The Island of Maui offers a multitude of different things to experience. Not only are there beautiful white sand beaches, there are botanical gardens, nature preserves, parks and many other natural wonders to explore and enjoy.

At the Maui Ocean Center, experience marine life seen nowhere else on earth. An acrylic tunnel snakes through a 750,000-gallon tank, which you can walk through and observe spectacular sharks, hundreds of marine animals and tropical fish as they swim above and below. On the south side of Maui, visit the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (Ka Hoi Mai Ana Ona Kohala), which is a federal education and research center for Humpback whale studies. Venture over to west Maui and visit Honolua Bay Marine Preserve, which is a beautiful bay with great swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving on calm days. During the winter months the big reef fish come out and the fishing is excellent. From September to April, the beach is considered one of the best board surfing spots in the entire world.

Further inland; take a stroll through a fragrant field of purple hues at Alii Kula Lavender. Fifty minute walking tours are offered through a garden filled with 45 different types of lavender. Learn about its history, how it grows, its many different uses and its health benefits. For a truly unique experience, you may hold your wedding ceremony there among over 50,000 fragrant lavender plants. On the north shore visit the Garden of Eden Arboretum and Botanical Garden, which features many exotic plants and trees from the South Pacific region, as well as from many rainforests throughout the world. Opened in 1996, this beautiful landscape is dedicated to restoring natural ecosystems and promoting Hawaii's native and indigenous species. Take a walk through the most diverse collection of palms on Maui at Hana Garden Land. This is a beautiful 5-acre, privately owned botanical paradise, which is home to many exotic tropical plants and fruit trees. On the east shore, Maui Cave Adventures offers a completely unique experience. Experienced guides lead you on a hiking adventure deep into subterranean passages of an extinct lave tube to see first-hand the last seconds of this lava flow, frozen in time, that created this portion of Maui.

Haleakala National Park, located upcountry Maui, consists of 28,655 acres of which 19,270 are wilderness. From the 10,023-foot summit of Haleakala, an erosional depression filled by later volcanics, create a natural wonder. This park has two different locations: the summit section in upcountry Maui (readily accessible); and the Kipahulu section, which is more remote but also vehicle accessible. The park preserves the volcanic landscape of the upper slopes of Haleakala and protects the fragile and unique ecosystems of the Kipahulu Valley, the scenic pools of Oheo Gulch and many endangered species.

To wind down the Maui adventure, Hawaii Touch offers sacred healing bodywork and tantra massage by Deva of Maui, as well as I-Ching readings and more. Treat yourself at the Olinda Retreat and Spa, a prestigious, one-of-a-kind upcountry sanctuary in the fabled forest region of Olinda.