Discovering Maui means feeling the elements. Wind, water and the power of volcanoes characterise the island, a jewel among the Hawaiian islands. If you come at the right time, you can see whales up close.
The luxurious beach hotels, mansions and gardens of Wailea come closer in range. Before us we see the 3000-meter high Haleakala, which means "House of the Sun", looming against the sky. Like all Hawaiian islands, Maui is composed of liquid stone known as magma, which has been rising from the sea floor for millions of years and has mounted up to form peaks. The lava has long since been overgrown with ferns, climber plants and proteas, with sweet potatoes, mangoes and papayas. Depending on where you’re standing, Maui can be a gigantic garden, a pineapple plantation or a cattle field complete with Hawaiian cowboys.
To experience Maui, travellers are well advised to expose themselves to the elements. Visitors have only been truly welcomed to the island once they’ve felt the wind, waves and salt on their skin. Paddling, snorkeling or swimming provide the greatest access to the charm of the South Seas. If you go diving, you’ll find yourself surrounded by coral and fish as colourful as neon signs and by sea turtles that look as though they’re swimming in slow motion.
