Ports of Call - USA - Hawaii - Maui
Whale watching is a popular pastime for cruise passengers from mid-December to mid-April when thousands of humpback whales winter in Hawaiian waters.
So it is apt that Lahaina in Maui, a traditional whaling town, should be a popular port-of-call for cruise liners – the second most visited spot on Maui after its beaches. Once the royal capital of the Hawaiian kingdom, in the early 19th century Lahaina became the lusty port of the Yankee whaling fleet.
Some 55 acres of Lahaina have been set aside as historic districts containing several sites designated as National Historical Landmarks.
The weathered wooden buildings lining Front Street and its side streets are gallant survivors. In place of grog shops and ship's outfitters, they now house boutiques, art galleries and charming seafood restaurants.
The Baldwin Mission House is open to the public. Other historic buildings include the Masters and Mates Reading Room, the Seamen's Hospital, the waterfront court house, and the old jail, Lahaina Prison. Attractions include the Whalers Village Museum which recounts the history of Lahaina's whaling era from 1825 to 1860 through the eyes of the ordinary sailor; and the Pacific Railroad sugar cane train runs between between Lahaina Kaanapali.
Among Maui’s other top sights are Iao Valley Sate Park and the outstanding volcanic landscape of the upper slopes of the dormant volcano in Haleakala National Park.
Photo: Lahaina harbor with the West Maui Mountains in the background. Photo courtesy Maui Visitors Bureau/Ron Dahlquist
Main attractions on Maui, Hawaii include:
Historic Lahaina Town
Haleakala National Park
Iao Valley State Park
Bailey House Museum
Hana Cultural Center
Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center A
Kaanapali
Kihei
Lahaina Town
Whalers Village Museum
Maui Ocean Center
Maui Tropical Plantation
Pacific Whale Foundation
Wailea
Beaches