Maui

"Maui No ka ‘oi" is what locals say—it's the best, the most, the top of the heap. To those who know Maui well, there's good reason for the superlatives. The island's perfect-tan beaches (stretching for more miles than any of the other islands), lush green valleys, historic villages, top-notch windsurfing and diving, stellar restaurants and high-end hotels, and variety of art and cultural activities have made it an international favorite.

Maui is made up of two volcanoes that erupted long ago and joined into one island. The resulting depression between the two is what gives the island its nickname, "the Valley Isle." West Maui's 5,788-foot Pu‘u Kukui was the first volcano to form, a distinction that gives that area's mountainous topography a more weathered look. The Valley Isle's second volcano is the 10,023-foot Haleakalā, where desert-like terrain butts up against tropical forests.