Nightlife in Maui begins at sunset, when all eyes turn westward to see how the day will end. Sunset viewers seem to bond in the mutual enjoyment of a natural spectacle. And what better way to take it all in than over cocktails? Maui is a haven for lovers of both. With its view of Molokai to the northwest and Lanai to the west, Kaanapali and West Maui boast panoramic vistas unique to this island. In South Maui's resort areas of Wailea and Makena, tiny Kahoolawe and the crescent-shaped Molokini islet are visible as familiar forms on the horizon, and the West Maui Mountains look like an entirely separate island. No matter what your vantage point, you are likely to be treated to an astonishing view.

Sunset viewers along South and West Maui shorelines need only head for the ocean and find a seat. Our favorite sunset watering holes begin toward the north with The Bay Club at Kapalua (tel. 808/669-5656), where a pianist plays nightly and the northwesterly view of Molokai and Lanai is enhanced by the elegant surroundings. It's quiet here, removed from the hubbub that prevails in the more populated Kaanapali Beach Resort to the south.

In Kaanapali, park in Whalers Village and head for Leilani's (tel. 808/661-4495) or Hula Grill (tel. 808/667-6636), next to each other on the beach. Both have busy, upbeat bars and tables bordering the sand. These are happy places for great people watching, gazing at the lump of Lanai that looks to be a stone's throw away, and enjoying end-of-day rituals like mai tais and margaritas. Hula Grill's Barefoot Bar appetizer menu is a cut above. Leilani's has live music daily from 3:30 to 6pm, while at Hula Grill the happy hour starts at 3pm, live music at 6pm, and hula at 8pm.

Now, Lahaina: It's a sunset-lover's nirvana, lined with restaurants that hang over the ocean and offer fresh fish in a multitude of preparations -- and mai tais elevated to an art form. If you love loud rock, head for Cheeseburger in Paradise (tel. 808/661-4855). A few doors away, the Lahaina Fish Company (tel. 808/661-3472) and Kimo's (tel. 808/661-4811) are magnets all day long and especially at sunset, when their open decks fill up with revelers. For the most part, you can expect great seafood appetizers at these oceanfront haunts. These three restaurants occupy the section of Front Street between Lahainaluna Road and Papalaua Street.

At the southern end of Lahaina, in the 505 Front Street complex, Pacific'o (tel. 808/667-4341) is a solid hit, with a raised bar, seating on the ocean, and a backdrop of Lanai across the channel. Besides the view and the friendly service, the food is notable, having won many awards for seafood. A few steps away from Pacific'o, sister restaurant I'o shares the same vista, with an appetizer menu and a techno-curved bar that will wow you as much as the drop-dead-gorgeous view.

Moving south toward Wailea, the harbor stop called Maalaea is famous for its whale sightings during the winter months. Year-round, Buzz's Wharf (tel. 808/244-5426) is a formula restaurant with a superb ocean view and continuous service between lunch and dinner. Those are the basic makings of a sunset-viewing way station. Add an ice-cold beer or mai tai, elegant fresh sashimi, or a steaming order of fish and chips, and the sunset package is complete.

In Wailea, the restaurants at the new Shops at Wailea, including the highly successful Tommy Bahama (tel. 808/875-9983), are a noteworthy addition to the beachfront retail and dining scene. Ferraro's and Pacific Grill (tel. 808/874-8000), both at the neighboring Four Seasons Resort Wailea, have great sunset views to go with their Italian and Pacific Rim menus. In Makena resort farther south, you can't beat the Maui Prince's Molokini Lounge (tel. 808/874-1111), with its casual elegance and unequaled view of Molokini islet on the ocean side and, on the mauka side, a graceful, serene courtyard with ponds, rock gardens, and lush foliage. Adding to the setting is the appetizer menu, which comes from the esteemed Prince Court kitchen. From 5 to 9:30pm nightly, the pupu menu features an exceptional Prince Court sampler platter: Kona lobster cakes, steamed clams, kalua duck lumpia, Pacific oysters on the half-shell, grilled tiger prawns, and grilled teriyaki steak poke. Live Hawaiian entertainment runs nightly from 6 to 10:30pm, beginning with a mini hula show from 6pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and the contemporary Hawaiian melodies of Mele Ohana or Ron Kuala'au until 10:30pm. Ron Kuala'au plays Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday; Mele Ohana plays nightly except Sunday.

Don't forget the upcountry view, a kick-ass way to end the day if you don't mind the drive. Even with its musical-chair chef scene, Kula Lodge (tel. 808/878-2517) has a good thing going: a phenomenal view that takes in central Maui, the West Maui Mountains (looking like Shangri-La in the distance), and the coastline. From 3:30 to 5pm, the appetizer-only menu includes everything from Maui onion soup to a host of gourmet salads (the farmers are a stone's throw away), plus pot stickers, summer rolls, seared ahi, and crab cakes. Dinner begins at 5pm, so you can take in the sunset over steamed clams, rack of lamb, Cajun ahi, New York steak, and other country-comfort fare. There's more glass than wood in the dining room, so the view encompasses Kihei, Kahului, and the West Maui Mountains -- South and Central Maui in its jaw-dropping magnificence.