The Kaanapali real estate market, a part of Maui’s housing market, is facing a gloomy short-term outlook despite increased home sales. Short sales and foreclosures continue to have an adverse effect on the market, while the median sales price on the Valley Isle declined over the latest tracking period. According to the Realtors Association of Maui, the average sales price of a single-family home was $460,000 in 2010, compared to $498,106 in 2009.

This was a decline of approximately eight percent, and represented the third year-over-year decline since the market reached its peak in 2006 with a median price of $690,000. Over the same year-long period, the median sales price of a condominium fell a considerable sixteen percent from $450,000 to $377,500 – even further below the peak of the market, which had a median price of $550,000. There were a total of 814 home sales on Maui during 2010, an increase of approximately seventeen percent from 2009, which saw 693. Similarly, there were thirty-nine percent more condominiums sold on Maui in 2010, jumping from 826 to 1,147. It is unclear to what extent the federal housing tax credit may have artificially inflated sales numbers from 2009, but the program likely had some impact on the quantity of properties sold.

Interestingly, there is a distinct discrepancy between the average sales price and the median sales price for single-family homes on the island of Maui, including Kaanapali properties. According to the Realtors Association of Maui, the average sales price was $747,891 in 2010, while the median figure was $460,000. In the Western portion of Maui, there is a considerable shortage of housing, meaning that the price for most properties has been inflated along with rental fees. An article in the Maui News pointed out that most properties in West Maui sell for about two hundred thousand dollars more than comparable homes or condos elsewhere on the Valley Island. It also seems clear that the predominance of short sales and foreclosures in Maui’s housing market has worked to depress the median sales price as well as drive up the demand for cheaply-priced distressed properties.

Maui has some amazing restaurants. Some say that they have the greatest in the world. Most of these restaurants buy products just from local growers. This also gives a special meaning for the restaurants in Maui and it's certainly makes a difference between qualities of the food.Maui is also a place where you can have a great meal if you have bigger or smaller budget. Here are some favorite restaurants in Maui.

Mama's Fish House - it's place where you can always find some fresh fish. It's not just great food but also a magical view on the blue ocean. So make sure that you arrive before sunset. Mama's Fish House its quite an expensive restaurant and you have to have a reservation for this place.

In Maui you can find many restaurants which are open just for dinner and reservations are recommended. One of this restaurants is Roy's Kahana Bar & Grill and Roy's Kihei. In these restaurants you can taste many different flavors and combinations of food. In the kitchen is nobody else then chef Roy Yamaguchi, who is very well known for his talent regarding food.

Excellent place to stop for breakfast is most certainly The Gazebo. It's a very popular restaurant, not too big. That's why the waiting list can also be long. But the beautiful view makes the waiting pass by quick. The Gazebo is famous for the delicious pancakes accompanied by different flavor cream or jelly.
An excellent place to eat dinner it's a great sushi bar. What you can find at CafÈ O'Lei Kihei. Here you can find stake and seafood to. They serve lunch, they have daily special for a very good price. The service is great. It's great for kids in daytime. At dinner time the atmosphere becomes more selective.

Da Kitchen is one of the best Maui restaurants if you want a local plate lunch. This place is a less pretentious one. It's a place where you can grab a cheap breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's a place without table service. You are your own waiter. This place is known for their great plate lunches. But they also serve tasty salads, good breakfast and crispy sandwiches. Wherever you decide to stop to grab a bite in Maui it's more than sure that you will do OK. You are going to step out from restaurants more than satisfied.

Maui is home to various beautiful attractions and sceneries. Visiting here will never give you even a single minute of boredom. There will always be that one place which you can visit, simply enjoy your time and get hold of one of the most exhilarating experience you could ever have in the state of Hawaii. Here are the top 4 must see attractions in Maui:

1. Maui Arts And Cultural Center

This is Maui’s top bet as a venue for live entertainment as well as for concerts. Be mesmerized as how beautiful the facility is. There is even one live pianist who will entertain the audience and entertain them while waiting for an act or performance to officially start. You can do two things here: walk through the art gallery found on site or have a romantic time by sitting on the outdoor courtyard. Either one of these two will simply take your breath away.

2. Maui Ocean Center

If you want to see what lies under the water without getting wet and go deeper in the ocean, why not visit Maui Ocean Center. It would be looking at a huge aquarium where you can check out this cool marine park lying on acres of harbor-front. There are approximately 60 exhibits (interactive) which sum up the natural habitats of Hawaii’s underwater life. You can choose to look and check out the following: Turtle Lagoon, Stingray Cove, Discovery Pool, Whale Discovery Center, Open Ocean, and Living Reef among others.

3. Zipline Haleakala Crater

If you fancy to have an adrenalin rush adventure, why not visit Zipline Haleakala Center. It was U.S. first take on zip line tours. It started giving fun and enjoyment to tourists way back in 2002. It has a total of 5-8 zip lines that will test out every rider’s nerves. To top it all, the final leg will be taking the rider towards the gigantic gulch at a fastest speed ever.

4. Holy Ghost Church

For those who are fond of looking at architectural design that is more than a century old, paying a visit to Holy Ghost Church will transcend you to a time in the past. This church was constructed way back in 1895 by Portuguese farmers and workers who migrated to Maui in order to work for sugar cane plantations. The church attracts a lot of tourists due to the fact that beautiful sceneries and views can be seen all the way here. Add these four attractions into your list or itinerary when you are planning to visit Maui. You will never regret that you did!

Haleakala is known to be Maui’s volcano and the world’s inactive largest volcano. When you are in for a vacation in the beautiful island of Maui, you must spend a day or two in Haleakala. Here you would be able to appreciate the grand and luscious greens that you can see around. The best part of it all, you need not to worry about a volcano erupting anytime soon. Since Haleakala is an inactive volcano. Therefore, you can freely tour around within the area and start from the top all the way down. Here are the top 3 activities to do in Haleakala:

1. Visit the Haleakala National Park

If you want to spend quality time with your family, have a bonding time together without getting stressed out doing strenuous and nerve-racking activities, paying a visit to Haleakala National Park will make you and your entire family have fun without even sweating it all off. This is the place to be when you want to watch and take a piece of Haleakala, of Maui with you. The insights and things you see around will depict the beauty that the island of Maui has to offer to every tourist out there.

2. Zipline at Haleakala Crater

For those who love adventure, adrenalin rush, and super fun activity – going through different course of zip line at Haleakala Crater is highly recommended. You would be able to check out the luscious greenery eucalyptus all the way on top as you cross from one end to the other. This is a nerve-racking activity. Unleash the wild side in you by going through this fun activity. For sure, you want to go back for more!

3. Tour around Haleakala Through Biking

If you want to feel the breeze whispering to your ears at your own pace, why not take a biking experience and explore Haleakala through biking. Start off your journey by starting at the top of the volcano and go down all the way where you can see the vastness of the ocean. After a long way of looking around, paying attention what nature has to offer, you can end your journey by taking a dip on one of the lovely beaches on the island. End your journey in Haleakala with a bang! Why not dine in and mingle with the locals. Start conversing with them, and ask how the place came to being or perhaps listen to beautiful stories that are purely from Haleakala.

If you are planning to take a vacation to Maui, booking an accommodation should be your top priority. Remember, Maui is a famous island destination. People are flocking here back and fourth for fun as well as relaxing activities. You do not want to get frustrated knowing that the hotel you have chosen is fully booked. Whether you are looking for luxurious hotel accommodation or a budget one, there will always be one hotel that fits your needs perfectly, read on. The following are the top picks for bed and breakfast accommodations in Maui:

• Four Seasons

This is a 5-star hotel and is on top of the list when you are looking for a hotel accommodation in Maui. Tourists have been flocking to this hotel since it is dubbed as the best on Maui. Even celebrities do stay here and enjoy their time in the beautiful island of Maui. This hotel has been on the top list of the world’s 100 best resorts. It is their attention to every bit of detail and giving customers great service what made them be on top against their competitors. The best part of it all, their employees are well diverse as to almost everything you want to inquire about from famous attractions, activities and most especially to dining. Be treated like celebrity in a grand style – stay at Four Seasons.

• Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa

This is a 4.5 star hotel that provides top quality service to its customers. This hotel is situated on a vast property of 40 acres property right at the waterfront. This is one hotel that has amenities and facilities that are kid-friendly. They do offer hula lessons, fine dining, oceanfront massage, wildlife tours, and all types of water sports. Plus the swimming pool is top notch – with rock-formation with several waterfalls and slide as well. As for the rooms, they are beautifully designed and furnished.

• Maui Seaside Hotel

A 2.5 star hotel which is great for those who are looking for budget accommodation that is near where Kahului Airport is. It is near to various attractions, dining and even shopping centers. It would take minutes to the nearest beach. It might not give you the best scenic views but the rate is definitely a stealer. It’s cheaper compared to the rest. This hotel offers standard amenities to every room. Bottom line, you must book months ahead of schedule. This is to ensure that you will get the room you wanted from a particular hotel.

Maui has been one of the famous tourist destinations especially from tourists around the world who want to have a vacation in Hawaii. Mostly, they dropped off and spend days in this beautiful island that everybody has been talking about. Staying in Maui would be like having a vacation all through out the year. Before you hop in and take a flight to Hawaii, it would be best that you know something about Maui. Maui is home to different races and great biodiversity. Apart from these, there are still little unknown facts about this island that only a few have some idea about. To give you an idea, in this article, you will be given a list of interesting facts about Maui that perhaps you might have no idea about. Read on the following facts about Maui that will surely make you be in total awe while absorbing them:

• A waterfall that is about 1,100 ft. high is Honokahau Falls. This is the largest waterfall found in Maui. To see the enormous beauty of this water form, it is best to see it through riding a chopper.
• The world’s largest Banyan Tree is located at Lahaina, Maui. It was planted way back in 1873 and now has grown to occupy an entire acre.
• The oldest school in West Rocky Mountains is Lahainaluna High School and was founded way back in 1831. It school became the first printing press in western part of the U.S.
• Lahaina – Maui’s whaling town was Hawaii’s capital right before Honolulu got the spot in 1850.
• Maui formed part as one of the 8 major islands that composed Hawaii but actually, there are about 130 islands to count that will make up the entire archipelago.
• The largest volcano (dormant) in the entire world is found in Maui – Haleakala. The crater is measured about 21 miles and down below it is about 4,000 ft. deep.

There are a lot of facts about Maui that will make you want to know or hear for more. You can add more to this list by simply asking locals about interesting facts about Maui that not all of the tourists know existed or come to being. So, when you plan to visit the beautiful island of Maui, bring along pen and paper. Yes, get in with the old school style of taking down facts. You might come up with 100 interesting facts about one of the most beautiful islands in Hawaii – Maui.