Visit Hawaii To Catch The Sunrise Atop Maui's Haleakala Crater
Haleakala National Park stretches across the east of the island of Maui and is home to the imposing 10,000 foot Haleakala Crater, the world's largest dormant volcano and Maui's highest peak, the towering slopes of which can be seen from any point on Maui. The term 'Haleakala' means 'house of the sun': a beautiful name which aptly describes how the sun can be seen rising to the east of the mountain.
One of the best times to see the Haleakala Crater is at sunrise, which is a truly unforgettable experience. Heading up there for sunset is also enthralling as the day closes to reveal a blanket of star-studded skies. At 9,740 feet the Haleakala Visitor Centre is a good place to stop to take in these experiences. The look out point at the Haleakala Crater will leave visitors breathless as they look down on the vast 25-square-mile crater floor, the terrain of which seems so unfamiliar and could be on another planet. Indeed, NASA used the volcanic lunar landscape of the crater to train the Apollo astronauts in the 1960's.
A hike across the vast Haleakala National Park will bring visitors across coloured landscapes, desolate deserts and great wilderness. Closer to the sea there are lush tropical areas to visit which are brimming with waterfalls and streams. Many people chose to drive through the area to take in the scenery or another way to explore is by bicycle or on horseback, but the roads to the summit of the Haleakala Crater site are well maintained.
Maui, on which the Haleakala Crater is situated, is the second largest of the Hawaiian Islands and has the most number of swim-able beaches. One of the most intimate beaches is Makena Beach, known locally as "Big Beach" for its mile long white sand beach whilst nearby "Little Beach" offers great snorkelling. The Hana Highway on the eastern side of the island is one of the world's great drives as it meanders through the rainforest, taking in scenery that is packed with lush vegetation, waterfalls and impressive cliffs overlooking the blue ocean.
The ocean off Maui is the place to spot the magnificent humpback whales which migrate to these shores every winter to breed. Spotting a dolphin is also a memorable experience - Dolphin Cove is the place to head to see the resident spinner dolphins. Boats can take visitors out to snorkel around the colourful coral teeming with colourful fish and it is also quite common to see green sea turtles.
Culture vultures are in the right place in Maui as it is home to the largest intact temple, the Piilanihale Heiau, which provides interesting tours by native guides. The ancient traditions of Maui can be discovered on journeying through the impressive island in the form of the hula, oli (chants) and the co-existence between man and nature. You cannot fail to be impressed by the power of nature when you are brought face to face with evidence of the volcanoes that formed these Hawaiian Islands on a visit to the Haleakala Crater.
