Historic Lahaina

Seasoned travelers often agree that the historic seaside town of Lahaina is one of the most attractive ports in the entire world. The setting for much of the adventure in James Michener's novel Hawaii, Lahaina was made the capital of the Hawaiian Islands by King Kamehameha the Great in 1795, when he became the first chieftain to unite all the Islands under one rule. Today, the town takes pride in the history of its most turbulent period, between the 1820s and the late 1850s, when lusty whalers faced off zealous missionaries.

The whalers and missionaries are gone, but Lahaina still offers a blending of contemporary excitement in a setting right out of the past. Many of Hawaii's finest restaurants and stores have taken up residence in the quaint old buildings of the former whaling town, where there is more history per square block than just about anywhere else in the Islands. There is adventure for all ages, from boat cruises and water sports to whale-watching and history hunting in museums.

The neighboring resorts of Kaanapali, Napili and Kapalua — with their world-class hotels, beautiful beaches and exotic shopping — were built just north of Lahaina to retain the town's unique heritage as the whaling capital of the Pacific during the mid-1800s.

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Family with Pioneer Inn statue of sea captain

A popular statue of a sea captain stands just outside
the entry to Lahaina's
Pioneer Inn, providing delightful photo
opportunities
to visitors.

Photos by Brett Uprichard