a meal at a food truck in Haleiwa on the famed North Shore; and exploring a local neighborhood such as Kaimuki, where there are award-winning restaurants and cute shops.
The more time you spend in Hawaii, the more you appreciate the need to protect what is here. As visitors, we can all make choices in terms where we stay, where we eat and where we shop so that the tourism dollars go directly back to supporting the islands.
5 things you can only do in Maui
When traveling, it’s rewarding to see or do things that can’t be done back home or at other destinations. Consider adding these items to your list next time you’re in Maui:
1. See a blooming Haleakalā silversword plant. You can visit Haleakalā National Park on your own or with a reservation for sunrise visits, or you can book a local tour with an expert. There is always a chance of thick fog that might alter your experience. Please avoid stepping on plants as they are rare. The summit of this volcano is just more than 10,000 feet above sea level — and on a clear day, you can see the ocean below.
2. See the Ua’a, aka the Hawaiian Petrel, at Haleakalā National Park, where it is believed to have the largest nesting colony for this species. Although the birds have been spotted on other Hawaiian islands, Maui is where the most significant populations live.
3. Eat pie at Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop. Sure, you can eat pie anywhere, but this place is special with mini pies in a variety of flavors — chocolate mac nut, Olowalu lime — that you can’t get back home or even take home with you. You’ll find it on the roadside in Olowalu, not far from Lahaina. They also have sandwiches and salads.
4. Go on a pineapple tour and taste what is considered the sweetest pineapple in the world only available here, the Maui Gold Pineapple. The Maui Pineapple Tour is on a working pineapple plantation in Hali’imaile in the upcountry, so it gives you an excuse to check out this distinct part of the island. You do taste the difference with fresh pineapple!
5. Snorkel in a volcanic crater at Molokini, a partially submerged crescent-shaped islet you can see from the shores of Maui. Yes, you can snorkel so many other places, but this one is unique due to the water quality at this reef. Schedule early to avoid the crowds.