Maui, HI, USA
In the beginning of time, the demigod Maui pulled the Hawaiian Islands out of the sea with a giant fishhook and named one of the islands after himself. And there it still sits, in the middle of the Hawaiian chain. Maui was the first Hawaiian island to attract large numbers of tourists, and it’s become known as a playground for the rich and famous. Oprah and Tiger and several other one-name-is-enough celebrities own vacation homes here, and it’s easy to see why. Where else can you get a backyard with your own waterfall, singing with birds? The west side is the more developed, while the east still feels remote. The small town of Hana, on the island’s eastern tip, draws visitors looking for inner and outer peace. If you don’t know your most basic yoga positions you may feel out of place. The huge Haleakala Crater, 10,000 feet above sea level, is the island’s commanding center. Visit Haleakala National Park at sunset for a magnificent look at this gaping hole into Middle Earth and the surrounding moonlike lava fields.
