Annual Kaanapali Canoe Festival Draws Visitors with Rare Cultural Experience
The Waa Kiakahi Canoe Festival, now in its 20th year, takes place each June in Kaanapali and gives visitors a chance to witness and participate in traditional Hawaiian sailing canoe racing. The event is sponsored by the Kaanapali Beach Resort Association as a way to offer guests authentic cultural programming. The Waa Kiakahi Canoe Festival […]
Waa Kiakahi Canoe Festival Brings Cultural Tourism to Maui’s Northwest Coast
The Waa Kiakahi Canoe Festival, now in its 20th year, draws international visitors to Maui with a 27-mile open-ocean canoe race and cultural programming rooted in traditional Polynesian navigation. The event connects Hawaii with seafaring heritage across New Zealand, French Polynesia, Fiji, and Samoa. Eight teams race approximately 27 miles along Maui’s northwestern coastline using […]
UH Study: Maui Reef Damage from Human Contaminants Cuts Coral Resilience
A University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa study found 25 agricultural, industrial, and pharmaceutical contaminants accumulating in Maui coral tissues, reducing their ability to withstand environmental stressors. Sites with the most human impact also showed the steepest coral cover losses after the 2016 bleaching event. Researchers tested 380 corals across 16 sites off west and south […]
UH Study Finds Human Pollution Weakening Maui Coral Reefs
Multiple reports from the University of Hawaiʻi cover a new study published in Nature Communications finding that human activities are significantly degrading coral reef health in Maui waters. Researchers identified contamination from agricultural, industrial, and pharmaceutical sources accumulating in coral tissues, reducing the reefs’ ability to withstand environmental stress. The findings have implications for Maui’s […]
Iao Valley Remains Closed Indefinitely; Kepaniwai Gardens Open as Alternative
Iao Valley State Monument is closed until further notice due to ongoing repairs, with no confirmed reopening date. Nearby Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens has reopened and offers visitors a partial alternative in the same valley. Iao Valley State Monument is closed indefinitely — the previously posted July 24 reopening date has been replaced with ‘until further […]
Wailuku Film Festival Draws 5,300+ Attendees in Debut Year
The inaugural Wailuku Film Festival ran June 17–21, 2026, drawing over 5,300 attendees to Historic Wailuku over five days. The event featured 100+ films from 15 countries and generated 12.5 million media impressions, with local businesses reporting increased sales throughout the week. More than 5,300 total attendees visited Historic Wailuku and the Maui Arts and […]
Inaugural Wailuku Film Festival Drew 5,300+ Attendees Over Five Days
Multiple sources report that the first-ever Wailuku Film Festival, held June 17–21, 2026, successfully established Maui as a destination for independent and Indigenous cinema. The event, an initiative of the Maui Film Office supported by the County of Maui, drew thousands of visitors and generated significant local economic activity. The festival attracted more than 4,000 […]
Kaanapali Dining Scene Highlighted as Hub of Maui Food Culture Recovery
A national food publication spotlights Kaanapali restaurants as cultural anchors three years after the 2023 Lahaina wildfires destroyed much of Front Street’s dining scene. Chefs along the Kaanapali strip are drawing visitors with Hawaiian and Pacific Rim cuisine rooted in local ingredients and tradition. Kaanapali Beach restaurants are receiving positive national media attention, which may […]
HTA Selects Maui Groups for 2026 Sustainable Tourism Collaborative Programs
Multiple sources report that the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority has announced the organizations chosen for its 2026 Community Tourism Collaboratives on Maui. The two cohort-based programs, running July through October 2026, aim to strengthen community-led tourism through cultural preservation, environmental stewardship, and authentic visitor experiences. Selected nonprofits and businesses will receive workshops, training, and business development […]
Four Seasons Wailea Draws Visitors Thanks to ‘White Lotus’ Tourism Buzz
The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea continues to attract guests drawn by its role as the filming location for Season 1 of HBO’s ‘White Lotus.’ The show’s popularity has kept the property and surrounding Wailea area in the spotlight for travel media. The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea served as the primary filming […]