Active Pursuits

This is why you've come to Maui -- the sun, the sand, and the surf. In this section, I'll tell you about the best beaches, from where to soak up the rays to where to plunge beneath the waves. I've covered a range of ocean activities on Maui, as well as my favorite places and outfitters for these marine adventures. Also in this section are things to do on dry land, including the best spots for hiking and camping and the greatest golf courses.

Snorkel Bob's (www.snorkelbob.com) rents snorkel gear, boogie boards, and other ocean toys at four locations: Dickenson and Wainee streets, Lahaina (tel. 808/662-0104); Napili Village, 5425-C Lower Honoapiilani Hwy., Napili (tel. 808/669-9603); in North Kihei at Azeka Place II, 1279 S. Kihei Rd. #310 (tel. 808/875-6188); and in South Kihei/Wailea at Kamaole Beach Center, 2411 S. Kihei Rd. (tel. 808/879-7449). All locations are open daily from 8am to 5pm. If you're island hopping, you can rent from a Snorkel Bob's location on one island and return to a branch on another.

Boss Frog's Dive and Surf Shops (www.maui-vacation.net) has six locations for rental and other gear: Napili Plaza, next to Subway, in Napili (tel. 808/669-4949); Kahana Manor Shops, next to Dollies Pizza, in Kahana (tel. 808/669-6700); Kaanapali, 3636 Lower Honoapiilani Rd. (tel. 808/665-1200); 150 Lahainaluna Rd., in Lahaina (tel. 808/661-3333); Longs Drugs Shopping Center, 1215 Kihei Rd., in North Kihei (tel. 808/891-0077); and Dolphin Plaza, 2395 S. Kihei Rd., behind Pizza Hut, in South Kihei (tel. 808/875-4477).

Boday Boarding (Boogie Boarding) & Bodysurfing

Bodysurfing -- riding the waves without a board, becoming one with the rolling water -- is a way of life in Hawaii. Some bodysurfers just rely on their hands to ride the waves; others use hand boards (flat, paddlelike gloves). For additional maneuverability, try a boogie board or body board (also known as belly boards or paipo boards). These 3-foot-long boards support the upper part of your body and are easy to carry and very maneuverable in the water. Both bodysurfing and body boarding require a pair of open-heeled swim fins to help propel you through the water.

Baldwin Beach, just outside of Paia, has great bodysurfing waves nearly year-round. In winter, Maui's best bodysurfing spot is Mokuleia Beach, known locally as Slaughterhouse because of the cattle slaughterhouse that once stood here, not because of the waves -- although they are definitely for expert bodysurfers only. To get to Mokuleia, take Honoapiilani Highway just past Kapalua Resort; various hiking trails will take you down to the pocket beach. Storms from the south bring fair bodysurfing conditions and great boogie boarding to the lee side of Maui: Oneloa Beach (Big Beach) in Makena, Ulua Beach and Kamaole III Beach Park in Kihei, and Kapalua Beach are all good choices.

Ocean Kayaking

Gliding silently over the water, propelled by a paddle, seeing Maui from the sea the way the early Hawaiians did -- that's what ocean kayaking is all about. One of Maui's best kayak routes is along the Kihei Coast, where there's easy access to calm water. Early mornings are always best, as the wind comes up around 11am, making seas choppy and paddling difficult.

For beginners, my favorite kayak-tour operator is Makena Kayak & Tours (tel. 877/879-8426 or 808/879-8426; www.makenakayaks.com). Professional guide Dino Ventura leads a 2 1/2-hour trip from Makena Landing for $55, and loves taking first-timers over the secluded coral reefs and into remote coves. His wonderful tour will be a highlight of your vacation. The 4-hour tour (with lunch) costs $85. Prices include refreshments and snorkel and kayak equipment. Check the website for discounts.

South Pacific Kayaks, 2439 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei (tel. 800/776-2326 or 808/875-4848; www.mauikayak.com), is Maui's oldest kayak-tour company. Its experts lead ocean-kayak trips that include lessons, a guided tour, and snorkeling. Tours run from 2 1/2 to 5 hours and range in price from $65 to $139.

In Hana, Hana-Maui Sea Sports (tel. 808/248-7711; www.hana-maui-seasports.com) runs 2-hour tours of Hana's coastline on wide, stable, no-roll kayaks, with snorkeling, for $89 per person. Kayak surfing lessons are also available for $89.

Ocean Rafting

If you're semiadventurous and looking for a more intimate experience with the sea, try ocean rafting. The inflatable rafts hold 6 to 24 passengers. Tours usually include snorkeling and coastal cruising. One of the best (and most reasonable) outfitters is Hawaii Ocean Rafting (tel. 888/677-RAFT [7238] or 808/667-2191; www.hawaiioceanrafting.com), which operates out of Lahaina Harbor. The best deal is the 5-hour morning tour, which is $74 for adults and $53 for children 5 to 12 (book online and save $11). It includes three snorkeling stops and time spent searching for dolphins, plus continental breakfast and midmorning snacks.

Parasailing

Soar high above the crowds (at around 400 ft.) for a bird's-eye view of Maui. This ocean adventure sport, which is something of a cross between sky diving and water-skiing, involves sailing through the air, suspended under a large parachute attached by a towline to a speedboat. Keep in mind, though, that parasailing tours don't run during whale season, which is roughly December through May.

I recommend UFO Parasailing (tel. 800/FLY-4-UFO [359-4836] or 808/661-7-UFO [7836]; www.ufoparasail.net), which picks you up at Kaanapali Beach. UFO offers parasail rides daily from 8am to 2pm. The cost is $65 for the standard flight of 7 minutes of airtime at 400 feet, $75 for a 10-minute ride at 800 feet. You can go up alone or with a friend; no experience is necessary. Tip: Take the early-bird special (when the light is fantastic and the price is right) at 8am for just $60 for 400 feet, $70 for 800 feet.

Scuba Diving

Some people come to Maui for the sole purpose of plunging into the tropical Pacific and exploring the underwater world. You can see the great variety of tropical marine life (more than 100 endemic species found nowhere else on the planet), explore sea caves, and swim with sea turtles and monk seals in the clear tropical waters off the island. I recommend going early in the morning. Trade winds often rough up the seas in the afternoon, so most dive operators schedule early-morning dives that end at noon, and then take the rest of the day off.

Unsure about scuba diving? Take an introductory dive: Most operators offer no-experience-necessary dives, ranging from $95 to $135. You can learn from this glimpse into the sea world whether diving is for you.

Everyone dives Molokini, a marine-life park and one of Hawaii's top dive spots. This crescent-shaped crater has three tiers of diving: a 35-foot plateau inside the crater basin (used by beginning divers and snorkelers), a wall sloping to 70 feet just beyond the inside plateau, and a sheer wall on the outside and backside of the crater that plunges 350 feet. This underwater park is very popular, thanks to calm, clear, protected waters and an abundance of marine life, from manta rays to clouds of yellow butterfly fish.

For personalized diving, Ed Robinson's Diving Adventures (tel. 800/635-1273 or 808/879-3584; www.mauiscuba.com) is the only Maui company rated one of Scuba Diver magazine's top five best dive operators for 7 years straight. Ed, a widely published underwater photographer, offers specialized charters for small groups. Two-tank dives are $130; his dive boats depart from Kihei Boat Ramp.

If Ed is booked, call Mike Severns Diving (tel. 808/879-6596; www.mikesevernsdiving.com) for small (maximum 12 people, divided into two groups of six), personal diving tours on a 38-foot Munson/Hammerhead boat with freshwater shower. Mike and his wife, Pauline Fiene-Severns, are both biologists who make diving in Hawaii educational as well as fun (they have a spectacular underwater photography book called Molokini Island). In their 25 years of operation, they have been accident-free. Two-tank dives are $145, including equipment rental, or $130 if you have your own equipment.

Stop by any location of Maui Dive Shop (www.mauidiveshop.com), Maui's largest diving retailer, with everything from rentals to scuba-diving instruction to dive-boat charters, for a free copy of the 24-page Maui Dive Guide (you can also order a copy online). Inside are maps of and details on the 20 best shoreline and offshore dives and snorkel sites, each ranked for beginner, intermediate, or advanced snorkelers/divers. Maui Dive Shop has branches in Kihei at Azeka Place II Shopping Center, 1455 S. Kihei Rd. (tel. 808/879-3388), Kamaole Shopping Center (tel. 808/879-1533), and Shops at Wailea (tel. 808/875-9904); in Lahaina at Lahaina Cannery Mall (tel. 808/661-5388); and in the Honokowai Marketplace (tel. 808/661-6166). Other locations include Whalers Village, Kaanapali (tel. 808/661-5117); Kaanapali Fairway Shops (tel. 808/551-9663); Maalaea Village (tel. 808/244-5514); and Kahana Gateway, 4405 Honoapiilani Hwy., Suite 204, Kahana (tel. 808/669-3800).

An Expert Shares His Secrets: Maui's Best Dives -- Ed Robinson, of Ed Robinson's Diving Adventures, knows what makes a great dive. Here are some of his favorites on Maui:

Hawaiian Reef -- This area off the Kihei-Wailea Coast is so named because it hosts a good cross-section of Hawaiian topography and marine life. Diving to depths of 85 feet, you'll see everything from lava formations and coral reef to sand and rubble, plus a diverse range of both shallow- and deepwater creatures. It's clear why this area was so popular with ancient Hawaiian fishermen: Large helmet shells, a healthy garden of antler coral heads, and big schools of snapper are common.

Third Tank -- Located off Makena Beach at 80 feet, this World War II tank is one of the most picturesque artificial reefs you're likely to see around Maui. It acts like a fish magnet: Because it's the only large solid object in the area, any fish or invertebrate looking for a safe home comes here. Surrounding the tank is a cloak of schooling snappers and goatfish just waiting for a photographer with a wide-angle lens. Despite its small size, Third Tank is loaded with more marine life per square inch than any site off Maui.

Molokini Crater -- The backside of the crater is always done as a live boat-drift dive. The vertical wall plummets from more than 150 feet above sea level to around 250 feet below. Looking down to unseen depths gives you a feeling for the vastness of the open ocean. Pelagic fish and sharks are often sighted, and living coral perches on the wall, which is home to lobsters, crabs, and a number of photogenic black-coral trees at 50 feet.

There are actually two great dive sites around Molokini Crater. Named after common chub or rudderfish, Enenue Side gently slopes from the surface to about 60 feet and then drops rapidly to deeper waters. The shallower area is an easy dive, with lots of tame butterflyfish. It's also the home of Morgan Bentjaw, one of our friendliest moray eels. Enenue Side is often done as a live boat-drift dive to extend the range of the tour. Diving depths vary. Divers usually do a 50-foot dive, but on occasion advanced divers drop to the 130-foot level to visit the rare boarfish and the shark condos.

Almost every kind of fish found in Hawaii can be seen in the crystalline waters of Reef's End. It's an extension of the rim of the crater, which runs for about 600 feet underwater, barely breaking the surface. Reef's End is shallow enough for novice snorkelers and exciting enough for experienced divers. The end and outside of this shoal drop off in dramatic terraces to beyond diving range. In deeper waters, there are shark ledges at varying depths and dozens of eels (some of which are tame), including moray, dragon, snowflake, and garden eels. The shallower inner side is home to Garbanzo, one of the largest and first eels to be tamed. The reef is covered with cauliflower coral; in bright sunlight, it's one of the most dramatic underwater scenes in Hawaii.

La Pérouse Pinnacle -- In the middle of scenic La Pérouse Bay, site of Haleakala's most recent lava flow, is a pinnacle rising from the 60-foot bottom to about 10 feet below the surface. Getting to the dive site is half the fun: The scenery above water is as exciting as that below the surface. Underwater, you'll enjoy a very diversified dive. Clouds of damselfish and triggerfish will greet you on the surface. Divers can approach even the timid bird wrasse. There are more porcupine puffers here than anywhere else, as well as schools of goatfish and fields of healthy finger coral. La Pérouse is good for snorkeling and long, shallow second dives.

Sportfishing

Marlin (as big as 1,200 lb.), tuna, ono, and mahimahi await the baited hook in Maui's coastal and channel waters. No license is required; just book a sportfishing vessel out of Lahaina or Maalaea harbor. Most charter boats that troll for big-game fish carry a maximum of six passengers. You can walk the docks, inspect boats, and talk to captains and crews, or book through an activities desk or one of the outfitters recommended here.

Shop around: Prices vary widely according to the boat, the crowd, and the captain. A shared boat for a half day of fishing starts at $100; a shared full day of fishing starts at around $250. A half-day exclusive (you get the entire boat) starts at $600; a full-day exclusive starts at $900. Also, many boat captains tag and release marlin or keep the fish for themselves (sorry, that's Hawaii style). If you want to eat your mahimahi for dinner or have your marlin mounted, tell the captain before you go.

The best way to book a sportfishing charter is through the experts; the top booking desk in the state is Sportfish Hawaii (tel. 877/388-1376 or 808/396-2607; www.sportfishhawaii.com), which books boats on all the islands. These fishing vessels have been inspected and must meet rigorous criteria to guarantee that you'll have a great time. Prices range from $595 to $1,000 for a full-day exclusive charter (you, plus five friends, get the entire boat to yourself); it's $395 to $700 for a half-day exclusive.

Submarine Dives

Plunging 100 feet below the surface of the sea in a state-of-the-art, high-tech submarine is a great way to experience Maui's magnificent underwater world, especially if you're not a swimmer. Atlantis Adventures, 658 Front St., Lahaina (tel. 800/548-6262 or 808/667-2224; www.atlantisadventures.com), offers trips out of Lahaina Harbor every hour on the hour from 9am to 2pm; prices are $80 for adults and $41 for children under 12 (children must be at least 3 ft. tall). Book online and save 10%. Allow 2 hours for this underwater adventure. Warning: This is not a good choice if you're claustrophobic.

Surfing

The ancient Hawaiian sport of hee nalu (wave sliding) is probably the sport most people picture when they think of the islands. If you'd like to give it a shot, just sign up at any one of the recommended surfing schools listed below.

Tide and Kiva Rivers, two local boys (actually twins) who have been surfing since they could walk, operate Rivers to the Sea (tel. 808/280-8795 or 280-6236; www.riverstothesea.com), one of the best surfing schools on Maui. Rates are $75 each for a 2-hour class for a group of three or more, $220 for a couple for a 2-hour class, and $160 for a 2-hour private lesson. All lessons include equipment. The instructor decides where the lesson will take place based on the client's ability and where the surf is on that day. Tide, who has been surfing for 25 years, says he has beginners standing up in their first lesson.

Well-known surfer Nancy Emerson can also teach you how to surf -- just call the Nancy Emerson School of Surfing, 358 Papa Place, Suite F, Kahului (tel. 808/244-SURF [7873] or 662-4445; www.surfclinics.com). Nancy has been surfing since 1961 and has even been a stunt performer for various movies such as Waterworld. She's pioneered a new instructional technique called "Learn to Surf in One Lesson" (you can, really). It's $85 per person for a 2-hour group lesson; private 2-hour classes are $175.

Well-known surfer Nancy Emerson can also teach you how to surf -- just call the Nancy Emerson School of Surfing, 505 Front St., #224B, Lahaina(tel. 808/244-SURF [7873] or 808/662-4445; www.mauisurfclinics.com). Nancy has been surfing since 1961 and has even been a stunt performer for various movies such as Waterworld. She's pioneered a new instructional technique called "Learn to Surf in One Lesson" (you can, really). It's $78 per person for a 2-hour group lesson; private 2-hour classes are $165.

Windsurfing

Maui has Hawaii's best windsurfing beaches. In winter, windsurfers from around the world flock to the town of Paia to ride the waves. Hookipa Beach, known all over the globe for its brisk winds and excellent waves, is the site of several world-championship contests. Kanaha Beach, west of Kahului Airport, also has dependable winds. When the winds turn northerly, Kihei is the spot to be; some days, you can spot whales in the distance behind the windsurfers. The northern end of Kihei is best: Ohukai Park, the first beach as you enter South Kihei Road from the northern end, has not only good winds, but also parking, a long strip of grass to assemble your gear, and good access to the water. Experienced windsurfers here are found in front of the Maui Sunset condo, 1032 S. Kihei Rd., near Waipuilani Street (a block north of McDonald's), which has great windsurfing conditions but a very shallow reef (not good for beginners).

Hawaiian Island Surf & Sport, 415 Dairy Rd., Kahului (tel. 800/231-6958 or 808/871-4981; www.hawaiianisland.com), offers lessons (from $79), rentals, and repairs. Other shops that offer rentals and lessons are Hawaiian Sailboarding Techniques, 425 Koloa St., Kahului (tel. 800/968-5423 or 808/871-5423; www.hstwindsurfing.com), with 2 1/2-hour lessons from $79; and Maui Windsurf Co., 22 Hana Hwy., Kahului (tel. 800/872-0999 or 808/877-4816; www.maui-windsurf.com), which has complete equipment rental (board, sail, rig harness, and roof rack) from $45, plus 1- or 2-hour lessons ranging from $75.

For daily reports on wind and surf conditions, call the Wind and Surf Report at tel. 808/877-3611.

Biking

It's not even close to dawn, but here you are, rubbing your eyes awake, riding in a van up the long, dark road to the top of Maui's dormant volcano. It's colder than you ever thought possible for a tropical island. The air is thin. The place is crowded, packed with people. You stomp your chilly feet while you wait, sipping hot coffee. Then comes the sun, exploding over the yawning Haleakala Crater, which is big enough to swallow Manhattan whole -- it's a mystical moment you won't soon forget. Now you know why Hawaiians named the crater the House of the Sun. But there's no time to linger: Decked out in your screaming-yellow parka, you mount your mechanical steed and test its most important feature, the brakes -- because you're about to coast 37 miles down a 10,000-foot volcano.

Cruising down Haleakala, from the lunarlike landscape at the top past flower farms, pineapple fields, and eucalyptus groves, is quite an experience -- and you don't have to be an expert cyclist to do it. This is a safe trip that requires some stamina in the colder, wetter winter months but is fun for everyone in the warmer months -- the key word being warmer. In winter and the rainy season, conditions can be harsh, especially on the top, with below-freezing temperatures and 40-mph winds.

Maui's oldest downhill company is Maui Downhill (tel. 800/535-BIKE [2453] or 808/871-2155; www.mauidownhill.com), which offers a sunrise safari bike tour, including continental breakfast and brunch, starting at $125 ($104 if booked online). If it's all booked up, try Maui Mountain Cruisers (tel. 800/232-6284 or 808/871-6014; www.mauimountaincruisers.com), which has sunrise trips for $144 and midday trips for $110. Mountain Riders Bike Tours (tel. 800/706-7700 or 808/242-9739; www.mountainriders.com) offers sunrise rides for $155 ($125 if booked online) and midday trips for $120. All rates include hotel pickup, transport to the top, bicycle, safety equipment, and meals. Wear layers of warm clothing -- there may be a 30°F (17°C) change in temperature from the top of the mountain to the ocean. Generally, tour groups will not take riders under 12, but younger children can ride along in the van that accompanies the groups, as can pregnant women.

If you want to avoid the crowds and go down the mountain at your own pace, call Haleakala Bike Company (tel. 888/922-2453; www.bikemaui.com), which will outfit you with the latest gear and take you up Haleakala.

Note: Not all tours go to the summit. If you want to start your bike ride at the summit, be sure to confirm. The cheapest trip starts at around the 6,500-foot level (about two-thirds up the mountain). After making sure you are secure on the bike, they will let you ride down by yourself at your own pace. Trips range from $60 to $105; bicycle rentals (from $30 a day) are also available if you'd like to tour other parts of Maui on your own.

If you want to venture out on your own, Maui Sunriders Bike Company, 71 Baldwin Ave., Paia (tel. 866/500-BIKE [2453]; www.mauibikeride.com), rents bikes from $30 per day or $100 per week.

Moratorium on Bike Tours in Haleakala National Park -- At the time this guide was published, the National Park Service issued a moratorium on commercial bicycle tours inside Haleakala National Park due to a September 26, 2007, death of a tourist who lost control of her bicycle and struck a van inside the park.

Some operators of Haleakala's "downhill bike tours" have circumvented this moratorium by staging their bicycle tours outside the park's boundaries. There are also a handful of companies who have "road-based" tour permits, which allows them to transport their clients within the park boundaries by van, but does not allow their clients to bike inside the park. If you want to see the sunrise from the Haleakala Crater, be sure to ask your tour operator if it has a road-based permit; otherwise, you will not be able to get inside the park.

The moratorium does not affect private citizens riding their bikes inside the park boundaries.

For information on bikeways and maps, get a copy of the Maui County Bicycle Map, which has details on road suitability, climate, trade winds, mileage, elevation changes, bike shops, safety tips, and various bicycling routes. The map is available at bike shops all over the island. A great book for mountain bikers who want to venture out on their own is John Alford's Mountain Biking the Hawaiian Islands, published by Ohana Publishing (www.bikehawaii.com).

Horseback Riding

Maui offers spectacular adventure rides through rugged ranchlands, into tropical forests, and to remote swimming holes. I recommend riding with Mendes Ranch & Trail Rides, 3530 Kahekili Hwy., 4 miles past Wailuku (tel. 808/244-7320; www.mendesranch.com). The 300-acre Mendes Ranch is a real-life working cowboy ranch that has the essential elements of an earthly paradise -- rainbows, waterfalls, palm trees, coral-sand beaches, lagoons, tide pools, a rainforest, and its own volcanic peak (more than a mile high). Allan Mendes, a third-generation wrangler, will take you from the edge of the rainforest out to the sea. On the way, you'll cross tree-studded meadows where Texas longhorns sit in the shade and pass a dusty corral where Allan's father, Ernest, a champion roper, may be breaking in a wild horse. Allan keeps close watch, turning often in his saddle to make sure everyone is happy. He points out flora and fauna and fields questions, but generally just lets you soak up Maui's natural splendor in golden silence. A 2-hour morning or afternoon ride costs $110; add on a barbecue lunch at the corral for an additional $20.

Another one of my favorites is Piiholo Ranch, in Makawao (tel. 866/572-5544 or 808/357-5544; www.piiholo.com). A working cattle ranch owned by the kamaaina (long-time resident) Baldwin family, it offers horseback-riding adventures with a variety of different options to suit your ability, from the morning picnic ride (a 3 1/2-hr. ride on the ranch and a picnic lunch for $160 per person) to a 2-hour country ride through a working cattle ranch ($120).

If you're out in Hana, don't pass up Maui Horseback Tours at Maui Stables, a mile past Oheo Gulch in Kipahulu (tel. 808/248-7799; www.mauistables.com). It offers two rides daily (9:30am and 1pm) through the mountains above Kipahulu Valley -- and you get a fantastic historical and cultural tour through the unspoiled landscape, to boot. It is an experience you will not forget. Both rides are $150. If you enjoy your ride, remember to kiss your horse and tip your guide.

For horse lovers looking for the ultimate, check out Frank Levinson's Maui Horse Whisperer Experience (tel. 808/572-6211; www.mauihorses.com), which includes a seminar on the language of the horse. Prices are $200 for half-day and $300 for full-day workshops. No horse aficionado should pass it up.

Haleakala on Horseback -- If you'd like to ride down into Haleakala's crater, contact Pony Express Tours (tel. 808/667-2200 or 878-6698; www.ponyexpresstours.com), which leads a variety of rides down to the crater floor and back up, from $182 per person. Shorter 1- and 2-hour rides are also offered at Haleakala Ranch, located on the beautiful lower slopes of the volcano, for $110. A 1-hour introductory ride is just $65. If you book via the website, you get 10% off. Pony Express provides well-trained horses and experienced guides, and accommodates all riding levels. You must be at least 10 years old, weigh no more than 230 pounds, and wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.

Spelunking

Don't miss the opportunity to see how the Hawaiian Islands were made by exploring a million-year-old underground lava tube/cave. Chuck Thorne, of Hana Lava Tube (tel. 808/248-7308; www.mauicave.com), offers several tours of this unique geological feature. After more than 10 years of leading scuba tours through underwater caves around Hawaii, Chuck discovered some caves on land that he wanted to show visitors. When the land surrounding the largest cave on Maui went on the market in 1996, Chuck snapped it up and started his own tour company. Monday through Saturday, between 10:30am and 3:30pm, you can take a self-guided 30- to 45-minute tour for just $12 (free for kids 4 and under).

If you want to combine caving with a tour of Hana, contact Temptation Tours (tel. 808/877-8888; www.temptationtours.com). Its Cave Quest option costs $199, which covers a 1 1/4-hour cave tour, an air-conditioned van tour from your hotel to Hana, continental breakfast, beachside picnic lunch, and a stop for a swim.

Tennis

Maui has excellent public tennis courts; all are free and available from daylight to sunset (a few are even lit for night play until 10pm). The courts are available on a first-come, first-served basis; when someone's waiting, limit your play to 45 minutes. For a complete list of public courts, call Maui County Parks and Recreation (tel. 808/243-7230). Because most public courts require a wait and are not conveniently located near the major resort areas, most visitors are likely to pay a fee to play at their own hotels. The exceptions to this are in Kihei (which has courts in Kalama Park on South Kihei Rd., and in Waipualani Park on West Waipualani Rd., behind the Maui Sunset condo), in Lahaina (which has courts in Malu'uou o lele Park, at Front and Shaw sts.), and in Hana (which has courts in Hana Park, on the Hana Hwy.).

Private tennis courts are available at most resorts and hotels on the island. The Kapalua Tennis Garden and Village Tennis Center, Kapalua Resort (tel. 808/669-5677; www.kapaluamaui.com), is home to the Kapalua Open, which features the largest purse in the state, on Labor Day weekend. Court rentals are $14 per person for resort guests and $18 per person for nonguests. The staff will match you up with a partner if you need one. In Wailea, try the Wailea Tennis Club, 131 Wailea Iki Place (tel. 808/879-1958; www.waileatennis.com), with 11 Plexipave courts. Court fees are $15 per player.