Your Kuleana
An actionable plan for traveling responsibly to Maui
Written by a Maui Native
Jade KawanuiYour Kuleana: An Actionable Plan for Traveling Responsibly
Understanding mālama is the first step; putting it into practice is your kuleana, your responsibility and privilege as a guest on our island. Here are concrete, actionable ways you can contribute to Maui's healing and ensure your visit is a positive force for our community and environment.
Support Local, Shop Local: Your Dollar is Your Aloha
One of the most powerful and direct ways to support Maui's recovery is with your wallet. Every dollar you spend at a locally owned business is a dollar that stays in our community, supporting Maui families, preserving jobs, and helping our local economy get back on its feet. Choosing a local coffee shop over a mainland chain, or buying a handcrafted souvenir instead of a mass-produced one, makes a tangible difference.
Resource: The County of Maui has created an invaluable resource called MauiNuiFirst.com. This website is a comprehensive directory of local businesses across Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi, created specifically to bolster our local economy in the wake of the fires.
Food Experiences That Support Community
Maui Kuʻia Estate Chocolate (Lahaina area)
Experience world-class, farm-to-bar chocolate from a business that donates 100% of its net profits to Maui charities. Their single-origin chocolate bars tell the story of Maui's rich agricultural heritage.
Maui Juice Co. (Kīhei)
Refresh with locally sourced, cold-pressed juices, superfood smoothies, and delicious acai bowls. Their commitment to local ingredients supports Maui farmers.
Shopping with Purpose
Hana Hou by Hale Zen (Makawao)
A beautifully curated lifestyle boutique featuring home goods, women's and children's clothing, jewelry, and books, with a focus on local makers. Every purchase here supports multiple local artisans and craftspeople.
Maui Mana Skincare
Protect your skin and our reefs by purchasing reef-safe mineral sunscreen and organic skincare products made with aloha right here on Maui.
Adventures That Give Back
Trilogy Excursions (Maʻalaea Harbor)
For over 50 years, offering exceptional sailing and snorkeling tours with a deep commitment to marine conservation and Hawaiian culture. Their family-owned operation employs dozens of local crew members and actively participates in reef restoration projects.
Hike Maui
Join a guided waterfall or rainforest hike with a company that has been sharing Maui's natural beauty for decades. Their local roots are evident in their support for the community, and their guides are often lifelong residents with stories that bring the landscape to life.
Art and Culture
Andrew Shoemaker (Pāʻia)
Support local artist whose fine art photography captures the soul-stirring beauty of the Hawaiian Islands. Taking home an original piece means you're supporting an artist who calls Maui home.
Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum (Puʻunēnē)
Located next to the historic sugar mill, offers a fascinating look into Maui's plantation history. Your admission supports the preservation of this important cultural heritage.
Give Back with Your Hands and Heart: Vetted Voluntourism Opportunities
For those who wish to connect on an even deeper level, dedicating a few hours of your vacation to volunteer can be an incredibly rewarding experience. This is not about charity; it is about participation. It's an opportunity to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with residents, to learn from them, and to actively contribute to the healing of our land and community.
🍱 Maui Food Bank
Help sort and pack food donations at their Wailuku warehouse. Sign up for a shift in advance at mauifoodbank.org.
Note: Volunteers should be able to lift 20-30 pounds.
🌱 Hawaiian Islands Land Trust
Join volunteer days (most Fridays) at Waiheʻe Coastal Dunes & Wetland Refuge. Help with habitat restoration and invasive species removal.
Register at hilt.org/volunteer
🏛️ Maui Cultural Lands
Participate in Saturday workdays to help restore the sacred Honokōwai Valley. Learn about traditional Hawaiian land use while preserving cultural treasures.
Email or call at mauiculturallands.org
🌊 Pacific Whale Foundation
Become a citizen scientist through their Marine Debris Monitoring Program. Clean any beach and report data you collect.
Details at pacificwhale.org/volunteer
🐕 Maui Humane Society
Sign up for "Beach Buddies" program. Take a shelter dog for a hike or to the beach, providing exercise and socialization.
Program details at mauihumanesociety.org
🏖️ Surfrider Foundation
Join monthly beach cleanups (typically third Saturday) at various locations around the island.
Schedule at maui.surfrider.org
Respect Sacred and Healing Spaces: A Guide to Mindful Presence
This is perhaps the most important part of your kuleana as a visitor. I must be unequivocally clear, with the deepest respect and compassion: Historic Lahaina Town is not a tourist attraction. It is a sacred space of immense loss, a gravesite for more than 100 of our neighbors, and an active recovery zone. It is kapu—forbidden—to all visitors.
Understanding the "why" behind this is crucial. This restriction is in place out of profound respect for those who perished, for the privacy of the thousands of residents who lost their homes, their businesses, and their sense of place, and for the physical safety of the community and the crews who are undertaking a complex and hazardous cleanup.
Rules of Conduct
DO NOT stop your car on the Lahaina Bypass
Do not stop on the Lahaina Bypass or any other overlook to take photos or videos of the devastation. It is not only disrespectful and traumatizing for residents who must drive that road every day, but it is also illegal and creates a traffic hazard.
DO NOT ask residents about personal experiences
While you may mean well, these questions can be incredibly painful and re-traumatizing. Please allow people the space to heal. If a resident chooses to share their story with you, listen with an open heart, but never pry.
DO practice patience and compassion
Many people you meet are carrying an unimaginable burden. A minor inconvenience for you, like a restaurant being closed or a service taking longer than expected, is insignificant compared to what our community has endured.
Practice Environmental Mālama: Leave Maui Better Than You Found It
Caring for our natural environment is a responsibility every single person on Maui shares, visitor and resident alike. Our island's ecosystems are precious and fragile. Here is a simple checklist to help you practice environmental mālama:
☀️ Use ONLY Reef-Safe Sunscreen
Hawaiʻi has banned sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. Choose a mineral-based sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to protect our reefs.
👟 Clean Your Gear
Before and after you hike, clean your shoes and gear to prevent spreading invasive seeds and fungal diseases like Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death.
💧 Conserve Water
Maui has a finite supply of fresh water. Take shorter showers, turn off taps while brushing, and reuse towels at your hotel.
🐢 Respect Wildlife
Keep 10+ feet from sea turtles and 50+ feet from monk seals. Never touch, chase, or feed marine life. They are protected by law and Hawaiian culture.
🗑️ Pack It In, Pack It Out
Leave no trace of your visit. Take all trash with you from beaches, parks, and trails, and dispose of it properly.
🥾 Stay on Designated Trails
Staying on marked trails prevents erosion and protects sensitive plant communities. Many endemic species exist nowhere else on Earth.
🗺️ Guide Sections
✓ Action Checklist
- Shop at local businesses
- Consider volunteering
- Stay away from Lahaina
- Use reef-safe sunscreen
- Respect wildlife distances
- Pack out all trash