Maui, also called the Valley Isle, is but a small dot in the vast Pacific Ocean, but it has the potential to offer visitors dreamlike, even surreal, experiences: floating weightless in a rainbowed sea of tropical fish, standing atop a 10,000-foot volcano watching the sunrise color the sky, listening to the raindrops in a bamboo forest.

From around the globe, travelers are drawn to Maui, each in search of a unique encounter. Next to Waikiki, Maui is Hawaii's best-known destination, welcoming some 2 1/2 million people each year to its sunny shores. As soon as you arrive at Kahului Airport, a huge banner greets you with the news that the readers of Condé Nast Traveller voted Maui the best island in the world--and they've done so 4 years running. As a result, sometimes Maui feels a little too well known--especially when you're stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic around the airport. However, the congestion here pales in comparison to big-city Honolulu; Maui is really just a casual collection of small towns. Once you move beyond the resort areas, you'll find a slower, more peaceful way of life, where car horns are used only to greet friends, posted store hours mean nothing if the surf's up, and taking time to watch the sunset is part of the daily routine.