Maui is understandably popular. Second in size in our island chain, "The Valley Isle" comprises more than 700 square miles and features two distinct locales, east Maui and west Maui.

The town of Kahului is the island's transportation, commercial and financial hub. Here you'll find Maui's largest airport, abuzz with interisland and U.S. Mainland flights, as well as the island's largest harbor, where ocean liners and cargo ships jockey for position.

Presiding over east Maui is 10,023-foot Mount Haleakala, "House of the Sun." The highway from sea level at Paia to the summit of this dormant giant boasts the greatest altitude gain in the shortest distance of any road in the world. The scenery changes from canefields to tropical forests to a lunar landscape near the top. See the sunrise from the chilly summit and you'll know how the mountain earned its name. Hiking and camping in Haleakala Crater are quite popular, as is a considerably less strenuous mountain activity.

Some of the longest stretches of white-sand beaches in the state are on the south side of east Maui. In fact, the Valley Isle boasts the state's largest number of swimmable beaches and 120 miles of shoreline in all. Offshore you'll see the islands of Lanai and Kaho'olawe, Maui's neighbors to the south.

The center of activity in west Maui is Lahaina. This rustic whaling town was Hawaii's state capital until 1845, and the rich history of the island can be seen and felt here to this day. Classic shops along Front Street, the Whaling Museum, and the whaling ship Carthaginian offer several days' worth of exploration.