Hawaiian Village Tour

This one of a kind tour experience immerses you into the world of "pre-contact" Hawaii. Through this hike and multidisciplinary immersion guests are welcome to practice some of the crafts and preparations applied by the native kanaka (people) to insure their survival in isolation for over a millennia on these remote islands.

Highlights:
Visit a restored village site and learn the history, lore and crafts of the Hawaiian people from native artisans in a beautiful rainforest valley.

Location:
Wailuku, Maui

Fees:
$129 to $99 per person

Options:
3 and 4 hour tours available.

Guests on this tour experience are taken deep into one of the "Na Wai Eha" or "four great waters" of the West Maui mountains. The Na Wai Eha was an area of great natural resources that supported a large population of subsistence Hawaiians who managed the area with a population relative to what we see today.

Over the course of the tour you visit a cultural and ecological restoration site where the remnants of cultural history of Hawaii are demonstrated hands-on. Several traditional "hale", replicas the old Hawaiian grass shacks, are built as living classrooms on terraces above the fresh water stream. With the majestic Valley backdrop, it is easy to feel the connection with the land perpetuated by the Hawaiian's relationship and interaction with it.

This is a truly unique setting to embrace and educate the community about the old Hawaiians way of life. A non-profit now maintains the stewardship of this project and it is newly opened to the islands visitors, as well as school groups. The basic mission of this non-profit is to perpetuate the land and the culture of Hawaii.

Through a connection with the 'aina or "land" that is being culturally restored at the tour site, the family with the vision to create and maintain this tour experience is very connected and passionate about what they do.

Local's Tip:
Book this tour for your phone or technology dependent family members, as the remote location limits cell phone reception and distractions. The hands on nature of the tour can get those nimble fingers working on pre-historic technologies instead.

Contacts:
Website: http://www.mauihawaiianvillage.com/Tour
Phone: 800-805-6252

Directions:
The tour meets at a central location in town of Kahului near the intersection of Mokulele Highway (HI-route  311  ) and Kuihelani Highway (HI-route 380). Participants are then shuttled to the site via a 15 minute drive.