Central Maui
Central Maui is the commercial, governmental and health care center of Maui. The primary two cities that form central Maui are Kahului and Wailuku. If you flew in to Maui, you most likely arrived at the Kahului Airport (OGG). Maybe you grabbed your bags, got your rental car, hit Costco and headed for the “other side.” After all, that is where the resorts are.
But if you live and work on Maui, there is a lot to be said for the central area.
Wailuku has an old Hawaii feel with an interesting, rejuvenated downtown area. There are restaurants, shops, the court house and Maui Memorial Hospital. There are some surf breaks, Lefts and Rights off Waiehu Beach Park. There is also a sweet public golf course, Waiehu Golf Course, which charges locals with a Golf ID Card as low as $2 for students and $8 for seniors for 18 holes.
Wailuku also hosts the Wailuku First Friday Street party on, when do you think, the first Friday of every month. It’s free and fun with music, food, street vendors and all the local shops open for business.
There is a lot of new development going on in Wailuku including new shopping centers and new housing. Some the best, most affordable homes are for sale in Maui’s Central District.
Kahului offers business, shopping and education along with new and nice affordable homes on Maui.
Kahului is home to Maui’s main airport and the harbor. If you’re shipping a car or anything else to Maui, it will come into Kahului Harbor.
Maui’s largest shopping mall is the Queen Ka’ahumanu Center featuring Macy’s, Sears, a food court and a wide variety of shops.
Just across from the Queen Ka’ahumanu Mall is the University of Hawaii Maui Campus. This campus offers Bachelor’s degrees, Associate’s degrees and a number of certificate programs. They also have a program called EdVenture for all the lifelong learners out there. And I don’t want to forget the Culinary Academy.
Right next to the University is the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, the MACC. The MACC features live performances by top performers like Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, Billy Joel, Santana and many more. The host all types of performances from pop to dancing, opera and TED talks. There are also exhibits, education cultural events held in the various venues.
From a living standpoint, Kahului has a lot to offer. There are new homes that are among the most affordable on the island. It’s close to beaches, great golf and everything else you want in this island paradise.
