When you’re driving around Maui, you’ll see Hawaiian names everywhere.
Kīhei. Wailea. Mākena. Wailuku. Kula. Hāna. Kapalua.
These aren’t simply beautiful words on road signs. Hawaiian place names can carry stories about the land, water, people and history of a place. Once you begin learning about them, driving around Maui becomes a little more meaningful. The map starts telling stories.
Kīhei
Let’s start close to home.
Kīhei is associated with the meaning “cape” or “cloak” and is the name of the sunny South Maui community known for its beaches, sunsets and laid-back island atmosphere.
Today, Kīhei is a favorite visitor destination, but its Hawaiian name reminds us that this coastline had meaning long before it became a vacation destination.
Wailea
Just south of Kīhei is Wailea, commonly associated with “water of Lea,” connecting the name to Lea, a Hawaiian deity associated with canoe builders.
It’s a beautiful example of how Hawaiian place names can connect the landscape with Hawaiian culture and traditions.
Mākena
Continue south and you’ll reach Mākena, a name associated with abundance or plenty.
Today, visitors know Mākena for its beautiful beaches and dramatic coastline. Its name offers another connection to the natural resources that have long sustained people living in this part of Maui.
Wailuku
Head toward Central Maui and you’ll find Wailuku, commonly translated as “water of destruction,” a reference to historic events associated with the stream flowing through the area.
Water has always been essential to life on Maui, but it can also be incredibly powerful. Wailuku’s name reflects that relationship.
Kula
Travel uphill toward Haleakalā and the landscape changes dramatically.
Kula is commonly associated with open country or open meadows, fitting the expansive Upcountry landscape. Farms, ranches and cooler temperatures make Kula feel like another world compared with the beaches below.
Hāna & Kapalua
Then there’s Hāna, surrounded by rainforest, waterfalls, streams and coastline. The journey there reveals a landscape and community deeply connected to Hawaiian history and culture.
On the opposite side of Maui is Kapalua, identified in Hawaiian cultural resources with the meaning “two borders.”
Each name offers a tiny doorway into the story of the place.
Look at Maui a Little Differently
Hawaiian place names can describe geography, remember history, connect to cultural traditions or preserve knowledge passed down through generations.
And sometimes their meanings are more complex than a simple English translation. Maui Now has recently highlighted the importance of community knowledge and historical Hawaiian-language sources when understanding and preserving Hawaiian place names and their proper spellings.
So the next time you’re driving around Maui and see a Hawaiian name on a road sign, take a second look.
You may be looking at more than a destination.
You may be looking at a piece of Maui’s story.
At Kihei Rent A Car, we love helping visitors get out and explore those stories for themselves. From Kīhei to Kula, Wailuku to Hāna, there’s so much more to discover when you explore beyond the resort.
Get in the car. Follow the road. Discover the story.
