The town has a rich and bawdy history. A former whaling port, it was the scene of often-violent skirmishes between lusty whalers and virtuous missionaries.
Island women were in the habit of swimming naked out to the whalers with goods to trade.
Of course, the whalers took this as an open invitation to have their wicked way with them but the missionaries saw it as their duty to protect the women.
The walls of the historic Baldwin missionary homestead on Front St were sturdily built to withstand cannon fire from the whalers, intent on reaching the island women sheltering inside. Take time to wander through, as it's a fascinating glimpse into Lahaina's past.
On the lawn outside I meet a group of women making lei out of fragrant frangipani blossoms. They're raising money, they tell me, to send underprivileged kids to college.
Lahaina hugs the coast and there's a reasonable surf break either side of its small port.
I sit for a while in the shade of a banyan tree with an enormous coconut icecream and watch the locals duck and weave on waves that are so clear you can see the light through them.
Hula dancers at the Old Lahaina Luau.
In the late-afternoon sun I grab a taxi a few kilometres up the coast to Ka'anapali beach. It's a long, golden stretch of sand fringed by high-rise hotels. But the throng of tourists doesn't seem to have bothered a lonely seal who's beached himself at the water's edge. An excited crowd gathers. The animal, it turns out, is a Hawaiian monk seal, extremely rare and endangered; apparently there are only about 1000 left in the world. Maybe he was looking for company.
I'd come to Ka'anapali to watch the sunset from the water, on board the catamaran Trilogy. There's generally a bit of a swell here and it's tricky boarding. Prepare to get wet!
Trilogy is a delight. She is part of one of the oldest family businesses on Maui. Eldon Coon and his sons have been introducing people to the joys of sailing for more than 40 years. With a Mai Tai in one hand and delicious nibbles in the other, I settle back with the companionable crew and an eclectic group of Americans, from Louisiana, Kansas and Ohio, to watch the sun go down over the island of Molokai'i.
I head back into Lahaina for dinner.
Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac lives here. A canny businessman and happy to make a buck off his name, his Fleetwood's restaurant commands Front St. He has chosen the top of the tallest building to make the most of the view out over the bay. Apparently Mick is often there, jamming with the locals.
I was booked into the glorious Pacific O restaurant right on the beach at the south end of town. I stroll along Front St and catch the action on the basketball courts near the restaurant. Sometimes it's basketball but often there's a hula practice ... so no, that amazing Hawaiian undulating of the hips doesn't just miraculously happen!
A stack of poke at 808 Plates. Photo / Supplied
Pacific O specialises in farm-to-table cuisine. It has its own organic farm providing fresh fruit and vegetables year-round. Chef Anton Haines is one of the best in Maui and specialises in simple food with a modern twist. His Duroc pork belly is outstanding and if you've got a sweet tooth you can't go past lumpia -- pineapple and banana whipped with cream cheese and wrapped in pastry, served warm with banana ice cream on a bed of macadamias.
The waves lap lazily on the sandy beach and the gentle music from the luau next door drifts in on a balmy breeze.
I am, for once, following the Dalai Lama's fine advice and living in the moment.
CHECKLIST
Getting there: Hawaiian Airlines flies from Auckland to Honolulu three times a week with connections to other islands.
Further information: See gohawaii.com and DiscoverAmerica.com for more on visiting Hawaii.
Judy Bailey travelled to Hawaii with Hawaiian Airlines.
