Maui is the only island in the archipelago to have been named after a Hawaiian god. Actually a demigod, known for his jovial, fun-loving nature, Maui’s namesake is said to have hauled the islands up form the ocean floor with his magic fishing line and, fro the summit of Hale’akala, to have caused the sun to shop its course.

Hale’a’kala in the central part of the island, and lush pastures and tropical forests in the east: the island flaunts its diversity. Maui is the second in Hawaii’s string of islands, with 100,000 inhabitants, and is the most popular vacation spot, except for Waikiki. Although 2.5 million tourists visit it each year, only a quarter of its total area is populated.