Travel: Tourists see Lahaina rising from the ashes one year after disaster

At the three-way intersection of Ala Moana, Unahiole and Front streets stands a homemade sign that acts like a scarecrow for visitors thinking about adding the leveled neighborhood just ahead to their list of must-sees while exploring the historic West Maui town of Lahaina.

“LOCALS STILL GRIEVING/SHOW RESPECT/NO TOURISTS” reads the bright yellow sign propped up in the middle of the junction. The reason for the sign is understandable; the last thing Lahaina’s residents and business owners need one year after the worst wildfire in modern U.S. history are inconsiderate tourists or anything disrupting the huge recovery effort underway since 102 people died and 6,200 families were upended on Aug. 8, 2023.

But for an economy that is 40% driven by tourism and where three of four private sector jobs are in hospitality, acceptance of visitors sharing publicly accessible areas with debris removers, construction crews and many others is vital to the comeback of a region plagued with two disasters within a four-year period. Helping give West Maui its grit are the combined essence of “Lahaina Strong,” a phrase that arose from the ashes, and the unceasing “aloha spirit” for which all of Hawaii is known.

“Communities and neighbors coming together to cry, hug and support each other emotionally, visitors joining in the efforts, contributing their help and expressing their love for the people and places here — these acts of kindness and compassion have been constant reminders that ‘Lahaina Strong’ and ‘aloha spirit’ are not mere phrases, but a way of life deeply embedded in the hearts and minds of everyone in this resilient town and throughout Maui,” said Ashley Davis, co-owner of Mala Ocean Tavern, the first restaurant to reopen in Lahaina after both the pandemic and fire.

Except for smoke damage, Mala (malatavern.com) weathered the firestorm like a champ. Being spared the same fate that destroyed most of the town, including nearly everything for blocks north of the oceanfront restaurant, made it possible to reopen within six months. Every day since, serving sumptuous avocado toast, poisson cru and signature seared ahi has been bittersweet for management and staff.

“With survivor’s guilt comes the joy of being able to have something of Lahaina where people can feel a bit of normalcy,” said Davis, noting that Mala has been a staple in the community since 2004. “Seeing the heart-filled emotions and gratitude from locals, guests and workers is a blessing. Many of our staff lost their homes, everything, so knowing how lucky we were really motivated us to reopen.”

Heading south on Front Street, beyond manned barricades, the iconic Lahaina Banyan Tree is showing signs of life one year later. Arborists are optimistic that the beloved 151-year-old tree has an excellent chance to regenerate. Same with the town itself, though it may be later than sooner, according to a couple of self-described “realistic” Hawaii National Guard members stationed at a road closure behind the surviving Safeway.

While a cohesive community picks up the pieces both figuratively and literally, compassionate visitors able to compartmentalize their emotions can absolutely enjoy a wonderful vacation in West Maui and throughout this resilient island.

Since food is where the heart is, and we already visited Mala, let’s not put down the knife and fork just yet.

New since the fire paused West Maui’s tourism industry are two signature restaurants within major Ka’anapali resorts at varying stages of renovation.

Ulu Kitchen (ulukitchen.com) by acclaimed chef Peter Merriman is part of a multi-year, $160 million transformation of the Westin Maui Resort & Spa Ka’anapali (westinmaui.com), and how wonderful that this prime location adjacent to Whaler’s Village has a winning concept after several tries of middling success. On the breakfast menu are the best pancakes in West Maui. It’s Ulu’s Monkeypod Mai Tai Flapjacks, topped with the same to-die-for lilikoi foam dolloped on mai tais across Merriman’s yummy portfolio. Before we leave the Westin, a shoutout to the Wailele Luau for making upgrades since the fire, now becoming the big kahuna of resort luaus with an impressive gourmet buffet (including an adorable one just for kids), dazzling show and generous selection of top-shelf spirits at no extra charge.

Further up well-manicured Ka’anapali Beach Walk is the recently opened Maui Brewing Co. (mauibrewingco.com) at what is now the Outrigger Ka’anapali Beach Resort (outrigger.com). These properties are successful reincarnations of the former and meh Hui Hui restaurant at the former and meh Ka’anapali Beach Hotel, which changed hands only two weeks before the fire. The new owners of the 11-acre, 432-room resort are already winning points with plans to renovate the tired lobby and other areas that were neglected for decades.

Two of the tastiest ticketed attractions in Lahaina reopened before spring. Old Lahaina Luau (oldlahainaluau.com), which miraculously endured only minor damage on its grounds, has added gravitas to its nightly feast for the eyes and palate. A heartfelt tribute and moment of silence, led by the cast and crew, is as lovely as a portion of each evening’s sales going to local causes. Same at Maui Kuia Estate Chocolate (www.mauichocolate.com), which is giving back 100% of its net profits from its daily tours and island-made confections to local nonprofits. The factory fared well during last year’s disaster, but the 100-mph winds that fueled the fire defoliated all of the cacao trees at the nearby farm, resulting in a loss of Kuia’s fall crop. Factory tours have since resumed for sweet-toothed visitors looking for something different to do, although ominous is the sight of where the fire cherry-picked its structural victims adjacent to the home of Maui’s finest chocolate.

From candy to fruit, Maui Gold Pineapple lost its Front Street store, warehouse and offices in Lahaina on that horrendous August day, but one of the island’s best agricultural tours is still going strong like a potent piña colada. Maui Gold’s “Pineapple Pledge,” launched three days after the fire, includes supplying food banks and those without access to resources with product that visitors can see in various growth stages three times daily. Further information is available at mauipineappletour.com.

Worthy of a 10-minute detour between the airport and Lahaina, in the underappreciated Wailuku Historic District, is the island’s largest outdoor sculpture exhibit at the Imua Discovery Garden (discoverimua.com). Gracing the sprawling grounds of a child-development nonprofit through December is “Earth to Sky,” an immersive and expansive display by Steve Tobin, who is perhaps best known for his 9/11 bronze memorial, “Trinity Root,” installed near Ground Zero in Manhattan.

Beyond West Maui

Lahaina was the epicenter of last year’s fatal tragedy, but other parts of Maui suffered, too, albeit economically, as tourism dropped 42% in October compared to the same time in 2022. Even the north side’s revered Mama’s Fish House (mamasfishhouse.com), where the wait list can be months long, was gladly taking walk-ins in the aftermath. A few weeks ago, however, the place was noticeably back to its hopping, post-COVID self with unparalleled atmosphere and fish-featuring fare, and no signs of what owner Karen Christenson has described as a “super rough four years.”

Showing promise as the beefy equal to fishy Mama’s in terms of impeccable quality and service, Wolfgang’s Steakhouse opened in April at The Shops at Wailea. This rookie sensation is aesthetically stunning thanks to a $9-million renovation of a former Longhi’s restaurant, and unapologetic for its prices — the a la carte filet mignon is $121. Wolfgang’s (wolfgangssteakhouse.net) also prides itself on having a bar menu of which half of the labels aren’t found anywhere else on Maui. The joint even has seven different single malt Macallan whiskies. From the 13-ingredient Beverly Hills salad to the steaks dry-aged on premises, leaving room for a killer New York cheesecake that does the company’s Big Apple roots proud, Wolfgang’s, sticker shock and all, is one of the best non-Hawaiian restaurants in Hawaii.

New ways to splurge are also found at the Kilolani Spa at the Grand Wailea (spa.grandwailea.com). The services and staff are first-rate, similar to what’s offered at other five-star resorts around the world, although few spas are this large; at 50,000 square feet and 40 treatment rooms, it’s the largest in the state. Serious wow factor is found at the Hydrotherapy Gardens, a tropical sanctuary for soaking, steaming and general destressing. The spa sells two-hour Gardens passes for $125, but the best deal is a $49 add-on with another treatment.

An onsite spa is about the only thing missing from the otherwise paradisical Hotel Wailea, Maui’s sole adults-only luxury resort. Massages and other treatments are done in-room by reservation, and that’s totally workable because each of the cliffside property’s 72 suites is spacious and serene. Set on a hill 300 feet above sea level, Hotel Wailea (hotelwailea.com) offers panoramic ocean views and a shuttle that takes guests to a nearby white sand beach or anywhere in town from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Since the fire, the resort opened an open-air lounge bar and restaurant featuring Japanese-influenced menu items. The Birdcage is appropriately named as feathered friends people watch from the rafters above. For those who’ve wondered what Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room would be like as a restaurant, here’s the place.

Also on the 15 Zen-inspired acres are a retro, ‘60s-vibe pool with no frills other than a bar, cabanas and inflatable toys. The gorgeous grounds also have two romantic dining options. One is an intimate dining experience with a private chef who prepares a seven-course dinner under a canopy of mango and avocado trees. The other is the signature restaurant, simply called The Restaurant, where proactive, in-the-know patrons will request a table in The Garden, a magical alfresco setting.

Originally Published: August 7, 2024 at 9:56 a.m.