If you've ever wanted a vacation on Maui's famed Ka‘anapali Beach, this is the year to go. Occupancy and prices are down some 20–30% in the popular West Maui resort area, but those rates are expected to rebound by the end of 2024.
They're lower than normal because of the lingering misperception that this sunny region, which is located just north of the fire-struck town of Lahaina, either doesn't want tourism or can't host it yet.
But those perceptions are not true. Those who viewed the unforgettable images of Lahaina's fire-ravaged Front Street in August 2023 should be aware that key attractions on the town's northern end have all recently reopened, including Aloha Mixed Plate and Mala Ocean Tavern restaurants, Old Lahaina Luau, Lahaina Cannery Mall (home to the Lahaina Plantation Museum and a weekly arts and crafts fair), and Maui Ku‘ia Estate Chocolate Factory (which has cacao farm tour, tastings, and a weekly benefit for Maui fire relief.)
New restaurants and other attractions have also opened in Ka'anapali, where some hotels offer a shuttle to the Kapalua resort area, on the island's northwestern shore, for even more options.
The world-famous Ka‘anapali Beach is still as perfect as ever—it has always been well outside the fire zone that affected the town of Lahaina to the south.
It's true that several Ka‘anapali hotels are still hosting displaced families, but many of those people work in the tourism industry in Ka‘anapali and West Maui, anyway. The need for emergency housing is quickly diminishing, too, as new homes are secured for residents. And workers deeply appreciate the guests who are vacationing in Maui, which helps ensure locals will still have jobs after this period is over.
This is still a time for sensitivity for fire victims and all Maui residents traumatized by the blazes in Lahaina and Kula. Understandably, several restaurants have posted signs requesting guests to refrain from asking their staff about the disaster.
But it's also a great time to show financial support for Maui by booking a discounted Ka‘anapali vacation now. Until word spreads that Ka‘anapali is just as idyllic as it used to be, historic low prices are yours for the picking.
Jeanne Cooper is the co-author of Frommer's Hawaii, which is available as a paperback and an e-book.
