Maui information Guide
Your Maui Guide
Maui, Hawaii is one of the most sought after destinations on the planet. With almost 2 1/2 million visitors in 2006 alone, people know that Maui is a special place. This guide is for those interested in learning more about the Hawaiian islands and specifically Maui. You'll find that this website is a great resource for visitors and residents of Maui County alike.
Please click on one of the following subjects for detailed and unbiased Maui Information from local residents. This guide will give you up to date Maui information on what our incredible Hawaiian Island has to offer.
Our editors are professional writers, knowledgeable about the islands, and residents of Maui. Every article submitted is meticulously researched for your benefit. We've made a pledge to give the best Maui information to the public for FREE! Our hope is that people will come back for accurate well written information on the Hawaiian islands. Make sure to check out our guide to Maui Restaurants, The Road to Hana , Maui Activities, Best Beaches in Maui, Maui Snorkel Maps, Maui Statistics, Maui Accommodations, and Maui Weather Information.
Maui Restaurants
Maui has hundreds of great restaurants all over the island. Not only is Maui home to one of the best culinary academies in the nation, but it also has some of the best restaurants which employ incredible chefs from all around the world. We've decided to list only a few of our favorite Maui restaurants on this page.
Lahaina Restaurants
Lahaina is the tourist Mecca of Maui. Good and bad restaurants line the ocean on Front Street, Lahaina. One of our favorite restaurants on the island is Mala Grill. Mala is unique with some great dishes and a gorgeous location. Just North of the Mala Wharf on Front Street, you'll find it tucked away from tourist central. They have the best Kobe beef burger you could imagine. It's a bit pricy, but worth every penny. Everything we've tried there, from the fajitas to the curry potato soup, is top notch.
Kobe is a fun Japanese restaurant in the heart of Lahaina. They'll cook your food right at the table with an exciting show. By the end of your meal, you'll find yourself much closer with the chef and everyone at your table. Kobe has some great prices and an excellent ambiance.
Kihei Restaurants
Café O'lei is a regular haven for South Maui residents. It's located in a very unpresumptuous spot on the second floor of the Rainbow Mall. Once inside, you'll see that it's all class. The food is eclectic with a full sushi bar and great prices.
Outside by the pool at the Four Seasons, Ferraros is a top-notch place to spend lunch or dinner. Everything there is of the highest quality. Lunch can be reasonable considering the first class service, food, and view. Dinner is on the higher end, but is worth the money. They have exquisite live violin music while you dine under the stars. The bar is wonderful with knowledgeable friendly staff, and it's well stocked with everything you'd want.
Duo is also part of the Four Seasons just underneath Spagos. Duo is a newer steakhouse just across the pool from Ferraros. The steaks are perfect, and the seafood to die for. Unless you are fortunate enough to get the Kama'aina discount, you'll be paying a pretty penny. It's not hard for a party of three visitors to walk out of there with 400 dollars less in their pockets.
Tommy Bahama's Emporium and Cafe is a must when visiting South Maui. Their menu is varied and delicious, their cocktails are the best on the island, and the ambiance is uniquely Hawaiian with a relaxed island vibe. Try the Baja Margarita and the BBC when at the bar, and also ask for the best coconut shrimp on Maui.
For creative presentation, quality sushi, and a lively atmosphere go to Sansei in the middle of Kihei off of South Kihei Road. Prices are very reasonable, especially during their many happy hours before and after the regular dinner rush. Sansei is in the habit of winning awards for their inventive ways of preparing fish. They have a wonderful book of Hawaii sushi recipes too.
Wailuku Restaurants
Café Marcaurel is an urban hideaway just a short walk from the Iao Theatre. After a few minutes of enjoying good wine and fantastic cheeses, you'll think you stepped off the road and into a hip Manhattan hot spot. Café Marcaurel is a gem on Maui. Hopefully more little places like this with warm lively surroundings will pop up around Maui.
Paia Restaurants
Café Des Amis is hands-down the best spot to hit in Paia. The food is outstanding and the prices are low. They have delicious curry dishes as well as the best crepes you'll have this side of the planet. The crepes are the real reason to visit Café Des Amis. You'll find the service can sometimes be off, but the food is consistently great. It's located across the street from the best market on the Island, Mana Foods.
North Maui Restaurants
Mama's Fish House has the charm of real Maui. The service is good and the food is excellent. You'll find that all of the fish on the menu is labeled with who actually caught it earlier that day. Fantastic food, unparalleled atmosphere, and steep prices make Mama's Fish House a famous spot to eat on Maui.
Upcountry Restaurants
Regarded by many as the best restaurant in Maui, Haile Maile General Store has all the charm of upcountry while managing to serve remarkable Hawaiian dishes. The service is impeccable, the ambiance warm and inviting, and the food out of this world. This is famed chef Bev Gannon's hideaway restaurant high on Haleakala's slopes.
Polly's is one of our favorite upcountry restaurants. It's a Mexican restaurant that's a bit more mainland USA than Mexican in traditional respects, but the food is great. Polly's is in Makawao, which is a fun town to visit.
Kahului Restaurants
We're still trying to find some good restaurants here. Seems Kahului has been lacking on a good place to eat for years. As soon as someone steps up with some outstanding food, we'll be happy to frequent them on our way in and out of town.
Maui Catering
In our experience, the best caterers on Maui are at Maui Executive Catering. They are former top students of the Maui Culinary Academy of which have dedicated their lives to excellence in food. They're mostly only available for smaller functions, but do occasionally do large events. Right now, you can have these incredible chefs come to your home and cook a meal for you and your friends at a modest price. It's a unique experience having these outgoing chefs bring the love of good food into your home. Call Jeff or Josh at (808) 281-9923 for availability and pricing.
Maui Statistics
Out of the 2,405,257 Maui arrivals in 2006, 82% were from the mainland, less than 6% from Canada, and the remainding 4% hailed from Japan. It becomes quickly evident where most of Maui's income comes from when you take into account the $3,492,900,000 total expenditures made here in 2006 by our visitors. Totaling over 6 1/2 million arrivals in 2006, almost half of them are landing on Maui.
These statistics are attractive for business owners, but also a major concern for those who call Maui their home. With the tourist revenue comes the much despised island growth. This is a chief issue for our politicians here on the islands. Oahu is the most populated of the islands and holds the largest portion of the 1,285,498 people living in Hawaii in 2006; this is not even 1/2 of a percent of the total US population. Of this, Maui has only 141,320 residents. Maui grew 10% in population from 2000 to 2006.
Maui's diverse ethnic presence influences all aspects of our incredible island. As of 2005, the percentages are broken down below:
Caucasian 38.3%
Asian 30.2%
People of 2 or more races 20.2%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander 10.3%
Hispanic or Latino 8.7%
African American 0.6%
American Indian and Alaska Natives 0.3%
The age ranges present in Hawaii are also veried. Below are 2005 statistics of the different age groups living here:
Under 5 yrs old 7.1%
Under 18 years old 23.5%
Between 18 and 65 years old 55.7%
Over 65 years old 13.7%
One of the many beauties of our island of Maui is it's close proximity from one coast to the next. Most residents live within a 22 minute drive of their work. This statistic is accurate as of 2000. Today it may be considerably more due to the many more residents and visitors on the road. Our island is constantly growing, though it's roads barely keep up with the demand. Most of the money goes towards building growth for housing and commercial businesses. over 1500 building permits were submitted in 2005.
In 2004, the earnings per job on Maui averaged $33,879 annual salary. This is terribly low considering the high cost of living in Hawaii. But, as of 2005, we've maintained a successful 2.6% unemployment rate.
The above Hawaii information was gathered from 2 independant sources: DBEDT and fedstats.gov.
