Rising 10,023 feet above sea level is Maui’s phenomenal volcano, Haleakala. First established as a National Park in 1916, this cultural landmark is home to numerous plant and animal specials native to Hawaii; and serves as the perfect view point for those infamous flaming, Hawaiian sunrises and sunsets! While your stay with Rentals Maui offers stunning sights of the ocean and both of the island’s mountains, Haleakala highlights a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.
According to Hawaiian legend, the goddess Hina explained to her son, Maui, that the sun moved across the sky too quickly for her to finish all of her daytime tasks. So to help his mother, Maui waited on top of Haleakala for the opportunity to lasso the sun for a chat. The sun pleaded to be free and their conversation ended with a deal, the sun would take his time crossing the sky. The mo’olelo (story) ended with long sunshine-filled days that the whole island chain gets to enjoy today, especially Maui adventures and activities! This also serves as an explanation for the meaning of Haleakala — “house of the sun.” Since Old Hawaii, Haleakala has been a wao akua (sacred place of the gods). So as you are exploring this historical area, it is important to remember to respect the land and leave things as they are. Pele, Hawaii’s fire and volcano goddess, would not be be too happy if anything of her domain is stolen or destroyed!
Haleakala is now considered dormant since its last eruption in 1790, allowing fields of green forests and native species to make this volcano their permanent home. The National Park Service works hard to keep these species safe as many are facing extinction. The Haleakala silversword, for instance, is an endangered plant species that can only survive on the higher slopes of the mountain. And the nene goose, also native to Hawaii, can typically be found within the park grounds.
So what is the most popular time to take a short road trip to this majestic mountain? Believe it or not, both locals and visitors are up before the sun to catch it waking up from its slumber. In recent years, the sunrise has attracted such a crowd that cars would line the winding road just to catch a glimpse. In an effort to maintain the amount of guests and parking available, the park now requires online reservations at $1.50 per vehicle for people visiting between 3:00 am to 7:00 am. If the bed of your South Maui Condo for rent is too comfy to roll out of that early, sleep in and head up later in the day with no reservations required! Daylight encourages you to wander the many hikes featured or even bike down Haleakala and get a thrilling experience of the island country side. You could also indulge with some gooey s’mores under the stars of Hosmer’s Grove once the sun has kissed the horizon!
If you are looking for Maui memories that last a lifetime, we definitely recommend taking in an incredible panoramic view of the whole island right here from this majestic mountain. This will by far be one of the most memorable experiences on your Maui vacation. So check out our rental deals and get your camera ready for perfect views of Maui, Lanai, and the Big Island!
