Summer Stargazing
Take advantage of Maui’s warm summer nights by gazing up into the star speckled sky.
The One That Got Away?
Ulua are no easy catch. The powerful, deep-sea-dwelling predators can weigh over 100 pounds. And they’re smart.
A Whale of a Love Song
Every winter, Hawaii entertains around 4,000 North Pacific humpback whales returning from their summer vacations in Alaska.
Hala: The Hawaiian Aphrodisiac
When foraging for plants to kindle romance, the love-struck Hawaiian had no further to look than the distinctive Hala tree.
Hāhā: The Velvet Touch
Some of Maui’s strangest flowers bloom in winter—though witnessing these living curiosities requires some effort and a sharp eye.
Winter Surf
For Islanders, nothing signals winter quite like the smell of deep ocean swells and the pounding thud of giant surf.
The Voice of the Ulili
The “wandering tattler spends the summer nesting near streams in the Alaskan tundra. When the weather starts to cool, the birds fly south to Hawai‘i.
Wave Chasers: Sanderlings
Global populations of sanderlings numbers around 700,000—but only a few hundred hunakai call Hawai‘i home.
Behold the Lobelia
The Lobelia Grayana is an endangered lavender flower that grows in Waikamoi Preserve on Maui. Ancient Hawaiians called this plant opelu.
Sex and the Coral Polyp
Few people think of corals as animals — which they are — and fewer folks contemplate their sex lives! Yet coral spawns are magical events.
Hawaiian Owl: Love Is in the Air
Autumn is a thrilling time for Hawaiian owls and those who admire them.
Persimmons
Known in Hawaii as kaki, persimmons were cultivated by Maui’s early Japanese farmers and continue to be harvested at a handful of family farms.
We Give You the Raspberry
‘Akala, the native Hawaiian raspberry, is one of the native plants bringing life back to Poli Poli forest after last January’s devastating fire.
The Call of the ‘Alala
Ancient Hawaiian Chanters used the unique sounds of the Alala, Hawaiian crow, to broadcast messages in battle. Currently they are extinct in the wild.
Kanawao: Hawai‘i’s Hydrangea
Beautiful and distinctive kanawao shrubs decorate rain forests across Hawai‘i.
The Steadfast ‘A‘ali‘i
The native Hawaiian shrub 'a'ali'i is as tough as it is beautiful. Learn about its role in restoring ecosystems, and its uses for Hawaii's lei makers and crafters.
Oh, Hello!
Deck the halls this season with Hawaiian ohelo berries, a sacred yet edible plant endemic to Hawaii. They are also a nice alternative to cranberries.
Scented Souvenir
One of the sweetest Hawaiian traditions is the making and wearing of flower lei to celebrate people you love or places you’ve been.
Jacarandas
Each spring the tall jacaranda trees lining the Upcountry Maui roadsides begin their slow explosion of color.
Watch out for Wedgies!
Wedge-tailed shearwaters spend the majority of their lives at sea, where they feed on baitfish and squid. They return to Hawai'i each spring to nest.
Spring Cleaning
‘Awapuhi is one of the twenty-seven species known as “canoe plants”—plants the first Hawaiians carried with them and relied on when colonizing these Islands.
Rainy Season
Ho‘oilo starts in November and marks the rainy season in Hawaii. Micro climates and rain fall varies with wind, geography and elevation.
