What You Need To Know About West Maui Reopening to Visitors This Weekend

Starting on Sunday, Oct. 6, visitors will be allowed to parts of West Maui, almost two months after deadly wildfires destroyed much of the coastal town of Lahaina and killed at least 97 people. It’s the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in over a century.

Maui County’s first phase of reopening on Sunday will be the resort area stretching from The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, south to Kahana Villa. (See map.) Following that, more areas will reopen on a rolling basis.

The only locations on Maui that have been completely closed have been historic Lahaina Town and the surrounding areas impacted by the Aug. 8 wildfires.

“Our priorities have focused on the well-being of our people and that will continue to be critically important,” said Mayor Richard Bissen said in a statement. “Six weeks ago, we focused on searching for unaccounted loved ones and supporting the safety and health of survivors. As we take careful steps forward in an unprecedented disaster, addressing our West Maui visitor industry, their employees, and the local businesses that work in conjunction with the industry requires planning that will get us to a manageable re-opening.”

After this initial phase, the plan is to reopen areas from Māhinahina to the Maui Kāʻanapali Villas, then the area from the Royal Lahaina Resort to the Hyatt Regency.

The rest of Maui has been open to visitors—even encouraged—to help stimulate the island’s economy, which stalled right after the wildfires. Those areas include popular visitors spots like Wailea, Kahului and Hāna.

The reopening of West Maui has spurred protests by residents and Lahaina Strong members, who staged a rally at the state Capitol this week. They urged Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green to delay the planned reopening, carrying a petition with more than 11,000 signatures.

Some Lahaina residents who have been displaced by the wildfires have only recently been allowed back into their neighborhoods to see what’s left of their homes and businesses. Many haven’t been back yet.

But Maui businesses are eager to see visitors return to the island, as many are still recovering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, which approved a $2.6 million marketing campaign to encourage travel to Maui, is asking that visitors be respectful and not visit the Lahaina area or the parts of West Maui that are still closed.