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Maui
- "The Valley Isle"
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| Maui
- The Valley Isle - named for a Hawaiian demigod, Maui is the second
largest of the populated Hawaiian Islands, with the second-largest
population. The central Maui town of Kahului/Wailuku is the island's
business center; West Maui, with the sprawling beaches and resorts
of Ka'anapali and the historic whaling town of Lahaina, is one of
Maui's major resort areas. South Maui is home to the island's other
main resort area, Wailea. Although the tropical north shore of Maui
does not offer hotels, visitors can choose between bed & breakfasts
and rental homes. |
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Maui
was formed 1.3 million years ago by the volcano Haleakala (meaning
"House of the Sun"), which is considered active and likely
to erupt again within the next 200 years. Its last eruption was
in 1790. The 10,026-foot-high volcano occupies much of central Maui
and separates West Maui from the rest of the island.
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surrounding islands of Moloka'i, Lana'i and Kaho'olawe were formed
by a group of six volcanoes and were once a part of Maui, but separated
when the sea level rose and flooded the valleys between the land masses.
These underwater valleys are shallower than the surrounding ocean
and provide shelter for an abundance of marine life, including the
humpback whales that migrate to Hawaiian waters during winter months
to give birth to their calves. |
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